On Wednesday, Lord Knntsford addressed a meeting at Saxmundham, in
Suffolk, held in furtherance of his son's candidature. After praising Lord Salisbury for the successful apportionment of unappropriated Africa which he had carried through, Lord Knutsford dealt with Mr. Morley's utterance as to Egypt :—" He did not wish more than any one else that this country should remain in Egypt longer than was neces- sary, but what he most strongly objected to was scuttling out of that country before the work undertaken by English power and influence had been accomplished. That work, it was admitted even by their opponents, had been of the greatest possible advantage to the people of Egypt of all classes ; and the work they had undertaken ought not to be relinquished until the reforms they had initiated and a strong Government were established in that country." After expressing his thanks to President Kruger for the way in which he had stopped the threatened Boer Trek, Lord Knutsford defended himself from the charge of inconsistency in regard to Free Education. He still does not believe it the best system, but accepts it as being in accordance with the popular will, and so " a closed ques- tion." He evidently considers that it was bound to come, and that therefore it was best done by a Conservative Government who could protect the Voluntary schools. In running over the benefits conferred on the country by the present Government, he mentioned that there are a hundred thousand mare allot- ments in existence now than there were in 1886, and that the new Act may be expected to yield still greater results. The speech was a thoroughly sensible one ; but it is evident that the politicians, like the journalists, are suffering from some curious sterility of ideas.
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