Our hope that the Conservative electors of Thanet would reject
Mr. H. Marks has proved altogether unfounded. He was returned on Friday, the 7th inst., by a majority of 382, and though that is smaller by more than 600 than the majority for Mr. Lowther at the last contested election, the number of votes given to him was 147 more than that by which his predecessor retained the seat in 1892. It is vain to try to explain away such a result. The majority of the electors, it is clear, cared more for party consistency than for the honour of the House of Commons, and regarded the attacks upon the personal character of their favourite as beside the question of his claim to sit. The ballot shelters bad as well as good impulses, and if Protection is ever accepted by the people we shall have dozens of candidates like Mr. Marks, and a large proportion of them will be elected. "There is money," electors will hope, "in supporting such men."
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