It is hardly necessary to record that the Free-trade candidate
carried the seat in East Finsbury,—so foregone a conclusion is a Free-trade victory When the previous Governmental majority was not over 1,500. In the present case Mr. Baker obtained a majority of 768: In 1900 Mr. Richards, the Unionist, had a majority of 347. If the full figures of the two elections are compared, it will be seen that the Free-trade candidate occupies the position, and something more, that the Unionist did in 1900, and that the Unionist now gets considerably less support than the Liberal did in the same year. This is the story of all the recent by-elections. Protection has sunk the Unionist party .lower than Home- rule phis the suspicion of Pro-Boerism—an unfounded suspicion, we admit, in the vast majority of cases—sank the Liberals at the last General Election. In view of these facts, it is most probable that the Free-trade majority at the next appeal to the people will be even larger than that of the Unionists in 1900. That is what Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Balfour between them have contrived to accomplish
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