260 LIFE AND EXPERIENCES CHAP. 



It may be well to say at this point that the South 

 is in area the largest of all the six divisions of 

 Manchester, being one-third of the total, whilst the 

 population is about one-sixth of the whole popula- 

 tion of the city. One remarkable fact about it is 

 that it contains hardly any factories or works. There 

 was not a single engine used for power throughout 

 the division. The constituency is largely composed 

 of the middle and upper class, rather than of work- 

 people. It is really a Liberal seat, as has been 

 proved by the return of a Liberal (1906) by a 

 majority pf no less than 4,232. The number of 

 Welsh electors is very large, and these are all 

 enthusiastic Liberals. The Irish vote is only a 

 small one, but the Catholic vote is not a negligible 

 quantity. 



My determination to enter upon political life was 

 not formed without much deliberation and doubt. 

 Our family circumstances at the time were perhaps the 

 greatest inducement for me to change my occupation 

 and our residence, for I felt that it would be good for 

 us to do so (see Chap. XVI), even if the acceptance of 

 the invitation of the constituency should mean the 

 resignation of my professorship and my severance from 

 active teaching work in Manchester. I addressed the 

 electors frequently in the course of the summer, and 

 in consequence made new and valued friendships, many 

 of which remained lifelong. 



Amongst these I must specially mention the names 

 of Mr. Edward Donner, the first chairman of our 

 Liberal Association, Mr. Alderman Sir James Hoy, 

 the late Alderman Guthrie, the late Mr. J. A. Beith, 

 and fytr. Reuben Spencer. Among my supporters 

 I was glad to claim the late Venerable Archdeacon 

 of Manchester, the Rector of St. James's, Birch. 



