SOCIALISM AND LIBERALISM.
[To THE EDITOR or THE "..SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Perliaps you will allow me to reply to a letter which appeared in last week's Spectator signed " R. R. G." com- plaining of my action in sending a message during the recent by-election at Taunton expressing a hope that the Liberals of the borough would support Mr. Smith. The writer of this letter seems to suppose that in certain circumstances Liberals and Tariff Reform Unionists can fight shoulder to shoulder against a common enemy. I cannot myself imagine such a thing to be possible in any conceivable oiroumstances. Moreover, it was Mr. Peel who; in my opinion, was the common enemy on this occasion, and not his adversary. I think it can be assumed as a practical certainty that Mr. Peel and I are never likely to vote the same way in the House of Commons, whereas bad Mr. Smith been returned for Taunton he and I would have found ourselves ninety-nine times out of a hundred in the same division lobby. Mr. Smith may be casting his gaze too far ahead into an ideal future where a brighter sun is dazzling his eyes, and where ho tries to describe the landscape that is really too far distant for any one to discern. He may be impatient to leap forward to his ideal more rapidly. I am ready to struggle on in a cloudy and unideal present, trying to break down obstacles and push steadily one step further forward. But the difference between us is one of pace, not of direction, and in the meanwhile Mr. Smith is ready to fight for what- ever real social reform can be achieved by a Liberal Govern- ment as well as for the maintenance of Free-trade. To march with Mr. Peel I should have to turn to the right-about and face back towards the downward path, renounce progress for reaction, and exchange an ideal of service for an ideal of selfish gain. The Taunton Liberals required very little per- suasion from me to make their choice between two such candidates as these. "R. H. G." must have practically no knowledge of the views of the Liberals of to-day if he thinks they will support the sort of policy the Unionist Tariff Reformers are now placing before the electorate. I can assure him that not only will they not support these Unionist candidates, but they will do all in their power to stein the tide of reaction, and they will resolutely oppose any attempt to return to Protection even when it is advocated by a grand- son of Sir Robert Peel.--I am, Sir, &o.,
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