The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1884-06-17 00:00:00


WORKING YEN'S LIBERAL ASBOCIATION.

A meeting of Ni. member. and frith& of the new
Working bliin's Liberal Associetton was held at toe
North,quare Assembly Booms on Friday evening,
when the kith. T. Nears presided,
_supported on the
piatl.rot by Ur. Arthur Look, Mr. Sue&land, Mr.
Groves, Mr. Berge, Mr. norms, and Mr. J. A. ta.
Bruce (barrieternsdaej, who bad twee sonotaticed to
spank on the Measnree of the Present deadon.
Tbe Citthattan, in bis opening remarks, expreseed
his great •thietactiona at 'smog thole. peethat. He had
very mach ploathre in respoading to tusk very oordiel
request to take tee caw, and this was tas first oppor-
Leaky *WA he had bad al 'awaking the deep sym-
pathy with the action of the working men uteoansothoo
with their present organization. Us ethofethed be had
felt ea firth as if, perhaps. it was mid...ire:3le they
, should multiply their org azuzation. and he felt a little sore
that the Liberal Association 'man bed been jemod
some time Me had Wed a natural death, lie was not
there to eater late any birli of examination ars 13 how
that 41010•11 OSOIS about; at all *Tenth the toemag
association had died and the working inee bed deelered
they are thing, and, so far, he thungbt thsy wen to
be eollirretnialei. (Heat, hear.) But they would
allow him to say they were all united in this one
Idea, that there was to be no die-union and no dis-
organization In the Liberal party in Dorchester. It
bad been too moth the fashion for their
Oonaervative friends to trade upon the dieunith
io the Liberal party in days gone by,
but now hi thought they had got quite
enough to do to heal their own differences and
their own dimensions. (Hoar, ham) He was happy
to say there was no fourth party amongst the Lithrals,
but they were united, and although perhaps the
political horizon was • little surcharged at the preheat
time, and they did not know whet • week or even •
day might bring forth, yet he did hope Mr. Gladstone
would find himself in Aka nut week after he had
made his statement in the House of Commons with
regard to the Anglo-French negotiations. (Applause.)
The snlaject which beought them together that night
was " The Methane of the Meant Stheloo,' whith
was t o be treated, he had no doubt, in • very able and
efficient way by Mr. Bruce, whom, as Liberals, they
very cordially welcomed to this ancient borough of
Dorchester. (Loud applause.) It woul I be very un-
ee•mly on hi. part to enter into any kind of discussion
on this 'object, but he might be allowed to con-
gratulate that audience on the safe piloting of that
splendid measure, the Fronchiee Bill, by Mr.
Gladstone. Now the only danger which seemed
to beset that Bill we. he thought, in con-
motion with Mr. Woodi:ll's amendment that the
Franchise should be extended under oertain Ilmita-
tins. to ladles. Now, in the preemies of ladies, he
ought to be allowed to express his very high apprecia-
tion of their mental !soothe., still he should be allowed
to say bow very sorry he should 131 U anything had
bun allowed for • moment to wreak that grand
measure itself. (Applause.) So far they were
thankful, as far as the House of Commons was con-
oersted, there was no denier with regard to the Bill;
what might be it. fate In the Hones of Lords he
did not know, end as a genuine Lib/rat—
ite did not much care (applthee) but he
should be unwilling to believe that the Bill which had
received such an immense amount of eapport—unpria-
oedented support—in the HOU. Of Commons by the
Liberal party, and which was bathed by the
concentrated opinion of the entire country—he was
not ti.epared, he wad, to believe that the Hones of
Lord. would show themselves so weak and foolish as
to ending.' their reputation and their Rothe by
opposing and costing oat this Bill. (leer, bear.)
Lord Sallebary waa • very able oath—give him his
due—a wonderfully able oath mantelly, but he did not
think the country was prepared to othamit the reins
of Government to him, espthially In othosotion with
the Egyptian question and our home polioy. There-
fore he was not prepared to beneath that the Home of
Lords will after ethoond thought be prepared to oppose
this mamma substantially as It was sent up to them
by the Hoes* of Common., (Hear, hear.) The
Franchise Bill, however, ws. by no meths the
only meows the Government had brought into the
Howe of Commons, although it would be • very
Large piece of work done, and would certainly save the
Session from being designated as barren. (Heer,
beer.) Mr. Neave having briefly alluded to the
Merchant Shipping Bill and the L,adon Governmitot
Bill, called on the lecturer for his address.
