New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-21
ENGLISH MUNICIPAL LIFE.
LONDON SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS
WITH A RELIGIOUS QUESTION-MR.
CHAMBERLAIN ON LOCAL
GOVERNMENT

London. November y.
The municipal contests Of London are less
dramatic in incident and make less stir In the
world OF politics than the first election in greater
New-York. but they are not without anlmatoh'
intensity Of feeling and keen local interest
The canvass for the triennial school, boaro e'ec-
ton is now at it's height, and hundreds Oh meet
ings are held every week within the c'rcui. Oh
123 square miles which constitutes Metropoi''ai
Iondon This School Board was organized I'M
der the Education Act of 1870. and 1t was the
first municipal body elected by the direct vote
OF the metropolitan population. Inc recurring
elections have never ceased 10 interest a great
electorate which now includes sixty Parlia-
mentary constituencies: but the present can
vass Is the hottest in the memory of
municipal politicians. This is because 1t is en-
uttered by the issue Of religious instruction In
the schools
The London School Board consists Of ffty-fve
-orohers who are elected in eleven large dis
.r,cts where the principle Of cumulative voting
r,svadls and minority representation is secured
In the largest district seven members are
chosen in two districts there are six represen-
+..ives: in four there five elected and TO the
remaining four there are four allotted. II the
slector cannot vote ffty-five times for one can
ddate on one ballot paper, as Glasgow citi-
yen can plump fifteen times for single repre-
sentative In list of fifteen, there are ample
facilities for cumulative voting in each district
The School Board districts in London. with lists
VARYING from four to seven, can only be manlpu-
lated by party managers OF superior judgment
and extraordinary shrewdness. They must
knov with precision how many candidates 1t is
safe to nominate, in order TO concentrate the
voting strength Of their supporters otherwise
th. n
a party majority or minority. There are no
more difficult problems Of practical politics than
those which election agents In these LONDON
school districts are called upon TO Work out
There can be no more striking illustration OF
what may be described the fine art OF poh'i-
cal MANAGEMENT than the working OF these
populous districts.
II is TO this principle of cumulative voting that
the political changes In the constitution OF 'ne
School Board are mainly 10 oe a'iiOu'u
When the first election was held t"enty-seNeii
years ago English Churchmen had network
Of parochial organizations, an army Oh "o'ne'''
the support of innumerable rehsious ''is''u
tions and associations the patronage OF Meo''i
and the immense advantage OF social iii'iu''0
and prestige They controlled that contest anu
carried each succeeding election without emu
,,n,u r,,nor,t,es learned the secret Of consoli-
Ar
yaniz,ns an effective opposition. Twelve years
soo C,nnrchmen had two-thrds Of the aggregate
,o,ee nolled. and a majority Of IL in boaru
q, * members Three years ago their majority
g., tho en,ire vote disappeared. and their ma
.o-,ty ~ three In the Board was due mercy
"a yood luck and accident This year their
,nnonen.s expect an easy and complete triumph
hut forecasts in close contests are always ha~
ardous- o,oro
The two parties ar. not known as Corserva'
tives and Liberals. brit as ModerateS anu rlo'
Rressiyes The names have been adapteo iioii
the recurring contests OF the LONDON CouH.S
Council but they have Z peculiar slgninca"ce III
school politics. A Progressive In schooi e'eo
ton may be a Moderate In contest ioi
vacant seat In the County Council to say noth-
ing of his being a stanch CONSERVATIVE III no
.,or., no,,t,cs The Moderates. who have con-
.-or.s .ha London School Board almost without
interruption from the outset. have been a cler'-
40, nortv IN sympathy with the Church OF Eng
80 end the voluntary denominauohai
.,noo,s Taev have regarded the Education Ac'
~ 1s7O as a supplementary system Tor making
yood the deficiencies Of the voluntary So"oo'
Nth the least possible disturbance 10 the iae.e'
and at the lowest cost 10 the taApaSe''
rroeressives on the other hahd' ha'e
abou. the fortunes Of the voluntary soh00'' ~
economy. They have been Interested III i'0'
nlv,nr and increasing the eftciehcV vi DoD,u
.choo,s in providing free meals Tor schoi"i' -
-. d,s.r,cts In opening swimming baths anu
,vmnasiums, and In adopting proao-
liberal policy In the education or the nhasSe''
zrA1Or RILEY AND OPPoRTUNlsT Di"'Hh
CO long az economy was the supreme issue 'iie
>,oderates had a marked advantage IN aPpeoI
,rg IN an electorate Of property -owhers anu -
navers But the religious question Is iio" up'
most. and may prove the decisive issue ~ ZIG
approaching contest. For twenty Seds ~
,ieious compromise adopted by the h's' ~,
CO., poard WAS accepted without much ols-
80. &C reasonable plan. although II lett the
Doard schools mainly under Anglican ''' "
Tbe clergy OF the Established Church "eie "'
renressnted in the School Board anu "' "
,e..s 80 cary out their own ideas in the scheme
OF instruction and in the MANAGEMENT 20
.a,oo,. Their influence and. indeed supremacy
did not excite opposition untii ai'e' ~ ~
~ 1901 when a small faction headed by MI
- pu.v who was elected a member In
49,. 80 succeeded In forcing the Modera'es'
49, IN. leadership of Mr.. Digge. 10 reoPe" 'he
~.,,u,or. question by proposing tests LOT tea'h-
80 THESE religious tests were ADOPTED ai'ei a
nrotracted struggle. but have remaihe'
ca,v ,noperative since Mr. Diggle ana ','e .'..
,or,,v Of the Moderates were war"eo W 90.
Srsat increase of the Progressive poli IN io re
tns. thew we're playing with hot f're Oh re-
ligious controversy - ~, the opposi-
,,on excited by these religious tests An on
fora man. who had travelled widely IN rea.,a,
Kurdstan and Turkey and was In sSn my nar.
With the High Church party at nome ne pe.
..ysred IN his clerical campaign ana was sup,
ported BY Lord Salisbury several n'Snops o"'
many ecclesiastical bigots. HIS ne" proposal,
brought forward by Mr.. Evelyn Gee" W."
the sanction OF the Bishop OF Roches'er "n. .ne