Sir Robert Giffen, who voted for the Liberals in 1906,
explains in Monday's Times why, like us, he is resolved to support Tariff Reform candidates at this Election as the lesser evil. Socialism, Little Englandism, neglect of Imperial defences, and Nationalist Home-rule for Ireland are not negligible matters which might be accepted as an unim- portant qualification of Free-trade. Moreover, as Sir Robert Giffen very rigl.tly insists, the Liberal Government has betrayed its trait. " We who are Unionist Free-traders have been ' sold ' by the party and Government we selected to defend Free Trade. Possibly our choice was unwise and we ought to have known better, but whatever was the case in 1906, we have learnt our lesson, and never again can we trust a party which pretends to be free-trading, and uses the power we as Free-traders may help to give it to destroy things and institutions which we consider vital to the national welfare."
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