Sir Alfred Pease, brother of the Liberal Whip, and formerly
Liberal Member for the Cleveland Division of Yorkshire, has informed Mr. Herbert Samuel, M.P., that he can no longer support him or the Government. The reasons for his estrangement are, briefly, that in home policy and finance the Government have betrayed the principles of Liberalism by urging the people to be enthusiastic over high taxation and the consequent squandering of the national wealth, and by driving the country into Tariff Reform through the financial burden of so-called social reforms. He also vigorously condemns the multiplication of officials. Sir Alfred, who remains a Free-trader, has not yet severed himself from the Liberal Party, but "if nothing remained but the choice of one bad road or another it might be preferable to take the one which leads to the destruction of our commercial supremacy rather than the one which conducts to the demolition of the self-reliance, character, and liberties of the people." The whole letter breathes the spirit of true Liberalism.
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