The meeting of the National Liberal Federation at Derby on
Wednesday resulted, after a lively meeting, ha the formula- tion of a demand for what the Daily Chronicle aptly calls "another Majuba settlement." A number of amendments of a more or less vehemently Pro-Boer type had been put down on the agenda paper, but in the long run and in the alleged interests of unity a compromise was effected by which the Federation, at the instance of Mr. Lloyd-George and Mr. Lehmann, committed itself to the declaration "that the time has come when new negotiations should be entered upon with a view to the conclusion of peace, and for that purpose it is essential that a special Conamissioner be despatched to South Africa." In other words, it is recommended that we should cease from our efforts to carry the war to a victorious conclusion—as urged even by Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman —take the initiative in opening negotiations, and supersede Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner. It remains to be seen, and it will be seen in less than ten days, how far this resolution is representative of the attitude of the Liberal party as a whole, or how far the Imperialist Liberals will endorse Mr: Lloyd-George's statement, "There is something more at stake than the existence of the Empire. It is British Liberalism." Personally, we are not inclined to. attach any importance to Mr. Redmond's recent prediction, delivered during a speech in America, that the -Liberal party would eventually become a party of Lloyd-Georges: But we admit that for the moment Mr. Lloyd-George has won a tactical victory.
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