THE NEXT ELECTION.
pro THE EDITOR OP THE " SPEOTATOR."] Sin,—Would you allow a quiet protest against your argument for an Election this autumn P You cannot expect. anything like unanimous consent to your theory that a Parliament which. is allowed to last for six years outlives its welcome if it sits. for five Sessions. If the Governments of 1874-80 and 1880-85, were defeated, it was not because they strained their powers. by the length of their Parliament. The events are too. recent for such interpretation. The present Government is. pledged to an Irish Local Government Bill, and to develop the Local Government Act for England. and Wales by District Councils in some shape or other. To dissolve without. an attempt at legislation in these directions will be to invite- the Gladstonians to charge them with not being in earnest in the promises made, and will be to turn what, I fear, whether the dissolution be this or next year, will be certain defeat,. into a crushing and ruinous disaster. I only hope your optimist interpretation of the by-elections is correct, but to- many they seem to indicate that we are beaten in organisa- tion, in the quantity and quality of platform oratory we bring to bear on these cbntests, and, above all, in enthusiasm.. Birmingham is a brilliant exception, but this wintry weather we remember that one fine day does not make spring. If our leaders wish to lead to victory, they must induce constituencies. to organise better, bring effective speakers into the fray, and beware of the false proverb : Surtout point de eele.—I am, Sir
A SADDENED LIBERAL UNIONIST.
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