We give later some selections from the vast mass of
oratory which has poured forth during the week. Special notice, however, is demanded by two speeches reported in Friday's papers. The first is Mr. Balfour's second speech at Reading, in which he reiterated his pledge that a new tariff should not be imposed upon the people until a poll of the people "Aye" or "No" bad been taken thereon. The people would be asked: "Are you in favour, or are you not, of our general scheme of Tariff Reform ?" It must not be supposed from this that Mr. Balfour means that an abstract question will be put to the people. No one who has thought the question out can doubt for a moment that the only practical plan to adopt is that adopted in Switzerland, under which a definite legislative scheme is put before the people, and they accept it or reject it as they choose. People can never be got to agree upon the form of an abstract question. In other words, Tariff Reform, or any other reform, must be referred to the people in the shape of a definite Bill which has already been passed through Parlia- ment. What the people must be asked to say is whether they will allow it to come into operation or not. It is for this reason that, as our readers know, we have always put our model ballot-paper in the form :—" Are you in favour of an Let entitled * * * * * * coming into operation ? If to, put X in the column marked 'Yes.' If not, put X in the column marked No.' "
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