PARTY SPIRIT AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR." J
SIR,—I read with much regret your article on the London County Council. It seems to me that you desire to strengthen the one evil (from my point of view) produced by the recent election,—the increase of party spirit in the Council. I sym- pathise with many, perhaps most, of the aims of the " Pro- gressive " party ; but I held, and hold, that there are questions which the Council can deal with before these aims are realised, questions which require administrative ability rather than political foresight; and that it would therefore have been most desirable if men had been chosen irrespective of their Pro. gressive or Moderate views, on the ground of that ability. I am thankful to say that at the first election we did choose one candidate in Hampstead, Mr. Harben, very largely on that ground, and he remains our member still. But the fury of party generally prevailed, and I am sure some men must have been lost to the Council by that feeling. Is it not noteworthy that the one man whose name must have been on the lips of every one interested in the welfare of London could not get. elected either as representative or Alderman,—I mean Mr.. Dobbs, the champion of the public against the Water Com- panies? I suppose no one knew if he were " Moderate " or " Progressive ;" merely that he had saved us all from injustice and extortion, and that in so doing he had shown just the kind of ability which a Town Council requires. Yet the party spirit which has had such unfortunate effects, and which might decline hereafter when these big questions are cleared away, you wish to make permanent and embody in a new institution.—I am, Sir, &c. C. E. MavrnicE. Eirene Cottage, Gainsborough Gardens, Hampstead, N. W.
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