LEFT BEHIND.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 615, 18 September 1909, Page 5

LEFT BEHIND.

EORD ROSEBERY AND THE LIBERALS ■ ', "AWRMINO VELOQITy." ■EM DID NOT LEAVE THE PARTY—IT ."', ■' : . LEFT HIM. .. . ' • ' . ; ;.';■; (By Teleeraph.-Prm. . * , ■ (Roo. Scptombor 17, 10.50 p.m.) London, September 17. j Lord Rossbory,' in a preface ' to ' tlio ' ■ : authorisod ..version ofThis speech (whioh ilb- > .'. , published by Humphreys, Piccadilly, under; : ; tho title "Tho Budgot—lts' Principles and ■ : Scope"), remarks:— .■~ ■ , • .• •-■.•■ j. "It is difficult. to know whether ■ anyone ■, ,• 1 who 'is outsido of politics "should iindor'any '[ " ; \ j cireumstances return thereto; for' his -,re- i ■. . .] appoaTauee, has an air of, intrusion, and '"s ,),„ v .' resented. On tho other hand, there are' ' : occasions when common' honour and honesty i " seem to compel anyone liaving, deep con- ]■'■'."'■• , viotions not to wthhold them from his iollpw] countrymen.. I think tho crisis in which my j ' . speech was delivered one of this kind. It.ii' ■:":'' "..'.' painful for , anyone to have to put himself ' '; in opposition to old friends and to the party ' with which he was lons connected. As, j ''•'., however, my Liberal critics havo all de-{ clared the speech; wholly ineffectual and, , , vapid, they have, evidently sustained no |' ' •"■' damago by its delivery. ■. \ ' ' ■ ''I may notico,.however,' an allegation that ■ s , I havo suddenly loft the Liberal party.. Thfl I '■ j fact would bo more accurately stated if it j ■" i-as alleged that tho Liberal party havo leftl ••- . ' J mo..- They, have dono;ahead ,\yith alarming.,! ■,:. ■ - velocity to a spot far in advance, and haya,,;V. a left mo behind.' I am where I was in respect of party ties five, ten, or thirteen ygare ago. (~ . \ ■ When I severed my official connection with' '•■- >• - K tho Liberal party in 1896, I resumed, at the ■;■'•■■ „■; prico of that sacrifice, complete indcpondctice '.:'■ of political action.' That independence- I'. : '■",'. liavo claimed aid oxcrcisod ever siheo, anili ! I.propose to coutitiuo to exercise and claim I ■■ ;■ :■ it.'. •■.,. .'■ : : .'■ ..;. ■ •;; r.v- , . i .; , r ,'';\. : ,, .. '■■' :'■. "I am ustoujshed that at this.; " / time of day should grudge it, for' there-la. , ' . ' vi nothing cnviablo'.or. profitablo about Jt.;.,''i : .. There is nothing- to gain; ,aiiy. 'reward, if {' -. ,j there bo one, is invisible. At every accession j | to the throne tho; old Great Seal .is broken" , '■'.' and infalidated, and a new'ono is fabricated, ',--. 1 givingonly the authorised impression. la tho . .•: I same way at every general election a-hoiy ' -'~. ■] brand is made for tho Liberal party, Those not ' ; ' bearing its' mark aro outside.its. legitimate ,},.> . ranks, but it docs not follow that they did' j■ ' ■ .'. ( r not belong.to the old party and bear,the . | old stamp.": ,!. .:' ~.■•■■/•''.■:•'■.■■,: : :'!• -.-'| ■: , '' '- . - --- = V--: : -, '' : ■■,■:.:■•■;<