LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
A ROYAL COMMISSION ON FREE-TRADE AND PROTECTION.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR." J
SIR,—In last week's Spectator reference is made to a review of the political situation in Scotland that appeared in the Times of Thursday week, in which approval is expressed of a Royal Commission—as suggested by the late Lord Goschen- to inquire into the whole subject of Free-trade and Protection. Of this suggestion you write approvingly. Now I would venture to point out that on March 14th, 1904, I moved in the Lords for a like Commission, and that it was then and there that Lord Goschen spoke in favour of a Commission of Inquiry. The wording of my Motion was as follows :—" That an humble Address be presented to his Majesty praying him to appoint a small Commission to inquire into and report upon the present state and prospects of our trade, and whether any change of methods or other action is needed in furtherance thereof." Further, I would relate that before the meeting of Parliament in 1904 I had privately urged on an important member of the then Government the advisability of announcing in the coming King's Speech the appointment of such a Commission. I may add that the Chamber of Commerce of the United Kingdom had, previous to my Motion, passed a resolution in favour of a Commission. Why Mr. Balfour's Government did not agree to my Motion I have vainly endeavoured to ascertain. Had they assented to it, pending the result of the inquiry all Tariff, Protection, and Retaliation oratory and action would have been vain, and the odds are we should meanwhile have had no change of Government. The nearest approach to an explana- tion I received from a member of the late Government whom I chanced to meet in a railway-carriage in the autumn of 1906. His explanation was in these words : " Chamberlain would not have stood it." To which I replied in three monosyllables which I leave you to guess.—I am, sir, &c., WEMYSS. Gosford, Longniddry.
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