We print in another column a letter from a valued
corre- spondent on the campaign which is being conducted against the Duke of Devonshire by weak-kneed Free-fooders. Of the guerilla warfare waged by Sir Henry Howorth in his best Billingsgate it is unnecessary to speak; even the most uncom- promising Protectionists must pray to be delivered from such friends. We may note, however,ithe excellent letter from Mr. John C. Bailey in Monday's Times, in which he drives home the point that General Elections tend to be fought on one issue. "If there are any two things certain in the political atmosphere at present, they are that the next election will not be fought on Home-rule, and that no Government could carry Home-rule which had not won an election fought on that issue. And so unless in the next few months it becomes clear that Mr. Balfour's policy is really meant as an alternative, and not asla stepping-stone to Mr. Chamberlain's, which does not seem very likely, the battle is sure to be joined on the plain issue of Protection or Free-trade." Mr. Bailey proceeds to argue that time is bound to tell in favour of the Duke and his straightforward action in facing the inevitable issue. In this context we may also note the clear and sensible declaration of Mr. Austin Taylor, the Unionist M.P. for the East Toxteth division of Liverpool. Mr. Taylor scouted the charges of dis- loyalty brought against the Duke as perfectly futile. All that he had done was to advise Unionists to withhold support from those who desired to go further than the Government programme on fiscal matters. For himself, while prepared to support the Duke in his attitude towards the Government policy, he was quite unable to distinguish between the policy of Mr. Balfour and that of Mr. Chamberlain.
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