[To THE EDITOR OF TkIE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—I am an unrepentant Protectionist of twenty-five years' standing. Still, I would vote that Tariff Reform should be for ever relegated to Saturn rather than yield a foot on any of the following four subjects :—(1) The tyranny of an omni- potent Cabinet ; (2) the national defence ; (3) the disruption of the Union ; (4) the advent of Socialism. I wonder are there many Free-traders who can say the same? We know that many of them voted " wrong " on all the above subjects sooner than risk in the slightest degree their precious Free- trade. This is treating Free-trade as a sort of sacred cult, not as merely an economic truth. "E. A. B." says that "the elections have proved that generally speaking the Budget is not unpopular, and that Tariff Reform is " ! (Spectator, January 29th). If "E. A. B." would remember 1906, when we were told that Tariff Reform was dead and buried, and compare with that idea the present state of things, he might better grasp things as they are. At the same time, I fully admit that Tariff Reform has still a long journey in front of it, and I hold that to carry it there should be something like the American two-thirds majority ; so at any rate I am not a " bigoted " Tariff Reformer. As to a Tariff Reform Commis- sion, I think, Sir, in the terms of reference you propose you omit one very important one—the raising of revenue—and in this connexion I would ask if Tariff Reform alienated votes, what did Free-traders suggest should be put in opposition to the Budget to raise the required revenue ? Further, I fear the only result of a Commission would be that the Free-traders would find or report wholly against Tariff Reform in any shape, and that Tariff Reformers would of course report in its favour, which would leave things much as they are. Certainly I would give up Tariff Reform for ever to attain the result put forward at the end of your leading article on this subject. I -wonder would "convinced Free-traders" or "unrepentant Free-traders" say as much ?—I am, Sir, &c.,
J. M.
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