The London elections of Saturday and Monday, for Vestrymen and
Guardians, have not justified the hopes of the Radical party. The Moderates hold, out of all the Vestries, three to two, including—which is the significant fact—districts like Wandsworth, Lee, Poplar, and Whitechapel, in which the workers must be a heavy majority. In places like Kensing- ton the Moderate majority is even dangerously large ; and it must be remembered that in almost every borough, including even Kensington and Marylebone, the poorer voters can, if they care to do it, sweep the board. In the election of Guardians the Radical feeling is more decided ; and the Progressives claim all the districts except ten out of the thirty. Either there has been a burst of feeling in favour of a more " lenient " administration of the Poor-law, or the Moderates have not cared to vote. In no case can either party congratulate itself on a plebiscite, or on a permanent decision in its favour, for the poll has everywhere been so discreditably small that any incident or any apprehension which really interested the people, might cause a rush of electors, and reverse all existing decisions. As regards the Guardians, we would warn the Moderate Guardians against allowing their rules to press so sharply on the old as they do now, and the Pro- gressive Guardians against too great liberality in the treatment of the able-bodied. The better workmen will lead a revolt against that abuse if it is pushed too far. They sympathise with John Burns's opinion, which was not "lenient" at all.
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