Washington sentinel., 1898-02-05
How Nor TO WIN ELECTIONS.
London Critic.

a Guide to Parliamentary Candidates
might have proved useful. It would
have helped Lord Charles Beresiord
and Mr.. Mendl in making promises, and
might have encouraged Sir c. Furness
and Mr.. Guest in Withholding them. A
man does not always win an election
because he assures his Labor friends
that he will draft a bill to allow the in.
telligent workman both to fix his hours
of work and his remunerations. In
electioneering there should be economy
in making promises.
One truth that l would impress on the
youthful candidate is this There are
limits which the wise man observes even
in abusing his political adversary.
reoall with regret a mistake Of this kind
which led TO the defeat Of most prom.
ising young politician, who-stung in
sense of his own moral rectitude-
diVulged in the local paper, which he
happened to control his rivals lapse
from virtue. Now you and /, brother
electors. naturally refuse to be repre-
sented by men ofvirtu= inferior to our
own. But there are exceptional cases.
1t chanced that the constituency in uues.
ton had long age Jrgiven the back.
slider, and instead Of applanding ny
friend for openly reproving vice, it
treated him with cOntgKlely and gave
the seat to the repentant sinner. There
were even misguided men who declared
that my friends conduct totally united
him to represent Mudport, which is a
rather lax borough with large military
depot. There is much human nature
even IN political conflicts. The con-
sciousness Of morality IN ourselves and
our appreciation Of its absence in others
does not necessarily win us a seat in
Parliament. The story has a moral,
When you are woOing a constituency, il
you are not good sportsman try at least
to be man.
Still elections are won with strange
weapons, Once a magic lantern led a
candidate to victory. He could not
speak; he hadn't pluck to make prom
ises, he had no political ''swagger," but
he had travelled in the Holy Land, with
some of the local clergy, and so he toured
through The constituency with his slides.
and his typewriter lecture, and came
in at the head Of the poll. His ribald
opponents called him Magic Lantern
Bill" tor his surname was William.
HIS party pretended that he won because
he was "strong on the temperance ques.
tion;" but this was absurd, since the
other candidate discovered that he had
a half share in a public house in the
neighborhood ofthe docks Some mems
wives win their husbands seats; sons
mems wives win seats for the husbands
OF others. On foreign politics not too
| much "swagger," but just "swagger"
enough Is he.ideal at which the candi-
date should aim In time Of cheap
encYclop and Free Libraries no
one need appear ignorant. You can
talk quite learnedly about the Indian
Frontier, although you have never been
nearer Peshawur tnan Paddington. The
candidate should remember to patronize
the Navy, assuming to himself some
praise for its efficiency; and never forget
that the British Army is the most ex-
pensive and illorganize in the world"
Statistics on this question are a drug in
the market at the present moment.
But, above all things, the approval of
the local football ami bicycle clubs must
be won. This can be done in various
ways; the most effective is to get "a
self Invited to take the chair at the a..
nual dinner. The candidate, however,
should first ascertain the difference be.
tween "Rugger" and "Socker," and
always remember that he was in bis
college fifteen when he vas at the Var.
sity." The reputation of good sports
man is far more easily won than many
think. Often, in an election, that which
does not meet the eye is of more impor-
tauce than a fixed opinion expressed
from the platform. Modern opinions
bear no resemblance to the laws Of the
Medes OF ancient story. II they had
Parliamentary government would cease
to exist among US,
There may be nobler means Of acquir-
ing a seat in Parliament THAI those
which have suggested; but considerable
experience has pursuaded noe that 1t is
easier to get in" by humoring the fads
Of the jumbled groups OF doctrinaires
who in all elections are the most active
than by trying to pc rsuade them of the
/ value ofyour own. Convictions can be
cultivated after the election,