LOUTH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION. [To THE EDITOR OF THE " SFECTEFOR."1
SIR,—A great deal has been written about the Louth election, but there is nothing particular in the late election so far as party politics, whatever they are, are concerned. The constituency has always been a Liberal constituency, and the Conservative candidate polled the full strength of his party in the division. Mrs. Wintringham had, however, the great advantage of being the only local candidate, and was personally well known through having canvassed the electorate with the late member, whose sad death brought hor great sympathy.
It has been said that there was some prejudice against her as a woman, but she undoubtedly polled the great majority of women irrespective of politics, though no doubt some Liberal agriculturists voted for Sir Alan Hutchings as the only candidate who had any knowledge of agriculture. In addi- tion to the energetic work of her women friends, the whole Radical organization was at her disposal, and even the party leaders wrote and spoke for her, whilst Mrs. Wintring- bam's personality as an able, respected, and popular lady whose family had resided in Louth was of the greatest import- ance in the contest, added to the fact that Mrs. Wintringham had lived in the Louth Division or in the neighbouring borough of Grimsby all her married life, and bad a good record for county work. On the other hand, Sir Alan Hutchings was very little known, and stood as an Independent Conservative avowedly, and had no connexion with the Coalition Government or their political organization; and as a stranger who fought,the contest almost single-handed did remarkably well, and polled more votes than could • have been anticipated under all the circumstances.
As an unbiased Coalition Liberal anti looker-on in a.con- stiuency in which I. have lived -all my life, I should unlussi- tattngly describe the result as pre-eminently a woman's victory personal to Mrs. Wintringham's well-deserved popu- larity and good work; and I have no doubt that alto polled four-fifths of the women who voted in large numbers at tlse recent election, which more than counter-balanced any loss in agricultural Liberal voters or those Radicals who may have voted for the nominee of the Labour Party, and whatever her own political opinions may be or her votes under the erratic guidance of Mr. Asquith, Mrs. Wintringham will assuredly bring no discredit on the constituency as the first English lady member of the House of Commons.—I am, Sir, Ac.,
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