VILLAGE POLITICS 111 



there, but they don't like a Liberal canvasser 

 to be seen on the doorstep." A lady canvasser 

 in Oxfordshire was informed " Oh, it's no good 

 your coming here, Miss, Mrs. K. (the Tory 

 Lady of the Manor) arranges our politics for 

 us." 



But real and indubitable as the social pres- 

 sure is, something more is needed to explain the 

 comparative failure of Liberalism in country 

 parishes ; nor is this additional explanation 

 far to seek. First of all, the principles and 

 facts of Liberalism are not adequately taught 

 in our villages ; and secondly, Liberal Govern- 

 ments have from time to time produced a 

 large measure of irritation and angry dis- 

 appointment in the ranks of their avowed 

 supporters. 



Most of the " quality," the " nobs " who 

 employ labour, the representatives of " educa- 

 tion," the clergymen who have been to 

 " college," in many cases the schoolmaster all 

 these important persons quite naturally decry 

 Liberalism in general and Liberal candidates 

 in particular. And over vast areas of rural 

 England the villagers are unprovided with any 

 kind of Radical newspaper. The country 

 Press is very largely Tory, and the weekly 

 newspaper, the one literary luxury of the 

 labourer, the single journal that he and his 



