Several reports have been published in the newspapers about .the
repeated offers of Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister to resign from the Government because his wife is largely interested in colliery property. These offers do him credit ; he has displayed the nice sense of honour and delicacy which is indispensable in the moral equip- ment of Ministers. We think that if Sir Philip Cunliffe- Lister, as President of the Board of Trade, were required to conduct any negotiations in which his duty as a Minister in any way conflicted with his private interests it would be the right, and indeed necessary, thing for him to refuse to remain in such a position.. He could leave the negotiations to somebody else, or he could exchange to some other Department ; or, if he did not wish to do either of those things, he could resign from the Government as he has proposed.
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