The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-08-15 00:00:00

THE COMMISSION ON TRADE
DEPRESSION.

The Press Association has received a letter from
Mr. Shaw Lefevre in reference to the discussion in
the House of Commons on Monday night on the
constitution of the Commission on Tr(tde Depression,
together with the correspondence with Lord Iddes-
leigh on the subject, to the publication of which his
lordship has consented., Mr. Shaw Lefevre writes :
" Sir,—After the statements made by Lord Salis-
bury in the House of Lords to-night, and the charges
made by Sir Michael Hicks Beach at Bristol on
Saturday, against myself and others, who declined to
serve on the Royal Commission on Trade, I desire to
lose no time in making public the correspondence on
the subject between Lord Iddesleigh and myself, and
for the publication of which I have obtained the con-
sent of Lord Iddesleigh. When Lord Iddesleigh
first asked me to serve on the commission I hal a
personal interview with him, in the course of which
I stated that I wished before consenting to know the
scope of the inquiry and the constitution of the com-
mission. The first of the following letters was the
result of this request. After my last letter to Lord
Iddesleigh personal communications took place
between Sir Michael Hicks Beach and Lord
Hartington and myself, which resulted in the letter
from Lord Hartington to Sir Michael Hicks Beach,
and which I have Lord Hartington's permission to
publish. It will be observed that of the 19 names
given to we by Lord Iddesleigh in his letter of
July 28 of those who had been asked and had con-
sented to serve on the commission, namely, Lord
Harrowby, Mr. Jackson, M.P., and Mr. Harris, M.P.,
are not on the Commission as now constituted. It
will be for your readers to say whether Lord Salisbury
was justified in his assertion to-night that I had re-
fused to serve before I knew anything of the consti-
tution of the proposed commission.—l am, yours
fully, "G. SHAW LEFEVRE.
August 10.
The following is the correspondence referred to:
" Abinger Hall, Dorking, July 18.
"My dear Lefevre,—The object of the proposed
commission is to collect facts and to sift opinions.
The practical conclusions, especially as regards any-
thing in the nature of legislation, must be drawn by
those who may at any time be responsible for the
conduct of public affairs. To gain the object satiss
factorily it is necessary that we should have men re-
presenting various interests and various schools of
thought. I want to have men who can speak
more or less for Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham, and
the coal districts, the midlands, London, the south
and south-west, also for Scotland and Ireland.
Also we shouli have free-traders and fair-traders and
currency men. It is a question whether we should
have 'working men.' I am inclined to say yes. With
all these conditions to be complied with, you will see
that it is not an easy thing to settle a list of moderate
dimensions; but we must if possible keep within 18
or 20. Now, as to names. I hive hardly decided on
any, and cannot well do so until I learn whether we
are likely to have the assistance of yourself or any of I
your political friends. Lord Harrowby and Lord
Dunraven are the only men whom I have yet invited.
I should ask one, or two, or three leading fair-traders,
and one or two known free-traders. If you think it
better not to join the inquiry I must look out for
other, though I cannot find better, representatives of
the latter class. Please let me know as soon as you
can what your decision is.—l remain, yours very
faithfully, - 66 IDDESLEICHT.
"The Right Hon. G. Shaw Lefevre, M.P."
"House of Commons, July 20.
"My dear Lord Iddesleigh,—l felt from the very
first doubtful whether a Royal Commission to inquire
into the depression of trade would lead to any useful
results, and whether it would be worth while to
undertake an investigation of such unlimited range;
but I was unwilling to decline when asked by the
Government of the day to render any service within
my power, provided I was satisfied as to the con-
stitution of the commission. Its proposed constitu-
tion, however, as explained in your letter, appears to
me to be so unsatisfactory that I find myself unable
to assent to it by agreeing to serve on it. The known
free traders are, it appears, to be represented by one
or two members only out of 18 or 20, while fair
traders are to be accorded a larger proportion, in
addition to Lords Dunraven and Harrowby, the one
an avowed fair trader and the other one whose
speeches on free trade have been very equivocal. It
appears to me that as free trade is the commercial
and fiscal system of this country, long established and
recognised by law and public opinion, the defence of
it on such a commission ought not to be left to so
small a minority as one or two members, not sup-
porters of the Government.—l am, &c.,
"G. SHAW LEITYRB."

"10, Downing-street, Whiteball, July 21.
"My dear Lefevre,—l am sorry for your decision
which, as I gather from a note I have received from
Mr. Cross, is his also. I think you a little misunder-
stand my letter. There will, I hope, be several sound
free-traders in commission, but they will be men
chosen for some other reason than that of their
political-economical views. But I must now make
the best list I can, and content myself with endea
vouring to make it fairly representative of the various
interests to be examined and inquired into.—l remain,
yours very faithfully, "IDDESLEIGII.
"The Right lion. G. Shaw Lefevre, M.P."
"18, Bryanston-square, July 30.
"Dear Lord Iddesleigh,-1 am much flattered by
your again expressing your wish that I should join
the Royal Commission on the Depression of Trade,
and I have consequently taken a longer time than I
fear you will approve in reconsidering the question
and in making inquiries as to the views of those who
you say have agreed to serve on it. As a result it
appears to me that the commission as now constituted
fully bears out the character which your previous
letter led me to expect. With the exception of your
own name and two others, there are none in the list
of 19 which will inspire confidence in the public, or at
all events with those who believe in the principles of
free trade, while fair-traders are represented in a
very undue proportion. I must, therefore, respect-
fully again decline to serve upon it—Believe me,
yours very truly, G. SHAW LEFEVRE."
"Devonshire House, Piccadilly, W., August 1.
My dear Hicks Beach,—l have seen Lefevre
again, and have discussed with him the composition of
the proposed Royal Commission and the names of
those who, as he has been informed by Lord Iddes-
leigh, have already been nominated and have con-
sented to serve. lam bound to say that I concur
with Lefevre in thinking that, from our point of view,
the commission as now formed, of 19 members, is un-
satisfactory and not likely to give confidence to the
public. No addition to its number of Free-traders or
prominent members of the Liberal party would, in our
judgment, rectify its composition, nor do we see our
way to suggest any modification of the proposed
members. In our opinion the commission would re-
quire such a complete recasting as would be entirely
beyond our province to suggest. Under these circum-
stances I am afraid that I cannot recommend Lefevre
to reconsider the reply which he has already sent to
Lord Iddesleigh.--I remain, yours sincerely,
HARTINOTON." •

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