r 64 A FARMER'S YEAR 



Mr. Bancroft Holmes, and I cannot think of any one who, if 

 elected, would make a better member, as he is a gentleman 

 who for many years has had a large experience as an owner and a 

 farmer of land, and who has given his time to serving the county 

 in various capacities as a magistrate, county councillor, a chairman 

 of the assessment committee, and in other offices. I am, however, 

 by no means certain that all this will go in his favour with the voters. 



Two of his agents have been here this morning to arrange 

 about meetings, and, as one of them said to me, the best qualifica- 

 tion for a Conservative or Unionist candidate is that he should have 

 no record whatsoever in the county. Indeed, if he chances to reside 

 in the agricultural division which he contests, the more colourless 

 his character the better. Public services will not help him, for the 

 public servant makes enemies ; the only fame and qualities that are 

 likely to be of service to him are a reputation for wealth and an open 

 purse. If he is a magistrate, every bad character who has ever been 

 committed before a Bench, together with that character's friends, 

 will work and vote against him, and the vote of a bad character is 

 just as valuable as that of the veriest saint. If he is a farmer, he 

 is naturally held to be an enemy of the labouring race ; if he is a 

 landlord, then the hoary but inextinguishable and effective lie 

 that he has been heard to say that nine shillings a week is enough 

 for any labouring man is sure to be circulated to his detriment. 

 Also it will be said that he makes a custom of turning off his 

 hands to starve during winter, and that he has dismissed men for 

 expressing sympathy with political opinions of which he does not 

 approve. 



In saying this I speak of what I know, for in the course of a 

 contested election I have suffered from all these fictions, which, as 

 I believe, by a small majority finally turned the day against me, 

 with a picturesque addition which I was told proved very effective, 

 namely, that I had been known to murder quite a considerable 

 number of black women. In short, in an Eastern Counties agricul- 

 tural division, I incline to the view that the ordinary * carpet-bagger/ 

 on whichever side he may be standing, has a better chance of sue- 



