The result of the Walworth Election on Tuesday was a
very great gain for the Unionists. Mr. Saunders, whose death caused the vacancy, was a Home-ruler, and in 1892 be won his election by 296 votes (for Mr. Saunders, 2,514 ; for Mr. 'saws, the Conservative, 2,218). On Tuesday the Conservative, Mr. Bailey, obtained a majority of 571 over the Gladstonian candidate, Colonel Reade (Mr. Bailey, 2,676; Colonel Reade, 2,105); and a majority of 224 over Colonel Reade and the Socialist candidate, Mr. Lansbury, pat together, Mr. L insbury polling only 347 votes. This showed a very remarkable change in the political feeling of one of the poorest constituencies in the East of London, and is said to have been due to the determina- tion of the poorest part of the constituency—the costermongers —to show their dislike of the present Administration. The election shows an improvement not only on 1892 but on 1886, when the Conservative, Mr. Isaacs, won by only 235 votes. It is a great mistake to suppose that the more exclusively the constituency may consist of the poorest class, the more eager it will be to upset things as they are. Things as they are, are often dearer to those who have little, than they are to those who have much.
