cy. The Conservative Party has no
policy which it can put before the country at the present time on any
of the great controverted questions of the day. On most of the
previous occasions when we have approached a great trial of strength,
the Conservative Party have had a policy of their own which they
could state in clear terms. You would naturally expect some reticence
or reserve from the head of a Government responsible for the
day-to-day administration of affairs. But what do you see at the
present time? Mr. Asquith speaks out boldly and plainly on all the
great questions which are being debated, and it is the Leader of the
Opposition who has to take refuge in a tactical and evasive attitude.
Why, Mr. Balfour is unable to answer the simplest questions. At
Birmingham, the Prime Minister asked him in so many words: What
alternative did he propose to the Budget? What did he mean by Tariff
Reform? and what was his counsel to the House of Lords?

It would not be difficult to frame an answer to all these questions.
Mr. Chamberlain, for instance, was quite ready with his answers to all
of them. At Glasgow in 1903 he stated what his Budget would have been,
and he explained precisely what he meant by Tariff Reform. At
Birmingham last month he was equally clear in urging the Lords to
reject the Budget. There is no doubt whatever where Mr. Chamberlain
and those who agree with him stand to-day. They would raise the extra
taxation which is required, by protective import duties on bread, on
meat, on butter, cheese, and eggs, and upon foreign imported
manufactured articles; and in order to substitute their plan for ours
they are prepared to urge the House of Lords to smash up the Budget
and to smash up as much of the British Constitution and the British
financial system as may be necessary for the purpose.

That is their policy; but, after all, it is Mr. Balfour who is the
leader of the Conservative Party. He is the statesman who would have
to form and carry on any administration which might be formed from
that Party, and he will not state his policy upon any of the dominant
questions of the day. Why will he not answer these simple questions?
He is the leader, and it is because he wishes to remain the leader
that he observes this discreet silence. He tells us he is in favour of
Tariff Reform, he loves Tariff Reform, he worships Tariff Reform. He
feels that it is by Tariff Reform alone that the civilisation of Great
Britain can be