Mr. Chamberlain has addressed a letter to the Greenwich Unionists
in which he states that the majority of the party- i.e., the Tariff Reformers—are not merely justified, but required by their duty, to make every effort to have their views represented in the Commons,—i.e., to turn out Lord Hugh Cecil and put in a Chamberlainite. This declaration of war on Lord Hugh Mr. Chamberlain supports by reference to the resolutions in favour of Tariff Reform passed by the National Union of Conservative Associations and by his newly organised Liberal Unionist body. Seeing that only a month ago the Conservative Whip, Sir Alexander Acland-Hood, told the Unionists of Greenwich that they ought, if good Unionists, to support Lord Hugh Cecil, and in so many words refused to remain " neutral " in the dispute, one would imagine that issue bad at last been joined between the Chamberlainites and the Balfourites. Unless, however, we are greatly mistaken, nothing will come of the incident. Matters have been brought to a crisis, and then, as we have explained elsewhere, Mr. Balfour will allow them to take their own course. No doubt under normal conditions a man of Sir Alexander Acland-Hood's high character and independent position would not have stood for an instant Mr. Chamberlain's interference at Greenwich. He would have at once asked Mr. Balfour either to repudiate his follower, Mr. Chamberlain, in express terms, or else to accept his (Sir A. Acland-Hood's) resignation. Of course he may do this even now, but it is, we think, far more likely that Sir Alexander will allow himself to be hypnotised by Mr. Balfour into simply letting things drift.
Previous page
