NEWS OF 'TIE WEEK.
WE regret to record that during the past week the Prime Minister's health has given cause for very consider- able anxiety. At the end of last week he fell a victim to influenza, and though we are glad to say that the reports on Friday showed a distinct improvement, be is still evidently far from well, and a. considerable time must elapse before he can safely return to work at the House of Commons, even under a half-time arrangement. Sir Henry's illness has very naturally revived the suggestion that he should go to the House of Lords, a change which would automatically protect him from a great many claims upon his time and strength. No doubt his acceptance of a peerage might render him liable to a certain amount of facetious invective, but in reality, as the Times has very sensibly pointed out, there would be nothing substantial in such criticism. We think the Prime Minister's policy entirely mistaken as regards the House of Lords, but we realise that he has never advocated the abolition of that body, and also that he has always declared that his policy would not degrade it or impair its essential useful- ness in the Constitution, but would place it on a more satisfactory foundation. In these circumstances, there would be nothing illogical in Sir Henry becoming a Peer, and, as it were, letting his own prescription be tried on himself. If Sir Henry should not be willing to go to the Lords, we confess that the prospect is a very difficult one. Divided leadership in the House of Commons soon pro- duces an impasse, as was proved when Mr. Gladstone essayed to carry out such an arrangeinent. It was then found impossible to prevent persons dissatisfied with the decisions of the Minister who acted as leader appealing over his head to the "real" leader. The wits described, the arrangement as that of "a lesser light to rule the night, and a greater light to rule the day." Mr. Gladstone did not return to the House after dinner.
