29 JUNE 1912, Page 29

" THE CONFEDERATES. "

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") Szu,—I know nothing about the Confederates, but I should like to ask your correspondent, Mr. E. L. Oliver, a question. He says, "Are these Confederates really Conservative P They say in effect, Perish the Church, perish Ulster, perish the Constitution, and long live the tariff.'" He also says that if there were a General Election to-morrow a number of the 3,000 Conservative Free Traders in South Manchester would again vote for Free Trade—by which, I suppose, he means the Radical or Socialist candidate. My question is : " Are these Free Traders really Conservative' P" I know several Conservatives who took what I fear I must call your bad advice to support Mr. Winston Churchill and to oppose Mr. Balfour in 1906. They talked a great deal about it then ; they are very silent on the subject now. And I do not think they will make the same mistake again. Of course, people who prefer to be governed by the present Coalition will vote accordingly, whether they are Free Traders or not.--I am, Sir, &a., W. A. PECK.

(Word and Cambridge Club, Pall Mall, S. W.