The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-07-20
THE HUGHLIGANs.
A New and Strange Parliamentary
Club in England.


Brooklyn Eagle.
London has a new parliamentary club
the like of which has never been known
in the English metropolis. Some time ago
Mr.. Ian Malcolm, who lately became the
husband of Miss Jeanne Langtry, con-
ceived the idea of combining for social
and business purposes some of the prom
Using young elements on the Unionist
benches of the House OF Commons. He
preached his plan to Winston Churchill.
who In turn transferred the project, of
which he WARMLY approved, to the con-
sider2tion of Earl Percy, through whom
Lord Hugh Cecil, the brilliant young son
of the Premier, was brought into pros
pective partnership. The Hon. A. Stan
ley, Evelyn Cecil and Griffith Boscawen
completed the preliminary tale of mem
bers and the club started out to have
suppers and it's political opinions. Lord
Hugh Cecil, who, from the outset, has
been the Acknowledged leader of the CO.
terie, lent his name to 1t, so that he and
his associates are now known as the
Huhgligans, an appellation which is at
that the club should have one supper a
week during the sessions of Parliament,
and that. on each occasion some man
prominent In public life should be the
guest. So. in more than one instance, has
1t happened that a cabinet minister has
been seated in the chair of honor at the
Hughligans feast one evening only to
be made the butt of their free lance tao
LlcS at the next night StSSlOH VI the
House. Among the notahilities whom the
Hughligans have lately entertained are
Sir William Vernon Harcourt, Lord Rose
berry,. Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman.
General Ian Hamilton, Conan Doyle, Mr..
Henschell and Winston Churchill, the
American novelist.
Years ago the famous Fourth Party,
composed of the late Lord Randolph
Churchill, Sir John Gorst and Sir Henry
Drummond Wolff, came into being. Old
parlianentarians regarded IL as a joke
at first.r, Later they looked upon, II as a
nuisance. Latterry they learned to fear
1t. ultimately they conceded that 1t
had earned for its chief leadership of the
House of Commons. But the Fourth Par
ty took itself very seriously. 1t refused
to be social. II have no time for dinners
or dinner giving" said Lord Randolph
Churchill. Would-be recruits were dis
couraged. Asked once why the party did
not take In more members, Lord Ran
dolph replied, Why. think it's already
too large by two, The present leader OF
the House, Mr.. Balfour, occupied a seat
beside those of the illustrious trio. but
they never invited rim to become one
of them, y was among them, but not
OF them" he afterward explained. The
Hughligans, however, while free lancine
as much as the Fourth Party ever did
are more approachable. The latitude OF
the organization invites new blood "OuT
club said Mr.. Malcolm. is a republic
of young men with spirit. who will con-
stitute themselves an independent oppo-
sition. We shall work, If necessary be-
hind the chair as well as in front of il
and all around it. We shall study high
politics on a diet of weekly dinners. But
we shall dine first and be politicians af-
terward." "A capital idea" said Winston
Churchill in reply to the above. 1--WE
will dine first and consider our position
afterward. 1t shall be house Imperialism
nourished on a deviled sardine."
Are all the members of our House oil
Representatives too old, or too busy, oil
too serious minded to start a club of this
kind?