The result of the second ballots in Germany should be
watched ; for many able men are anxious to introduce the practice into England. It has, no doubt, the merit that no man can be returned to Parliament unless returned by a true majority ; but it has grievous demerits of its own. The feebler parties do not always support those nearest to their own opinions, as the theory is they would, but make bargains, often of the most shameless kind, For example, it is said that in Germany in many places the Conservatives, who hate their old opponents the Radicals, will vote for Social Democrats to get rid of them, even though their allies reject the Military Bills ; and that in a few districts the Ultramontanes, who hold the opinions of that party to be positively impious, will do the same thing. The temptation, in fact, to postpone principle to party spite or party advantage is found to be irresistible. In England the evil would probably be of a different kind, all the faddists combining to seat the man who promised to vote for their nonsensical proposals, and disregarding polities altogether. The Labour party, too, would come in in second ballots with almost irresistible effect.
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