The Washington herald., 1907-03-24
REFORM IN LONDON
MOderateS Win Almost AbSO-
lutely Sweeping Victory.
FIERCEST FIGHT EVER KNOWN
Women Aid in the Cam
paign of Candidates for the County
COuneiI-ResuIt of Feminine Ap-
peal AstOnishes Even Organizers
of Unprecedented Triumph.
Ld0 cbey1e5Dore

Correspondence Of The Washington Herald.
London, March 1.-THE great wave
Of reform which swept the London bor-
oughs in November. extinguishing all
but two Progressive councils, rolled
with resistless power over London
when the electors Of London chose
their seventh county counccil 1t swept
away the vice chairman of the late
council. the late chairman OF the edu-
cationsl committee. and others who had
become prominent under Progressive
rule.
Here and there some of the abler
members of the party survived, only to
constitute "a minority, which for the
next three years at least win have to
stand by while the municipal reformers
make the crooked financial paths
straight and cut down the ever grow
ing demaAds upon the ratepayerss
FigH Fiereest Ever known.
The fight was the fercest ever known
in the history Of county council cleo
tions The Progressives and Socialists
did not deny that they had spent money
freely. but claimed that they had spent
it to good purpose. pointing to the
tramways as evidence of the good work
they had done. The municipal reform
ers went straight TO the weak point OF
the Progressive position - the high
rates and the appalling capital commit
ments.
For months past open-air meetings
have been held by the municipal re-
formers. and tons Of election literature
a.
constituencies from the Offices OF the
London Municipal Society, the chief
officials Of which worked day and night
TO secure the result which rewarded
their efforts.
Women played a NEST important part
in the election. and day after day Lady
Elcho, Lady Kerry, Lady HareOurt. Lady
Cheylesmore, Mrs. George Alexander,
and others could be seen eanvassing the
free and independent" electors.
The result Of the appeal TO the cleo
torate astOnished even the organizers
of this unprecedented victory. In all the
constituencies the municipal reformers
increased their poll Though, generally
speaking, the Progressives also in
creased their vote. they could not stand
against the reserve force brought into
play by ths-municipal reformers.
Old members, like Lord MonksweIl
who has held a seat In the council since
1888, went down in the Progressive de-
bacle; the popularity of Lord Rosebery' s
son could not save him from defeat at
Lewisham, while four members of Par
lament who belonged TO the Progress
sive party were defeated.
As Council Now stands.
In the last council the state of parties
was: Progressives. 50; Moderates. "a;
Independent /; and the Progressives
had a majority of IS. Now the council
is composed as follows: AIoderates. 7s,
PrOgressives. 81. Independent and Pro
gressive. l. Labor and Socialist. 1, and
as the latter viii no doubt work In the
main on the Progressive side. the Mod.
crates have a net majority of 40
There are also nineteen aldermen IN
the council. sixteen OF whom are Pro.
gressives and three Moderates. Nine OF
the aldermen retire this year and it i.
thought probable that the Moderates
will claim the whole of these positions
and elect their own supporters to I'll
them. Hitherto the aldermen have beer
chosen in proportion to the representa-.
ton of parties in the council This i!
the first time in the Efe of the council
that the Moderates have been ia ma
jority. though the polling resulted in
tie in 1895.