Mr. Bacot, who was warmly received, said the
question upon which be intended to speak that night
with Liberalism, and chiefly with regard to the
mthenree of the premed Seethe. Now, probably they
would think that more important than any other
measure that had been introduced by the pretent
Government was the Bill for the Extension of the
Franchise; it was, therefore, to that Bill be should
chiefly allude to that night. But before he did so he
sh oul.l just like to allude to • few of the great mesouree
the Liboral party had patheal into law during the past
50 years. in order that those who hod not made up
their mind which party to belong to might be able to
judge which of the two parties in the State at the
I present time they ought to supp In 1832 the
'teat Reform Bill, that change 1• sham representation
Into • real one, we. passed—(epplause)—and before
mentioning other great measure. Mr. Bruce briefly
sketched a few of the wonderful anomalies that 'Elated
in the country previous to the Bill. In 1833 slavery
was abolished in Ni. oolonter, sod a little later on
reforms were made In the different Municipal Corpora-
tions. Then the Liberals brought in • sobeene for
Penny Postage, and he asked those who had not
made up their mind on politica to nonsider whenever
they received • letter or posited • letter, and being
able to send it fr on one part of England to another
for a penny, this boon was doe to the Liberal Govern-
ment. Then cams the Abolition of the Corn Laws, the
repeal of the tax on window". newspapers, abolition of
Compulsory Church Rotes. Purchase In the Army,
and the Bidlth Aat, the passing of the Burials Act, the
Nth.. and Rabbit, Bill, the Corrupt Practice' Act.
the Patent, Act, the Bankruptcy Act, and • great
many others—in fact if they took the :Bigots Bo .k
tor the lest 50 years and look at the important
mthattres that bed beep peeled, they would flood
almost every one of them had then pls.,' by the
Liberal Governmeut ( App:ths ) Paring in to
r•fer to o the question of the Repree.,nt Aiwa and lb)
ffrainthith Mr. Brun said before 1832 the franchise
was so reetric el that • thing like this was sot aloe to
tube piths : in the county of Bute there was as
election, and there was only one evident elector in
the whole countr. Thi, solitary ele,:t Weeded a
meeting, and he t .ok the chair ; he put it to the
meeting that. he M. o fit no I pr..p.r person to be
knight of the shire for the ...mode .1 But.; there was
noose el. there, a, he ...isle I it, ha then put it to
the meeting sod deo:thel it to be unanimously
untried. ou 1 laugther.) Various Reform Bus
were Introduced, until in 1888 Mr. Glaletone intro-
'led the Reform Bill that prop eel to give to every-
on, who lived in the ono:ties, and pall £ll • year,
1 • vote. Thie mthenre was opposed by the
Oththervativee, who were joined by • few weak-
bused Liberal., forinhog what Mr. Bright aptly
termed the Oath of A fuller°, boothse they drew to
them all those who were dioapp doted of office.
These Liberale j drool the Conaethatives, and three
out the Bill booth. they said it was too revolutionary.
Next year the Conservatives OM" into out,., and they
who had turned out the Liherals because they had
proposed a rev.dotioosry mea-sx-e, then intr .duried a
, Reform Bill. That Bill MN full of cheeks and
eountor chocks, full .4 fiery fraachiss, ski
dethitod to take away with 000 band coat they gave
I with the other. The Lib thus happened t be in
ca.) .rity in the FI the of C nonsoo.. cool under the
giii.lewee of Mr. Glaistone and Nir. Bright o ompletely
altered that measure ; In feet it ent re" the House in
the shave end left it in an entirely different show-
s., popular Wigwag. it might he ea.l it left the 800.
