Mr. Asquith, who followed Mr. Balfour, could not, of course,
do anything but agree in theory that the anomalies of our present electoral system ought to be done away with, but he may be said, in Dr. Johnson's phrase, to have dis- missed the subject with " frigid equanimity." He also declared that if the electoral system was touched plural voting must be abolished, and also the University seats. Mr. Bryce was emphatic in the same sense. Neither of them, however, ex- plained why the University seats must necessarily be done away with. Surely that is a matter to be settled by the will of the nation. There is no anomaly in University representation like that involved in Galway and Wandsworth having the same electoral power. If, after it has made a fair apportion- ment of electoral power, Parliament chooses to add to itself certain University representatives, it is absolutely competent to do so. The matter is on an entirely different plane. In the desultory discussion that followed the only suggestion of importance was that made by Mr. Cochrane, who proposed that a properly equipped Committee should inquire into the whole subject. We entirely agree with him. In the end the amendment was negatived by 279 (302 to 23),—a very natural result considering its academic terms and unpractical reference to Colonial representation. After another amendment on the immigration of pauper aliens had been discussed and with- drawn, the debate on the Address was agreed to without a division.
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