ointment of a Committee
to report on "the best means of promoting local Socialist societies of
the Fabian type with the object of increasing Socialist representation
in Parliament as a party co-operating as far as possible with the Labour
Party whilst remaining independent of that and of all other Parties."

This, it will be observed, is a different proposition, and one which
resulted in a lot of talk and nothing else. Bernard Shaw had the idea
that there might be county constituencies in the South of England, where
independent middle-class Socialists could win when Labour candidates had
no chance. No such constituency has ever been discovered and the Fabian
scheme has never even begun to be realised.

In January, 1908, the Committee's Report was considered and adopted, the
important item being the decision to send a circular to every member
inviting promises to an election fund of at least L5,000, contributions
to be spread over five years. This ultimately resulted in promises
amounting to L2637--a much larger sum than the Society had ever had at
its command--and with this substantial fund in prospect the Society was
in a position to begin the business of electioneering.

A favourable opportunity soon presented itself. A vacancy at the little
town of Taunton was not to be fought by the Liberals, while the
Conservative candidate, the Hon. W. (now Viscount) Peel, was a London
County Councillor, bitterly opposed even to the mild collectivism of the
London Progressives, Frank Smith, a member both of the Society and the
London County Council, was willing to fight, the Labour Party Executive
cordially approved, and the members promptly paid up the first
instalment of their promises. The election cost L316, of which the
Society paid L275, and although our candidate was beaten by 1976 votes
to 1085, the result was not contrary to our anticipations.

During 1909 the Executive Committee resolved to run two candidates, both
already nominated by the I.L.P., who willingly transferred to us the
responsibility for their election expenses. W. Stephen Sanders had been
third on the poll out of six candidates who fought in 1906 for the two
seats at Portsmouth, and as he had polled 8172 votes, more than either
Conservative, it was reasonably hoped that the Liberals would leave one
of the seats to him. Harry Snell at Huddersfield was opposing both
parties, but had a fair chance of winning. At the General Election of
January, 1910, neith