The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-07-30
THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE.
A Powerful Organization to Sustain
Toryism.
Toronto Globe.]

In The Ninteenth Century Sir Algernon
Borthwick, a well known Journalistic JeameS
gives an account of the Primrose League, or
ganized by the English Tories as an instru-
ment against Liberalism. Its central idea
evidently is to bring together the social ele-
ments farthest removed from each other by
fortune. In the local or clubs, called "Habl-
tations,' the poor folks are nominally on
perfect equality with the aristocratic people
who would not think of meeting them oil any
thing like such terms anywhere else. 1t is
easy is see that these meetings will hugely
crafty such of the ignorent classes as feel
humble" in the presence of those whose in
terest is to keep them poor, Ignorant. and
fawning. With great propriety the League
is devoted to the memory of Lord Beacons-
field, the aim of whose life was to unite the
arstocracy and the lowest element of society
in political combination against the great
middle class, which compromise the main
body of intelligent workmen and shopkeepers
From the Castles and from Mayfair, from the
beer-houses and the slums, the elements OIL
the Primrose League are apparently drawn.
The combination is a strong one. 1t must
tickle the humble" to be treated as just as
good as the proud for a little while in little
space, and it of course tickles the other lot
greatly to condescend to play at being offab lie
for political purposes. This is delightful de-
mocracy according to Sir Algernon, who
abhors the real thing. We gather from his
article that the "HabitationS" have taken
points from the Salvation Army. which COM
bines religious with amusing exercises,
something as, at the Primrose meetings, re-
sA-Ls nx,6 xrrnI IlRn
relieve the mOnotony of instruction in sound
Tory doctrine. No wonder that AIRY and
'Arriet and Champagne Charlie, and Yellow
Plush of the Metropolis are enthusiastically
devoted to an organization which enables
| them not only to sample the comic talents OF
| the ''swells" but to exhibit in turn their own.
The managers of the organization are GER
| talnly very clever people, if one may Judge
wealth. In 1884 it had but few thousand Us; M
| knights" now it has $4,000 "lAnights 20,
| 600 DANES" and 2S0, 900 Associates. Inc
| knights pay half crown yearly, SO 90 the
| Danes, except those belonging to the Danes
| Grand Council, who pay a guinea. Inc
| Associates pay sixpence. 1t IS the regular
| price, we understand from Thackeray, 1or
| admitting filunkeys to public entertainments
| in England.
| Sir Aigernon says that new members now
| come in at the rate of a thousand day.
| The League has immenae sums of money In
| its treasury, prints and distributes any
| quantity of Tory literature, and "tne oInces
| necessary for conducting SO gigantic busl-
ness have expanded into extenaive premises
with vast staff of employees occupied IN
sorting and attempting to cope with masses a 4SS
Of correspondence from all .partSf OF the
country" The most important work o1eacn
"Habitation'' is to attend to registration, and
this is done so thoroughly in some constltu-
encies that "every house in the various elec-
toral divisions is accounted for" The mem-
district or half street, and to notify all
deaths, departures, or arrivals, so the regis
tration may be carefully kept u!p, by the
Conservative Association. to which the!
communicate these results" This IS getting
ais will have to wake up and keep awake tt
the Importance of the new Tory instrument