Mr. Chamberlain's great speech at the Albert Hall on Thurs-
day to his newly organised Preferential and Protectionist Liberal Unionist party—the gathering numbered some twelve thousand people—was a fine piece of political oratory, in spite of the familiar gibes about Cobden and dead super- stitions. [Could not, in future, such expressions be treated on the principle adopted in Persian letters ? As these begin "after compliments," so the report s of Mr. Chamberlain's speeches might always begin "after Cobden shibboleths and superstitions."] The important part of the speech, however, was not the restatement of Mr. Chamberlain's policy, or his assaults on the Free-traders, but the references to the Govern- ment. These were of a very cordial kind. They were recipro- cated by Lord Lansdowne, who declared that the "people were weary of this invertebrate and molluscous type of Free- trade," and added the important announcement : "I am here to tell you that Mr. Balfour's sympathy is unabated." No doubt the context limited this sympathy to the closer com- mercial union with the Colonies asked for in the official resolu- tion, but the expression will be everywhere taken as a general ex- pression of Mr. Balfour's sympathy with Mr. Chamberlain's pro- jects. Mr. Alfred Lyttelton was equally encouraging : "What I have tried to do is to induce my friends not to shut the door on this splendid ideal." Taken as a whole, the proceedings amply justify the conclusion, which we have treated in detail else- where,—namely, that there is a complete agreement between the Balfourites and the Chamberlainites, and that the two allied sections are only waiting for "the proper time."
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