In such a seate that it wen mother would n t 1.11•4
known it. (Laughter.) This gave to every house-
holder a vote, and a very few lodger. In the lowa. a
vote also, In the a matie• it gore ovary On. who
, lived in • house of the rateable value of £l2 • year
and upwards, • vote, and this was the 'unclose a: the
omega time. Thie was the stile of things that the
Cooservativse were so anxious to want ain—a condi
11.. which not only differed as between those who
lived in boroughs and those who lived just outside,
but which differed even as amo-gat the counties
themselves, and he we, sure they would agree with
him that whatever the law might fix the franchise
at. It ought to be a cortsio fixed and definite one,
and the question whether • citian of this oountry use
to have • vote or not ought nth to be at the discretion
, of the revising harrieter, but it ought to be fixed by
law. lie mentioned several hasten°'e of the Incon-
sistency of the revising barrister.' alth ugh as
admitted they were not all bal. Let them aow
consider what was the m-itante that Ofr. Giadetons
had introduce I, and to whom it wool I give votes.
He knew it had bees raid by oatain Cothervatithe
It was • canoes.' in to ignorther, and wood I give
clonathe sot fools • too; so •th-f soaker said it was
a tarssur• that w swamp all the nth', by
Intro %king a class thee werebra'regt and untto
to have votes. Hs would first deal with the
alleged " ignorance.' Toe new franchloe was to be
extended to the cooLtiee, and there was to be •
envies trassidas is both boroasha sad counties This
Wass was a aware istrodsaid, be believed, Ist tbs

first Urns by Mr. Gla Isteree and at proposed 'het much
" Ignorant men" ail theseschoelmasters, of an 0111c,r in
the eerily or navy who heel in • 3 olcyar,l h .oar,
an' igo 'rant person" like Out learte,ger f a La .1,
who, under the pretreat law, dirt ot get • v ae,
because be did not pay rent, getti i the boo-e ret.t a.
part of his servict—it was prow., i that ignorant sn
hke thew elosuld have vote.. (Hear, hoer.) Were
Nonconformist ministers, manasters, echo emot ost,
and men et • like description, uefitted to have •
vol.? yet he happened to know • town in which oely
one out of 15 Noucoutormist modelers had the •ette.
Every one ut them would get • vote under the lodger
or service franohise. (Idear, beard A ,other
was the mums of Nurthumberlaipl, loath ou, arid
other places. At lb. Kama tines tit ,y hat Totems for
the t two of Morpetle, See how 'trey dieoieye I tbeir,
" lalerame" in the tows—they return. d to t,S
House of C onineue Mr. Thom. Burke, • work-
ing man, who was generally admitted by both
sides of the House to be 0011 of the root useful mein-
b re in Pazilameut. (Applause.) Deem elerpeth
ruiners not only relaxed Mr. Barks, but they re-
turned him free of expense-ethos, " ieuorarit and
citrates.' men" had suffieleot thrift and aelesectifios
to subeertbe • certain cum annually to keep their •
member in an indepeudent position in toe House of •
Commous—(appleme)—yet in the villages &rotted
there were equally intelligeot moo who work-d in
exactly toe mute otiose boo who were equally quail- ,
tied, who hied not a volts, is the country. Then, with
regard tar agricultural lab Alters. • great many herd
words bad boa. said about them; yet he did not I
know that b,cause some of them migut be very ion ir- .
mit the majority of them were. (Hear, heard It nod
been mid there wee a residuum of them, but, ea Mr.
Bright said, there Wa. • reeirluom in every clogs—in
tee Cameo, at to. Bar, everywhere-oasis, solo Mr.
