Parliament during the week has again been occupied with the
discussion of the Budget. It cannot be said that the debates have been in any sense fruitful, except to show how little the Cabinet realise the full consequences of their own measure, and how different must be the results of the land clauses, if carried into practice, from the professed intentions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In truth, the Budget is far too big a measure to be got through in one Session of Parliament. If the Ministry had been wise, they would have got the money they require this year through their increases of the Income-tax, the Death-duties, the License-duties, and the Customs and Excise duties on tobacco, spirits, and beer, and would have left the application to land of an absolutely new set of principles until next Session. But though one part of the Legislature has made so fatal an error, there is no reason why the other portion should acquiesce in it. The Lords have, in our opinion, plenty of reason for throwing out the land clauses of the Budget on their merits, and because the country has never been consulted upon them. They have further warrant for such a course in the fact that the land clauses, even if accepted in principle, have not, owing to existing Parliamentary conditions, been properly discussed.
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