按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
there is no standing…room upon any of our political platforms。 “Away with him！” would be the cry。 Therefore he must be content to remain outside； doing whatever work may e to his hand which he conceives to be clean and； in however humble a measure； useful。 It is hard to be an out…and…out party politician and yet remain honest — or at least some of us find it so； though the consciences of others are more acmodating。 Perhaps； however； this saying is not true in every sense； since some minds cannot consider a subject in all its aspects； to them light has but a single colour。 What they want to believe； that they believe。
Such are the views to which I have attained at my present age。 Five…and…twenty years ago； even fifteen years ago； they were different。 For then I still smarted from the whip of Mr。 Gladstone’s Colonial policy； and had less practical experience of social questions than I have today。 The great wrongs which Radicals were capable of working upon loyal Englishmen to serve their party interests dominated my mind。 In short； Mr。 Gladstone turned one who in all essentials would have been a moderate Liberal into an Imperialist who made the mistake； that is mon to those who “think in continents；” of underrating the needs and circumstances of the Home Country。 The Empire is very large and England is very small。 So is the heart small in proportion to a great body； but after all it is an important organ； and if it bees diseased or stops — what happens to the body？ Even today； when the Colonies are more powerful than they were a score of years ago； they would find this question awkward to answer； since there are peoples who； in such an event as the stoppage of our national heart； might be anxious to possess themselves of a limb or two of that weakened or paralysed body。 Indeed； as we see by many signs； this is a fact whereof the Dominions have bee painfully aware in these latter days。 Realising that an empire cannot be kept together merely by taxing the Mother Country’s goods and affording homes for such of her surplus population as it suits them to receive； they now show themselves eager to adopt a scheme of Imperial Preference and to bear some share of the cost of her armaments。 There they are surely wise； since if England falls； say within the next fifty years； then — God help these half…empty lands； one of which at least has been reduced to the strange expedient of offering a money bonus for every child born within its coasts！
In the future； however； all this may change； it is even possible that they may bee the protectors of the worn…out and decrepit parent from which they sprang。 Absit omen！
My first chance of entering Parliament occurred in 1893； e speeches that I had made and certain letters I had written in the papers； I was asked if I would contest King’s Lynn。 I declined because of the expense and the difficulty of getting backwards and forwards between my home and the borough； since this was before the day of motors。 Herein I was foolish； that is if I wished to enter politics； since I think I could have won that seat easily enough； and it would have been much less costly to fight and hold than a county constituency。
A couple of years later the question arose again。 By this time； as I have explained； I was utterly weary of a retired life and of the writing of books； from which I sought eagerly for some avenue of escape。
My letters in The Times on matters connected with South Africa had attracted some notice； and as a result I was again brought into contact with those interested in the affairs of that country。 Ultimately I was elected Chairman of the Anglo…African Writer’s Club； a pleasant and useful dining society that is now defunct。 Also I became co…director of a weekly paper called the African Review； which some years ago was absorbed by another journal。 It was a very good paper of its sort — too good for the market to which it appealed — and run on the most straightforward lines。 The end of these activities was that； greatly daring； I entered into a partnership with my fellow…director； who was a financier in the African market； with whom it was understood that I should stand for Parliament； with the general idea of giving my attention to African affairs in the House of mons。
Mercifully the thing miscarried； for had it been otherwise I might have had to bear upon my shoulders much of the burden of the Parliamentary defence of the inspirers and perpetrators of the Jameson Raid； which would have been neither a pleasant nor an easy task。
The constituency which I was weak enough to undertake to contest was； and still remains； one of the most difficult in the kingdom from the Conservative point of view — namely； East Norfolk。 In the old days before the lowering of the franchise it was represented by the late Sir Edward Birkbeck； who； however； after that event was defeated by a majority of 440 by Mr。 （now Sir R。 J。） Price； a gentleman unconnected with the county。 Seeing the hopelessness of winning the seat； Sir Edward Birkbeck made no further attempt in that direction； and the late Colonel MacCalmont was invited to take his place。 He came； he saw； and he retired； like a wise man； leaving me to fill his shoes。
I may as well state the result at once。 I reduced the adverse majority to 198。 Since that time sundry other Unionists have fought the place； with the result that on each occasion it has risen。 I believe that at the last election it reached the grand total of somewhere about 1200。
My programme was Unionist and Agricultural。 I quote a few lines from the speech which I made when I was selected as a Conservative candidate； as it puts my position in a nutshell。
