The agitation in regard to the Education Bill is now
in full swing, and the less well-balanced organs of Nonconformist opinion in the Press are talking very loudly of a strike against rates. We have little fear. as we have explained elsewhere. of these threats being carried into action, not necause we doubt the courage or power of persistence of the Noncon- formists when really roused on a true matter of conscience, but because we are sure that now, as always, the influence of the wiser NonconformiSte will assert itself in the end, and will prevent so pitiful a travesty of the best Nonconformist traditions as would be presented by a passive insurrection against rates applied to provide elementary education. We do not mean to assert that the majority of the Noncos-
formists who now threaten not to pay rates are not for the moment sincere in what they say, but that in this matter they are following false lights, and that when they realise, as they will, that they are being misled they will listen to wiser counsels. The object of those who inspire the strike against rates is, of course, to frighten the Government. Unless we are very much mistaken, it will have exactly the opposite effect on a statesman of Mr. Balfour's character. He is not a man whom it is safe to try to bully.
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