On Tuesday a very important meeting, presided over by Lord
Rosebery, and attended by Mr. Asquith and many other prominent Liberals, was held at the Queen's Hall, Langharn Place, to protest against the Education Bill. Lord Rose- bery's speech, though very able, was full of exaggerations, and hardly rang true. Unless we are greatly mistaken, Lord Rosebery's protestations of dislike for the Bill are not exactly heartfelt. Whether Lord Rosebery really wishes to induce the Government to put the extra cost of their scheme on the Imperial Treasury, and not on the rates, we cannot say, but he certainly took care to marshal all the facts which tend to drive them in that direction. First, he noted the fact that the Nonconformists find it consistent with their consciences to pay Imperial taxes, even though some of those taxes are spent on education, but that they could not endure to pay an ear- marked Education Rate. Next, he mentioned that the extra rates required by the Bill would amount to some 22,385,000 year. Finally, he pointed out how utterly detestable it was to the average man, whether Churchman or Nonconformist, to pay an increased rate. All these are arguments which might be expected to influence the Government in placing the whole charge of primary education on Imperial taxes. Yet why should Lord Rosebery want the Government to adopt a plan which would certainly minimise the opposition to the Bill Mr. Asquith's opposition to the Bill was strong, but much freer from exaggeration. In fact, it was a very statesmanlike speech, and one which no opponent could reasonably describe as unfair. Mr. Asquith's chief point was that we were missing a great opportunity for really improving elementary educa- tion. Taking the meeting as a whole, we feel half converted by Lord Rosebery's speech to the scheme of paying for education out of the Imperial taxes, though leaving it to local bodies to administer the funds.
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