The Government of England Part 59

FOOTNOTES:

[501:1] These and the following statements are taken from the official "Proceedings attending the formation of the National Federation of Liberal a.s.sociations with Report of Conference held in Birmingham on Thursday, May 31, 1877." Since this chapter was written, "The National Liberal Federation, from its Commencement to the General Election of 1906," has been published by Dr. Robert Spence Watson, for many years its president. But although a valuable history of the organisation, and a vigorous statement of the opinions held by its leaders, the book adds little to the information that may be gathered from other sources, for the author does not take us behind the scenes.

[503:1] M. Ostrogorski points out very clearly how important it was for the standing of the Federation to have the real Liberal leader for its sponsor, and how this was possible, because he was not the nominal leader. I., 181.

[506:1] Then the Liberal leader in the House of Commons. The statements of what took place at these meetings are taken from the annual reports published by the Federation.

[507:1] Morley, "Life of Gladstone," II., 630. Jeyes, "Mr. Chamberlain,"

85-86.

[507:2] Mr. Collings remained president only one year, and his successors were from other towns.

[508:1] Rep. of 1881, _cf._ Ostrogorski, I., 209-11.

[508:2] Political education had always been one of the functions of the Federation, and it was in the habit of distributing party literature. In 1881 it sent out copies of two speeches by Mr. Chamberlain. These were, in fact, the only speeches it circulated that year.

[508:3] Rep. of meeting of General Committee, March 6, 1882; Ann. Rep.

to Council, December, 1882, _cf._ Ostrogorski, I., 213-15.

[509:1] Ann. Rep. to Council, December, 1882.

[509:2] _Cf._ Ostrogorski, I., 218-25.

[510:1] The resolutions adopted by the Council in October, 1885, related to primogeniture and entail, tenure and compensation of tenants, registration of land t.i.tles, enfranchis.e.m.e.nt of leaseholders, compulsory purchase of land for labourers, public elementary schools, election of rural governing bodies, and disestablishment of the Church.

[511:1] Hans. 3 Ser. CCXCIII., 573 (Oct. 30, 1884).

[511:2] Mr. Harris came back a few years later and served on the executive body.

[512:1] Rep. of the Gen. Com. in 1886.

[512:2] _Cf._ Ostrogorski, I., 293, 307-9.

[513:1] Rep. of 1887, pp. 28, 29, 40.

[514:1] Rep. of 1888, p. 14.

[514:2] _Ibid._, p. 12.

[514:3] _Ibid._, 1887, p. 39.

[515:1] Rep. of 1888, pp. 13, 14.

[516:1] Rep. of 1888, pp. 109, 112.

[516:2] _Ibid._, 1889, pp. 128-29.

[516:3] _Ibid._, 1891, pp. 87, 96.

[516:4] _Ibid._, p. 42. On other occasions he repeated the statement, adding that the practice saved the Council the risk from which the Union of Conservative a.s.sociations had suffered, of having alterations made suddenly under the magic strains of eloquence. Rep. of 1895, p. 58; 1896, p. 57.

[517:1] As late as 1894 the General Committee declared that the Registration Bill of the Liberal government was not satisfactory and urged its amendment. Rep. of 1894.

[517:2] Rep. of 1889, p. 129.

[517:3] _Ibid._, 1896, pp. 73-78; Rep. of 1897, pp. 77-80.

[518:1] Rep. of 1890, p. 29.

[518:2] _Ibid._, pp. 6-8, 58.

[519:1] These were special conferences of delegates from the a.s.sociations of the whole, or of some part, of the country. They were not infrequently held.

[520:1] Rep. for 1891, pp. 42-44.

[520:2] "Now whilst the Council of the Federation declares what the party as a whole desires, the General Committee attempts by preliminary discussion to arrive at what the desires are. As the General Committee examines but does not declare, the freest and fullest discussion takes place at its meetings." Rep. of 1898, p. 42.

[521:1] Rep. of 1891, pp. 6-8.

[521:2] _Ibid._, p. 101.

[522:1] Rep. of 1892, p. 6.

[523:1] Rep. of 1895, pp. 111-13.

[524:1] The other occasion was when it held a conference on the subject of the House of Lords.

[524:2] Rep. of 1896, pp. 109, 119

[525:1] Rep. of 1896, pp. 58-60.

[525:2] _Ibid._, p. 58.

[526:1] The agenda was to be sent to the a.s.sociations in advance of the meeting.

[526:2] In 1902 the Committee itself proposed at the Council meeting, and carried a subst.i.tute for its own resolution. Rep. of 1902, p. 70.

[526:3] It was so ruled. Rep. of 1898, p. 60.

[527:1] The text of this provision was: "One month, at least, prior to the meeting of the General Committee at which the Executive Committee is to be elected, a list of those Members of the existing Executive Committee who offer themselves for reelection, together with the names of any others nominated by the Executive Committee, shall be sent to each of the Federated a.s.sociations. Federated a.s.sociations desiring to nominate other Candidates for the Executive Committee shall send in formal nominations to the Secretary of the Federation at least fourteen days before the meeting. In the event of nominations exceeding the number to be elected, a ballot will be taken at the meeting of the General Committee."

[527:2] Rep. of 1896, p. 77.

[528:1] This appears from the annual reports of the General Committee, which did, however, continue for some years to send circulars to local a.s.sociations urging them to pa.s.s resolutions of a general character.

[528:2] At the same time all the Liberal members of Parliament were made _ex officio_ members of the Council, where their presence was expected to exert a restraining influence upon the extreme and impracticable elements in the party.

[528:3] After the party had been out of power many years this rule was not rigidly observed. In 1903, for example, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman spoke in support of one of the resolutions. Rep. of 1903, p. 75.