On Wednesday evening Mr. Balfour was entertained at dinner by
the Nonconformist Unionist Association, Sir George Hayter Chubb presiding. After Mr. Balfour had spoken of the intense desire of the Government to settle the education question on a broad and solid foundation, he turned to the meaning of Unionism. Did Unionism mean now what it meant fifteen years ago,—i.e., a great issue between the two great parties, one desirous of dissolving the Union and one determined to maintain it ? In his view, said Mr. Balfour, it did ; and he then proceeded to show with great ingenuity that the inability of the Liberal party to discover a policy and a programme was a standing menace to the Union. The Liberals could not merely come in as an alternative Government. They would be compelled, as Lord Rosebery admitted, "to search, to dig, to look around" for a programme, but as there was none other handy, they would fall back on Home-rule, by which means also the Irish vote would be gained. There is no doubt a good deal of truth in this, and we agree that Unionists must remain as vigilant as ever, and must not trust too much to the half-hearted abandon- ment of Home-rule to which Lord Rosebery and his friends have given expression. At the same time, we do not see why the Liberal party, if they could unite, might not usefully come in for a short time without a programme, and merely as an alternative. As we have said elsewhere, their ability to do so would at any rate do a great deal to brace the Unionist leaders, and make them more watchful and efficient in the task of governing the country.
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