As regards that same villa population, it would not appear
that the grant of household suffrage has, as yet, made any great difference to suburbanity. Only a single division of any of the home counties, properly so called, has as yet returned a Liberal, namely, the Maldon division of Essex. At the time we write, not a single division of Middlesex, Surrey, Kent, or Herts has returned a Liberal. The nearest approach to London in any county which has returned a Liberal is, perhaps, in the Aylesbury division of Buckinghamshire, which has returned Sir F. de Rothschild ; but even in the Epping division of Essex, where Mr. Bernard was a very popular Liberal candi- date, Sir H. Selwin-Ibbetson was returned by a majority of no less than 1,744. The feelings of suburbanity appear to extend to even the cottagers of suburban districts. It is regarded apparently as a sign of respectability to vote with the Tories. In a greater or less degree, the same rule appears to apply to the suburban districts of Bristol, Manchester, and Liverpool. Not only do the occupants of villas vote with the Tories, but for the most part their camp followers also, from their gardeners and coachmen to their blacksmiths, butchers, bakers, newsveudors, greengrocers, and runners of errands.
Previous page
