NEWS OF THE WEEK.
IlirEthreatened division in the Unionist party over Mr. Chamberlain's policy of preferential duties remains the aU-absorbing subject of the hour. Though no actual steps may yet have been taken to form an organisation of Imperialist Free-traders, it is evident that some such movement as we have advocated elsewhere must take place unless Mr. Cham- berlaincomes to _realise before Parliament reassembles that the country will not support his proposal. Fortunately, owing to the way in,which the Prime Minister, fully endorsed by -Mr. Chamberlain, pliced the matter before the country, Mr. Chamberlain might withdraw from his propaganda without loss of honour, but we fear that there is not much chance .of his adopting such a course. Though we are so •strongly opiosed to Mr. Chamberlain's scheme, we realise fully that he has taken up the Zollverein idea from no petty, personal, or even party, motives, and that he sincerely believes that it would add to the welfare of the Empire. Of course, notwithstanding this, he might still abandon it as impractic- able owing to "the .anti-Protectionist -pig-headedness of his countrymen," for no man is obliged to attack the status quo when he realises that the attack must fail. We fear, how- ever, his eager, sanguine temperament, and the fatal delusion from which he suffers,—that he is never wrong in his diag- nosie of public opinion, and especially that of the working classes. Still, we shall not abandon till the very last moment the earnest hope that a split in the Unionist party may be prevented.
