Some Radicals just now must read Mr. Morley's speeches with
mixed feelings. He steps up to the line most gallantly, is sounder than almost anybody on county government, and is ready to grant compulsory powers of purchase and redistribu- tion ; but he has a historic mind, and cannot help, on the latter point, being a little doubtful of results. As he told the electors of Bodmin on Monday, he is willing to try artificial devices in order 'to remedy the results of artificial restrictions; but he calls the devices "artificial," and "has no great faith 'in being able in a short time to bring back the old yeomen and the old small freeholders." His real faith, in fact, is that Free-trade in land must produce good, though we must wait for a minute before we see the precise form that the good will take. That is precisely the faith for holding which we are called cold-blooded, the only difference being that we are not willing to try experiments in remodelling society. Let it remodel itself, as, when once left free, it has hitherto always done. Of all the faithlessnesses we have ever seen in politicians, this want of faith among Free-traders in free-trade in land is the most extraordinary. They believe in arithmetic, but are dubious about its application to roods and perches.
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