Bright, la the U muse of Common.. (Laughter.) He
(tn. speaker) did not think it would be at ell fair it
tee, were to tete the member, let them say, for Brid-
purt, as a specimen of what membees of toe Home
of Commute were like. (L oil lauebter, and
• Voice t We don't went oey doukey. hero)
It was nail the agricultural labourets were
totally unfit to have vetee, but be should
like to ask them when they wood be fit. It was very
much like the Iriebinao, woo absolutely ref used to go
into the water until be had learnt to swim. (Laugh-
ter.) Ie certain come the agricultural labourers had
rotes, sada he could say they mad them well it stood
to mem others who bad not them would use them
equally well if they had. Tows were about 53
boroughs In England whore the agricultural labourers
had votes, and in some of tinge cawe the ma) troy
of the eleoture were agricultural Imo:rem He
iastacosel Cooklade, Ayleebary, Eje, and Woodstock,
In which the egrionitural labru,ers had •otee, and
where they knew pretty well how to me them. He
bad • Keay shrewd suspicion that • certain ',vest
would take Macs in the county el Norfolk when the
whcle of the labourers were eufrenchised. Mr. Arch
had ezpreesed his initiation of contesting the o
and be (Sir. Bruce) was almost certein be would be
returned. (Applaoste.) Ttion there was another class
of people who lived in the suburbs of large towns'
Ilk. London, Liverpool, and biaeonester. At the
present time the Mau who earned, sey 18s., and who
tiered in the b dough and peid es. • weak house
rent had • vote. By and bye this man is made fore-
moo. and gets 30e. • week, and de -s on taking a
little cottage outaide the smoky town, where his wife
and children may be a little more healthy. An election
Coaled round, and of oonne he (apse to be able to
exercise hie vote as umal. But o he ie t 'el when
he lived in the town and *amid it.. a week be c told
have • vote, but now be ham got ou in life and live. in
the suburbs and pays my 6s. • week on a better
home, be hashed that privilege. Another anomaly warn
that the people who Used In the large towns Ilk*
Barrow, to the number of 50,000, wer• unrepresented,
whores& • small t two like D .rctieet-r, with 1.000 or
1,300 electorte--(11r. ARTHUR Loci t Between 900 and
I.ooo)—watt more fortunate, and retorted its member.
Them 50.000 people in Barrow were not all workiug
men, but many tradesmen and the like. He shoul I
like to eel whether the climes he had mentiened
were more Ignorant than those who hat the
vote at the present time, (No, no.) do his
opinion they were equally fit mid in s sum
came greatly superior. filen it was said t .er was
no agitation in favour of this questien. Lord
Randolph Churchill at Blackped said no one wanted
it, but he should like t t kutiw bow people Were to
show they wanted it. Censtitutional aeitatien had
token plaoe all over the comity. an.l the Agricultural
Labourers' Union had been hot ;in 100 Into Inge every
week on an average. He knee/ 80,000 people
aesemblei on one of the moors in N uthumberlsed at
great inconvenience to themolre., in order to say
they wanted the Fraorthiata. They could hardly take
up their paper without seeing an account of some
meeting, which has been held by thwe who had not
the vote to protest &mind their exeluaien from the
Franchise. But this was only anetber hart trice of the
Tory policy; they always endeaveured to put off
Reform until too late, whereas the Liberal party had
ever euderevoured to right wrongs and redress
grievanose in times of quiet, so that in unquiet time.
there might be no danger to the State. (L mud
Applause.) Referring to the exclueetn f irelan i from
the extended Franchise, Mr. Bruce sal I one of the
raison.; form excluding her was th it the peep', lived
in rood hovels. Bit why del they live no TOrs
reason Was wh they had is tilt decent boom'
their rent had been 'lwo immediately. lie b there.'
