BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

77
The direct-mail
solicitation successfully brought in over seven
thousand overdue Tributes.
By May, 1888 the Grand Council appears to
have found it necessary to resort to greater incentives, offering
Habitations a 60 percent reduction in order to stem the relative
decline in subscriptions.60
Notwithstanding the Council's desire to maintain control, they
did distinguish between central and local
spheres of influence and
generally were reluctant to impose policy regarding a local matter
except when it involved a conflict with important League principles.
On balance the powers of the Central
Office remained essentially
unaltered, despite the criticisms raised.
The executive conceded where
the cost was minimal and protected, whenever possible, the policies it
had initiated.
Other initiatives included the formation of the LGC and the SGC
in 1885.
These actions were responsible, respectively, for creating an
elite core of Primrose Dames and establishing an organizational network
in Scotland.
The LGC, originally entitled the Ladies Committee, first
met at Lady Borthwick's home in March of 1885.
It was composed of a
highly select group of women
including the Marchioness of Salisbury,
the Duchess of Marlborough, Lady Randolph Churchill, Lady Gwendolen
Cecil, Lady Knightley, Lady Wimborne, Lady Borthwick, Lady Beresford,
60 LGC Executive Committee Minutes, 1 May 1888. The League
also appears to have offered some reductions in individually compounded
payments. Minutes of the Grand Council of the Primrose League, 13
January 1886; the revised statutes contained in the minutes dated
April, 1886. The principal beneficiaries appeared to be those persons
not affiliated with a particular Habitation and therefore not eligible
for the 20 percent group Habitation reduction offered in April, 1886.
Minutes of the Grand Council of the Primrose League, 7 January 1887.