ffairs. The most hotly contested issue of the
decade was imperialism; the most commanding public figure was Joseph
Chamberlain; the most notable enterprise undertaken was the war in
South Africa. In 1900 it was resolved by the ministerial leaders to
take advantage of the public spirit engendered by the war to procure
for the Unionists a fresh lease of power. Parliament was dissolved
and, on the eve of the announcement of the annexation of the
Transvaal, a general election was held. The Liberals, led since early
in 1899 by Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, charged the Unionists with
neglect of social and industrial matters, pledged themselves to
educational, housing, and temperance reform, and sought especially to
convince the electorate that they might be intrusted with safety to
defend the legitimate interests of the Empire. The Government forced
the fight upon the issue of South African policy almost exclusively,
and, representing the opposition as "Little-Englanders," went before
the people with the argument that from the course that had been
entered upon in South Africa there could be no turning back, and that
the present ministry was entitled to an opportunity to carry to
completion the work that it had begun. The appeal was altogether
successful. The Conservatives obtained 334 seats and the Liberal
Unionists 68--a total of 402; while the Liberals and Laborites carried
but 186 and the Nationalists 82--a total of 268. The Government
majority in the new parliament was thus 134, almost precisely that of
1895.[220]

[Footnote 219: The two principal aspirants to the
Gladstonian succession were Lord Rosebery and Sir
William Vernon-Harcourt. Rosebery represented the
imperialistic element of Liberalism and advocated a
return of the party to the general position which
it had occupied prior to the split on Home Rule.
Harcourt and the majority of the party opposed
imperialism and insisted upon attention rather to a
programme of social reform. From Gladstone's
retirement, in 1894, to 1896 leadership devolved
upon Rosebery, but from 1896 to the beginning of
1899 Harcourt was the nominal leader, although
Rosebery, as a private member, continued hardly
less influential th