Lord Derby, speaking at Preston last Saturday, invited the Government
to let the House of Commons vote freely on the proposed duty on fabric gloves, as it was going to do on the cattle embargo. Lord Derby defended his action in procuring a fair hearing for the cotton trade, whose interests were jeopardized by the proposed duty. He said, very sensibly, that it would be unwise to accord Protection to one trade if at the same time we did an injury to another trade. " It was not of the slightest use to pay out a shilling if they were only to get sixpence in return "—a homely truth which the Protectionists are always very reluctant to admit. Lord Derby said that he did not know how the Committee that is dealing with the question would report, and that he would accept the unfettered decision of the House of Commons. As he speaks for Lancashire, his declaration was highly significant.
Previous page
