Scope and Contents

Letter from C. Sheridan Jones, Secretary, People's League Against Protection, to WSC, statement of objectives, with specimens of literature.

Scope and Contents

Letter from James Mowatt to WSC on free trade.

Scope and Contents

Resolution of Co-operative Societies and Trade Unions in Lancashire, affirming belief in advantages of free trade and opposition to preferential tariffs [printed].

Scope and Contents

Letter from George Robinson to WSC, on free trade.

Scope and Contents

Letter from John A. Ferguson to WSC, on free trade, urging him not to turn against his party, and to remain a Tory Democrat.

Scope and Contents

Letter from G.S. Pawle to WSC, asking about plans to form free trade organisation independent of existing political parties.

Scope and Contents

Letter from Albert J Hobson to WSC, enclosing petition addressed to the 8th Duke of Devonshire, asking him to address meeting in Sheffield [Yorkshire] on the fiscal policy of the Government.

Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC to James Kemp Welch, apologies for not able to attend meeting in Weybridge [Surrey] addressed by Lord Hugh Cecil [later Lord Quickswood, praising Cecil's efforts to preserve the free trade nature of the Conservative Party ms copy in WSC's hand.

Scope and Contents

Letter from Reginald Lucas to WSC, on his position as a supporter of the Government, accusing WSC of wanting to break up the Conservative Party over fiscal policy.

Scope and Contents

Letter from John Morley [later Lord Morley of Blackburn] to WSC on Ireland, commenting on WSC's pamphlet, Ireland and the Fiscal Problem.

Scope and Contents Letter from WSC to Samuel Lamb, on possible points of difference between himself and the Liberals, particularly the Licensing Question, Disestablishment and Disendowment, and the need for reform of the Education Act, giving his opinion that the election would be fought on four main issues, (1) Free Trade, (2) Retrenchment and the reorganisaton of finance on strict Gladstonian principles, (3) Reduction in size and cost of the Army and the Navy, (4) a copmplete re-organisation of the Army...

Scope and Contents

Letter from Lord James of Hereford to WSC, on stupidity and "cowardly snobbishness" of the protectionists, whose actions would make WSC more popular than ever in the country.

Scope and Contents Letter from Ivor Guest [later Lord Ashby St Ledgers and Lord Wimborne (2nd baron, 1st viscount)] (Bedford House, Kings Road, Brighton, [Sussex]; notepaper: Ashby St Ledgers, Rugby, [Warwickshire]) to WSC mentioning that he has seen the ?South Wales Daily News reporter and that he is to go to Cardiff for an informal meeting with the Liberal executive. Condemns the Tories' treatment of WSC over the Protection issue and the "nauseating" personalisation of politics but praises Lord Hugh Cecil's...

Scope and Contents

Letter from Sir Michael Hicks Beach [later Lord St Aldwyn] (House of Commons Library) to WSC explaining that he is retiring from the House of Commons because he believes that his party will be a Protectionist one after the next General Election. Advises that for parliamentary success it is essential to adhere exclusively either to Tory or to Radical ideas and not to mix the two.

Scope and Contents

Letter from 4th Lord Salisbury (20 Arlington Street, [London]) to WSC affirming his approval of the government but criticising "the uncertainty of its arrangements" (as illustrated by the postponement of a forthcoming cabinet meeting) and explaining that as he is unable to vote against them in the Commons all he can do is "denounce Jack Sandars". Asks to postpone a meeting with WSC and humorously asserts his support for Free Trade.

Scope and Contents Letter from Professor Goldwin Smith (The Grange, Toronto, [Canada]) to WSC enclosing a cutting on Free Trade from the Winnipeg Tribune [not present] and stating that he has yet to see an expression of definite support for Joseph Chamberlain's policy in any major journal in Canada or in the Canadian parliament. Refutes Chamberlain's assertion that only preferential duties could prevent the colonies severing themselves from the mother country and attributes the agitation to Chamberlain's...

Scope and Contents Letter from F H Lambert, vice president of the Cardiff Free Trade League and the Penarth Free Trade League (West House, Penarth, [Glamorgan], Wales), to WSC commiserating with him on his lapse of memory in the House of Commons on the previous night [whilst speaking in the debate on the Trade Union and Trade Disputes Bill] and deploring the general ignorance about Free Trade in his (Lambert's) locality. This situation will be remedied only by Joseph Chamberlain's specific determination to tax...

Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC (105 Mount Street) to David Thomas expressing surprise at Thomas's opposition to the candature of Ivor Guest's [later Lord Ashby St Ledgers and Lord Wimborne (2nd baron, 1st viscount)] for Cardiff [Wales] in view of the fact that Guest is more "advanced" in his views than WSC, to whom Thomas has pledged his full support. Urges Thomas to put aside personal considerations and support Guest for the sake of the cause of Free Trade. MS copy in WSC's hand.

Scope and Contents Letter from David Thomas (House of Commons) to WSC explaining that his support for WSC's possible candidature for Cardiff [Wales] was based on the belief that WSC was prepared to come fully over to the Liberal side, but Thomas has been disappointed by WSC's attitude to such issues as Irish Home Rule, disestablishment of the English Church, and reform of the House of Lords. Neither is Ivor Guest [later Lord Ashby St Ledgers and Lord Wimborne (2nd baron, 1st viscount)] radical enough for...

Scope and Contents

Letter from J Last (Curriers Lane, Princess Street, Ipswich, [Suffolk]) to WSC thanking him, as a working man, for his efforts in favour of "free food" and attacking Joseph Chamberlain's policies and rich capitalists who underpay their workers. Asserts that the inability of working-class people to afford decent food is the reason for the large number of undersized recruits rejected by the military authorities.

Scope and Contents

Resolution in favour of "Free Trade, Peace, Retrenchment and Reform" recommended by the committee of the Cobden Club to meetings held to celebrate the centenary of Richard Cobden's birth. Sent with CHAR 2/17/55 Typescript.

Scope and Contents

Cutting from the Wolverhampton Express and Star: letter from "A.S." quoting passages favourable to imperial preference from a speech given by WSC at Wednesbury [Staffordshire] in 1901 and accusing him of inconsistency. See also CHAR 2/17/59.

Scope and Contents

Letter from George E Johnson, secretary and registration agent of the West Wolverhampton Conservative Association, (33 Queen Street, Wolverhampton, [Staffordshire]) to WSC asking him to explain why his views on trade have changed since his speech at Wednesbury [Staffordshire] in 1901 in favour of imperial preference. Newspaper cutting affixed. See also CHAR 2/17/58 above.

Scope and Contents

Letter from WSC (105 Mount Street) to George Johnson [secretary and registration agent of the West Wolverhampton Conservataive Association] explaining that after approaching the trade question with an open mind he had concluded by the autumn of 1902 that Protectionism was unsound. MS draft in WSC's hand. Annotated: "keep, I have sent answer".

Scope and Contents

Letter from William Robinson (154 New Hall Lane, Preston, [Lancashire]) to WSC (House of Commons) describing how he was forced out of his editorial posts at the Preston Herald and the Darwen Gazette by local Tory leaders, who objected to his support of Free Trade, and soliciting WSC's help in securing a post with a liberal paper. Annotated by WSC: "I will dictate a reply".