The London County Council elections came off on Saturday, and
on Monday it was found that the Progressives had almost swept London. They had returned eighty-three candidates, while the Moderates could seat only thirty-five. As the Pro-
gressives have the right to seat ten Aldermen of their own opinions, it may be broadly stated that they will in the new Council have a majority of three to one. This unexpected result is undoubtedly due to Ofefusal of the Moderates to vote, their number in no case approaching their number at Parliamentary elections ; while in all London 251,000 voters stayed away, against 238,000 who attended the polling-places. The motive of abstinence was probably apathy, the richer electors not caring, and the poorer not hearing, as many of them avowed, "any promises from the Moderates ; " but according to Mr. Whitmore and many other writers, the Moderates desire many things, such as the division of rates between landlord and occupier, and the taxation of ground-rents, for which only Progressives are supposed to be eager. The Moderates want both a pro- gramme and a leader. The Progressives have the former in the shape of the half-Socialist document recently discussed in our columns, and the latter in Lord Rosebery, who was elected for East Finsbury, and who will be asked to accept the chair. He ought to do it, on condition that the dominant party aid him in changing government by Committee into government by a Cabinet.
