One of the best signs, however, for the presumption that
the modern Tories will resign themselves to Free Education without much murmuring, is the Duke of Norfolk's very sensible speech at the Dulwich and Penge Conservative and Liberal Unionist Association on Wednesday. He said that it was almost universally admitted that Free Education is now inevitable, and that, this being so, it was evidently very much better that it should be carried by the present Govern- ment than by those now in Opposition. He admitted the force of the contention that public money should not be given without public control. But nothing could be more foolish than to snub voluntary effort to which our present system of education owes so much ; and therefore the control which should be carefully guarded and enforced is the control which the voluntary subscribers to those schools which are not built mainly out of public resources, exert over them. The Roman Catholics may fairly be taken as the body which is most passionately devoted to the denominational system, and the Duke of Norfolk is their shrewdest spokesman. If be thinks that the concession of Free Education by a Conservative and Liberal Unionist Administration is rather an insurance than an imperilling of the denominational schools, Anglican clergy- men are likely to come round to the same opinion.
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