Mr. Chamberlain's speech at the annual meeting of the Liberal
Union Club on Wednesday was noticeable in more ways than one. His reference to Lord Lansdowne's diplo- matic achievements was both generous and well deserved; but it was a surprise to hear Mr. Chamberlain say, a propos of Lord Lansdowne's speech in the Lords on Tuesday, that, as far as a hasty reading went, he could not see that there was a single point in the speech with which he did not cordially agree. Mr. Chamberlain criticised the Duke of Devonshire for his reticence. and inconsistency, and sneered at the Unionist Free-Trade Club as a hybrid body, un- democratic in their methods, and unable to exert any influence in the constituencies. But when Mr. Chamberlain came to discuss his own policy there was a sad falling off from this fighting spirit, and he actually wound up by expressing the hope that his followers would " pursue this great policy to success, which will be the more complete the longer it is delayed." But this patient acquiescence in the postponement of Fiscal Reform till the Greek Kalends was not all, for Mr. Chamberlain in the discussion that followed not only sup- ported a resolution endorsing Mr. Balfour's "half-sheet of notepaper" propositions, but deprecated an amendment on the ground that any alteration would be to put into the Premier's• mouth words which he did not use.
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