UNIONISTS HIDE THE TARIFF

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 72, 21 September 1912, Page 12

UNIONISTS HIDE THE TARIFF

FREE-TRADE MANCHESTER. Referring to the Unionists' win from the Liberals at the North-west Manchester by-election, the Daily Chronicle eaya : "The result of the by-electioni in North-west Manchester, though much to be regretted, is not difficult to -explain. The constituency is one with an unusually considerable Free Trade Conservative vote. At a general election, when the future of the country's tariff is visibly in the balance, and the prosperity of the cotton trade with it, this vote is cast for the Liberal Government ; at a by-election a Unionist, who disavows Tariff Reform with sufficient emphasis, may hope to get it cast for him. Mr. Hewarfc. who fought the Liberal battle admirably, need not wonder at having failed in circumstances over which Mr. Churchill himself was unaljle at the last by-election in the constituency to prevail. . . . "Unionist newspapers vied wifh each other and with their candidate in declaring that Tariff Reform was iiot an issue in the contest; and it will be interesting 'to see how many of them repeat that contention now that it has served its turn. It must be a galling reflection for some of them tha^ they cannot win a Manchester sea% without zealously repudiating thft 'first constructive plank' in their own party's programme."