6 FEBRUARY 1909, Page 2

M. Yves Guyot, one of the truest Free-traders in exist-

ence, has been expressing his views as to the character of the present British Government in Le Courrier Europgen. "They have not only dug the grave of Free-trade, but they have practised Protection." Their Labour legislation, he insists, is Protectionist, and the same condemnation must be meted out to the Merehant Shipping Act, the Watchcases Act, and the Patents Act. We are not prepared to go quite as far as this, though we are not surprised that M. Guyot should find the microbe of Protection in the Acts named The Unionist majority which, says M. Guyot, will sueceed that of the Liberals will be composed of Tariff Reformers. "The Government which was created by the Free-trade majority of 1906 ought to have had one programme only,—to strengthen, extend, and defend Free-trade. Instead it has prepared the Proteotionist reaction." Does any Free. trader not blinded by the cant of party at heart deny this statement P