PLURAL VOTING AND THE ELECTIONS.
[To THY EDITOR or TICE "Sracreror..1 Sin,—In your issue of January 29th "U. F. T." mentions the fact that he cast six votes for Conservative candidates, all of whom were successful, and he conceives he is but one of many who acted thus. I have no doubt he is correct in so thinking. Plural voting is notoriously possible to a much greater extent among Conservatives or Conservatively inclined voters than it is among Liberals. But does the -reflection not occur that this casting of six votes for six Conservative candidates by one person serves to minimise the moral value of Conservative gains, and that but for such plural voting the Liberal victory would have been more pronounced than it is It should not, however, be forgotten that., excluding altogether the Irish vote, there is a solid British majority of about eighty for the Budget and against the Lords. That appears to be the fact which has to be faced. Let "U. F. T." suppose there had been a similar British majority for Tariff Reform and in favour of the Lords, and ask himself what he would have [But why exclude the Irish ? Have they not a right to express an opinion ? What that opinion is may be drawn from the fact that they voted against the second reading of the Finance Bill, and were only induced to abstain on the third reading by external considerations,—i.e., the prospect of making a bargain in regard to Home-rule.-11n. Spectator.]
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