At Manchester on Tuesday Mr. Bonar Law devoted a con-
siderable part of his speech to a candid criticism of the candidature of Colonel Weston in the Kendal division. He admired and respected independence, and he had no complaint against Colonel Weston himself. At the same time, since Colonel Weston had declined to subordinate his views to the official views of the party, it was necessary to point out what would happen if such an example were followed elsewhere. It was the local Unionist Association that was to blame for selecting such a candidate. In reality the local Association had passed a vote of no confidence in the Unionist leaders, though he knew that that was not its intention. He warned Unionists that they could not fight on one policy in one part of the country and on another in the rest of the country. The Kendal difficulty, however, had been an accident, and be firmly believed that the whole party would act loyally on the compromise stated at Edinburgh, otherwise the whole position would become impossible. Mr. Bonar Law then criticized fully the conduct of the Government, and ended by recom- mending that there should be an official inquiry into the land question. As we have pointed out elsewhere, the speech, although made at a time of great excitement, has given no offence. Mr. Bonar Law reaps the reward that comes from sincerity, character, and absence of egotism. He inspires confidence as surely by his public as by his private actions.
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