We have felt obliged to express our disagreement with Mr.
Balfour's speech in these patticulars, but we retain our confidence in his power to guide the nation if he will only exercise that power frankly and fearlessly. What is wanted now is for him not to explain or apologise for the past, but to think only of the present. If he will step forth and lead the nation in the path he thinks right regardless of all consequences, and not in the best of the paths which he is told that they will consent to walk in, he may yet confer an immense benefit on the country. He must not merely think out the best course, but insist upon its being taken at what- ever risk to the feelings of his colltagues or his followers in the House of Commons. With the personal attacks which are being made upon Mr. Balfour just now we have dealt at length elsewhere. We will only say here that they are factitious and unreal. If there was any statesman, or any body of statesmen, who would be likely to cbrry on the war better than Mr. Balfour and his colleagues, we should be as anxious as any one could possibly be to see him and them replaced. As this is not the case, it is wiser not to swap horses while we are crossing the stream.
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