THE PRIME MINISTER Read Online Free PDF Page B

There had been a want of something, – some deficiency felt but not yet defined, – which had hitherto been fatal. The young men said it was because no old stager who knew the way of pulling the wires would come forward and put the club in the proper groove. The old men said it was becausethe young men were pretentious puppies. It was, however, not to be doubted that the party of Progress had become slack, and that the Liberal politicians of the country, although a special new club had been opened for the furtherance of their views, were not at present making much way. ‘What we want is organization,’ said one of the leading young men. But the organization was not as yet forthcoming.

    The club, nevertheless, went on its way, like other clubs, and men dined and smoked and played billiards and pretended to read. Some few energetic members still hoped that a good day would come in which their grand ideas might be realized, – but as regarded the members generally, they were content to eat and drink and play billiards. It was a fairly good club, – with a sprinkling of Liberal lordlings,a couple of dozen of members of Parliament who had been made to believe that they would neglect their party duties unless they paid their money, and the usual assortment of barristers, attorneys, city merchants, and idle men. It was good enough, at any rate, for Ferdinand Lopez, who was particular about his dinner, and had an opinion of his own about wines. He had been heard to assert that,for real quiet comfort, there was not a club in London equal to it; but his hearers were not aware that in past days he had been black-balled at the T— and the G—. 2 These were accidents which Lopez had a gift of keeping in the background. His present companion, Everett Wharton, had, as well as himself, been an original member; – and Wharton had been one of those who had hoped to find in the cluba stepping-stone to high political life, and who now talked often with idle energy of the need of organization.
    ‘For myself,’ said Lopez, ‘I can conceive no vainer object ofambition than a seat in the British Parliament. What does any man gain by it? The few who are successful work very hard for little pay and no thanks, – or nearly equally hard for no pay and as little thanks. The many whofail sit idly for hours, undergoing the weary task of listening to platitudes, and enjoy in return the now absolutely valueless privilege of having M.P. written on their letters.’
    ‘Somebody must make laws for the country.’
    ‘I don’t see the necessity. I think the country would do uncommonly well if it were to know that no old law would be altered or new law made for the next twenty years.’
    ‘You wouldn’t have repealed the corn laws?’
    ‘There are no corn laws to repeal now.’
    ‘Nor modify the income tax?’
    ‘I would modify nothing. But at any rate, whether laws are to be altered or to be left, it is a comfort to me that I need not put my finger into that pie. There is one benefit indeed in being in the House.’
    ‘You can’t be arrested.’
    ‘Well; – that, as far as it goes; and one other.It assists a man in getting a seat as the director of certain companies. People are still such asses that they trust a Board of Directors made up of members of Parliament, and therefore of course members are made welcome. But if you want to get into the House, why don’t you arrange it with your father, instead of waiting for what the club may do for you?’
    ‘My father wouldn’t pay a shilling forsuch a purpose. He was never in the House himself.’
    ‘And therefore despises it’
    ‘A little of that, perhaps. No man ever worked harder than he did, or, in his way, more successfully; and having seen one after another of his juniors become members of Parliament, while he stuck to the attorneys, there is perhaps a little jealousy about it’
    ‘From what I see of the way you live at home, I shouldthink your father would do anything for you,