It is understood that Lord Wolmer is to give up
his office of Whip to the Liberal Unionist Party in the Commons, and that Mr. Powell Williams (M.P. for South Birmingham), who, under Mr. Chamberlain, has managed so successfully the organisation of the Liberal Unionist party in Birmingham and its neighbourhood, is to succeed to the office. This con- centrates the Liberal Unionist party in Mr. Chamberlain's hands, a tribute of respect to his faculty as an organiser which he well deserves. At the same time, we may remark that, so far as the Duke of Devonshire differs in political bias from Mr. Chamberlain, we should estimate the followers of the former as at the very least three times as -numerous as the followers of the latter. We do not regard this as of any importance so long as the main issue of Irish Home-rule or no Rome-rule is before the country, for on that subject the Duke and Mr. Chamberlain are so heartily at one, that a divergence of principle can hardly manifest itself. At the same time, it is well to remember that the Whig Liberal Unionists, who would certainly not desire to bring about Die- 'establishment, for example, are certainly more than three times as numerous as the Radical Home-rulers, who, once released from the fear of Home-rule in Ireland, might very possibly revert to their passion for what they term "religious -equality."
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