Among the many excellent speeches made on the last day
of the debate, Lord Curzon's was especially remarkable. He asserted that opponents of the Bridget had been unjustly acoused of indifference to questions of social reform. But a bad method of raising money was not excused by its expendi- ture for a good purpose; the end could not justify the means. If the Budget were passed, "an Old Man of the Sea would be set upon the shoulders of the respectable and reputable classes in the community." He then proceeded to deal in detail with the speeches of those Unionist Peers who, while condemning the Budget, were opposed to its rejection. Even if they acted on Lord Cromer's advice, it was quite clear that they would not escape from the Constitutional struggle. " The rod is in pickle for us anyhow." He next criticised Lord Rosebery's speech on account of its " lame and impotent conclusion," and, dealing lastly with the Constitutional question, argued that what was revolutionary was the Govern ment's action in committing the Liberal Party " to .the destruction of the veto of this House and the perversion of the ancient balance and equipoise of our Constitution."
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