LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
LIBERAL UNIONISTS AND THE MEMORIAL. [To THS EDITOR OF THE "S1'ECTATOR:] Sin,—On December 12th last you kindly inserted in the Spectator a letter from me in which I ventured to assert that the Tariff Reform policy was only supported by a small minority of the Unionist Party, whilst three-fourths of the Liberal Unionists were entirely opposed to it. I think the result of the memorial to Mr. Boner Law in the House of Commons has fully justified my assertion as well as the advice which I quoted from Mr. Gladstone that it was not the duty of a statesman to prescribe until he was called in. And I hope also that the further result of the memorial will be that the whole body of Liberal Unionists, whatever their fiscal opinions may be, will now rally to the support of Lord Lansdowne and Mr. Bonar Law, in whose statesmanship we may have the fullest confidence in every respect. Mr. Boner Law stated at Ashton that he would not consent to Food Taxes for protective purposes, and the Colonies have shown with no uncertain voice that they will not ask for such duties as part of a policy of preference, so we may reasonably assume that they are dead already. I am glad to note that Mr. Austen Chamberlain has loyally accepted the decision of the great majority of the Unionist Party in the House of Commons, which is undoubtedly a faithful representation of the opinions of the Unionist Party in the country, and whilst he has to regret that this is the first time that he has found himself in disagreement with his colleagues, it may be some consolation to him now to recollect that ever since 1904 a very important majority of the Liberal Unionist Party have been in complete disagreement with him and the Tariff Reform policy, whilst their leaders have been in no way consulted as to the policy of the Unionist Party either in office or in opposition.
It is to be hoped that the Unionist Party will be no longer spoken of as the Tariff Reform Party connected with Food Taxes, but that all sections will be now united under the Unionist flag in the spirit of our great leader of 1886, when Conservatives and Liberal Unionists cordially co-operated. Nothing can more thoroughly justify the action of the Unionist members of the House of Commons and the outspoken advice of the Unionist Press than the somewhat agitated and unseemly despair of the Home Rule Radical leaders as shown by Sir J. Simon's speech on Saturday last and the hurried arrangements for a mass meeting for the Prime Minister to follow Mr. Bonar Law in Scotland. The attempt to prove that the leaders of the Unionist Party are now acting dishonestly and against their principles can only be prompted by the recollection of the suppression of Home Rule in 1906 and 1910, and the fact, which is well known, that the Government have relied on the cry against Protection and Food Taxes to save them from the indignation of the electors at their degradation of both Houses of Parliament, their toe-theline policy in the House of Commons, and their wasteful expenditure of public money. Now they will have to stew in their own juice without any red herring.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Hainkm Hall. HENEAGR.
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