It is the "machine's" privilege to select what candidate it pleases, the voters' duty only is to tremble and obey. This is Sir Anthony Absolute in politics: "She shall have a skin like a mummy and a beard like a ter offers.
Those ünable to pay election expenses, but offering £100 a year subscription. Practically no chance.
Mr. Harvey's protest has been eagerly backed up by the University Conservative Associations' Conference, which dwells on the numbers of young men of proved ability who would prove a gain in Parliament (did not Pitt and Peel both enter Parliament in the early twenties?) but are hopelessly barred by want of money. One writer also asserts that local associations are more interested in whether a candidate has titled relatives who would come down and speak than in his personal qualifications. It need hardly be said that Socialist candidates do not have to pay more than £25 or at most £50.
I know that Mr. Harvey's charges are true in some instances. Mr.
Nunn, who will be remembered as the first Secretary of the M.P.': China Committee, but lost his seat at the last election, told me about a year later that he had been offered a seat at a by-election if he would put down £1,000 for election expenses and promise an annual subscription of £600.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.