But when the third candidate is
not only a serious representative of Socialism, but can organise his
party well and is likely to poll sufficient votes to make even his
defeat a respectable demonstration of the strength and growth of
Socialism in the constituency, the Fabian Society supports him
resolutely under all circumstances and against all other parties."
This was an extreme statement of our position, because the Society has
never, so far as I am aware, taken any action which could be described
as "throwing its weight against" a third candidate in a parliamentary
election. But it represented our policy as it might have been, if
occasion had arisen to carry it to its logical conclusion.
It was opposed, not because it was an inaccurate statement of fact, but
because a minority of the Society desired to change the policy it
described; and after the Congress was over an influential requisition
was got up by J. Ramsay Macdonald, who had been elected to the Executive
Committee in 1894, demanding that the tract be withdrawn from
circulation. The battle was joined at Clifford's Inn in October, and the
insurgents were defeated, after an exciting discussion, by 108 to 33.
* * * * *
There is little to record of the years that followed. Graham Wallas, who
had been elected to the London School Board in 1894, resigned his seat
on the Executive in 1895; Bernard Shaw became a St.
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