THE AFTERMATH OF THISTLES. 85 



In July, 1886, he lost his seat by twenty votes when the 

 Liberal Party split over Gladstone's Home Rule Bill. He 

 regained his scat in 1892. 



It is interesting to learn for what wages a man like Arch 

 worked as principal official of the Union. In the days 

 when the Union flourished he had 3 a week, but from 1879 

 to the time the Union collapsed his wages were only 2 los. 

 a week. His election expenses were paid for by wealthy 

 Liberals, and the Union allowed him certain parliamentary 

 expenses, presumably for travelling. 



Dr. Jessopp, a friend of George Meredith, and vicar of a 

 country parish in Norfolk, in his interesting book Arcady, 

 contended that the agricultural labourer had no political 

 opinions whatever, and that he was intensely local in his 

 sentiments and prejudices. " You can never persuade a 

 Norfolk man that it docs not matter where he was born and 

 where lie is buried. He belongs to this or that parish. He 

 is a part of its soil. He has nothing whatever to do with the 

 persons living on the other side of the brook." This intense 

 parochialism was characteristic of many country parishes, 

 yet Dr. Jessopp's picture surely was an exaggerated one, 

 even of 1886. Arch's Union had helped men to leap across 

 parish boundaries and brooks, giving the hand of fellow- 

 ship to the man on the other side of the boundary. Moreover, 

 the election of 1885 was a convincing proof that Hodge was 

 becoming political, for it was his vote that returned Glad- 

 stone to power ; and yet those who took an active part 

 in this election seemed doubtful as to whether the agricul- 

 tural labourer even knew the name of Gladstone ! 



The Rev. W. Tuckwcll, Rector of Stockton, Warwickshire, 

 said when addressing about 800 labourers in a villnge in 

 the Rugby division. 



" I was not a little curious ns to the political capacity of a 

 purely rustic audience. It was probably the first occasion in 

 English history on which any candidate had visited them ; 

 certainly the first effort made to explain to them the issues of the 

 coming contest and the effect which their votes nii^ht exercise 

 on their own well-being. Talking \\ilh a friendly fanner I had 

 said: ' I doubt if these, men evi r hrard of ( tladr.ione.' 'Try 

 them,' he answered ; and early in my speech I S'-nt up tin 1 name 



