Chapter IV
The Formation of Fabian Policy: 1886-9
The factors of success; priority of date; the men who made it--The
controversy over policy--The Fabian Parliamentary League--"Facts for
Socialists"--The adoption of the Basis--The seven Essayists in
command--Lord Haldane--The "Essays" as lectures--How to train for
Public Life--Fabians on the London School Board--"Facts for
Londoners"--Municipal Socialism--"The Eight Hours Bill"
The Society was now fully constituted, and for the next three years its
destiny was controlled by the seven who subsequently wrote "Fabian
Essays." But it was still a very small and quite obscure body. Mrs.
Besant, alone of its leaders, was known beyond its circle, and at that
period few outside the working classes regarded her with respect. The
Society still met, as a rule, at the house of one or other of the
members, and to the founders, who numbered about 20, only about 67
members had been added by June, 1886. The receipts for the year to
March, 1886, were no More than L35 19s., but as the expenditure only
amounted to L27 6s. 6d., the Society had already adopted its lifelong
habit of paying its way punctually, though it must be confessed that a
complaisant printer and a series of lucky windfalls have contributed to
that result.
[Illustration: _From a photograph by Elliott and Fry, W.
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