The first signs of the coming compromise became visible yesterday
week, when Mr. Fowler proposed a new subsection to Clause 19 of the Local Government Bill, allowing the Boards of
Guardians to elect a chairman and vice-chairman by co-option from outside the elected body. Sir Michael Hicks-Beach then gave notice of his intention to move that the Board of Guardians should have power to add by co-option two other non-elective members to the Board ; and Mr. Fowler then promised that the suggestion should receive the fullest con- sideration from the Government, whereupon two of the Radical Members, Mr. Channing and Mr. Minnie, threatened the Government with an explosion of Radical wrath if this concession should be made, while Sir Michael Hicks-Beach thanked Mr. Fowler for his assurance. On Monday, when Mr. Gladstone was questioned by Sir Donald Macfarlane as to his intention to apply the guillotine to hasten the progress of the Bill, it became evident from Mr. Gladstone's reply that the concession suggested by Mr. Fowler, and other concessions briefly summarised above, had been offered and accepted by the Opposition, who had in return promised their influence to expedite the passage of the Bill. And accordingly, with the exception of a certain squabble on Monday night over the question whether women elected to preside over District Councils should ipso facto become (as men in that position will become) Justices of the Peace, and a few growls from the Radicals, everything has gone as merrily as marriage bells, and the Government have reaped the full advantage of the compromise. The " Old Parliamentary Hand" has hitherto hardly appreciated, as we should have expected him to do, the extent to which a little compromise reduces political friction. Perhaps he will avail himself more freely of this emollient in future.
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