RALLY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 988, 1 December 1910, Page 5

RALLY.

STRIKING SPEECH BY MR. BALFOUR. FAVOURS REFERENDUM ON TARIFF REFORM. ULSTER'S THREAT. '• PLAYING WITH REVOLUTION'' (R-ec. November 30, 11.25 p.m.) By Q'ekgraph—Press Association-Copyright London, November 30. A great Unionist demonstration has been held at tho Albert Hall. No fewer than eleven thousand persons were present. Mr. W. H. Long, Irish Secretary in the Balfour Cabinet of 1905, read Ulster's message, which ran: "If an Irish Parliament is established, Ulster will neither obey its decrees nor pay its taxes." Mr. Balfour, Leader of the Opposition, after warning tho Government they were playing with revolution, discussed the question of a referendum. Ho declared that tho Radicals were horribly embarrassed. All their lives they had talked of government of the peoplo for the people by the people. A dissolution would be expensive and disturbing, but a referendum did not involve a change of Government, and by it the Government could, secure a clearer verdict without the personal bitterness which was inseparable where two candidates were in tho field.

One fantastic dealer in figures, said Mr. Balfour,.had estimated the cost of a referendum at two millions. In reality the cost would not exceed .£200,000. The Kadicals sought to put the Unionists in a hole by asking them whether they would refer vital questions on which the Lords and Commons agreed, particularly on Tariff Eeform, to a referendum. "Tho Radicals are' mistaken," continued Mr. Balfour. "They have put mo in a hole. A project, which is only tliTeo days old, obviously involves practical difficulties, tho magnitude of which. I cannot ignore. Nevertheless, I frankly say that Tariff Eeform would involve a great change. I admit that this election, perhaps any election, cannot be described as an election on Tariff Eeform alone, and I have not the least objection to submitting the principles of Tariff Eeform to a referendum." . Tho announcement caused an extraordinary demonstration, the audienco jumping to its feet and cheering. Mr. Balfour continued to say that Tariff Eeform was not a class, but a national and Imperial, matter. He was perfectly willing to submit it to the judgment of his fellow-countrymen. He challenged the Liberals to give a similar promise regarding Home Enle. Mr. Asq'uith's argument that a referendum would destroy Parliamentary responsibility was equivalent to saying that you destroy tho people's representatives if you give the people too much power. In conclusion, Mr., Balfour said;— "Don't trust tho Eadical puppets or tho Irish showman who is pulling 'the strings. Don't trust the American paymaster, who is calling tho tune. Trust tho solid sense and judgment a? ' tho people alone," AN ANSWERED O.UESTION. MRi'ASQUITH ON A REFERENDUM. (Rec. December 1, 0.20 a.m.) London, November 30. Mr. Asqnith addressed a gathering of eight thousand in the railway sheds .at Reading. ■ He objected to the substitution of a casual sporadic use of judgment by plebiscite on an issue, imperfectly defined' and regarding which largo sections of tho electorate had only tho m.ost languid interest, for the judgment of the people's chosen representatives such a substitution would degrade the Houso of Commons to the level of a debating society. e Mr. Asquith asked: "Will the Tories submit Tariff Eeform to. a referendum?" !

A SINGLE ISSUE. ABE THE PEOPLE TO RULE? (Rec. December 1, 0.20 a.m.) London, November 30. Mr. Ascruith, in an election address to his constituents at Fife, says the* appeal to the country is narrowed to the single issue—"Are the people, through their freely-chosen representatives, to control finance, administration, and law-making." ' The Lords' schemes for reform were proposed for the purpose of disguising the Teal issue, and would result in tho creation of a Second Chamber capable of imposing even a moro formidable veto than tho present House of Lords.

