The Referendum as a general policy and the Referendum as
a solvent of Unionist internal difficulties has come to stay. In six months' time we venture to say that there will not be a secretary of any Unionist Association throughout the country who will not report that things have been much better for Mr. Balfour's pledge, and that it would be a disaster to revoke it. At the same time, Lord Ridley and his friends will begin to understand that Unionist Free-traders are perfectly content to leave the decision with the people, and that no attempt whatever will be made to interfere with the Tariff proz)aganda.. The Tariff Reformer remains as free as ever he was to convert the people to his policy ; but there is now no need for Unionist Free-traders to fight him by helping the Liberals or by abstention. Now that the one point that we differ upon is to be left to the country, all Unionists can work loyally together on the ninety-nine points upon which they are in full accord.
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