A UNITED CONSERVATIVE PARTY.
Lye THE -EDITOR OF THE 'SPECTATOR."] SIR,—At the annual meeting of the Tariff Reform League, held in London on December 7th, it was admitted by at least one speaker that the League was not making the progress which ought to be made in the Manchester district. This statement only confirms the result of the last General Election, when Free-traders carried all before them in Lancashire. My knowledge of the staple industries of several districts of England, and the analysis of the results of the last General Election in those parts, convinced me that the electors generally voted either for Free-trade or Tariff. Reform candi- dates as they considered this question would materially affect them. In my opinion, the electors of those districts in which trades are carried on that cannot meet the legitimate com- petition of American and German manufacturers, either from geographical situation, antiquated methods of production, or other causes, voted for Protection. On the other hand, where manufacturers use the latest and best methods of production, and employers and employes are keenly alive to all competition and are able successfully to meet it, they voted for Free-trade. If this supposition is correct—and I humbly submit to your readers that it is—I venture to think it behoves the Con- servative Party at once to recognise it, and immediately take steps to make provision for a Free-trade section within their ranks, and to give equal opportunity both to Free-traders and Tariff Reformers to work for the Conservative cause, thus preventing Free-traders being driven permanently into the opposite party. For if that should come to pass, the govern- ment of the nation by the Conservatives would be postponed for many a long year, and the party seriously weakened for at least a generation. The present Government, by its action on the education question, has alienated many of its supporters, especially in Lancashire. But the question is : In the event of an Election, would the electors generally put their religious convictions first, and what they consider to be the best means of securing permanent and satisfactory employment and advancement second ? This is the problem the Conservative Party has to solve, at least here in Lancashire, and in its solution, as a worker for the Conservative cause, I trust this
latter potent influence will receive its dial recognition.—I
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