14 DECEMBER 1912, Page 14

[TO THY EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")

SIR,—The decision of the leaders of the Unionist Party to press forward Tariff Reform at the present juncture, whex

trade in all its branches is in a more flourishing condition than it has ever been before, seems to me signally unwise and likely to end in disaster to the Unionist cause. When all the omens are so propitious why deliberately cast this bone of contention into the midst of the two wings of the Unionist Party P Why imitate, too, the example of the man who chose for his epitaph the following words :— " I was well;

I wanted to be better; And here I am."

Is it really too late to stop so foolish and fatuous a policy P- Bath.