As if he had not introduced enough explosive elements into
his speech, Lord Rosebery went on to speak of Imperialism,— always a dangerous subject at a Liberal gathering. Not con- tent with generalities, he touched on Mr. Morley's intention to raise the whole question of the Soudan by opposing the grant to Lord Kitchener. "If," said Lord Rosebery, "it be true that there is an intention in the House of Commons to oppose a vote for a pittance of £700 a year or so for a gallant soldier to support the coronet which he won on the field of battle, I should say that that, too, was an imperfect way of promoting Imperial interests. But that I do not believe, because it seems to me so wholly incredible." We have dwelt at length on Lord Rosebery's speech elsewhere. Whatever his motive in making it, a speech more calculated to injure the Liberal party cannot well be imagined. Whether the leader has or has not eaten sour grapes we will not attempt to deter- mine, but clearly the followers' teeth have been set on edge.
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