A NEW BRITISH PARTY

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 777, 29 March 1910, Page 6

A NEW BRITISH PARTY

A cable message published yesterday referred, as to an already-re-ported fact, to "the newly-formed Centre party of the Unionists,' of which Lord Cromer, Mr. Harold Cox, and Mr. Strachey are leading members." ' Although its formation was not announced by the cable agent, this now group, the establishment of which became: inevitable when the official Unionist party adopted Tariff Reform as its first policy, must exercise considerable influence on the- future course 'of British politics. Following the advice of the Spectator, the Unionist Free-traders agreed to sink the fiscal issue during the late election, on tho ground that, Free-trade being in.no immediate danger, it was imperatively necessary to rally against the rise of Radicalism and the attack on the Union. Should an early election. take place the position of the Unionist Free-traders will be one _of extremo difficulty. ; If they again vote against the Liberals and for the official Unionist candidates they may secure the return of -a strong Tariff Reform majority. If they vote against the Unionists, they may imperil the Union and destroy the hope of the Conservatives that ■a 1 strong check may be placed upon the Radical ambitions-of the' Government. They are thus in the unhappy position of being unable to do anything by themselves and of being equally unable to ally themselves with either the Tariff Reformers or the-Liberals., The Spectator realised this difficulty over. two months ago, and in looking around for a way out it began to urge the merits of a coalition Government and a Royal Commission on Tariff Reform. If the late Duke of Devonshire were' alive, the Spectator believed, his great experience, and the confidence reposed in him by the whole country,, would have enabled him to carry out the work proposed. 1 But the late Duke of Devonshire: not being available, the only other statesmen who might be able to form' a coalition Ministry arc, in . the'. Spectator's opinion, Lord Rosebery and Lord Cromer. The obstacles to the formation of a coalition Government would not, apparently, ; come from the Liberal side, since the Liberal party contains a great many men who are not given over to Radicalism and who would be glad to co-operate in what appears to be tho only method of frustrating the Tariff Reform movement. The real difficulty lies in the fervour with which the Tariff Reformers on the Unionist sido insist on clinging, to their fiscal creed, regardless of the fact that by doing so they turn the whole weight .of Free-trade into the Radical scales of the party balance. The Spectator firmly believes, and not without good reason, that Tariff Reform cannot command a majority in the country, and that its increased strength, in the new Parliament is due in large measure to the assistance given to the Tariff Reform candidates by the Unionist Freetraders.. It therefore suggests that a Royal Commission, should be sot up to go into the whole question of tariffs. Tho reasonableness of this proposal is obvious enough. Its advantages to the Conservative or Left-Centre" element in the' Kingdom are thus set forth:

Tariff Eeformexs ore also strong and : patnorio Unionists and Conservatives. '.They are opposed to the breaking up of the Umted Kingdom; they are opposed to running any risks in the matter of naval defence; they are opposed to the destruction of tho voluntary schools; thev are opposed to Disestablishment; and, finally, they are opposed to Socialism and to measures which would have theefl'cct of bringmg Socialism nearer. On all these matters we a,re heartily with them. By themselves, however, Tariff Reformers, oven when supported by moderate influences like our own, are not, as this election' has proved, strong enough to resist these imminent dangers. In spite of the help they have received from many Freetraders, they are still too weak to command a majority, because so many other Free-traders have voted against them. By the method we suggest all Conservatives could once more be brought under one banner, and, more than that, they would bo able to add to their army a vast number of moderate Liberals who are disgusted with the present tendencies of the Liberal Party. We should thus bo able to create once moro a real Conservative Party, • commanding the support of all the moderate elements in tho Kingdom, and capable of keeping at bay those who in their recklessness would destroy the very bases of our. civilisation. The cable message to which we referred at the opening of this articlo reported that the new Centre party has issued a manifesto protesting against another election. Such a mauifesto cannot, of course, have any influence upon Mr. Asquith. It is clearly intended to give a lead

to Mr. Balfour, who, in the event of the Government's resignation or defeat, will almost certainly be allowed the opportunity of attempting to carry on. And it is certainly far from impossible that Mr. Balfour will not realise the advantages of the Spectator's plan. Though not a very probable one, a coalition Government is a possible outcome of the present crisis.