In Mr. Chamberlain's interesting speech on Thursday to the Liberal
Unionist organisation for the county divisions outside Birmingham, he laid great stress on the numbers of those who are glad to join Liberal Unionist associations, but who would never have joined openly Conservative associations even in the Unionist cause. His experience has shown him that the number of these is very large, and that in many counties the Unionist cause has lost ground in consequence of there having been no adequate means of registering their opinions and stimulating their zeal, without merging their political life in that of the Conservative Party. We are sure that Mr. Chamberlain is right, and that if his example is followed, we shall be much more certain of victory at the next General Election than we could otherwise be. But how will the mild political superstition (as we must call it) which renders any identification with Conservatism for a particular pur- pose and a particular time, absolutely abhorrent to those Liberals who are opposed to Home-rule, tell„ on the Unionists, if the next Government should be one of coalition between the Conservatives and the party of the Duke of Devonshire and Mr. Chamberlain P We almost fear that the excessive dread of Conservatism which makes the name so abhorrent to these fastidious Unionists, may, in many oases, render them unwilling even to support a. coalition between Liberal-Unionists and Conservatives; and that surely might be a most unfortunate result of an honourable party super- stition.
Previous page
