632 The Review of Reviews. 



high places, should worship it as a god. shape it wiU turn up again in another. 



It has become so much a part of our Why, then, it may be asked, break 



lives that even those who think ill of it your teeth against a stone ? Party is 



think it as inevitable as the fog ; so as ineradicable as our climate ; it is, 



inevitable that it is of no use thinking indeed, part of our moral climate, 



what we should do without it. And Granted. But it is at least necessary 



yet its operation blights efficiency. It to point out that whenever we do begin 



keeps out of employment a great mass to aim at efficiency we shall be handi- 



of precious ability. It puts into place capped by this formidable encumbrance, 



not the fittest, but the most eligible, There has no doubt been plenty of 



from the party point of view — that is, party in Japan. But party in Japan 



very often, the worst. Efficiency im- has not spelt inefficiency ; it tends, 



plies the rule of the fittest ; party means perhaps, in the other direction. It 



the rule of something else — not the appears to be a rivalry of faction for the 



iinfittest, but of the few fit, the acci- goal and prize of elficiency. Japanese 



"dentally not unfit, and the glaringly parties apparentl}^ represent a nation 



unfit. The most efficient and brilliant determined on efficiency. That is 



Ministry in our annals strikingly ex- where we differ. We are not a nation 



emplifies this fact. The office of chief bent on efficiency ; we have thriven so 



Minister was divided into two parts, well on another diet that we are careless 



strictly delimited : one, party and in the matter. We regard our parties 



patronage, managed by the Duke of as interesting groups of gladiators. Our 



Newcastle ; the other, business and the firmest faith appears to be that one will 



work of the nation, for which (the elder) do worse than the other ; so we maintain 



Pitt was responsible. By thus cutting the other, whichever that may be. 



himself off from the petty cares of The possibility of a directing and 



party, Pitt was free to do the country's vitahsing Government that shall do , 



work. His partner made the bishops and inspire great things we seem to 



and the deans, and the generals and the exclude from possibility with a sort of 



admirals, and appointed everyone, down despair. We know too well that our 



to the tidewaiters ; while he himself Ministers, however great the ardour and 



planned victory. By this equitable freshness with which they set to work, 



division work was severed from patron- will soon be lost in the labyrinthine 



age, and efficiency from party ; the result mazes of parliamentary discussion, and 



was the most successful Government that whatever energy they can preserve 



known to us. But it has found no when they emerge must be devoted to 



imitators or successors. And yet, if struggling for existence on pro\incial 



party be inevitable, this should be one platforms. 



way of escaping its evils. And yet there is work to do — pressing, 



It may, no doubt, be alleged, and with vital work, which does not admit of 



truth, that party is to some extent delay ; work which would fill strenuous 



fading among us, that party divisions years even if Parliament were suspended 



are increasingly unreal, and that the and not a speech were delivered, 



party landmarks are being constantly But Parliament must sit and speeches 



shifted about. That does not, however, must be discharged. We must then, at 



affect the position. There is enough least, learn from Japan how to obtain 



party to last our time, and what has to efficiency in spite of the party systems, 



be done should be done quickly. And, That is the best lesson that she can 



after all, if you get rid of party in one teach us. 



