• We congratulate Mr. Balfour and Mr. Ritchie most heartily
on the wisdom and good-sense of their attitude, and on the courage with which they have stuck to their guns, and have refused to yield to the angry clamour of a reactionary group. We think that some of Mr. Balfour's generalisations, if metaphysically sound, were exceedingly liable to popular mis- apprehension, and that he went very near the edge of the Protectionist abyss; but we can easily pardon a certain rash- ness of speculation in Mr. Balfour when we remember how universally sound he is in practice when our economic policy is concerned. When dealing with the subject of Free-trade he almost always indulges in an abstract attack on the doctrine, but ends with a thoroughly wise and sound practical conclusion. Mr. Chamberlain, on the other hand, never fails to pay verbal homage to Free-trade, but after such homage usually puts forth some political suggestion which is a direct challenge to the policy of Free-trade.
