17 OCTOBER 1908, Page 18

[TO TIIR EDITOR OF TIIR "SPECTLTOR-"1 SIE,—Referring to your article

in last week's issue of the Spectator, it appears to me that the real cause of the evil to which you refer is the desire of a candidate not to be outdone by the rival candidate in the matter of subscriptions. If this be so, would not an arrangement between the Unionist and Liberal leaders in a constituency for a "self-denying ordinance" on the part of the candidates be a more effectual remedy than action by the chief Unionists alone P It ought not to be impossible to arrange that no candidate or Member should give more than a certain sum a year in subscriptions

within the constituency.—I am, Sir, &c., PELICAN.