IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2691, 22 December 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

LORD PORTSMOUTH PESSIMISTIC

United Press Association—Uortright. LONDON, Dec. 20.

The Unionists have secured a candidate for every constituency in Britain except Kirkcaldy. The Liberals lack sixteen candidates. The Labor party is contesting seventy-six seats. Lord Portsmouth in a letter said'he holds much land, having invested in American securities, upon which '■no unearned increment is charged. No one well advised will invest in English undertakings. The only difference between real and personal estate is that land is already weighted by obligations, finanial and otherwise, that money and stock would not carry. He sees no reason for the Liberal-Socialis-tic doctrine to destroy the landed interests. THE “SPECTATOR’S” APPEAL. The “Spectator” says: Utterly as we dislike and mistrust tariff reform, we are stilL more fearful of the disruptive processes of Gladstonian Home Rule and government by a single Chamber, which imply party caucus or an oligarchy. With all the force at our command, therefore, we beg every voter to save the Union and democracy at one and the same time by voting against the return of Liberals to power. LORD OAVENDISH’S COUNTER APPEAL. Lord Richard Cavendish, in a speech at Ulverston, said the plea that the Lords were referring the Budget to the people was nauseating cant. The Lords rejected the Budget because they knew it was the death-blow to tariff reform, which wag a disease comparable to small pox. He appealed to all moderate men to support the Liberals. Triangular contests threaten fiftyfour seats unless the Labor 'party conference sitting at Manchester decide to withdraw candidates. EARL CAWDOR’S WARNING. Earl Cawdor, First Lord of the Admiralty in the Salisbury Government, .speaking at Heeds, said if the Irish •were given Home Rule only a war would prevent the German fleet occupying Belfast. *The people of England were not blind enough to allow Belfast .to become a German dockyard and the • base for a German fleet. Mr. Mulliner ■was a man of high standing whose . statements demanded an ’ explanation from the Government. Referring *to •tariff reform he said that if Britain failed to take it up she would see the .colonies entering into arrangements with America, Germany, and other countries.

The Middlesex Defence Organisation ancl the Imperial Maritime League have issued a joint manifesto against the growth of confiscatory legislation and inadequate provision for defence.

DEFECTION OF PROMINENT

LIBERALS.

Owing to the- Budget and the Home Hide question Mr. Edward Johnson Ferguson, chairman of the 'Liberals’ .Association at Dumfriesshire. Mr. .Joseph Jonas, of the Ottercliffe divi- . sion, and'Mr. Hobson, chairman of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, and Sir John Swinburne, Northumberland, have withdrawn their support from the • government. Mr. Balfour, leader of the Opposition, is suffering from pulmonary catarrh. The °nly unopposed candidates were fifteen Conservative Unionists, one Liberal and one Labor. A DONATION TO THE BUDGET LEAGUE. ( (Received December 21, 8.55 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 21. Mr. J. Caird, of Dundee, jute manufacturer, has given the Budget League £IO,OOO as a token of gratitude for Mr. Winston Churchill’s recent speeches.