THE "CONFEDERATES.".

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 484, 17 April 1909, Page 7

THE "CONFEDERATES.".

■'_■•-;.'.-...." *■'.'.'.:; —".■.'■'.''■' '■; There, is a party, within' .the Tory party known as tho;''Confederates," and, their particular : plot is-to make it impossible':for ■Unionists.,to' bo returned.' atHhonextclec- \ tion. The "Morning : Post";givesl a list': of sixteen.; such Frcetrade Unionists and of six others which' they say arb /"doubtful." Tho , ,','PostV outlines/; the:, Confederate ; . policy thus: "As: tho general election draw's nearer the attitude to bo adopted by. v the -Unionist party towards tho so-called Free Food group .becomes.-a question of .increasing urgency and importance. Tho, return of a Unionist majority which is not; also a .Tariff Reform majority would be worsevthari'useless.'' It would mean that the'party; would' be im- . .potent,-to carry' out its'chief: constructive policy. It would mean the'early, defeat of • Mr. Balfour's second Administration., ■'It ;would;-; also■. probably;:meanvsuch:^;putting back of the tariff reform: clock that .-'the chance of. drawing the Empire closer together ; by a system'of Imperial preference would bo lost beyond recovery. ; / ■:■.-,'• -o ■',■.'-■:■' .. 4 ■ '''Viewing tho'. matter; from.'this stand- ■ point, many Unionists;'would;regret to see any Free Fpoders returned at the next election except as opponents of: 'the'-'Unionist party. It,'would bo. far. better .that the eventual triumph of Unionism-should be .delayed for a few years than that the courltry : should send to Parliament a-.'Unionist-major- ■ ity divided against itself on tho vital issue of tariff reform.. ..;.,;.. - • "We are able to,state," adds the-"Post," . ''that the ; Conservative Central' Office will decline to givo. -its'official support to any candidate '-who; does .':not: unreservedly sup--1 port the Leader, of the Unionist party iir the policy laid down.'.'' , "What the city, thinks ; about this plot was plainly stated by the , ['Economist.'; "We may venture to hope," : it said, .."that when Mr. •' Balfour ' returns, with: renewed strength, from his much- [■ needed holiday, ho ~will bo; able to. preserve the Conservative character of his party from .. the revolutionary and volcanic proposals of ; Mr. Wyndham and the Confederates. In . any.case, it is high timo that' bank- , ers, and brokers should take steps to safc- , guard their own interests and seo that can- . didates who call themselves Conservatives are not pledged to,measures that will ruin ; their business and. end the career' of this .- little island as the banker, broker, and ship. . owner of the world." , .