NEWS OF THE WEEK.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S proposals for fiscal reform, and their discussion in the House of Commons, have practically eclipsed all other political topics . during the week. On Friday, May 22nd, the subject of old-age pensions came before the House of Commons on the second reading of a private Member's Bill. The debate would have been unim- portant but for the intervention of Mr. Chamberlain, who declared with considerable warmth that he still adhered to his former views in regard to old-age pensions. He admitted, however, that the granting of old-age pensions must involve the Treasury of this country in a charge of many millions. "Before any Government can consider a scheme of that kind it must know where it is going to get the funds. I do not think that old-age pensions is a dead question. I think it may not be impossible to find the funds, but that, no doubt, will involve a review of that fiscal system which I have indicated as necessary and desirable at an early day." In other words, old-age pensions are to be the engine which is to be employed in dragging the Imperial-preferential-tariff trucks. Mr. Chamberlain, that is, hopes to make his preferential tariff, and the taxation of food which it must involve, acceptable to the working man by the grant of old-age pensions. It is a curious coincidence that the vast pension-list of America was largely created in order to get an excuse for a high Protective tariff.
