NEWS OF THE WEEK.
WHATEVER majority Mr. Gladstone may get,—and it is quite possible that, counting all his motley groups of Anti-Parnellites and Parnellites and Labour Members, he may muster nearly fifty,—it is certain that the best- known champions of Irish Home-rule, himself and Mr. Morley, and his son, Mr. Herbert Gladstone, have received the gravest possible warnings that their own constituents have cooled towards their policy, and wish to show how little they like it. Mr. Morley was nearly 3,000 votes behind Mr. Hamond, the Conservative Member for Newcastle-on-Tyne ; and now Mr. Gladstone is returned for Midlothian by a majority very nearly 4,000 less than he gained in 1885. In 1886 his seat was not contested, but in 1885 the poll showed 7,879 votes for Mr. Gladstone, against only 3,248 for Mr. Dalrymple,—majority, 4,631. On Tuesday his majority was reduced to 690, Mr. Gladstone polling only 5,845 votes, against 5,155 given for Colonel Wauchope ; and as the total poll was reduced by 127 votes as compared with the poll of 1885, though it should have been a good deal larger, it may fairly be presumed that some electors who were dissatisfied with his policy, and yet could not find it in their hearts to vote against him, stayed away from the poll. The fate of Mr. Herbert Gladstone at Leeds was not less significant, though he, of course, had no personal responsi- bility for the Bill of 1886, being a comparatively humble supporter of the Government, yet, as the son of his father, he may be regarded as a conspicuous standard-bearer, and his majority sank by nearly 3,000, from 3,175 to 353. These signs of the times are of the greatest significance.
