BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

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throughout the country tends to support what the League, Salisbury, and
Ostrogorski all contend: namely, that the organization, which served in
the capacity of auxiliary troops for the Conservative party, was
prepared to battle on its behalf in local constituencies.21
^ Military metaphors are prominently featured throughout the
Primrose literature. Lady Jersey's references to the importance of
"arming their combatants for the fray," and of clearing "the decks for
action," were themes which were emphasized on a number of occasions.
The Ladies Executive Committee Minutes, 25 May 1887, citing The Morning
Post article of 25 May 1887; The Primrose League Gazette, 24 May 1890,
p. 2; see Chapter Four, p. 149. By way of illustration, the Duke of
Abercorn as Chancellor in 1894 compared the role of Wardens and
Subwardens in Habitations as bearing "an exact parallel to non­
commissioned officers, sergeants, and corporals in a regiment." The
Primrose League Gazette, 1 May 1894, p. 3.
Salisbury emphasized the auxiliary role of the League in
serving the interests of the Conservative party. Minutes of the Grand
Council of the Primrose League, 19 May 1886, citing The Morning Post
article of 20 May 1886, see Chapter Three, pp. 95-96. Nevertheless, he
was not averse to applying military terms to underscore the importance
of Primrose operations. In addressing the annual gathering of members
in 1891, he praised their official tally of one million members noting,
"such a gigantic army in so short a space of time." The rank and file
were cautioned not to relent in their efforts since the advances made
in recent years were "no cause that we should lay aside our armour as
though the battle were at an end." The Primrose League Gazette, 25
April 1891, p. 9.
The necessity of maintaining an ever vigilant force was
stressed once again in 1896. While praising the great efforts of the
Primrose League over the years in assisting the Conservatives to
victory, Salisbury stressed the continual struggle at hand.
You must never expect a period of peace. The warfare
for the defense of our society and our institutions,
will always continue, and of course its vicissitudes
will depend upon the energy and the courage which is
maintained by those to whom the guardianship of these
institutions is entrusted. The matter lies with you.
The Primrose League Gazette, 1 June 1896, p.8. The following
year at Grand Habitation, Salisbury entered Royal Albert Hall to the
strains of "See the Conquering Hero Comes." The Primrose League
Gazette, 1 June 1897, p. 8.
Ostrogorski was even more graphic in his application of
military imagery. During the initial phase of League development under
the tutelage of the Fourth party, he characterized the organization as
"an engine of war of Tory Democracy." Within a short time it assumed
the ranks of the "irregular troops" of party organization, "formed into