We are glad to see that a considerable number of
Unionists in the Thanet division are making a strong protest against the candidature of Mr. Marks, whom they do not consider, whether chosen or not by the party organisation, to be a fit and proper person to represent the constituency. Unless the leading men in a constituency are prepared on adequate occasion to take up such an attitude, and to veto the choice of undesirable candidates, we are certain to fall into the evils of machine-made politics. We have no desire to suggest that candidates should be chosen in the old haphazard way, and hold instead that the existing quasi-representative system is much better. It needs, however, to be revised and corrected, as it is being done on the present occasion ; and we congratu- late Major Powell-Cotton and those who are acting with him most heartily on their public-spirited action. The only way to convince party managers that the nomination of candi- dates is a public trust is to teach them from time to time that a contemptuous and cynical disregard of public opinion will result in electoral disaster. The Times in its leader of Thursday, which does that journal the greatest credit, speaks out strongly in regard to the Thanet election, and boldly declares that it would be better for the Unionists to lose the seat than win an unworthy victory. We desire also to put it on record that the leaders in the opposition to Mr. Marks are Tariff Reformers, and that the opposition to his candidature is purely on public grounds, and has nothing whatever to do with the Fiscal question.
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