The Life of the Rt. Hon. Sir Charles W. Dilke, Volume 2Gwynn, Stephen Lucius
History
The Life of the Rt. Hon. Sir Charles W. Dilke, Volume 2
Gwynn, Stephen Lucius
Dilke, Charles Wentworth, Sir, 1843-1911; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 19th century
'In the matters of commoners' right, the right of "turnout" on the
Forest, free miners' rights, questions of colliery owners, matters
relating to the Crown, the development of the lower coal seams--in
all these (and many of them are local intricate historical questions
involving a mass of detail) he rendered valuable service.
'In his electoral battles he was always a keen fighter and a
courteous opponent. In every campaign he seemed more anxious to beat
his opponent by sheer weight of reason and argument, and intellect
and knowledge, than by any appeal to party passion or feeling.
'I have been at a great many of his meetings, and never saw him
shirk a question, nor saw one put to him that he did not, nine times
out of ten, know more about than the questioner, however local the
point might be.
'As an example, he was holding a meeting at Newnham. Questions were
invited; none asked. Sir Charles looked disappointed; so Mr. King,
of the "Victoria," in a friendly way, thought he would put him a
poser, and asked his opinion about Sir Cuthbert Quilter's Pure Beer
Bill.
'For about twenty minutes Sir Charles talked beer--the origin,
ingredients, what it should be, what it often is and what it is not,
what it is in other countries. As Mr. King remarked afterwards, he
told him more about beer than he ever knew before, though he had
been in the trade all his life.'
Probably none was more rejoiced at the unexpected display than the
genial Tory host of the Victoria, who lived to deplore his friend and to
quote especially one of his observations: 'If you see a man put on
"side," Sir Charles once said to me, you may be sure he feels the need
of it.' [Footnote: Among those who worked with him and for him best and
longest should be named at least Mr. Charles Ridler and Mr. T. A. H.
Smith of Lydney, Mr. Henry Davis of Newent, Mr. B. H. Taylor, and Mr. S.
J. Elsom.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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