We mention elsewhere the result of the plebiscite of medical
men carried out by The Practitioner whereby upwards of 20,000 out of 29,000 doctors have declared against the Insur- ance Act. To this may be added the protest of the Roya Society, organized by Sir William Ramsay, which has been signed by 116 Fellows, only 2 opposing. The protest does not merely commit the signatories to a plea for the postponement of the National Insurance Act until better opportunities have been afforded for considering its novel proposals, intricate details, heavy taxation, and far-reaching effect upon the interests of capital and labour; it also condemns the present system of government by Cabinet and pleads for the restora- tion to the Houses of Parliament of the powers of initiative and criticism which they have undoubtedly lost. The list of signatories contains the names of Sir George Darwin, Sit Edward Fry, Sir Norman Lockyer, Sir John Murray, Sir John Thornycroft, Sir David Ferrier, Sir W. R. Gowers Dr. Klein, Professor H. H. Turner, and Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace, O.M.
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