The Bishop of Chester (Dr. Jayne),in the course of an
address delivered at Aberdeen on Monday, read an extract from a letter by Mr. Gladstone to Lord Thring in favour of the Gothen- burg system. We have dealt at length with the letter elsewhere, and will only say here that the late Premier condemns both Local Option and the limiting of licenses, as inadequate and use- less remedies. Local Option is only "a partial and occasional remedy ; " the other little better than an imposture. In the Gothenburg system alone lies the hope of temperance reform. " Of detail I do not speak," ends Mr. Gladstone, " but in principle you are working on the only lines either promising or tenable. I am glad to see that Mr. Chamberlain is active in your cause." That last sentence is very interesting, and shows how little Mr. Gladstone is touched by political con- troversy. He knows how potent a force Mr. Chamberlain is in politics, and recognises it in the most ungrudging way. It is a fine spirit.
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