The Gentleman's Cause

The Gentleman's Cause, (or "the CAUSE"), would prefer to see the Mayorship to become a hereditary position. There's a sensible argument for this - from their point of view.

Their argument goes like this:

• Whilst there are undeniably bad apples amongst them, collectively the aristocrats of Horizon are good eggs by and large.
• The system of electing Mayors will tend to elect bad, incompetant, or otherwise unacceptable people to the position: competant folk like Colonel Zero are the exception, rather than the rule, simply because Mayors are elected by the consensus of a large number of competing factions and several of those groups would benefit from a weak Mayor and a weak Horizon.
• The Mayoral system tends towards short-sighted leadership, and what Horizon needs is far-sighted leadership. Mayors have no real stake in Horizon's success beyond the end of their term in office: a corrupt Mayor could quite cheerfully plunder the treasury and sail off to a sunny island somewhere and forget all about the City's troubles.
• The Emperor, despite being a terrible rotter towards the end of his life, hit upon a dashed good idea with this hereditary power lark. If a chap knows that the consequences of his errors will fall to his son to sort out, in general he'll make an effort not to make a hash of things.
• It's jolly disconcerting not knowing who'll be Mayor once the Colonel steps down or snuffs it. That's another reason why inheritance is a dashed fine institution.
• What we need, chaps, is a good old-fashioned King, a noble amongst nobles. Because he'd be one of us, he'd listen carefully to the Goodly Chamber - who would be able to steer him right if he begins to get funny, or even replace his line if things go to pot. It's much less bother to oust a dynasty every few generations than to replace a Mayor every few years. Furthermore, it would mean that the packs of bounders who want to see Horizon bend the knee wouldn't have any more influence in any silly elections, we'd all know who the next King would be (and could take, coff coff, suitable measures if he proves to be the wrong sort of chap), the King would have to look to the long term as well as the short... it'd be a damn slight better than the bally mess we've got at the moment.
• I like the good old Colonel as much as the next feller, he's a smashing chap to get drunk with, but he's just not one of *us*. Once we're ready to pitch the idea to him if he won't step down for the King... well, we'll have to get forceful. Terrible shame, but you can't make an omelette without couping a few etats, eh? Another sherry, old bean?

The Cause and the Club enjoy good relations; the bulk of the members are of the opinion that both cliques' agendas would be good for Horizon. There's a slight overlap of membership - folk who want to advance both agendas - but most members are of the opinion that turning Horizon into a monarchy is more important than re-establishing the Empire (or vice versa) and therefore are only members of one.