Agricultural Organisation 



tions would change, and the agricultural interests 

 in a rural constituency would be strong enough 

 to secure the nomination of a man who would 

 put land before party. It would be desirable 

 to choose candidates in pairs — one Unionist, 

 one Liberal — mild specimens of each, so as to 

 secure a non-party character for the move- 

 ment. At present the party whips are quite 

 willing for an agricultural candidate to fight an 

 enemy in a rural constituency, but they do not 

 at all recognise the principle that rural con- 

 stituencies should have members chosen for 

 their agricultural qualifications. 



This plan would secure a group of champions 

 of agriculture among the supporters of which- 

 ever party happened to be in power ; it is the 

 system followed with much success by the 

 National Union of Teachers. 



Thirdly, the consolidation of the agricultural 

 societies would do much to strengthen agricul- 

 tural interests in Parliament; but the parliamen- 

 tary work of even a society like the Central 

 Land Association would be much more effective 

 if the rural constituencies were represented by 

 men who were indeed agriculturists. 



I have written about associations of farmers 

 and landowners and have said no word, so far, 

 about the rural labourer, except that he is 

 practically left out of consideration by all. 



I am glad, however, to say that there is one 

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