WANTED, A NEW PARTY.
LT0 THE EDITOR Or TBX "Spronroa.”)
SIR,—I have read with deep interest the correspondence in your columns on the above subject, and am sorry to dissent from your attitude thereto. The formation of a new party, or, rather, the reconstruction of a Unionist Free-trade Party, is imperative and urgent. The fruit of the last Election is ripening fast. The Education Bill of the Government, their base surrender—in the Trade Disputes Bill—to the forces of anarchy, their flagrant leaning to Socialism in all its forms, the truculence of their dealings with our Empire over the seas, and the insolence and swagger of the younger members of the Government are creating an uneasy feeling in the minds of their own supporters and positive loathing in the country generally. Already there are visible signs of revolt, and the overthrow of the present Administration may be a question of months, not years. What is to be done ? Are we to decide upon the support of Home-rule on the one hand, or Tariff Reform—that is, Protection—on the other ? You think that this alternative can never be presented, that before another General Election Tariff Reform will be dropped, and a united front presented to the forces of disruption. You are mistaken. There is no such prospect. On the contrary, I fear that Tariff Reform may be woven with some Devolution scheme of Home-rule in order to catch the Irish vote. The MacDonnell episode should put us on our guard. Such unholy alliances have occurred before in our Parliamentary history. But, you say, Unionists can abstain. This would be a cowardly attitude, and a policy of despair. It is imperative and urgent, therefore, that the Unionist Party should be re-formed and ready with a positive and unmistakable policy. Another reason, we require new leaders. The calamitous condition of the Unionist Party, and, let me add, the calamitous outlook for the country, are mainly due to the action of two statesmen, Mr. Balfour and Mr. Chamber- lain. In the reconstructed party, I fear Mr. Balfour is an impossible leader ; Mr. Chamberlain has sacrificed his chances ; and some of their subordinates are not of the calibre to inspire confidence and enthusiasm. The air must be cleared. A policy must be put before the country, free from all prevarica- tion, which will attach all that is thoughtful in Liberalism, Unionism, and Conservatism ; and leaders must be presented who by their character, opinions, and policy will rally round them the best intelligence and the highest patriotism of their countrymen. The seriousness of the situation brooks no delay.
[Our correspondent has, we think, mistaken our meaning. The reconstruction of the Unionist Party on a Free-trade basis is the ideal which we have always put forward, though we have recognised that at a moment of great national crisis it might become necessary to have recourse to the formation of a third party,—just as the Romans kept in reserve the institution of the Dictatorship.—En. Spectator.]
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