THE BUDGET AND NATIONAL INSURANCE 297

LAND AND INCOME TAXES IN THE BUDGET 318

THE BUDGET AND THE LORDS 344

THE SPIRIT OF THE BUDGET 357

THE BUDGET AND PROPERTY 384

THE CONSTITUTIONAL MENACE 405




INTRODUCTION


The series of speeches included in this volume ranges, in point of
time, from the earlier months of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman's
Government to the latest phase in the fortunes of Mr. Asquith's
succeeding Ministry, and forms an argumentative defence of the basis
of policy common to both Administrations. The addresses it contains
deal with nearly all the great political topics of the last four
years--with Free Trade, Colonial Preferences, the South African
settlement, the latest and probably the final charter of trade
unionism, the Miners' Bill, the measures for establishing Trade Boards
and Labour Exchanges, the schemes of compulsory and voluntary
assurance, and the Budget. They possess the further characteristic of