A TARIFF REFORMER ON THE RESULT. OF THE ELECTIONS.
[TO THE EDITOR OF TRH "SPECTAT0R:1 SIR,—As a constant reader of the Spectator (and yet a con- firmed Tariff Reformer), perhaps you will allow me to express my opinion on the course of the Election. You say in last week's issue that the Election has been fought by the Radicals entirely on the Free-trade question. May I ask what special interest Free-trade has to Nonconformist ministers, that they should preach politics from their pulpits, and address meetings all over the country ? You lament for the Tariff Reformers the overthrow of their hopes and aspirations; but I assure you we do not need your lamentation. For what do we see ? For nearly every English and Scotch seat there has been a Tariff Reform candidate, and the total number of votes polled by them is not such a long way short of those polled by so-called Free-traders, excluding the votes for Labour candidates. This is not discouraging, When one considers that ten or fifteen years ago hardly a man in England dared hold up his hand for Protection.—I am, Sir, &c., A CONSTANT READER.
[The special interest which Free-trade has to Nonconformist ministers is, we should have thought, apparent enough. Many of them have congregations drawn from the poor—this is especially the case with the Wesleyans—and most are well conversant with the needs of the poor. Again, why are votes for Labour Members not to be counted as Free-trade votes P As far as we know, the great majority of the Labour candi- dates were strong Free-traders.—En. Spectator.]
Previous page
