We cannot pretend to feel anything but satisfaction that the
farce of "Mr. Balfour opposed to Mr. Chamberlain" has come to an end, and that at last there is a clean division between the Unionist Free-traders and the Unionist anti- Free-traders. Now that the sophistries and evasions have been swept away, there is clear ground upon which to begin the work of reconstructing the Unionist Party on a Free-trade basis. As we have contended elsewhere, that task is not in reality nearly so hopeless as it seems at first sight, though it will take time and patience. Of one thing we are heartily glad. After this week it will no longer be necessary to wander in the bewildering mazes of Balfourian psychology. We confess that Mr. Balfour's speech in the City on Monday filled us with consternation on this score, for it seemed to point to the possibility of another year or so of attempts to interpret his meaning. His letter of February 14th has happily put an end to any such misgivings. That speech we shall not summarise, for it is now obviously out of date.
