The Fiscal Issue.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7738, 14 February 1905, Page 3

The Fiscal Issue.

A Letter From Mn Barns. MELBOURNE, Feb. 13. The Freetrade Association has re- I ccived a reply from Mr John Burns, JI.P., regretting his inability to lec- : ture in Australia on fiscalisin. He- ' ferring to Mr Chamberlain's scheme), be says : "This is only a diverting subterfuge to cover up his disastrous South African war,. his foolish Sugar Convention policy, and his monstrous revival of slavery by allowing alien mine-owners to displace British and Australian labour by Chinese coolies." He is aomewfeat surprised thai a few responsible Australians should have been fascinated by his fallacies, and that some labour legislators were too simple to see through his Home electoral devices, "but the only effect of his revival of protection wall be to disrupt tho forces of reactionary Imperialism, who see ten years of extravagant Government has seriously imperilled our financial, commercial, military, and naval positions. I suspect some of yoyr politicians are, ere this, sorry they have identified themselves, even in sentiment, with the most costly, dangerous and ruinous policy ever projected against the well being of the British people by • a statesman who has never been their guide, philosopher, and friend."