NEWS OF THE WEEK.
AS we have pointed out elsewhere, we are by no means dismayed by the result of the North-West Manchester election. What., however, does fill us with dismay is the attitude of the Liberal Party towards Free-trade as indicated in the speech of Sir John Brunner at the meeting of the party (held at the Reform Club on Thursday) to endorse Mr. Asquith's promotion to the Premiership. To preside over a gathering so important, a very prominent and a typical member of the party is always chosen. In this case the choice fell upon Sir John Brunner. What had this repre- sentative Liberal to say to the assembled hosts of Liberalism? Astounding as it sounds, he considered it appropriate to present to his friends the shibboleths of the Tariff Reform Party,—and he did so without the slightest protest from the so-called Liberal Free-traders who were gathered to hear him. These were his words :— "Might lie be permitted, as a man of business, to tender one piece of hard, practical advice to the Government? He had been all his life a man of business, and he claimed to know something of the business community. He wished to advise the Government to give up that part of the policy of the Manchester school which was called the laisser faire policy. (Hear, hear.) The Manchester school of sixty years ago considered that the best thing that could be done for trade was to let it alone. Now of this one thing he was convinced—that the Tory Party, whether their efforts were good or bad—he believed them to be bad—had absolutely con- vinced the mercantile community that they meant to make a big effort for the benefit of trade when they came into power. He asked the Government, and advised them to adopt a liberal trade policy—a sane, a wholesome, and a sound trade policy—for the reason that, knowing his fellows in trade in England, he was con- vinced that when a bad time came they would accept the offer from the other side if the Liberals made none."
