▁Sol ic itor - General ▁in ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁government ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 6 – 1 8 9 2 , ▁had ▁held ▁the ▁seat ▁since ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁Following ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁war ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁Clar ke ▁had ▁found ▁himself ▁in ▁total ▁disag re ement ▁with ▁his ▁party ▁over ▁the ▁government ' s ▁South ▁African ▁policy . ▁In ▁early ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁his ▁constitu ency ▁party ▁at ▁P ly mouth ▁formally ▁called ▁upon ▁him ▁to ▁res ign ▁his ▁seat , ▁and ▁he ▁res igned ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁ ▁C andid ates ▁ ▁Union ist ▁The ▁executive ▁of ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Association ▁suggested ▁Hon . ▁I vor ▁Gu est ▁as ▁the ▁Union ist ▁candidate ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁February , ▁and ▁this ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁local ▁association ▁two ▁days ▁later . ▁No ▁other ▁potential ▁candidates ▁were ▁mentioned . ▁ ▁Gu est ▁was ▁a ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁Dor set ▁Ye oman ry , ▁and ▁had ▁volunte ered ▁for ▁service ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁Bo er ▁War . ▁He ▁visited ▁the ▁constitu ency ▁during ▁the ▁campaign , ▁arriv ing ▁directly ▁from ▁Dor chester ▁bar ra cks ▁where ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁training , ▁and ▁left ▁for ▁South ▁Africa ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁election . ▁ ▁Liberal ▁The ▁P ly mouth ▁liber als ▁did ▁not ▁choose ▁a ▁candidate , ▁but ▁referred ▁the ▁matter ▁to ▁the ▁general ▁council ▁of ▁the ▁party . ▁One ▁source ▁states ▁that ▁many ▁liber als ▁were