As for the Tariff Commission, it was a bold move
to apply that term to a body the great majority of whom were personally interested in the decisions of the questions which they had to consider. Replying to the charge that he had wrecked the Liberal Unionist Association, the Duke was content to leave it to the judgment of his country- men whether that result was due to his protest against that Association being divided or perverted to purposes which had nothing to do with Liberalism or Unionism, or to the action of a man who, not content with forming an Association to promote his own policy, had sought to advance that policy by the agency of an older political Association formed for quite different purposes. To Home-rule he was as uncompromisingly opposed as ever; but there was not room in our politics for two questions of this magnitude to occupy the public mind simultaneously, and the Protectionist campaign had shelved Home-rule for probably several elections. He could not understand why their opponents objected to the name Pro- tectionists. It seemed to him a great deal too good for them. "Robin Hood and his merry men had acted on Protectionist principles, but professed that they took from the rich to give to the poor. It could be demonstrated, however, that the tendency of the Protective policy was to tax the poor for the benefit of the rich." The Prime Minister had admitted that we were not only rich and prosperous in appearance, but also in reality. What more, then, did they want P Not the least significant and encouraging point in the Duke's manly and vigorous speech was his clear indication that, though he had not been willingly involved in this controversy, he was ready and willing to take an active part in the fight.
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