The Education Bill has been under discussion in the Lords
during the whole of the past week. Though their handling of the measure has been assailed with great vehemence in the Liberal Press, we are bound to say that we find no substantial ground for such attacks. It is true that the Peers have not been content to yield whenever the Government declared that they could not accept an amendment; but unless the Upper House were to abrogate, not merely its right to alter, but even to influence legislation by the free expression of opinion, we cannot see how its action can be rightly described as unjusti- fiable. In several cases—generally on the advice of the Duke of Devonshire, who is playing a most characteristic and most worthy part in the discussions—the Lords have refused to insist on amendments, though it was clear that a great majority of the House was in their favour. On the other hand, it is no doubt arguable that the Peers have gone too far in one or two cases ; but if that is so, there is no reason to believe that they will not be willing to reconsider their decisions. Taking the alterations in the Bill as a whole, we should say that they formed a very reasonable basis for the final discussion which must take place in a conference between the two Houses. Out of that discussion we see no reason why a compromise should not be arranged which will be just to all the interests concerned. If such a compromise is to be reached, however, the Government must not demand, as their supporters seem inclined to do at present, "the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill." We cannot leave the subject without express- ing our special satisfaction that on Thursday the Lords insisted that religious instruction should be given in school hours. That is a point on which there should be no wavering.
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