LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
A CENTRE PARTY.
LTO THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—It cannot be doubted that there is a growing feeling of impatience at the alternatives that are exclusively offered by the two-party system. As things now are a citizen must either support the present Government with its policy of attacking the House of Lords, squandering old-age pensions, impoverishing publicans and brewers, and vexing Churchmen and Roman Catholics, or else assist the Tariff Reform League in setting up a Protective tariff on German or Canadian lines. Many people, I think, must feel it bard to bear that they should be forced to choose between two courses, each so unattractive. A patriot who is neither a Socialist-Radical not. a Protectionist feels a real perplexity. For whom is be to vote ? Which are the least evils that he must assist to bring upon his country ?
Accordingly, there is a cry for a Centre Party, which should be neither Protectionist nor Socialist. Theoretically, such a party seems necessary to express properly the convictions of no inconsiderable number of persons. Those who are inex- perienced in politics can hardly understand why it does not come into existence. But they will find, if they inquire of any practical politician who is familiar with the actual workings of political conflict, that the difficulty of bringing it into effective being is great indeed. A party must have its repre- sentatives in the House of Commons. To this end, it must be able to win seats at the poll. To win a seat the aspiring Centralist must enlist more supporters in a particular con- stituency than the Radicals or Tariff Reformers. Possibly in a few constituencies this might be achieved if he bad the assistance of an adequate organisation; for though the electors reign, the caucus governs. But the existing organi- sations are in the hands of ardent partisans of the two established parties. To set up a new organisation is difficult, —especially difficult for those who by temperament are not restless and zealous, but characteristically easygoing, moderate men. The aspiring Centralist who should try the experiment would, I fear, soon be convinced that his prospects of election in any constituency were small, and would, reluc- tantly and ruefully, be forced to return to the consideration of the odious question,—" Which of the two existing parties do I disagree with least ? "
Here, then, is a problem for your readers to consider. Very many of them must have felt the desire to see a Central Party in existence. But they have, perhaps, not yet sufficiently realised the enormous practical obstacles that lie in the way of constituting such a party. A party to be effective must be seated in the House of Commons, and no one has yet dis- covered a method of electing a Centralist. I wish a solution could be found; for every thoughtful man must feel that to entrust the government of this country alternately to parties dependent on caucuses of the most extreme Radicals and Tariff Reformers is dangerous and absurd. For myself, I cannot find the way out, and venture, therefore, to appeal to the Spectator and its readers for their wiser help.—I am, Sir,
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