MR. ASQUITH AND STATE PURCHASE. [TO THE EDITOR or THE
"SPECTATOR.")
SIR.—Mr. Asquith is reported to have recently received at the House of Commons a joint deputation from the United Kingdom Alliance, the National Temperance Federation, and the National British Women's Temperance Association. With regard to State Purchase, Mr. Asquith is reported to have said that in his opinion the whole scheme was financially unsound. He is probably quite correct, since the proposal is advanced on two mutually de- structive arguments—(1) that it would furnish abundant revenue: (2) that it would provide a stepping-stone to Prohibition. But when Mr. Asquith goes on to state that "it was a business the State would not touch with its finger-tips," one is forced to the reluctant conclusion that it is still difficult, even for the mastei - mind, to clear itself from cant, since, by a fortunate dispensation of that department of Providence which has the care of matters fiscal, this principle of "touch tot, handle not" has never fettered the action of either the Inland Revenue or the Customs and Excise in dealing, to the advantage of the State, with the revenue derived from this accursed thing. If, therefore, Mr. Asquith's point of view prove sound, it would follow that successive Chan- cellors of the Exchequer must bear a singular resemblance to John Bunyan's Man with a Muck Rake. With regard to the Licensing Bill of 1908, I observe that MT. Asquith preserves the attitude nit nisi Lonum de mortals. One hardly dares to suggest that it perished unwept, unhonoured, and unsung.—I am, Sir,
F. P. WHITHRE4D,
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