THE UNIONIST PARTY.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—Will you permit me to enter a strong protest against the use of the term " Unionist " as applied to the reactionary party who have been so thoroughly beaten at the late elections ? "Tariff Reformers" or " Protectionists " is the title by which . they should be spoken of. You yourself, Sir, as well as many other Free-traders, are as strong Unionists as either Mr. Balfour or Mr. Chamberlain. That the Times and other Tariff Reform organs should shrink from calling their party by the right name is only to be expected ; but I confess I was grieved to see in last week's Spectator an allusion to "the Unionists" as numbering "only 145" at the late elections.— [We can understand our correspondent's indignation, but until all hope is abandoned of reconstructing the Unionist Party on its old basis we shall maintain the name Unionist for ourselves, and will not refuse it to those whom we hope to reconvert. That there is no necessity for abandoning such hope we point out elsewhere. Indications that the rank-and- file of the party mean to purge it from the taint of Protection are visible in many directions.—ED. Spectator.]
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