, but he must act freely and with initiative. Often
enough he may be constrained to vote, not as many of his constituents would
prefer, but using his own judgment. Of course when the choice is between
obedience to the party whip and the wishes of his constituents, and
personal conviction is with the latter, then at all costs the decision
should be to stand by his constituents, or popular representation is a
delusion.

To-day the pressure is far greater from the party whips than from the
constituents, especially when in so many cases election expenses are paid,
in part at least, from the party funds. And to overcome this constant
danger to popular representation a sure plan would be the payment of all
necessary election expenses out of the local rates, and the prohibition by
law of all payments by the candidate or by political associations. When
members are paid for their attendance in Parliament, far better would it
be, too, if such payment were made by the constituents in each case, and
not from the national exchequer.[90] Worse than the delegate theory is the
opinion that a representative of the people is in Parliament chiefly to
keep his party in power. Political parties are inevitable, and they are
effective and convenient when principles divide people. But popular
representation is older than a party system of government, and when it
becomes utterly subordinate to the welfare of parties it is time for a
democratic people to realise the possible loss of their instrument of
liberty.

Great Britain is not partial to groups, it has always broadly been divided
politically into two camps, but a few men of strong independent judgment
are invaluable in a popular assembly. There need be no fear lest
governments totter and fall at the presence of men who dare to take a line
of their own, and to speak out boldly on occasion. The bulk of members of
Parliament will always cleave to their party, as the bulk of electors do,
and the dread of being thought singular is a potent influence on the
average man, in or out of Parliament. Democracy is in danger of losing the
counsel of its best men when it insists that its representatives must be
merely delegates of the electors, without minds or wills of their own; but
it is in greater danger if it allows its representatives to be nothing but
the tools of the party in power or in opposition. For when Parliamentary
representation is confined to those who are willing to be the mechanical
i