The election at Bury, held on Saturday last, resulted in
a. victory for Mr. Toulmin, the Liberal candidate, by a majority of 414, the figures being—Mr. G. Toulmin (L.), 4,213; Mr. H. Lawson (U.), 3,799. In 1895 the Unionist majority was 672, and in 1900 849. We do not desire to attribute undue impor- tance to this or any other by-election, and we realise that the Unionists fought under a grave disadvantage in having a candidate who had so very recently abandoned Liberal and Home-rule principles. At the same time, we cannot doubt that the Corn-tax had an unfavourable effect on the chances of the Government candidate. We do not, of course, want to see the Government defeated even as a warning at a by-election till the war is over and the settlement begun, and till the Liberals have mended their quarrels sufficiently to be able to offer the country a Ministry of trust and responsibility; but it is by no means a bad thing that our politicians should realise how dangerous it is to raise the question of Protec- tion even unconsciously and without any evil intent. The present Corn-tax is not protective, and was not meant to be protective by the Government, but a certain section of the House undoubtedly hailed it as the half-way house to Pro. tection.
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