Sir Henry Fowler,whca-replied, argued -that the-Govern- ment proposal was to
hand over .21.500.000 " to one section and one class of the community." The local taxation of real property was unfair, but it did not injure the land worse than other industries. The unfairness of the rates was greater in the cities than in the country. (No doubt they press heavily, but seldom so heavily on an industry so little able to bear a fiscal strain as agriculture ) In many places, con- tinued Sir Henry Fowler, the rural rates had fallen, though in the towns they had uniformly gone up. But then in the towns so has the ability to bear them, There has been no drop in town products like the drop in the price of wheat. An important point made by Sir Henry Fowler was that under the present proposal Ireland was only to get 9 per cent. of the dole, though, if her assessable value was considered, Ireland ought to have nearly 20 per cent. Sir William Harcourt, who also spoke, put on the severest form of his great statesman manner, and quoted, as is the wont of our politicians when they wish to seem particularly virtuous, that " soundest of thinkers and financiers that this country ever had,—Sir George Cornewall Lewis." "I implore hon. Members to read the evidence of Sir George Cornewall Lewis given in 1850 before the Committee on Local Taxation." But though Sir William Harcourt was so theatrically impressive, his warning was sound,—namely, that "a national Poor-rate " would be most perilous. Since, however, the Government are not proposing a national Poor- rate, or anything like it, we cannot feel greatly alarmed.
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