The two by-elections of last week made no difference in
the relative state of parties ; but in East Leeds the result showed a considerably increased majority for the Gladstonian can- didate. Mr. Leuty, who beat his Conservative opponent by a majority of 1,131 (for Mr. Leuty, 3,999 against 2,868 for Mr. Danvers Power), is one of the most popular of the local em- ployers of labour in Leeds, and would have been triumphantly returned, it is said, if the most celebrated of Conservative or Liberal Unionist statesmen had stood against him. In 1892, the majority of the Gladstonian candidate was only 827, so that the Gladstonians have improved their position by no less than 304 votes. The total poll, however, was much diminished, neither side polling anything like their full strength, and this makes the omen of the poll much less serious. In East Wicklow this day week, Mr. O'Kelly, the Anti-Parnellite candidate, was returned at the head of the poll, but with a very narrow majority over his Parnellite rival, Mr. Sweetman, who again had a very minute majority over Colonel Totten- ham, the Conservative candidate. For Mr. O'Kelly, usa votes ; for Mr. Sweetman, 1,191, or 62 fewer; and for Colonel Tottenham, 1,165, or 20 fewer than Mr. Sweetman. The constituency is therefore divided into very nearly three equal parts. There was some talk of a miscount, the cor- rection of which might have placed Colonel Tottenham at the head of the poll, but apparently there was no truth in the rumour.
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