Sir William Harcourt has been starring it in Devonshire. He
spoke in great exultation of spirit at Newton Abbot on Monday night, asserting that the gain of the Liberal Party since 1886 had been at least 20 per cent. of the seats vacated, and that if the same gain should be maintained in the General Election, Mr. Gladstone would be returned to power. As usual, all his wrath was poured out upon the Liberal Unionists, who arc to be selected for destruction as the " unfittest " of all politicians. Being a moderate man, he approved of Tories, at least so long as they remained in a minority, and only sup- plied the due resistance to Liberal progressiveness. The defeat of 1886 was due to the non-resident voters, who were left to register their votes against the majority of the residents by the Reform Act of 1885. But Sir William Harcourt forgot to remind his hearers that these non-resident voters were retained by Mr. Gladstone's own direct influence. For our own parts we say, let them go, by all means. We believe that the only effect of their going would be that more of the resident voters would turn Conservative and fill up their places. On the Irish Question Sir William was not very explicit. Ho said that any anti-English Home-rule Bill for Ireland would never be accepted by the Liberals. But the Anti-Parnellites are quite as anti-English as the Parnellites, only they do not just now flaunt their anti-Englandism so violently in our faces. Mr. Gladstone and Sir William Harcourt will be quite satisfied if the AleCarthyites will only make-believe very much to love England. Indeed, the MoCarthyites probably will love England so long as England gives them exactly their own way,—so long, and no longer.
