11 FEBRUARY 1905, Page 2

Speaking at Mr. Arthur Lee's meeting at Eastleigh on Tuesday,

Mr. Arnold-Forster waxed enthusiastic over the prospects of his party. He was, he said, very sanguine of the success of the Unionist party at the next General Election: Whatever their vicissitudes in particular constituencies, he believed the people of this country were overwhelmingly upon the side of the Government. It was perfectly true that they had been overborne in some English constituencies by classes of voters who were not friendly to England. They might be overborne in these constituencies again by men who desired, not success, but misfortune to England; but the country as a whole was, he believed, overwhelmingly devoted to the- Ministerial party. We congratulate Mr. Arnold-Forster upon his " overwhelming " optimism, and on the acumen —worthy of an international detective—which has discovered a colony of traitors to their country in North Dorset. Still; it is rather hard to reconcile this sanguine expectation of victory with his declaration at Croydon on January 11th that he was not so sure that the Conservatives would win at the General Election.