What is the cause of the doctrine of panic expounded
by the Daily Mail ?—for some cause there must be. Apparently it is to be found in the fact that the Opposition candidate did not win the High Peak election. The plain facie of the High Peak election are as follows. A gentleman of foreign extraction, with no local connexion or influence, and bearing what was from an electioneering point of view the almost impossible name of Prof umo, stood against a local magnate who not only held the seat, and was deservedly popular on personal grounds, but had just received promotion. Yet in
201 spite of this fact, and in spite of Mr. Profmno also advocating a tax on the people's bread, the feeling against the Budget and the Socialistic policy of the Government was so strong that the Liberal majority was actually reduced from 788 to 347 votes. We are told in view of these facts that there is nothing for it but to surrender to the land-taxation proposals of the Govern- ment and to kiss the rod. For ourselves we maintain our policy. If the Lords are wise they will throw out the land clauses entire, pass the rest of the Budget, and take the consequences of their acts like men. If this is known to be their policy, the consequences will not be so very dreadful as the Unionist fainthearts imagine.