These are the measures that I would suggest as a means towards that remedial legislation to which you are entitled。 First I am of opinion that the 60；000 pounds per annum at present raised by Land…tax in this country should be kept at home and should go to the relief of the Poor…rate in the districts in which it is collected。 Secondly I would advocate that foreign barley ing into this country； unless it be crushed barley to be used as food for cattle； should be subjected to an import duty。 Such a duty could in no way raise the price of food…stuffs； for men do not eat barley； and even when it was at nearly double its present cost； the price of beer was very much what it is today。 But I do not suggest that the millions of money to be raised by such a tax should go into the pockets of the landlords。 I suggest that it should go into the pockets of the people； I suggest that every farthing of it should be devoted to a most truly democratic end； to the end of an Old Age Pension Scheme。 This； I think； might be worked through the aid of the present Friendly Societies。 I think that through this means the State might be able to put down an extra shilling for every shilling that has been saved by individual industry and invested with those Societies； and might thereby save many a deserving man from penury and the workhouse whose only crime against society is that he has grown old and feeble in its service。 I suggest again that a bill should be passed to relieve pure beer of a proportion of the taxation upon it； and to impose that proportion of taxation so remitted on impure beer — that is； beer made of other materials than malt and hops。 I propose again that foreign flour should be taxed。 In saying this I do not wish to be misunderstood。 I do not wish to see an impost put upon food…stuffs — let the corn e in free by all means； I say； but do not let it e in free in a manufactured condition。 Why should not our millers have the benefit of the grinding of that corn？ Why should not our farmers have the benefit of the offal and other products？
I think that is enough to quote； for； oh！ what dreary things are old political speeches。 Not for five shillings would I read through all the columns of this one of mine that once upon a time seemed to me about the most important thing in the whole world！
I hope； however； that the reader will note the allusion to Old Age Pensions。 Now these have e about； but on easier terms than I suggested。 The Protective part of my policy was moderate enough and； I think； would have been useful。 But it did me more harm than good； since what I had said was of course distorted in the usual fashion。
The fight raged for some months and was very severely contested； especially during the last six weeks or so after the Government had gone out； which I spent on board a wherry cruising from part to part of that wide and awkward constituency。 I believe there are persons who take to wherrying as a pastime； but so unpleasant are my associations with that form of lootion that never would I again willingly set foot upon one of those lumbering boats。 Sometimes I had to address three meetings a day； and always there was one or more； besides innumerable visits and much letter…writing。 My old friend Arthur Cochrane was my panion in this adventure； as in many others； and nobly did he work。
The burden of the meetings and； still worse； of the smoking concerts fell mostly on us two； for； a General Election being in progress； but little help was forthing from outside。 I would speak for half an hour or forty minutes to an audience mainly posed of agricultural labourers； some of whom — they were nearly all partisans of the other side — were wont to express their active dislike of me and my opinions by making hideous noises resembling those of the lower animals in pain。 One man used to follow me about and “baa” like a sheep in the front row。 He only stopped when Cochrane began his ic songs； which I suppose appealed to such intelligence as he possessed。
I think these ic songs were the most popular part of the proceedings。 Also they were necessary； as my opponent was a master of this form of entertainment and was said to owe much of his popularity to a ditty called “The Baby on the Shore。” Alas！ in this matter I could not hope to pete with him。 When the meeting was over my wife and I； with Cochrane and some other ladies； used to emerge and face the booing without； which sometimes was acpanied by hustling and stone…throwing。
The odd thing is that； but for an accident； or rather a piece of carelessness； I should； I believe； have won after all。 When I was making my tour of the constituency on the day of the election I called in at the head office at Yarmouth and chanced to notice a huge pile of letters which stood as high as the writing…desk in the room — there must have been several hundreds of them。 I asked the agent what they were。 He replied with some hesitation that they were polling…cards returned by the Dead Letter Office marked “Not known。” It seemed that the addresses of the out…voters had not been checked for years； and therefore these persons； of whom practically every one； as owners of property and Conservatives； would have voted for me； had never received my polling…card and； consequently； did not put in an appearance。 Moreover； there were individuals in the constituency itself who did not receive their polling…cards； while other out…voters who did receive them were sent to the wrong polling…places； and arrived there too late to reach the stations at which their votes could be legally recorded。 I remember a piteous letter from a gentleman who had travell