We are not going to bore our readers with many
more Election speeches. A noteworthy address or two may still be made in the counties, but politicians thank God that they see a prospect of daylight and silence at last. Lord Hartington, however, at Bacup, on Monday, made a " confidential " remark to a few thousand people which will be of interest to about 250 millions. He said :—" As to Afghanistan, I am not standing here to say that I, or, as far as I know, any of the Liberal party are prepared with a policy which would be satisfac- tory, or that could at once undo all the enormous mischief which has been caused by the policy of the present Government. I will make a frank confession ; I believe that if the Liberal party were to come into power, our policy with regard to Afghani- stan would be precisely the same policy as that which the pre- sent Government would pursue, if they dared to avow it at this momeut,—To retire as soon as might be, with as little loss of credit as possible, with as little sacrifice of our real interest as possible, from the false position in which the blunders of the last five years have placed them." It is, we know, strictly true that the Government wishes to retire, and the position therefore amounts to this :--We are going to risk 4,000 soldiers in taking Ghuznee and to kill endless Afghans, as a matter of prestige, after both parties have made up their minds that they would rather go away.
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