addressed to the secretary of the Western Counties Tariff Reform
Federation, a letter which we must give verbatim, as no summary can do justice to so remarkable a piece of political dialectic._..
"4 Carlton. Gardens, Pall Mall, S. W., July 13th, 1997. DLLs Sra,—I am obliged to you for calling my attention to the speech recently delivered by Lord Hugh Cecil at the Unioniet Free-Trade Club. But I am not sure that I quite understand on what grounds you think it it my business to explain it. It is a sufficient labour and responsibility to make speeches of my own, without taking upon myself the additional duty of commenting upon my commentators. The policy which I advise the party to accept, and which, if I remain as leader, I shall endeavour to carry out, is, as every one is aware who has taken the trouble to read what I said at the Albert Hall a few weeks ago, to broaden the basis of taxation, to promote Colonial Preference, and to mitigate, as far as possible, hostile tariffs and illegitimate com- petition. So long as this policy itself be accepted, I have little inclination to quarrel over the name by which it should be described.—I remain, yours faithfully, ARTHUR JAMES BALFOUR.
W. H. WILLIAMS, Esq."
Previous page
