Lord Hugh Cecil has replied to this by once more
asserting (in a letter to Wednesday's Times) that Mr. Balfour is a Free-trader and against Protection. "I doubt if there is any abstract economic proposition which be would be ready to lay down to which I should not be willing to assent. It is about the practical applications that I have misgivings." Lord Hugh Cecil adds that it is, in his opinion, "neither honest nor intelligent to deny or to minimise Mr. Balfour's declarations against Protection; and that it is disingenuous, and even mendacious, to affirm that be approves the Pro- tectionist propaganda of the Tariff Reform League." Lord Hugh Cecil undoubtedly makes good his point that Mr. Balfour is a very bad person to lead the Tariff Reformers, because he is opposed to the essential doctrine of Tariff Reform. But this, as we have said elsewhere, does not make Mr. Balfour a genuine Free-trader. Indeed, if Mr. Balfour were leading or acting with the Unionist Free-traders, we should feel no small misgivings as to the effect of such leader- ship or co-operation. As, however, be is leading our opponents, it would be absurd for us to express any annoyance.
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