In the evening, Sir Henry James was hospitably entertained at
the Reform Club by members of the Liberal Party,—who were, of coarse, not Liberal Unionists,—and made a speech of graatintereat on the Corrapt_Praefieea Art ...11.a.said that-while in 1880, with 3,000,000 voters and only 419 constituencies, the total expense was about £3,000,000 sterling, in 1885, with 5,670,000 electors and 611 constituencies, the cost was only £780,000; and yet in 1885 the election was probably twice as expensive as it would be in future. In 1880, the expense was about £1 7s. for each voter. In 1885, the expense was only 4s. 5d. for each voter. Ninety-five petitions alleging corrupt practices were presented in 1880; in 1885, there were only two ; and in 1886, only one. Now, said Sir Henry, the chief corrupting influence was that of the Primrose League and its rivals,—the indirect influence of women. He had been told that legislation could do nothing against this. "Yon could not schedule a smile." Nevertheless, Sir Henry James hoped to do something to attack this pernicious, though not always very tangible species of corruption. What will he do P Prohibit, under penalty of fines, all canvassing by non-electors ? That would, we think, be going much too far, and restrain too much a reasonable liberty. Yet, short of this, we do not see how Sir Henry James can get at the Primrose Dames.
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