A CENTRE PARTY.
[TO THE ED/TOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—Surely the time has now arrived for efforts to be made by those best able to make them towards the formation of a Centre Party. In my opinion, the rank-and-file of such a party are now only waiting to enlist when they see the banner unfurled by officers able and willing to lead them. If such a programme as the one suggested in the Spectator of March 28th by "Anti-Socialist," and approved with additions by yourself, should be put forward, there could be no doubt that it would receive a very large measure of general support. " Anti-Socialist " speaks as a Liberal, I as a Unionist who had never voted against that party until the last Election. If we find ourselves on common ground, surely many others from each side will do so likewise. I cannot see the object of remaining in pretended alliance with a party which spurns our support, and which will certainly boycott our candidates at the next General Election. There can be no doubt that so-called Tariff Reform is a creed which under one or other of its many leadsis appealing to a large number of those voters who are either unable or unwilling to give it more than a superficial study, and it does not seem to me to be wise to count too much, as Mr. D. B. Ledsham in your issue of March 28th appears to do, on the possible swift retribution which may fall upon a possible Unionist Government should it propose that policy to which all Free-traders strenuously object. I believe that if a Centre Party be formed, and if it will follow in its tactics the proposal embodied in the letter signed "Free-Trader " in your issue of March 14th, some really useful
work will have been performed. The proposal referred to, as your readers will remember, was to the effect that the Centre Party when formed should run a candidate in all or many of those constituencies in which the contest will lie between a Protectionist and a Socialist. Such a candidate should have at least a good chance of success, and it would only require the return of a few able representatives of the party to establish it on a sure footing. It would seem to me, more- over, that it would also sow the seeds of any ultimate reunion of the Unionist Party on a sound Free-trade basis. As for the leaders, it is not for me to do more than mention some of the names which must obviously suggest themselves to many, —namely, Lord Cromer, Lord Hugh Cecil, and the Hon. Arthur Elliot. But I am convinced that the first necessity is for one or other of these, or for some other suitable leader, to declare himself, and to make a call to arms, when I am sure response will not be lacking. There remain the difficulties of organisation and funds, but these should not be insuperable, and no doubt the Unionist Free-Trade Club could supply the nucleus of the former.—I am, Sir, &c., X. Y. Z.
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