Mr. Balfour and Conceivable Cures for Imagined Ills. By C.
H. P. C. (Effingham Wilson. Is. net.)—The object of this illuminating pamphlet is "to suggest doubts as to the value of Mr. Balfour's influence as an ' educator' of his party." The author invites particular attention to " the paramount importance of foreign indebtedness as a factor indirectly determining the character of our imports." It is shrewdly pointed out that Mr. Balfour in speaking of retaliation is not really asking for freedom to negotiate, but for something more,—namely, "actual retaliation." " The finite capacity of Parliament " is entirely neglected by Mr. Balfour. Yet if the enormous burden of superintending the opera- tions of Protective laws is disclaimed by Parliament, the country will be at the mercy of an incompetent and corrupt Executive. The argument of the Balfourites that the experiment can do no harm is already exploded. The very mention of the experiment has practically broken up the great political party which in recent years has done so much for the Empire. What the experiment
itself will produce may be judged from this. We agree with the writer of this pamphlet that it is Mr. Balfour who is reckless, for to further a political change he has deliberately thrown the whole- Empire into confusion.
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