LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE REFERENDUM AND THE HOME RULE BILL.
[To pop EDISON op pas "Bpsorapoo.".1
SIR,—May I, in thanking you for your cheering article, "The Triumph of the Referendum," express my regret that the Unionist leaders have not insisted on a Referendum exclusively as the means of ganging popular feeling on the Home Rule Bill P To submit the question to a General Election is to submit it to the cast of a die, and there is every reason to suppose, moreover, that the die will prove to be weighted. I have found it almost impossible to get any protest against this piece of political gambling inserted in the Unionist Press, which appears to be very largely under party and caucus control Like Mr. E. L. Oliver, I am myself "sick of the caucus, sick of party," and desire to see politicians of both sides placed under the real control of the people who are supposed to elect them. All the old Constitutional brakes having been rendered ineffective, we require the Referendum at once as the only means of saving the country from being the sport of politicians who have no eye for anything but the success of their party. Then, having secured our immediate safety, we should proceed to replace our grotesque electoral system by some method of proportional representation, which will give to important minorities that voice in national governance which they should have, if democracy is to be anything more than a sham.—I am, Sir, dte., [Mr. Boner Law's speech in Thursday's debate is the best comment on our correspondent's letter.—En. Spectator.]
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