Mr. John Morley has addressed his constituents twice during the
last ten days. At Forfar on Friday week he defined his attitude towards Home-rule. Mr. Morley's belief in the need of a separate Legislature remains unshaken, but he asked his hearers to " remember that in 1886, when Mr. Gladstone and his colleagues brought in their first Home-rule Bill, it was an urgent question of social order in Ireland There is a difference as to the question of priority of Irish reform between the state of matters in 1886 and that which prevails to-day." Hence, so far as practical politics are concerned, there is no substantial difference between Mr. Morley and Mr. Asquith. At Arbroath on Monday Mr. Morley severely criticised the Government for their reactionary legislation and administrative incapacity. Mr. Morley, who in a previous speech had reaffirmed his belief in government by party, denied that patriotism was opposed to party. On the contrary, it was the salt and inspiration of party, and if people desired to pat the present Government out, it was not because they would replace them by Liberals, but because the Government were not doing the business of the country as the people of the country would have, that business done.
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