The duties of a chairman of a division, in which both parties are evenly balanced, are not light, and can only be successfully accomplished if made personal. The secret of political success lies largely in organisation, and this must be vigilantly carried on in times when there is no political excitement, and when there is apparently no reason to work. A political organisation to be of any value must be continuous and must be thorough; it is not possible to organise a party on the eve of an election; you must have trusty lieutenants who know their work and do it. One of the weaknesses of any party organisation is the number of loafers, men ready to shout, but who are not capable of steady work. The quiet, but not very exciting task of looking after the register, watching removals, and having a careful canvass and cross-canvass of every elector, is the organisation and work which wins elections. We had in Southport many excellent leaders, Mr. John Formby, Mr. Beauford, Mr. Clinning, and many others I could name, with whom it was a great pleasure to work, and my political association with the Southport Division will ever remain with me as a sunny memory. I have declined several invitations to stand for Parliament--on two occasions from Southport, one from Walton, one from Everton, and more recently one from Westmorland. When in business it was not possible for me to enter Parliament, as my brother Arthur was already a member; and I have since felt that if a member is to make any position in Parliament he should enter the house on the right side of fifty. Of late years my Free Trade principles have been a barrier to my taking an active part on the Conservative side. I did my best to prevent my friends delivering themselves up to Tariff Reform, and published a series of letters in the _Daily Post_ on Free Trade _v._ Protection, which were afterwards published in pamphlet form, and had a very extensive circulation.