CANDIDATE HAILED AS ‘NEXT PRIME MINISTER’.

Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSON, M.P., was hailed by a Newport audience the other night, when he appeared on the platform in support of the Labour, or, rather, Socialist, candidate in the by-election, which took place yesterday in that constituency, as “the next Prime Minister.” We have no means of knowing whether Mr. HENDERSON has already been cast for the part by his colleagues, but, in any event, his words are of first-class importance. He declares that he is no revolutionary. He professes himself indignant at the “mischievous statements” that have been made recently by Ministers to the effect that “Labour is ruled by extreme opinion.” So Mr. HENDERSON devoted himself to refuting charges which he denounced as “untrue” and a “libel.” He spoke as one having authority, adopting, indeed, the tones and phrases of a prospective Prime Minister. He did no less than set out definitely the programme on which the Labour party will fight a General Election, “whether it comes next week or next year.”

In passing, it is interesting and instructive to contrast this newly-proclaimed gospel, with its elaboration of detail, with the late professions of Mr. J. R. CLYNES – another prospective Labour Prime Minister, we believe – who has assured the commercial community that no violent measures disturbing to business men are to be feared from the Labour party. According to his assertions, the leaders of that party are merely reformers – reasonable, far-sighted men of affairs. Mr. CLYNES is also accounted, like Mr. HENDERSON, a moderate man; indeed, we believe that, as with his colleague, his moderation has rendered him so unpopular that some audiences in the North can hardly be prevailed on to give him a hearing.