NEED OF DEVOLUTION. VIEWS OF SIR EDWARD GREY. (Kec. November 30, 9.5 p.m.) London, November 30. In his address to the electors, Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary, says the Houso of Lords is not the only danger to the House of Commons. Without a largo measure of devolution the Commons cannot attend to Imperial affairs and matters concerning the whole country. If local powers, .resembling thoso of the Canadian province, were given to parts of the United Kingdom it would not endanger but secure tho supremacy of the Imperial Parliament. A reformed Second Chamber was a necessity, but with machinery ensuring that the considered opinion of a substantial majority of the House of Commons shall prevail. SATURDAY'S POLLING. FIFTY-FIVE CONTESTS. (Rec. November 30, 9.5 p.m.) London, November 30. Polling takes place in fifty-five . electorates on Saturday, including tho various constituencies at Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Salford, Camborwell, Shoreditch (Western Divisions), and also Grimsby, Darlington, and Newington. The Liberals contest all London seats except City. LORD CURZON'S CHALLENGE. LLOYD-GEORGE AND HIMSELF. London, November 29. Lord Curzon of Kedlcston, speaking at Hull, challenged comparison of his own with Mr. Lloyd-George's lifowork. Ho declared that ho would soonoe cut off his hand than poison tho minds of his countrymen and preach civil war. Tho spectacle of tho Liberal party protesting against tho referendum was enough to make tho angels weep. Lord Bnrghclere, in a letter, protests against a Bill enacting tho supremacy of one House by a baro majority without appeal. LORDS AND REFORMS. THE CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY. London, November 29. Six Edward Ores, Forobzn Secretary*.

speaking at Dudley, 6aid the Lords' reform of themselves would probably result in a House consisting of a hundred and twenty Liberals and two hundred and ninety Conservatives. . Moreover, tho Crown's prerogative to create peers would be gone for ever.

A HEREDITARY GARRISON. London, November 29. Tho "Manchester Guardian" contends that tho Lords' resolutions would give tho Conservatives a permanent majority in the reformed House, by means of tho proposed garrison of representative hereditary peers.

TALK OF BLOODSHED. ULSTER AND HOME RULE. London, November 29. At an election demonstration at -Belfast twenty thousand persona were unable to gain admission. Lord Londonderry (Unionist) declared that the Government would be responsible for the bloodshed which would ensue in the event of Home Rule being established. The Ulster Council has . Tesolvcd to establish a fund to enrol regiments and purchase arms. Ten thousand pounds have been promised. PLACE OF A SECOND CHAMBER. MUST BE INDEPENDENT. London, November 29. "The Times," discussing the political situation, 6ays that a Second Chamber having no authority except what it derives from a majority in tho Commons would bo an absolute farce.

Any conceivable Second Chamber having an independent constitutional basis of its own would, says the paper, be better than a Chamber liable to be altered and realtered at tho uncontrolled caprice of the majority of a-Chamber it is meant to check.

FUNDS FOR THE IRISH. AMERICAN SUPPORT. New York, November 29. The United Irish League of America has opened a subscription list for funds to assist tho Irish Home Rulers. THE MINERS' MEMBER. HIS SALARY PROVIDED. London, November 29. The Council of the Northumberland Miners' Association, by 45 votes to 30, has agreed to pay Mr. Thomas Buif s Parliamentary salary of £350 a year, which he sacrificed by not signing tho Labourite pledge.

FOREIGN COMMENT,, SOME PRESS OPINIONS. . Paris, November 29. The newspaper' "Gaulios," tho wellknown French society paper, says that English statesmen have heretofore prided themselves on their courtesy to their adversaries, but Mr. Lloyd-Georgo goes in search of personalities and infuriates his opponents with gibes, sarcasm, and insolsent persiflages. The "Journal des Debats" says Mr. Lloyd-Georgo might by his merits elevate the commonality, but he coarsely and brutally sinks to their level. Vienna, November 29. The "Eeichspost" denominates Mr. Lloyd-Georgo a "hot-blooded English Mirabeau," while tho "Allgeraeine" declares that it is repellent to hear an English Minister openly pmise revolution. THE REFERENDUM. WHAT WOULD IT COST? London, November 29. Mr. Lloyd-George's statement that a referendum would cost two millions has been much traversed. One estimate is that, proportionately to Switzerland, where tho referendum is in vogue, tho cost would not exceed .£16,000; No other estimate exceeds a quarter of a million. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. London, November 29. The Bow Street Liberal , Association has resolved not to support Mr. Lansbury, tho Labour candidate, for Tower Hamlets.

A crowd broke np a Suffragette meeting at Stafford by means of snowballing. (Rec. November SO, 9.30 p.m.) London, November 30. Mr. L. V. Harconrt, Secretary .for tho Colonies, is confined to his' bed, and his wife is conducting his ' electioneering campaign for tho Rossendale Division of Lancashire.