LORD MACAULAY AND MR. LLOYD GEORGE.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.'] SIR,—Lord Macaulay writes in his essay on Southey :— "It is not by the intermethlling of the omniscient and omnipotent State, but by the prudence and energy of the people, that England has hitherto been carried forward in civilization ; and it is to the same prudence and the same energy that we now look with comfort and good hope. Our rulers will best promote the improvement of the nation by strictly confining themselves to their own legitimate duties, by leaving capital to find its most lucrative course, com- modities their fair price, industry and intelligence their natural reward, idleness and folly their natural punishment, by main- tRining peace, by defending property, by diminishing the price of law, and by observing strict economy in every department of the State. Let the Government do this: the People will assuredly do the rest."
The Government have deliberately gone counter to every article of this wise counsel. They are laying a halfpenny tax on capital. They have intermeddled with the natural law of supply and demand in fixing a minimum wage. Industry and intelligence are penalised in the Land-taxes, and property is confiscated. By valuation of property not even required for taxation they have thrown economy to the winds and increased the cost of law. Let the people choose between Lord Macaulay and Mr. Lloyd George.—I am, Sir, &c.,
H. B. BEALE.
Hyde Court, Chalford, Gloucestershire.
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