The "Times" is very despondent the result. It is not that the leading journal acknowledges that there is a big Liberal reaction. On the contrary it holds that Liberalism has had little or nothing to do with the result. According 0 the +-Times," which of late has been {almost rabid on the subject of "Muni-[cipal Socialism," this election is but imp tom of the spread of Continental socialism in this country. "The individual opinions of Mr. Crooks," it holds, "'are of secondary importance.' He is a labour man' of the ordinary type... What it (the election: too clean tthe jabour movement" hich las disturbed the balance of political parties on the Continent has made itself manifest, in a practical form, here also." The danger which the "Times" foresees is that the Conservative' as well as the Liberal party may be tempted to flirt with the Labour party and "if party politicians are ready interests of the nation in.a Dutch auction to those who command the Labour vote, the development of the Labour party must be disastrous to our constitution. to our commerce, to our industry, abd to our political morality."
Mr. Crooks, M. the Labour party is one of them, rio doubt, but it is not by'any means the only due. Nor is it fair to "ay that Mr. Croke merely "a Isbour man ofthe ordinary tye. Heis rather of an extraordinary type. a child he was brought up in the workhouse. He early became a leader of working men's organisations; but although he calls himeelf 2 siciiilist he has never been an extremist. He has been for thirteen years a member of the London Count Council, and last: year he' served as Mayer of Poplar and discharged his duties ina way which proved sitisfuctory to the whole community. He still lived in his workman's home, yut'on no" side,"'and when invited with the other Mayors to Buckingham Palace declined becitise he could'not afford a Court dress, whereupon he received the Royal permission to: appear in everyday attire. He managed: the King's dianer to the poor in his borough, and in no Metropolitan borough was it' better managed. He is indeed an exceptionally able and estimable representative of the Workin, classes; and even so strong a Tory journal as the Globe" acknowledges that its' disappointment at the result is mitigated by the fact that s" worthy an opponent has won the seat. Perhaps, however, thesis what the "Timex" would call flirting with the Lab-ur party. The defeated Conservative candidate is Mr. Geoffrey Drage, who won fame by defeating. Sir William Harcourt at Derby in 1895. Since then lie hes had a succession of electoral misfortunes.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.