" NE QUID DETRIMENTI RESPITBLICA CAPIAT.* [To THE EDITOR. or
vas "srsontroa."]
Sin,—May one who is no financier, but a student of the history and character of his countrymen past and present, say a word in strong support of the compromise urged last week by you and Mr. Henry Hobhonse,—i.e., that the Budget should be passed provisionally on condition that an election be held before the end of January P The immense relief to the leaders of both parties (neither of which can expect more than a small majority) in the next House of Commons cannot be more convincingly demonstrated than by your article. But the average elector—neither an active politician nor a strong party man—what will his view be P Surely this : that while he recognises that now after four years of power the Govern- ment's " innovations" (to use a favourite word of our Liberal ancestors' protests) make an appeal to him inevitable, he must at the same time demand that the disturbance of his affairs shall be the least possible, and will condemn whichever party refuses an agreement that will diminish it.—I am, Sir,
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