The Mid-Lanarkshire election resulted in the return of the Gladstonian
candidate by a very much reduced majority. The two parties which gained greatly were the Conservatives and the Labour party. The Gladstonians also increased their poll slightly as compared with 1888 (the last election at which there was a Labour candidate) ; but for the moat part the increase of strength which they would otherwise have won on the new Register, as compared with the Register of 1888, went to the Labour candidate. This was the result : Mr. Caldwell (Gladstonian), 3,965; Colonel Harington- Stuart (Conservative), 3,635; Mr. Smellie (Labour), 1,221. In the by-election of 1888, Mr. J. W. Philipps (Gladetonian), received 3,847 votes ; Mr. W. R. Boit:Add (Conservative), 2,917; and Mr. Keir Hardie (Labour), 617. It will be seen, therefore, that while the Gladstonian poll was only increased by 118 votes, that of the Conservative was increased by 718 votes, and that of the Labour candidate by 604. In other words, the Conservative vote was increased by only 4 votes less than the increase of the G ladetonian and the Labour votes added together. We take it that the increase of the Conservative vote is the natural consequence of the increase of the Socialistic vote.
