



Produced by Brian Foley, Martin Pettit and the Online
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PRACTICAL POLITICS

or the

LIBERALISM OF TO-DAY


BY

ALFRED F. ROBBINS

AUTHOR OF

_"Five Years of Tory Rule;" "William Edward Forster, the Man and
his Policy;" "The Marquis of Salisbury, a Personal and
Political Sketch," &c._

_REPRINTED FROM THE "HALFPENNY WEEKLY"_


London
T. FISHER UNWIN
26 PATERNOSTER SQUARE
1888


TO
My Father,
WHOSE DEVOTION TO LIBERAL PRINCIPLES
HAS FOR SIXTY YEARS
NEVER WAVERED,
THIS WORK,
THE OUTCOME OF HIS EXCELLENT TEACHING AND
CONSISTENT EXAMPLE,
IS
AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.




PREFACE.


The Articles here republished are from the columns of the _Halfpenny
Weekly_, to the Proprietors of which the Author is indebted for much
courtesy and consideration. They were written originally in the form of
letters to a friend, but, though they stand substantially as first
printed, various alterations have been made consequent upon the
necessities of a permanent rather than a serial form. The Author does
not profess to have exhaustively discussed every political question
which is of practical importance to-day--for that, within the limits
assigned, would have been impossible; but he has attempted to furnish a
body of information regarding the principles and aims of present-day
Liberalism, not easily accessible elsewhere, which may be useful to
those whose ideas upon public affairs are yet unformed, and helpful to
the political cause he holds dear.

_May, 1888._




CONTENTS

                                                                   PAGE
      I. WHAT IS THE USE OF A VOTE?                                  11

     II. IS THERE ANYTHING PRACTICAL IN POLITICS?                    16

    III. WHY NOT LET THINGS ALONE?                                   21

     IV. OUGHT ONE TO BE A PARTISAN?                                 25

      V. WHY NOT HAVE A "NATIONAL" PARTY?                            31

     VI. IS ONE PARTY BETTER THAN THE OTHER?                         35

    VII. WHAT ARE LIBERAL PRINCIPLES?                                41

   VIII. ARE LIBERALS AND RADICALS AGREED?                           47

     IX. WHAT ARE THE LIBERALS DOING?                                52

      X. SHOULD HOME RULE BE GRANTED TO IRELAND?                     58

     XI. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE LORDS?                         66

    XII. IS THE HOUSE OF COMMONS PERFECT?                            71

   XIII. IS OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM COMPLETE?                           77

    XIV. SHOULD THE CHURCH REMAIN ESTABLISHED?                       83

     XV. WOULD DISENDOWMENT BE JUST?                                 89

    XVI. OUGHT EDUCATION TO BE FREE?                                 97

   XVII. DO THE LAND LAWS NEED REFORM?                              102

  XVIII. SHOULD WASTE LANDS BE TILLED AND THE GAME LAWS ABOLISHED?  107

    XIX. OUGHT LEASEHOLDS TO BE ENFRANCHISED?                       112

     XX. WHOSE SHOULD BE THE UNEARNED INCREMENT?                    117

    XXI. HOW SHOULD LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BE EXTENDED?              122

   XXII. HOW IS LOCAL OPTION TO BE EFFECTED?                        127

  XXIII. WHY AND HOW ARE WE TAXED?                                  132

   XXIV. HOW OUGHT WE TO BE TAXED?                                  137

    XXV. HOW IS TAXATION TO BE REDUCED?                             144

   XXVI. IS FREE TRADE TO BE PERMANENT?                             149

  XXVII. IS FOREIGN LABOUR TO BE EXCLUDED?                          155

 XXVIII. HOW SHOULD WE GUIDE OUR FOREIGN POLICY?                    160

   XXIX. IS A PEACE POLICY PRACTICABLE?                             165

    XXX. HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE COLONIES?                      171

   XXXI. SHOULD THE STATE SOLVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS?                    177

  XXXII. HOW FAR SHOULD THE STATE INTERFERE?                        182

 XXXIII. SHOULD THE STATE REGULATE LABOUR OR WAGES?                 188

  XXXIV. SHOULD THE STATE INTERFERE WITH PROPERTY?                  194

   XXXV. OUGHT THE STATE TO FIND FOOD