Two by-elections have taken place since our last issue. On
Saturday last polling took place at Reading, with the result that Mr. Rufus Isaacs, the well-known King's counsel, was returned by a majority of 230, or nine less than that obtained by his predecessor, Mr. Palmer, in 1900. In 1895 the Unionist majority was 351. This result seems at first sight somewhat strange, as the course of recent events has made the public expect Free-trade victories on a larger scale. As a matter of fact, however, the local circumstances would, under normal conditions, have secured a victory for Mr. Keyser, the Government candidate. Had he not been handicapped by being opposed to Free-trade, and so by sharing the un- popularity of the Chamberlain policy, his great local popularity would almost certainly have won him the seat.
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