We have perhaps said enough elsewhere on Mr. Balfour's speech
of last Saturday at Haddington, but may notice here a thought of his to which we had in that article no opportunity to refer. Mr. Balfour, while praising and explaining the comparative kindliness of our party contests, alluded to a danger which that very kindliness sometimes evokes. The war of politics tends at intervals to become only a football match, in which the object is winning, and nothing greater or higher. Office and patronage are the objects, and not the good of the country, and for these an election is won or a Government pushed out. That is a less evil than the bitter hostility of parties on the Continent; but still it is an evil. Fortunately it has seldom been visible in this country, especially since patronage became so valueless ; but still it may recur, and a substitute for it, popular favouritism, remains a danger. If the people like a Minister for his action in home or foreign politics, they will often trust him in Departments which he does not equally understand. That actually happened both with Lord Palmerston and Mr. Gladstone, and might some day produce very rash popular action.
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