We are indebted to Mr. G. S. Mason, returning officer, for the following interesting analyses of the voting in the recent elections at Rushden.
Urban Council
|
Bazeley
|
Claridge
|
Denton
|
Fountain
|
Knight
|
|
2
|
-
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
|
-
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
|
17
|
17
|
-
|
17
|
-
|
|
15
|
15
|
0
|
-
|
15
|
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
|
9
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
9
|
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
|
-
|
19
|
19
|
19
|
-
|
|
-
|
80
|
80
|
-
|
80
|
|
-
|
24
|
-
|
24
|
24
|
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
|
20
|
20
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
5
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
|
-
|
11
|
11
|
-
|
-
|
|
-
|
61
|
-
|
61
|
-
|
|
-
|
14
|
-
|
-
|
14
|
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
7
|
-
|
|
-
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
9
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
12
|
12
|
|
p52
|
19
|
11
|
232
|
5
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
510
|
750*
|
611*
|
521*
|
631*
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
|
p-Plumpers
|
|
*Elected
|
|
|
It will be seen that the cross voting combinations were both numerous and extraordinary. In the Urban Council election, where it was felt that the combined Liberal and Labour forces could only result in victory all along the line, the over-confidence thus engendered led to the defeat of the Labour candidates. Had the same energy been thrown into this election that was developed for the School Board election a month previous, the victory then achieved would have been repeated, and the Labour candidate would not merely have been near winning, but would have had a good margin to spare. The poll was a very light one, which for all Progressive voting spells defeat; only 1,132, having polled out of a possible 1,984. The straight voters for the combined Liberal and Labour candidates numbered 331; for the Conservatives 228. The figures in other respects place the Liberal and La¬bour parties as it were in glass houses, from which neither can judiciously throw stones at the other, for while eighty Liberals omitted to vote also for the Labour candidates, precisely the same number of the supporters of the Labour candidates failed to vote for Liberals; and while, unfortunately, 100 Liberal voters are found to have combined in voting for the Conservative candidate, sixty-three of Mr. Bazeley's supporters did precisely the same. As the latter only lost by a dozen votes the moral is obvious. |
| For the Guardians election the straight voting for the Conservative candidate is very noticeable, the numbers being 229 as compared with 252 for the Urban Council. Only 110 voted for the four Liberal candidates, 129 others adding Mr. Ladds as the fifth candidate, and 89 Mr. Parkin. The votes for cither of these candidates if given to the other would have made success a certainty, and only emphasises the effect of the unfortunate division. A noticeable feature of both, elections is that only sixteen voted for the four successful Urban Council candidates, and only fourteen, for the five successful guardians. Probably the most important lesson to be taught from both ejections is that a mere coalition of the leaders of the Liberal and Labour parties is not of itself sufficient, but that in order to carry the hearty support of the rank-and-file of the electors the candidates chosen must be not merely partisans, and only partisans, but mea of capacity calculated to wield an influence upon the Council or Board for which they may be nominated. In every election there will be a considerable number found voting for the beet men regardless of party, and it behoves all parties therefore to select candidates whose known capacity would entitle them to a certain measure of public support in addition to mere party influences. |
|
