THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.'] SIR,.–.The result of the Municipal elections has, in the great majority of towns, been in favour of the Conservative candidates, and this result is attributed by the Press to two causes—(1), to the opposition of the brewers and publicans to the recent legislation of the Government on the Licensing question ; (2), to a general, though gradual Conservative reaction throughout the country. It seems to be entirely overlooked that one main cause of the Conservative success at these elections may be found in the oper- ation of the Ballot Act of last Session ; that though strange, this is still strictly true, and it arises in this way. The Conservative party, having always opposed the principle of seeret voting, were of course perfectly consistent in taking all possible measures within the law to defeat the attempt to obtain such secrecy. Here the "card trick," and other schemes of a similar kind, the main object of which is not so much to ascertain how persons have voted, as to ascertain the fact that certain persona have recorded their votes, so that their names may be marked off the lists, and those remaining unpolled may be got up to the poll. The Liberals, on the other hand, having long urged the necessity for a system of secret voting, could not consistently take measures to destroy or impede the operation of the principle for which they
had so strenuously contended. The result, of course, was that there was little or no organisation of the usual electioneering kiwi amongst them, and the electors were left to exercise their own unaided discretion as to voting or refraining from voting. I ans. satisfied, from considerable experience of the subject, that this. circumstance alone will account for the result of many of the- elections.
Still, it is not to be denied that the unfortunate tendency shown. by the Government to listen to such " crotchetmongers " as the- Permissive Bill people, Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Mr. Rylands, ancl the like, has offended a large number of their best friends, who feel that in recent legislation the Government have lost sight of those- great principles of liberty which are the foundation of the Liberal party. Let us hope that experience will warn the Government to- retrace their steps in this direction, and to direct their legislation in future to the attainment of the many great social improve- ments which require their attention, and which may be successfully dealt with without retreating from the time-honoured principles of social as well as public liberty, the maintenance of which has.- always hitherto been the glory of the Liberal party.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Cambridge, November 27, 1872. W. COCKERELL.
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