It is given out that Mr. Goschen has withdrawn his
name from the Reform Club, and of course speculation is very active as to what this step may mean. It may mean little or nothing, —dissatisfaction, for instance, with the working of the Club by the existing Committee,—or it may mean that Mr. Goschen feels himself gradually drifting away from the Liberal Party, and coming more and more into sympathy with the Conserva- tives. Our own respect for Mr. Goschen, and, indeed, our sympathy with some of his political views, is so sincere, that we should be extremely sorry to lose him from the ranks of the Liberal Party. But it is not to be denied that if he did feel him- self drawn into the Conservative camp, he might be of the greatest possible service there. At least he could do some- thing towards keeping them out of the mire of a "Fair-trade policy." And if circumstances permitted him ever to become their leader, we should at last have a Conservative Party which would abhor Tory Democracy, and would yet command genuine confidence among true Conservatives, because it would be led by a strong man.
