The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists [311]
Tories, and carry the grand old flag to victory. The fact that they had carried the flag to victory so often in the past without obtaining any of the spoils, did not seem to damp their ardour in the least. Being philanthropists, they were content - after winning the victory - that their masters should always do the looting.
At the conclusion of Sweater's remarks the philanthropists gave three frantic cheers and then someone in the crowd shouted `What's the colour?' After a hasty consultation with Rushton, who being a `master' decorator, was thought to be an authority on colours - green - grass green - was decided upon, and the information was shouted down to the crowd, who cheered again. Then a rush was made to Sweater's Emporium and several yards of cheap green ribbon were bought, and divided up into little pieces, which they tied into their buttonholes, and thus appropriately decorated, formed themselves into military order, four deep, and marched through all the principal streets, up and down the Grand Parade, round and round the Fountain, and finally over the hill to Windley, singing to the tune of `Tramp, tramp, tramp, the Boys are marching':
`Vote, Vote, Vote for Adam Sweater! Hang old Closeland on a tree! Adam Sweater is our man, And we'll have him if we can, Then we'll always have the biggest loaf for tea.'
The spectacle presented by these men - some of them with grey heads and beards - as they marked time or tramped along singing this childish twaddle, would have been amusing if it had not been disgusting.
By way of variety they sang several other things, including:
`We'll hang ole Closeland On a sour apple tree,'
and
`Rally, Rally, men of Windley For Sweater's sure to win.'
As they passed the big church in Quality Street, the clock began to strike. It was one of those that strike four chimes at each quarter of the hour. It was now ten o'clock so there were sixteen musical chimes:
Ding, dong! Ding Dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong!
They all chanted A-dam Sweat-er' in time with the striking clock. In the same way the Tories would chant: `Grab - all Close - land! Grab - all Close - land! Grab - all Close - land! Grab - all Close - land!'
The town was soon deluged with mendacious literature and smothered with huge posters:
`Vote for Adam Sweater! The Working-man's Friend!' `Vote for Sweater and Temperance Reform.' `Vote for Sweater - Free Trade and Cheap Food.'
or
`Vote for D'Encloseland: Tariff Reform and Plenty of Work!'
This beautiful idea - `Plenty of Work' - appealed strongly to the Tory workmen. They seemed to regard themselves and their children as a sort of machines or beasts of burden, created for the purpose of working for the benefit of other people. They did not think it right that they should Live, and enjoy the benefits of civilization. All they desired for themselves and their children was `Plenty of Work'.
They marched about the streets singing their Marseillaise, `Work, Boys, Work and be contented', to the tune of `Tramp, tramp, tramp the Boys are marching', and at intervals as they tramped along, they gave three cheers for Sir Graball, Tariff Reform, and - Plenty of Work.
Both sides imported gangs of hired orators who held forth every night at the corners of the principal streets, and on the open spaces from portable platforms, and from motor cars and lorries. The Tories said that the Liberal Party in the House of Commons was composed principally of scoundrels and fools, the Liberals said that the Tory Party were fools and scoundrels. A host of richly dressed canvassers descended upon Windley in carriages and motor cars, and begged for votes from the poverty-stricken working men who lived there.
One evening a Liberal demonstration was held at the Cross Roads
At the conclusion of Sweater's remarks the philanthropists gave three frantic cheers and then someone in the crowd shouted `What's the colour?' After a hasty consultation with Rushton, who being a `master' decorator, was thought to be an authority on colours - green - grass green - was decided upon, and the information was shouted down to the crowd, who cheered again. Then a rush was made to Sweater's Emporium and several yards of cheap green ribbon were bought, and divided up into little pieces, which they tied into their buttonholes, and thus appropriately decorated, formed themselves into military order, four deep, and marched through all the principal streets, up and down the Grand Parade, round and round the Fountain, and finally over the hill to Windley, singing to the tune of `Tramp, tramp, tramp, the Boys are marching':
`Vote, Vote, Vote for Adam Sweater! Hang old Closeland on a tree! Adam Sweater is our man, And we'll have him if we can, Then we'll always have the biggest loaf for tea.'
The spectacle presented by these men - some of them with grey heads and beards - as they marked time or tramped along singing this childish twaddle, would have been amusing if it had not been disgusting.
By way of variety they sang several other things, including:
`We'll hang ole Closeland On a sour apple tree,'
and
`Rally, Rally, men of Windley For Sweater's sure to win.'
As they passed the big church in Quality Street, the clock began to strike. It was one of those that strike four chimes at each quarter of the hour. It was now ten o'clock so there were sixteen musical chimes:
Ding, dong! Ding Dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong!
They all chanted A-dam Sweat-er' in time with the striking clock. In the same way the Tories would chant: `Grab - all Close - land! Grab - all Close - land! Grab - all Close - land! Grab - all Close - land!'
The town was soon deluged with mendacious literature and smothered with huge posters:
`Vote for Adam Sweater! The Working-man's Friend!' `Vote for Sweater and Temperance Reform.' `Vote for Sweater - Free Trade and Cheap Food.'
or
`Vote for D'Encloseland: Tariff Reform and Plenty of Work!'
This beautiful idea - `Plenty of Work' - appealed strongly to the Tory workmen. They seemed to regard themselves and their children as a sort of machines or beasts of burden, created for the purpose of working for the benefit of other people. They did not think it right that they should Live, and enjoy the benefits of civilization. All they desired for themselves and their children was `Plenty of Work'.
They marched about the streets singing their Marseillaise, `Work, Boys, Work and be contented', to the tune of `Tramp, tramp, tramp the Boys are marching', and at intervals as they tramped along, they gave three cheers for Sir Graball, Tariff Reform, and - Plenty of Work.
Both sides imported gangs of hired orators who held forth every night at the corners of the principal streets, and on the open spaces from portable platforms, and from motor cars and lorries. The Tories said that the Liberal Party in the House of Commons was composed principally of scoundrels and fools, the Liberals said that the Tory Party were fools and scoundrels. A host of richly dressed canvassers descended upon Windley in carriages and motor cars, and begged for votes from the poverty-stricken working men who lived there.
One evening a Liberal demonstration was held at the Cross Roads