t a good start; to
work the new machine for all it was worth; and to make the
administration of Greater London a model for all lesser municipalities.
The Divisions of London, for the purposes of its new Council, were the
same as its Parliamentary Divisions, but each constituency returned two
members, and the City four. Every seat (except those for St. George's,
Hanover Square) was contested, and there were often as many as six or
seven candidates for one division. It was said at the time that "the
uncertainty of the issues, the multitude of candidates, and the
vagueness of parties made it impossible to tabulate the results with the
same accuracy and completeness which are possible in the case of the
House of Commons." Some candidates stood professedly as Liberals, and
others as Conservatives. The majority, however, declared themselves to
be "strictly non-political." Some leading objects, such as Better
Housing of the Poor, Sanitary Reform, and the abolition of jobbery and
corruption, were professed by all alike; and the main issues in dispute
were the control of the Police by the Council, the reform of the
Corporation of London and of the City Guilds, the abolition of dues on
coal coming into the Port of London, and the taxation of ground-rents.

In such projects as these it was easy to discern the working of the new
spirit. Men were trying, earnestly though amid much confusion, to
translate the doctrines of Social Reform into fact. "Practicable
Socialism" became the ideal of the reforming party, who styled
themselves "Progressives." Their opponents got the unfortunate name of
"Moderates"; and between the ideas roughly indicated by those two names
the battle was fought. The Election took place in January, 1889. The
result was that 71 candidates labelled "Progressive" were returned, and
47 "Moderates." The Act empowered the Council to complete its number by
electing 19 Aldermen. Of these, 18 were Progressives, and one was a
Moderate; so the total result was a "Progressive" majority of 41.

By the time of which I write I had become, by habitual residence, a
Londoner; and I hope I was as keen on Social Reform as anyone in London,
or outside it. But, after what I said in an earlier chapter, it will
surprise no one that I declined to be a candidate for the London County
Council. My dislike of electioneering is so intense that nothing on
earth except the prospect of a seat in Parliament would tempt me to
undertake it; so to