! that tha reason the people of Ireland h• 1 not
been attended to in the past, an I that
their interests had not been coosileied, had
been precisely Meanest they hat had no
votsa, anti, therefore, mamboed "( Parliament did not
ewe sulliOently for them. ((fear, bear.) Passing
on to refer to the Son lan dlSculty and the alleged
abandonment of Gordon, the speak. said elthouth
In London and • few other pieces the Comer•ativee
might think the Gevernment war net eupp erted In
their action, yet in the provincial p arts of the ceuntry
the people keew the Govern's:mit had not &ban teasel
Gordon, and did not blend Ii &hen to, him. (Lou I
apoleuss.) The Oon-ervatives were only tides( Gordon
se • Wesorin &oohed the Liberal G reernin,ut. ( flew,
hear.) They knew well enough when G odon issued
that slavery proclamation there wee no one who
more bitterly attacked (I wden than L nd Salisbury
and the members of the o,tp within, yet wheu it suited
them to say Mr. Gladstone bad abatolontel U trdon they
took him up and endeavoured ti say the, h .d been
his friend. all the time, aod the Liberal Government
oppositeto ( Hear, heard Gi),1011 was meat °w.f.° try
sitefreily the Soudan ; be wee not to employ an
" It
wee by f:he i;rrititei:tiambleslentruaanc7re-haldMill:"-tir.ClLded In
! China, and onoe before in the 9 turbo, that pewee was
to be restored, and the Government did net pls.'s'
themselves for the safety of the whitie of the Egyptian
garrison' in the Soudan. Tbe G teen:meat loteeded
when the right etia•Oti Mime to sen I an armed twee
up the Nile to rescue General Ur orlon himself, an 1
soy of his Mende, and that they c ineidered to be the
extent of their duty. (Applause.) If the G oarument
were to wand 10,000 men Keartou a, n it 3.000 would
roach it, and when the surgeon.. get there they might
fiod Gorden with the Crouton lous eaeoorces be be
shown be had always had at his aispoal. woe some-
where down at the equator. Wei* the ei ...rumen"
to bo compelled by rash cries, by pe tree wh • a ut I
not have all the information that the le sverumeot had
at their disposal, to send a iaree loco out
here, which the military authoritre told them
would be quite uueble to proceed till the Nile rises I
The Goverument knew tlwir duty, and he believed the
people threuehout the country bade perfect trait in
them, and even II there were any doubt, he dal not
think thee runtry wage' all likely to turnout the Liberal
Government in order to make Lord Salideury Premier.
(Hear, bear.) Leaving foreign affair. mid reverting to
the franchise, the speaker conclude( by referrioe ti
mm.saires which were in the coutemplati el of the
Liberal party, re-arraogement of the L in I Laws,
bettor local government in count' ,e, the Itcen.ing
question. All these and many other ti mei es, td
amanita reform must soon be o lered, end the
Liberal party, under a leader like Mr. GI tilet use, who
was probably the greeted otatwenan this country has
ever produced, would carry these, and even greater
meaning of reform, He Mermaid on them Um
abseluta necessity of union, and asked th "at s teke to
heart Mr. Glelatone's word with which he em-led his
Intr elution of the latest Referm Bill—" What Is
wented in order to peso this Bill le nolen :toe union
only; what will endanger it is a disunion and
i.niy. Let u. b Id firaily t *ether. aud
sure tie will cr. wu um efforts.' (Load appliatiee.) Let
them have oche in the b trough of 11 ochester and
uni 'sin the cienty ef Dorset ; they had only to hold
firmly together, and emcees w mid mown Voir efforta.
(Ohms.)
Mr. Davis pr 'peed—" That this meeting has every
tofidence in Cu. pol,cy perooel t p *swat
Gevernovot, rupi tru4 th d th-ir en leaven t paw
the Irsachiee Bill night isr tro ems s fit," He
towed they week' bold theoviel Wel tol Mara' as
, they had ben told by ?Ir. Bruce, sal that they would
get their brethren outside to mine and h.lp them.
(applause.)
! Mr. Gooess wooded the proposition. llt thought
it wee only right and just they should se .d such •
proposition to the Government II shoo they were
united with them in the good week they were a irry-
iog out. (Applause.)
The Onetime' then, lath, name of the 11.1 Hence
returned most hearty thank.. to Mr. Bruce hie
powenoe with them, and I ir the n üble sereice Which
h. had Ten hared to the Liberal rouge in le to; sever.
(iieer, hear.) Referring to the Freachisy q io.ti .n,
aud mpeoially In relation to the rural p etelation,
the rev. gentleman sell it bad Men hi. go I fertune,
Se • Nencoefermist minister, to make • verr
stole. of the agricultural labourer. He might nay.
for Ole satlsf masa of Mr. Bruce, he had tool the
;deacon of Es:riming to Mr. Arch on to re than ins
eccost in, when be heel spoken to the aericniturol
la's tire's of Dorset in the aunty town, arid it had
alvory. struck him very forcibly ash. ha 1 li.tened to
Mn, Arch to observe the excoodiug keeniews and
ehre +doe's they displayed in peroeivi g the fine
! p titite the speaker would seek to put b f We them.
