Sir Frank Lockwood does not, we hope, regret his im-
partiality in attacking Sir Edward Clarke last week for his strange appearance as the advocate of Venezuela, but this week at least he appears anxious to show that he is a very loyal Gladstonian. He spoke on Wednesday night at the National Liberal Club, and attacked Mr. Balfour for saying that the Gladatonians were carrying on a guerilla warfare, and could not at present " fight in the open." Sir Frank Lockwood thought that the attacks on the Government Edu- cation Bill last Session were well "in the open," as they were on the ground chosen by the Government itself. That is true enough, but it is also true that they fought like guerillas, namely, rather for the purpose of annoying and harassing the Government than for the purpose of winning any victory of principle. What Mr. Balfour meant was obviously that they did not fight for any great Liberal principle or on any great issue between the two parties, but rather availed themselves of the help of Conservative malcontents. And this is unquestionable. But there is no blame that we know of in guerilla tactics. When a party is completely outnumbered, guerilla tactics are the tactics of common- sense.
Previous page
