The manner in which Mr. Cosgrave persuaded his countrymen to
prefer the remission of debt which Mr. Baldwin offered to the acquisition of Northern territory and the certainty of civil war was masterly. Mr. Cosgrove has gradually restored law and order and the Free State is • now safe and quiet. Agriculture is improving and municipal government under the State Commissioners has become efficient mid honest. The Income Ti's has been reduced in four years from 6s. to 3s. This has the touch of optimism rather than that of cautious finance, but such optimism is, after all, the measure of Mr. Cosgrave's past successes. We doubt the wisdom of the new coinage and the compulsory teaching of Irish, but if Mr. Cosgrave's policy as a whole is not supported at the General Election it will show that the Free State voters are unable to distinguish good from bad. * *
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