25 JULY 1908, Page 3

The debate was ended on the Opposition side by Lord

Lansdowne in a speech of great ability, but one vitiated by the fact that he was not prepared to advise the Peers to throw out the measure, which he showed so conclusively was fraught with the greatest evils to the country. The proper conclusion to his speech would have been to advise the Lords to throw out the Bill without any thought of the consequences, and to remind them that just as men must sometimes sacrifice their lives for their country, so the Members of an institution must sometimes be prepared to risk that insitution rather than imperil the ship of State. To follow up such a speech by sheathing his sword was, in our opinion, neither dignified nor politic.