TOPICS OF THE DAYS
A UNIONIST VICTORY.
TFpeople imagine that the Spectator is going to claim the Kendal by-election as a victory for the Unionist ' Free Traders they are greatly mistaken. Not only do we make no such claim for those Unionists who share our views on the fiscal question, but we desire to acknowledge in the fullest and frankest way that this great and notable achievement, was brought about by the votes of Tariff Reformers, and could have been achieved in no other way. It is the Tariff Reformers of Kendal whom we have to thank for the return of Colonel Weston by so large e, majority. They Bank their own special views in the cause of the Union, and by their patriotism, their good sense, and their realization of the tremendous issues at stake, have set an example to the whole party in the duty of political self- sacrifice. There is not the slightest reason to believe that the Unionist party in the Kendal division is different in composition from the Unionist Party throughout the length and breadth of the land. The great majority of the Kendal Unionists are, of course, men who on the fiscal question hold, in varying degrees of intensity, Tariff Reform principles. But happily these men feel that at the present moment there is a far higher duty than pushing those particular fiscal views. The duty of the hour is toget rid of the present Government at all costs, and to save the State from the unspeakable evil of a dis- solution of the Union and from the hardly less grievous ill of a dissolution of the Established Church by the secularization of the State in Wales. They are like the democrat in Colonel Hay's spirited poem on the American Civil War. He, it will be remembered, " laid his politics out of the way " to keep " till the war got through " and the Union was safe. The Tariff Reformers in Kendal have done just the same thing, and every true Unionist owes them heartfelt thanks.
It specially behoves Unionist Free Traders to show their gratitude by not claiming a victory for their own parti- cular views. What makes the sacrifices of the Kendal Tariff Reformers the more splendid and the more memorable is the fact that the extremists did their best to mislead the men on the spot. We witnessed the astonishing spectacle of Unionist newspapers like the Morning Post, the Pall Mall Gazette, and the Observer striving in effect to secure the defeat of the man who was so pluckily fighting the battle of the Union. The Observer actually suggested that it was the duty of Unionists to accomplish his defeat and thus bring about the triumph of a Home Ruler and Disestabliiher ! We can pardon a good deal to hot and hasty writing during an exciting contest, but we are bound to say that such advice as this goes perilously near treason to the cause of the Union. We do not; however, wish to dwell further upon this matter except to point out to the extreme Tariff Reformers that, do what they like and write what they like, the Spectator will never follow their example in putting anything above the interests of the Union. If any local association chooses a Unionist candidate who sticks to Food Taxes, but is also thor- oughly loyal to the Union, we shall not only work for him ourselves, and vote for him if we have a vote, but unhesitatingly urge every Unionist Free Trader to do the same. We, at any rate, are not ashamed to say that we are Unionists first and Free Traders after- wards. The great, the essential thing, is to save the Union. While that issue trembles in the balance all other considerations, however important in themselves, Must stand aside.
If the action of the Morning Post, the Pall Mall Gazette, and the Observer in attempting to ruin the chances of the Unionist candidate at Kendal and to secure a victory for the Home Ruler was, as we have said, virtual treason to the Union, what are we to say of the astonishing performance of certain members of the Tariff Reform League at their annual meeting in London on Thursday week ? Here we actually had Mr. Goulding declaring that he did not hesitate to say that if he had had a vote in the Kendal division on no consideration would be have given it " for a back number." In other words, he was quite willing to sacrifice the Union in order to get what he, supposed was some temporary advantage for Tariff Reform. Worse, because coming from a man of more importance in the Party, was the monstrous and unforgivable declaration by Mr. George Wyndham. Mr. Wyndham in effect repudiated the cause of the Union. "If," (we quote from the report in the Times), "he had to choose between the principles of the Tariff Reform League and the Unionist party, he would stick to the principles of the Tariff Reform League." If this is not treason to the cause of the Union we do not know what is. Let us tell Mr. Wyndham plainly that we Unionist Free Traders shall never follow his example. If a. similar choice is ever forced upon us, we shall choose the Union. And here, perhaps, we may be allowed to meet the criticism which is sure to be brought against us. If those are our principles, we shall be asked, how was it we supported the Liberals at the election of 1906 ? The question is a perfectly fair one, and we are most willing to answer it. Before we supported the Liberal Party at the election of 1906 we were careful to obtain an assurance from those qualified to give it that the Ltleral Party if returned would not raise the question of the dissolution of the Union, and that therefore by supporting the Free Trade Party and Free Trade candidates we should not be in the slightest degree imperilling the Union. When in 1910 the Liberal leaders placed Home Rule in their programme, we at once, as in our opinion we were bound to do as Unionists, subordinated our Free Trade views to the question of the Union, and supported Tariff Reform and Food Tax candidates as the upholders of the lesser of the two evils. To 'continue, what made the speeches of Mr. Goulding and Mr. Wyndham specially injurious was the fact that they were made in the hearing of Mr. Austen Chamberlain, who, we admit, is a sincere Unionist, without reproof or even protest. One would have imagined that on hearing such treason to the Union Mr. Austen Chamberlain would at once have jumped to his feet and disavowed, nay denounced, his colleagues. On the contrary, Mr. Austen Chamberlain made a hedging speech, from which any real vindication of the cause of the Union was absent. We do not complain. for a moment that he pressed his tariff and preferential views as hard as possible. He had every right to do that But we cannot excuse him for