Yesterday week, Mr. Goschen delivered his annual address , to his
constituents. He rallied the Government on the offence they had given to both France and Germany by their agree- ment with Belgium on the Congo question. He quizzed Sir George Trevelyan on having first opposed the proposal to include any but Scotch representatives in the Scotch Gran& Committee, whereas he had eventually been compelled to summon Englishmen to his aid in order to vote with the Government against Scotch public opinion. He criticise& the composition of the Committee appointed to consider the financial relations between England, Ireland, and Scotland, in which Committee "the predominant partner" had four repre- sentatives, while Scotland had two and Ireland seven, so that the Irish Members exceeded the number of English and Scotch Members taken together. Again, as regards finance, while Mr. Morley announced that "equality of sacrifice" was. the principle of the Budget, Sir William Harcourt disclaimed expressly having adopted that principle. Finally Mr. Goschen accused this Government of bribing its supporters by Acts of Parliament,---a refined and indirect, but most dangerous and effective, form of bribery. We are afraid, however, that no. party Government altogether abjures that very effective, though obvious and open, form of bribery. "If you will give us power, we will bring in the measures you prefer," appears to be a principle common to all Administrations that repre- sent party organisations.
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