THE DUTY OF FREE-TRADE UNIONISTS.
[To Tar Borros or ram "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—Can there be a doubt as to how we Unionist Free- traders should vote at the coming General Election ? Of the four great issues to be decided—Home-rule, the Second Chamber, a policy of Socialism, and Free-trade—we are with the Government on one ; but on all the rest we are in sub- stantial agreement with the Unionist Party. Surely there is less danger to be apprehended from a Unionist than from a Liberal Government at the present time. What was the opinion of our great leader the Duke of Devonshire, whose wise counsel we greatly miss at this crisis ? Speaking at the Liberal Unionist Conference in December, 1887, on the relative importance of the Union and Free-trade, he said :—
" I fully admit that I do not put the two questions of Fair-trade and Home-rule on an equal footing. I may say that I should look upon the adoption of some foolish retrograde measure in the direction of Fair-trade, which step could probably be soon retraced again without much mischief being done, as a much less grave mis- fortune than the separation of the Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland,—a step which could never be retraced, at all events not without a great political convulsion."
As a staunch Free-trader, I have hitherto supported the Free-trade party. I see that it is necessary now to turn to the Unionists, because the safeguard against Home-rule and
Socialism—the Second Chamber—is threatened with extinction. Should not all moderate men unite to resist the graver and
more immediate danger P—I am, Sir, &c.,
W. R. MACAULAY ORR, 97 Wellesley Avenue, Malone Boca, Belfast.
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