TARIFF REFORM.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 100, 23 December 1912, Page 3

TARIFF REFORM.

PARTY DIFFERENCES

/By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press (Association.) London, December 21. Mr F. Smith (Unionist M.P. for Liverpool), speaking at Dudley sard that if the Unionists abandoned tanii reform the party would be so , banknipt in honour and saturated with poltroonery that it would receive the contempt of the constituencies, who would have to find new leaders and new followers. Mr Bonar Law had never suggested that the decision ol food taxes should he left to the colonies, and never proposed to abdicate responsibility. The British Goveinmerit must owe the British people only It was now impossible to introduce Imperial preference withom protracted consultation with the colo nies, who, ho said, “wished to tell ut authoritatively what they considei vital in carrying out the policy. The Liverpool Courier, a Conserya tive organ, states that the Umomsi party is drifting to destruction, am demands a conference of the Londoi and ’the Lancashire leaders anent tin referendum. , , , r The Yorkshire Post deplores tm abandonment of the referendum, which would have enabled many Liberals t< vote with the Unionists, and ena )k the party to proceed with forms com mantling general assent. The Morning Post strongly advo cates food taxes. Other Unionist papers are ignoring the question, hoping thereby to hea.. the dispute. . , The Times continues to advocate tm abandonment of food taxes. Lndei existing circumstances reciprocal pre ference can well bo established without them. , The Westminster Gazette sums uj the situation by saying that the Bir mingham party urges that food taxes are essential in London. It says that food taxes should not be pressed. Mr Garvin, editor of the Pall Mall Gazette, makes sensational attacks or Lord Northcliffe. It blames the Timer for following the Daily Mail s repudiation of food duties and attributes the prodigious business commitments. It declares that die has no time for the consecutive study of politics, yet behind the national scenes is exercising irresponsible despotism, which m sane society should allow a man tposess. It adds that no meat trust is so dangerous as this press trust. The Capetown Argus says that M Bonar Law’s speech was a tactical e rr or It docs not believe that any dominion would ask for food duties if the British workers resent them. The Johannesburg Star, a progressive organ, is imbued with the conviction that Mr Bonar Law’s proposals will lead to enormous mutual benefits.