Mr. Asquith ended his speech by the very unfortunate question
: Were they to understand that, if the Tories came in with a majority, they would have no mandate for Tariff Reform? "Is Tariff Reform a matter of great gravity ? Tariff Reformers will say it is If it is a matter of great gravity, it ought to be subjected to a great Referendum (laughter). Who is going to frame the questions? In what forni is it going to be put ? " While be was speaking Mr. Asquith was being answered by Mr. Balfour at the Albert Hall. Tariff Reform will be submitted to the people. If Mr. Asquith would take the trouble to study the Referendum, instead of merely abusing it, he would find that what he thinks, or pretends to think, impossible has been done. In Switzerland a new tariff was submitted to the votes of the electors. The difficulty as to framing questions is nothing but a Radical bogy. The question is : "Will you have the tariff passed by the Legislature put into operation P" That is a question easy to frame and easy to answer with " Yes " or "No."
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