LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
" FADS " AND PRINCIPLES.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " EPECTAT01121 SIB,—I have always felt that the Spectator was injuring political morality by continually sneering at its neighbours' convictions as "fads." But my own convictions have so often been among those singled out for this kind of scorn, that I have been unwilling to enter into a controversy in which, while attempting to defend a general principle, I might seem to be merely advocating a particular measure. But your attack on Mr. Caine gives me a chance of which I hasten to avail myself. I do not agree with Mr. Caine in the importance which he attaches to the particular measure which he is opposing; indeed, I am a little doubtful as to the wisdom of the opposi- tion to it altogether. But most assuredly I should feel no right to lay down so absolutely as the Spectator does, the relative proportions of the questions at issue. If I believed, as Mr. Caine doubtless does, that the question was between the spread of drunkenness all over England, and the establish- ment of one particular form of Parliamentary government, I should shrink from saying that the latter was the more important question. And however I decided, I certainly should not try to stifle the rise of individual judgment by such a phrase as "fads."
In the same spirit, the Whigs of 1832 were irritated at being hampered by Buxton's " fad " about the abolition of slavery ; and men of both parties for a long time sneered at Lord Astley's "fad" of factory legislation. I have even known people who ventured to condemn the Spectator as " faddist " for its opposition to vivisection. Of course, the difficulty of arguing this question arises from the fact that "fad," like all slang words, is rather difficult to fix with a definition. Still, I suppose it may be roughly defined as "a strong conviction to which the leaders of parties are indifferent, and which is put forward in a manner likely to embarrass party organisation." If that is an incorrect definition, perhaps the Spectator would favour me with an amendment. I believe the more accurately it is defined, the more it will be found that the policy implied in the contemptuous use of the word is dangerous to public progress and individual honesty.—I am, [A political " fad " is not necessarily a view that ought not to be strongly held, but it is a view to which a disproportionate amount of attention is assigned in the determination of votes at the poll. We ourselves hold what is called the anti- vivisection view very strongly indeed, but under ordinary, or even at present, under any easily conceivable circumstances, we should no more think of determining our vote by that question principally, than by a question arising upon a change in the standards of the Education Code. Of course, we should not say the same of the abolition of slavery, which was a question far higher in moral importance than almost any other.—ED. Spectator.]
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