Lord Hugh Cecil delivered a most interesting and sugges- tive
address at the opening meeting of the Glasgow Parlia- mentary Debating Association on Friday week. Beginning with an analysis of Conservatism as a school of thought, Lord Hugh Cecil reviewed the progress of Conservative change since 1832, and laid stress on the fact that the Tariff Reform campaign of Mr. Chamberlain, alike in its revolu- tionary principles and its demagogic methods, was alien to the true political temperament of Conservatism. The Con- servative party had been hypnotised by Mr. Chamberlain's undoubted genius, but he did not believe that the Conserva- tive temperament could be long attracted by a policy of sudden and fundamental change. Thus, considering the prospects of the various parties, Lord Hugh Cecil declared that, as the great majority of the community wanted neither Home-rule nor Protection, he saw no need for the extinction of Unionist Free-traders as a party. Up to this point we find ourselves in substantial agreement with Lord Hugh Cecil. But, for reasons already familiar to our readers, we cannot endorse his view that the Unionist Free-traders ought to trust in the declarations of Mr. Balfour, or share his confidence that in the Fiscal controversy Mr. Balfour is more on their side than on the side of Mr. Chamberlain.
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