NONCONFORMISTS AND THE ELECTION.
[To THZ EDITOR OF TEN "SpEcrkr0a."1
SIR,—Having been a conscientious reader of the Spectator for many years, I am naturally often much influenced by its counsel, and you now earnestly appeal to all your readers to support the Unionist Party at the coming elections. I am a Nonconformist by conviction, and I know my inclinations are shared by a very large number of my fellow-Nonconformists. This is my position. There are nearly eight thousand schools in England now entirely supported by public funds from which any Nonconformist is barred from being either a Head-Master or Head-Mistress, and has a poor chance of being an assistant-teacher or even caretaker. This injustice was brought about, by Mr. Balfour's Government, and the House of Lords, instead of referring the measure to the electorate (considering the great outcry against it), even made it more objectionable. Again, when an endeavour has been made to remedy this, the House of Lords destroy the Bills. We Nonconformists are constitutionally conservative, and if the Unionist Government were to remedy this injustice, it would soon find many thousands coming to its support. Until it does so I cannot see how they can do otherwise than vote for those who will fight for their freedom from religious
[" Nonconformist," as he desires the Referendum, should vote for the Unionists at the Election. It is clear that he will never obtain the Referendum from the Liberals. As to his demands in regard to the Education Bill, does he really think that the Liberal Party, controlled as it now is, and certainly will continue to be if it remains in office, by the Nationalists, is going to give him the kind of Education Bill he desires ? Has he failed to notice that the Education Bill is now never alluded to in Liberal circles ?— " Oh, no, we never mention it, its name is never heard, Our lips are now forbid to speak the once familiar word." And has he failed also to understand the reason, or rather reasons ? There are some eighty of them. It is not the Peers but the Nationalists who now primarily forbid the passage of an Education Bill. For ourselves, we ardently desire an equit- able solution of the education problem on the lines lately set forth by the mixed Committee of Churchmen and Noncon- formists. It is idle to pretend that the Liberals are going to solve the problem. Nonconformists may get single-Chamber rule, Home-rule, and Socialism from the Liberals, but not an Education BilL—En. Spectator.]
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