January 13.
Witam a few days the long suspense will be over and the British. people will have declared themselves definitely for or against the 'Budget. To express the coming fight in these terms, however, to take but one: aspect of the contest.' Ifthe controversy could be restricted to the one issue of the Budgét,.the results of the elections that begin on Saturday might be forecast with far greater accuracy than is actually possible. Such is the confusion of cross currents, not only. between the two parties, bat between different sections and members of each: party, that the best judges are at's loss to gauge the country's tre feeling. In the first place the conditions of the fight abnormal. At a general election it is usually the Opposition that attacks, the Government that must stand on the defensive. But in the present instance the positions are reversed; the Government goes tothe country to attack the House of Lords, the Opposition to' defend it.) Here in the real issue at stake is not fairly stated. But that it takes this shape in the eyes of alarge number of the electors is shown, not only by the speeches of Ministerialists, but by the fact that the Unionists frankly admit that cannot win upon the Budget alone, and must pin their faith on the' persuasiveness of Tariff Reform asthe alternative to Socialism. The weak point in' this programme, in spite of the undoubted progress made la the last few years by the Tariff Reform League, is that it inclines to alienate numerous Free Traders, both: Unionists and of the old-fashioned Liberal stamp who might. otherwise have parted com-with the Goveroment. With auch divided voters, considerations of national defence would have carried great weight a few months ago; and these will certainly be eked. But it is plain that in this particular question is passed, and it is doubtful whether it.could be worked up again into-a really effective weapon against the Government. The danger of Home Rule appeals keenly to Irish Unionists, but: appears to carry little weight in England. Scotland is interested mainly in land ques: ions. Wales inclines to the side from which it hopes to win Disestablishment. It would seem to be in England that the Unionists must win or lose.
It does not help to simplify the situation, that, in respect of the'two
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.