LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
MR. BONAR LAW'S SPEECH AT ALANCHESahit.
[To THIS EDIT= Or. THE "SPECTATOR."] Sra,—In Lancashire the completest satisfaction has ensued on Mr. Bonar Law's speech, delivered in Manchester on Tuesday last. Conservatives of the north of England have now been vouchsafed a rallying cry, for which, to tell the truth, they have waited some time and with some consider- able degree of anxiety. Few people in the south seem to have realized the seriousness to Lancashire and Yorkshire of the recent crisis in the Unionist Party fortunes. The Edin- burgh speech seemed to have saved the situation for Unionists of the north of England, but the annual meeting of the Tariff Reform League last week went a long way again towards con- fusing the position. There is no need to disguise the fact that Lancashire Unionists awaited Mr. Bonar Law's speech of Tuesday last with considerable trepidation. A lot depended on the line that he was to take. Lancashire Unionists asked themselves with anxiety whether he was going to proclaim the necessity for unity in the party ranks, or whether he was going to insist on the adherence to Tariff Reform principles as the sine qua non for membership of the Unionist Party. Had he taken the latter course, there can be no doubt that a more serious crisis would have arisen in north-country Unionism than has ever been the case since the Tariff Reform propaganda was first sprung on the country. Subscription on Mr. Bonar Law's part to the demands of the extreme Tariff Reformers might have meant a distinct cleavage between the parties of north- country and south-country UniOnism. It might have resulted in a definite declaration on the part of the North of England in favour of an adherence to Free Trade and a united opposi- tion to all Tariff Reform Unionist candidates. This and nothing less was the danger that Mr. Bonar Law successfully shelved by his speech of Tuesday last.
The net result of that speech has been to sweep away from the area of conflict all issues whereon Unionists are of divided counsels. There only remain the solid working basis and the abiding principles of Unionism as laid down by Lord Beaconsfield. The leader of the Unionist Party has struck the keynote of the time in his proclamation that the object immediately before Unionism is one only—to get rid of a Government whose continued existence is a source of danger to the country. Such a plan of campaign unites all the sympathisers with Unionist ideals and all the opponents of Radical wire-pulling on the broadest possible basis. The Free Trader is not asked to commit himself to Tariff Reform, the Tariff Reformer is not asked to subscribe to Free Trade. The issues at the next election will be the simplest that have ever been known in modern days. The Unionist leader asks solely for support in his struggle against Home Rule, Welsh Disestablishment, the wreck of the Constitution, and the scandalous neglect of the Government to provide for our national security. The north of England will respond to the call—the five figures of the Conservative majority at Kendal show with what result.—I am, Sir, ace
LANCASTRIAN.
[As our readers will see by reference to our leading columns, we fully endorse " Lancastrian's " view of Mr. Bonar Law's admirable speech at Manchester. It is most satisfactory to know that it produced so good an effect in the north, though we are bound to say we are not surprised. Mr. Bonar Law is the kind of leader who is certain to gain ground. The more he is known the stronger will be his hold on the party and the country. It remains to be said that " Lancastrian" is not, and never has been, a Unionist Free Trader of the Spectator or any other type.—En. Spectator.]
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