That is the question that cautious iticians ure asking one another to-day.
icwntious have rushed to the con-igned; but a careful reading of the long letter which he ad-Aressed to Mr. John Morley, which appeared in the London newspapers on Wednesday morning, discloses the fact that Sic William has been careful not to tender his resiy tion in specific terms. The whole question has been raised by the Nottingham Liberal Association, which has proposed for discussion at 'x meet mittee of the N: should be taken into immediate Upon this Sir William lon letter to Mr. John Morley.
ed that he would not compete forthe of the whole Party inst anyone else; and he added that he had arrived at the conclusion that he could best discharge his duty to his party xs an independent member, they must all agrees that a dispute! leadership was an impossible situation, What Sir William probably meant was that if he Ind something like a unanimous call te the leadership of the Liberal Purty he would accept; otherwise he would retire. He hus since learnt probably that there is no likelihood of such a unanimous call, and he has let it be understood that his letter is to be taken as a resignation.
CANDIDATES FOR THE LIDERAL LEADERSULY, First brief telegrams from Birmingham of the Liberal Federation meeting which is now being held seem to show that there is no disposition to adopt the proposal of the Nottingham Liberal Association. The Liberals are sally in need of a head; but they cannot elect one just now without making a further cleavage in the party. The advanced section are still opposed to Lord Rosebery, and the more moderate section will have nobody else, If, therefure, Sir William Harcourt, who, of course, only Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons, and not leader of the whole party, should persist in his resignation, it will probably be left to the Liberal M. B.'s select a leader, avd the party will still yo on fora time without a leader, When the veneral election approaches, and the selection of a lealer can no longer be deferred, there is little doubt that Lord Rosebery will be recalled. $s for the new Leader of the Opposition, the choice practically lies between Sir Henry Camp norman and Me. H. H. Asquith. ler has, L bel clearly to be understood that he would not necept the office; Mr. John Morley has so cast in his lot with that it is certain he we sent to supersede Sir William and the claims of Sir Edward Grey, the only. other possible leader whose name has been prominently mentioned, cannot pared with any of the oth-Thave named, Mr. Asquith generally regarded as Lord Rosedery's henchman, anil although his eommanding ab point him out_as a future leader of the Party, his selection to lead the Opposition in the House of Commons at the present time is open to the same objection as that of Lord Rosebery to lead the whole party. It is probable therefore that Sir Henry Cunpbell-Bannerman will he selected—unless Sir William Harcourt should he induced to reconsider resignation, Sir Henry is nota statesman of the highest order, but he is at least as: able as some of his recent predecessors, and he is popular with the House g-erally"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.