not in word and deed putting the Union first and speaking what we hope and believe was his mind to those who refused to do so. We should never dream of saying that he cannot be a good Unionist because he is a Food Taxer. To attempt to set up such a. standard would be monstrously unjust. But we do say, without fear of contradiction, that he should have told his followers that he would not work with anyone who put the cause of Tariff Reform or Food Taxation first and the Union second, as had been done by Mr. Goulding and Mr. Wyndham. We must now say a word as to Mr. Boner Law's position. We shall be asked. why, if we speak so strongly in praise of the action of the bulk of the Tariff Reformers in Kendal—indeed we might almost say the whole of the Tariff Reformers in Kendal, for as far as we can see they one and all acted with the utmost loyalty to the Union—we do not also condemn the action of the central office in regard to Colonel Weston, and also the action of Mr. Bonar Law. In our opinion, there is the whole difference in the world 'between their action and that of the Observer and the Pall Mall Gazette and the extremists of the Tariff Reform League. Mr. Bonne Law, ardent Tariff Reformer as he is, never has said, and we are certain would rather cut off his right hand than say, that the cause of the Union must, if necessary, give way to the cause of Tariff Reform. His aotion and that of the central organization did no harm to Colonel Weston, and were not intended to do him any harm. Mr. Bonar Law, in fact, then acted as he always has acted, and as he always will act, with a most scrupulous sense of personal honour. He considered that his acceptance of the Memorial obliged him to hold the balance impartially between—we do not say the Unionist Free Traders and the Tariff Reformers, because it is not a question of that—but between the moderate Tariff Reformers, i.e., the anti-food taxing majority of the Unionist Party and the food taxing minority. Rather than give the slightest appearance of favouring one side, rather, that is to say, than allow anyone the opportunity of asserting that he had not acted with scrupulous fairness, he withdrew the official sanction from Colonel Weston.
We, at any rate, shall not blame him here, even though we may think that there was no necessity for his action. When there is a doubt no man can be blamed who acts in the way which will leave him least ex- posed to an accusation of having behaved dishonourably. This view of Mr. Bonar Law's action is, we are sure, the view generally taken throughout the Unionist Party, as it is clearly the view taken by Colonel Weston and by the Unionist Tariff Reformers of the Kendal division. They felt in no sense hurt or injured by Mr. Boner Law's action, but understand it fully. This perfect reliance upon the political honour and good feeling of Mr. Bonar Law is indeed one of the happiest features of the political situa- tion. Every Unionist, high and low, knows that he is a thoroughly "straight man," and that though he may make blunders, like all politicians, he will never do a mean or a dirty action, and will never injure his cause by subterfuge or intrigue. He remembers so to be a party leader as not to forget he is a gentleman. The party feels instinctively that he is the kind of man of whom it is absolutely safe to say :- " Whatever record leaps to light, he never will be shamed." After all, that is the very best foundation for a party leader.
We have said our say as to the action of the extreme Food Taxers in the Kendal election. We are certain that the party as a whole has not the slightest intention of allow- ing any split in the party to result therefrom. All that remains to do is to point out how remarkable the Kendal victory is, and how good an omen for the future. If we can almost double the majority at Kendal, even though the candidate had to bear the handicap of having the Conscription label placed upon his back by his opponents, we may make pretty sure of victory at the next general election. It might seem a matter of prudence to add the proviso, " if we do not fight amongst ourselves," but we do not intend to add that proviso, because we do not believe there is in reality the slightest fear of our doing so. Kendal has settled that. It has also taught the Unionist Party a great lesson. It has shown us how to win, and we are sure that the Unionist Party as a whole intend to profit by it. The way to win is for all who mean to maintain the Union and the Church, and who dread the destructive principles of the present Govern- ment, to combine at the polls, without paying any attention to the bluff of the extremists. The function of the Unionist Party at the present moment, and, indeed, the function of an Opposition always, is to get rid of the Government and all their works. To make sure of this the Unionist Party must obtain the support of that body of balancing electors which can decide the issue in almost every constituency. In other words, the Unionist Party must at the next general election make itself the lever which the discontent of the country needs for getting rid of the Administration. This is exactly what was done at Kendal. The Unionist Party there appealed to and won the help of some two hundred and fifty balancing electors, who had not supported them in 1910, and so well-nigh doubled the majority. As to what may be the best way in each particular constituency of obtaining this concentration of the elements opposed to the Govern- ment, we shall not attempt to dogmatize. That must be left largely to the men on the spot. We must never forget, however, that in a crisis like the present, the main, the essential, duty of the Unionist Party is to destroy the present Government and not to stand upon political punctilios. We shall no doubt be told by the Liberal press that we are cynical, nay, unprincipled, in giving such advice. We care nothing for such a charge from the supporters of a party who are content to hold office at the bidding of the Nationalists. The one thing now, we repeat, for patriotic men to consider is how to get rid of a Govern- ment who are pledged to destroy the Union and to carry out the first instalment of secularizing the nation. In that work we will join hands with all who will help us, provided only that their hands are clean. That was the spirit that inspired the Unionist Tariff Reformers of Kendal, and that is the spirit in which we shall win. The Union is and must remain the watchword of the Unionist Party. In that sign we shall conquer.
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