4 NOVEMBER 1899, Page 19

The passage which has been most commented on in Lord

Rosebery's speech must be given textually. It is as follows —"I, at any rate, had another motive for laying a wreath to- day on the tomb of Mr. Pitt. I regard Mr. Pitt as the first

Liberal Imperialist I venture to think—I may be

wrong—in ten years, perhaps, you will remember my prophecy —I believe the party of Liberal Imperialism is destined to control the destinies of this country." We have dealt with this passage at length elsewhere, and will only point out here that we think Lord Rosebery fails to realise that if we go below words to things the country is already controlled by Liberal Imperialists.