The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-28
DROLL INCIDENTS or
BR|TA|N'S CAMPAehs

They're q pretty willy lot. the Britt
ish politicians. but wives Of candi~
dates often do splendid services for
their husbands In their campaigns
In the case OF one large working
class constituency the wife of one q
the candidates attended all the meat
ings addressed by her better half and
sat on the platform knitting during
the proceedings. She contrfvcd to-
make the audience aware OF tbs fact
that Ii was by no means fancy WoK1ks
Wherein she was engaged, but thate
was busy on q haif-knit sock Of 0tdMs
fashioned blue yarn, intended,
course, for her husband.
The homeIy electors were greatly
edited and pleased. and the husbands
candidacy was successful one, he b..
ing returned to Parliament by hand
some majority. 1t may be added.
however, that he never wore the hlue
SOC mi
White votes may be thus easily
gained, they are also easily lost by
trtfies. The story is told how, during
led the Liberal forces, grocer In ~
London constituency placed In hin
shop window this announcement
Gladstone says, Jam Is the best
substitute for butter Give our homDs
made jam q trial"
Before the election In that constitu.
ency was over an angry woman, Who
had bought a pot Of the jam In Quee.
ton. entered the grocer>s shop, -.
claiming, Indignantly: TN never tTuo&
Mr.. Gladstone again as long as ltyes'es
The grocer was bewildered and pNr@
picked. why not?" he asked.
Because jam isn't the best suh0t3s
tute for butter" cried the womau.
I've tried 1t. and 1t won't fry my
ASH My husband shall never voto
Liberal again.
Getting voters to the polling books
In Great Britain frequently II Attend
cidents. At one election for an Urban
constituency the contest was % clooo
that every voter who had any life tn
him at all was brought to the vot1nx
place. lnvalids were brought In bath
chairs and In one instance the voter
dragged into the iimeltght was 10 Zee.
BILE that he was actually carried u
his bed TO the polling booth.
A funny thing occurred at . paSiiae
mentary election In Cork some year,
ago. The contest waxed hot betWeGax3
rival Nationalist candtdateS- The
wives of four voters whose poltt10n1
views differed from their husbands
rose early on the polling day AMI
carried off every article of male atttrol
In their homes. The strategy Of tho
women was not. however. succeagfuI.
for the four voters turned up in mort
extraordinary female getup.
The ingenuity OF the British poll
tician in enlisting the aid OF women ~
influence voters Is by no msAn1 =
modern expedtent. Charles Jameo
Fox availed himself Of the services
of some of the pretttest women ~
England with the most gratifying N.
sults.
We all know the story Of the boama
tiful Duchess of Devonshire, one 40
Fox's most jealous iieutenants. who's
smiles and kisses won SO many rntAa
for him. and how she converted ~
! stubborn and impracticahie butcher
by the bride of salute from heEs
pretty lips During the canvaso
says Horace Walpole. the dunAa1l
made no scrupla Of visiting tho hs< &
blest Of the electors. daxxling and g
chanting them by the fasctnAtaon 4 :
her manner. the power Of her heay
and the Influence OF her hieh =
and sometimes carrying of To-
hastings the neanest mechanic Ia NS
own carriage" u & ES@
Cowper. the poet. gives an exc9fJ4
picture, OF the electionecring metnN
OF his day, describing how, ynMN
was sitting quietly one dag Afe1e
ner in the company OF two W1
his house was invaded by ~
vile. one OF tho Parliamentary
dates. and q number a. hi ot1
ers. Mr. Granville shook &
hand with q dsxrAe ok 0e
that waA extrernalx andue3nm =
In vain did the pact dac5oH4
he had neither vote nor tn5k1
The information had no 0tl9G< ~
the exuberant friendlinese An0
at last the conference cnd44
Grenvtiis guusexed ma hy f6l
again. kissed the ladies. ana I'M
He likewise kinssd tho n4Mx4
Kitchen. and seamed, upoI
most loyin& kaufA l
! ssnt!sman-~ .s.s u, y