Mr. Balfour presided on Saturday at a meeting at Hadding-
ton—at which Mr. Hall Blyth, the Unionist candidate for East Lothian, was presented with his portrait—and made his first political speech since his retirement. In a vigorous criticism of the Government he contrasted their extravagance with their old claim to be the jealous guardians of the public purse. Not only had taxation increased by leaps and bounds since 1900, but public offices had been multiplied by thousands. Both parties were supposed to be agreed on the preservation of the Constitution of these island; but the Government had treated
the Crown abominably : they had done their best to maim the powers of the Second Chamber, they had forced the Insurance Bill through the Commons in a way absolutely destructive of the essence of a free Constitution—government by debate and by representatives of the people—and they had deceived the constituencies with shameful dexterity by obscuring the real issue at the last election. Home Rule was the issue, but the constituencies were never allowed to know it. Mr. Balfour, whose return to the political arena in such good fighting form is a matter for general congratulation, concluded by express- ing the opinion that the time when the policy of the Unionists would be represented by a Majority in the House of Commons would come sooner than many of his hearers supposed.
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