The outstanding event of the week in the struggle between
the more austere Food Taxers and those who are anxious that Food Taxes shall not be an issue at the next general election has been the drawing up of a memorial for presentation to Mr. Bonar Law and Lord Lansdowne. The memorial is still being signed by Unionist members, and we understand that the signatures will represent practically the whole Opposition. Meanwhile, the meeting of the Lancashire Division of the National Unionist Associatioia, arranged for January 11th, has been postponed. There is no doubt that before the drafting of the memorial matters had been going from bad to worse, and there was a prospect that a party meeting would have to be summoned, at which Mr. Bonar Law and Lord Lansdowne would offer their resignations, stating their reasons for doing so. The happy inspiration of the memorial has brought about a revelation of the common purpose of the party and of the intensity of its regard for Mr. Bonar Law and of the high value it sets upon his leadership. It is under- stood that the memorial, while reiterating the devotion of the party to Tariff Reform and assuring Mr. Boner Law of the sentiments about himself which we have described, asks that the question of Food Taxes should not be an issue at the next election, but shall be postponed for a further reference to the electors.
