A NATIONAL PARTY.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—I read the article on Unionism in the Spectator of March 19th with some surprise. It appeared to me to be putting the clock back and a strenuous advocacy of a new Conservative Party on old party lines. The present want is not a retrograde party, but a practical acknowledgment of real politics, which would permit old Liberals and Liberal Conservatives of all classes to continue to act together as a united " National " Party in the best interests of the Empire. The name "Unionist" is as obsolete as that of Conservative or Liberal Unionist, and neither appellation represents any Democratic principles such as are suggested in your article, but only some pre-war party shibboleths; whilst the Radical section of the Liberal Party have neither statesmen nor prin- ciples at present. The fact is that the Conservatives were permeated with real practical principles of Liberalism during the Unionist Coalition under Mr. Balfour, the Duke of Devon- shire, and Mr. Chamberlain, whilst the real patriotism and cordial co-operation during the last six years of Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Bonar Law has completed the transformation of all party politics.
It is only in London political clubs now where there is any longer any desire for party politics, or amongst the Cecil
group or the Asquith family party. No doubt the name " Coalition " is now unpopular, but it- seems to be forgotten that as a fact we have had " Coalition" -Ministries for the greater part of the last sixty or seventy years, ever since the split in the Tory Party, when Liberals -and Peelites joined in the same administration, whilst in -1880 Mr. Gladstone Invited Mr. Joseph Chamberlain and Sir C. Dllke to join his Government "to permeate the party with true Liberalism," as Sir C. Dilke jocularly said 1 And from 1886 to the present time there have been practically Coalition Governments, as from 1886 to 1892. Lord Salisbury's 'Ministry depended on the support of the Liberal Unionists, and both Sir H. Campbell-Banner- man and Mr. Asquith on their alliance with the Irish Nationalists.
But let me repeat that what the nation now requires is a strong National Patriotic Party and Government to bring back peace and prosperity to this country and the British Empire on sound Democratic principles, such as those advocated by the Spectator, and at the same time an entire abandonment of old party names, which only mislead the electors and create mischievous divisions in the country and Parliament. Surely there never was a morn opportune time or more suitable testi- monial to Mr. Boner Law's patriotic and unselfish services than the formation of such a new " National " Party, espe- cially when the Conservatives of the Carlton Club have elected as their leader in the House of Commons one of the original members of the Liberal Unionist Party, Mr. Austen Chamber- lain, who has done such good service in the present Ministry.
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