The by-election in the Rye division of Sussex has ended
in a victory for the Liberal candidate, who was returned by a majority of 534 votes. At the last election the Unionist can- didate carried the seat by a majority of 2,489. There has thus been not only a loss of the seat, but a very large reduc- tion in the Unionist vote. Naturally the Unionists in the House of Commons have been greatly depressed by the result, as there is no special cause, as in the case of Woolwich, to account for the large transfer of votes.. The reasons why the Unionist was defeated have been stated in many forms, but, as we have said elsewhere, the swing of the pendulum is the real cause. No doubt the Government suffered very, greatly and deservedly because of the Venezuelan imbroglio, but neither it, nor ,the Education Bill, nor the dislike of the publicans. to the new Licensing Bill, nor the unpopularity of.the Army scheme, were either severally or collectively half as potent as the desire to change the party in power. But
the change will not come at once. The first effect of the
1 recent defeats is a gain of strength for the Government in the House of Commons. Unionist Members do not want a Dis- solution, and to avoid a Dissolution they will see to it that the Government is not put into a minority.