(Hear, hear.) He ventured to my that the ..gricul•
roil labourer, with all the outside roped of
! dullowe, when they got a little beyond tee
external, had • wonderful amount of shrewd-
' 116.11 and intelligenoo If the lab-iurer in
Dorset knew what eggs and butter were sellieg at Is
London, they might depend upon it he knew • groat
many things beeidee Tb 7 might be curs the &erica'.
tural labeurer when he got the franthie would • stet
for tb tee measures which would be c inductive to the
welters of the working men, and tend ti the stability
of the English people. (Applause.) Ha gave Mr.
Arch credit of, to • great extent, urging forwent the
fraueei-ii question to its proemial prwitioo. He did
not beli-ve, se it had been said, that the aerie Muted
lobaurer would vote Tory when they had the v Is,
Mt even if they did that woe not the question. The
simple question they had to determine was whether
the labourer Was qualified to the vote. He believed
he wos--(hear, boar)—and therefore he was eneitle4 on
all rational grounds to • voice in the constittaito.
aßtelPPhisue Thii had a s
only support Mtrog
r. strong
in
isleepflchu7it:or:
They ceeld not be dimmed. Tale warn& Wor k ing
Lib. r AMoination, hut there Were others beside. w.rk•
log m-o who sere Liberal politleionelu so:heeler, and
theeefore they must be .21 ""14111. (APPlouse3 Ttor
moot to suit. thole (mom, owl if pooi: e '"ant
to go in at the top of the poll. (Loud Applause,)
Mr, Anhui. Loot, I, rising to meowed the vote 01
thanks to Ur, BitTif" said Map ought also to Wish

their old fries I Mr. woe fur sanding his down ti
a Are*, tileco. luaus, ) nxike the moll home.
end to e 1 rce %mat Mr, Brous had sold as to tin
t'.at n sr ez out I, Nle. Luk lamina 4101 •
striking we :hit even n.iw owns,. t in Dorslo-rter.
NI, W. 'Edit% ee 'lt y w.s losildieg • row ot
h u-se on tto B Lip .rt.r nut. ne lb. la .led al
p-es, I, if no wat Os) oaf a certeln line, NI be pro-
peel to do in the hoses on oiii.ieda• Imes
wou,d Vo ~ wore-, ger, B. in the house Oa
In-. other ...le of the lin, WOO' I net,
Mr. Lock further mentioned for Mr. Brumes
in,orroattui that at Waldman the agricultural
labours.. heel votes. At B-re Rork puttOf Wat•h•lo
borough, rhe i• outs, erere *of 1110 I he
might roeut'on toy vote I .r the nest eauli
•Ith-urf, luDrhstt. ue ws. u tue etaunish St 1.1 oral
the Hon.. or Cirinsia• u ...owed. (Mr. LOTILL Urn
Sheft«bury vr,11.) 11, had been very such struck
wi,b the dirbwe ma the F anoniee 88., how lotel.igrot
C n.erretiviss hid dr• ,pered the argument that the
labourer vs. not quilt '4 for the vote. They were
no
g dug liff on the side wla.l of re-distributi it, •
impure:, tries ion alt r, but Mr. GiAslstooa we.
Itt wi.e ti nail one subject up sub the other. 'leer,
haw.) lie slim /sly ttuwed ill- El -use of L .rl.l would
think twice before they threw out the Bill, when they
cousideriai that every chose lied been parsed
very large majorities, cud the cl mos they thought to
.livi le the 0 wernowut ua—stiether Irelstid should
Lai, the rote or hot— bey had the largest mai city of
all. ( tpplaue .4 He certainly • tented the Is • to—
ff he might promote to d *ugh • thiag—to carefully
road the eposch of the Atioreey-Uouitral last week,
which c oi.aine I th 'rough civic. I- these. to whet
th-y 'old do with the Frauohiee Bill. Sir 'bogy
Junes ri•liculed what they h A dins in deciding to
lb. ow out the Bill before the II Awe of 0 num ow Usti
actually decided is what f IS lc should go op to them.
(Heir, heti% and laughter.)
Mr. Built then p-Assied, and Mr. Baucg sec ,n 1
a vote thanks to the Chairman, wh.ch brought the
' melting to • does,