We publish in another column a powerful letter from "A.
V. D." pointing out that it is an imperative necessity that the present Government, if it is to do its duty as guardian of the Union, should give England its fair share of representation in Parliament,—by reducing the over- representation of Ireland and Wales. As our readers know, we have again and again during the past few years urged upon Unionists the vital importance of this matter, and we are delighted to see the question taken up with such force and earnestness by so able a political thinker as our correspondent. We desire to be just to Ireland, but also to every other part of the United Kingdom; and it is not just that the vote of a man who happens to live in Ireland should have much greater electoral power than the vote of a man who lives in London. We agree also with "A. V. D." that the settlement of the question cannot long be delayed. Unionist Members should, we hold, next Session obtain from the Government a definite pledge that the subject shall be fully dealt with in the Session after next,—i.e., that of 1900. In our opinion, any scheme of redistribution should be made as nearly arithmetical as possible, and also, if possible, capable of more or less automatic readjustment. The bogey of "One man, one vote " will, of course, be raised, but it is a mere bogey. Even if all double qualifications were abolished, we do not believe that the Unionists would be a penny the worse. Where Unionist Members are safest is not in the little boroughs or in the counties, but in the great industrial towns, where practically it is already a case of "One man, one vote."
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