BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

45
been taken, presumably at the instigation of Salisbury, to place the
organization under the supervision of the party coinciding with and
following the settlement achieved in July, 1884 limiting the powers of
the National Union.
Among these measures were included the formal
acknowledgment of the Primrose League by Salisbury and a review made by
Hicks Beach of the organization's circulars to be distributed amongst
Tory M.P.'s.
Chief Agent Bartley was also charged with advising the
League on the methods to be applied in political canvassing as a means
of assisting Conservative candidates at election times.
The most telling indication, however, was Salisbury's request
that he and Northcote be named official dignitaries of the League.
Their future appointment provided still another deterrent to any action
which might be initiated by Churchill to challenge the existing
leadership of the Conservative party by means of an appeal to Tory
Democracy.
While it would be some time before Salisbury's name would
be inexorably linked to the League, the first important steps had
already been taken.