The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-03-18 00:00:00

OUR EXTRAVAGANT WAR
EXPENDITURE.

A public meeting, convened by the Workmen'a Peace
Association, was held in London on Saturday, for the
purpose of protesting k.gainst the propoaed taxation for
the reorganisation of the arroy.
Mr. Stuart Mill, ALP., preeided, and amongst others
on the platform were Mr. Jacob Bright, M. l'., Mr.
P. A, Taylor, M.P., Mr. Charles Rued, M.P., Sir
Wilfred Lawlion, Ac.
-

The meeting, which was densely crowded, was
extremely noisy from beginning to end.
The Chairman: in opening the proceedings, said that
whatever diversity of opinion might exist in this
country as to the constitution of our military forces,
they must most of them feel dissatisfaction with the
measure of the government, which had been prepared
as a great army reform, to cure the existing defects in
the inffitary system. If an army was ever to be made
of use it must be ready for use when it was wanted.
Our army, however, was vastly too large when it was
not wanted, and of says too small when it was wanted.
We depended too much upon our Channel fleet for
safety. We paid 14 millions a year for our army,
whilst at half the cost the Prussians were able to bring
500,000 men into the field at a fortnight's notice. It
was now proposed to add to that £14,000,000, another
£3,000,000, which was a kind of reform that would
satisfy no one, and if they were to have neither
efficiency nor economy it was time that the people took
the matter into their own hands. The desired object,
he contended, could not be accomplished, by any in-
crease in their standing army. No country could afford
to keep a Btanduig army large enough for the purpose
of war, and we, least of all ; therefore our army should
beour whole people trained and disciplined. What was
wanted was that all who had arrived at manhood should
be placed under military training—say a fortnight
annually—and that would obviate the necessity for a
standing army altogether. The Government bill gave
a more expensive standing army, but did not du any-
thing towards snaking the people cltizen soldiers, and
therefore was not a reform, but an aggravation of
, existing defects. With regard to the abolition of put.
chase, he said that it was only good no part of • system.
The great evil of purchase was that the army was
officered by idle men, who had never done a day's hard
work in their liven; but if the army was to be officered by
men whose desire was to play at soldiers, the only good
part of the system was that they were made to pay
for it. He contended that no promotion should be
possible except to men who had made military matters
their serious study, and urged that the bill, as a whole,
was a etep in the wrong direction, fur in it he could Bee
, no germ of a better state of thine in the future.

Mr. D. Untie (general secretory of he Donfounders'
Soci, ty) moved the first resolution, to the effect "That
the meeting, believing the country was never safer
from invaeion than at the present period, refuses to
sanction any increased tote of money to our army,
already more costly than any other military force in
Europe, and regrets that a Liberal Government shouli
be so weak as to yield to the ill-founded fears of the
alarmist/3 by laying fresh burdens on an already over-
taxed people." The speaker, in the course of his
remarks, wan interrupted by a large number of men in
the galleries, who waved red handkerchiefs and ex-
hibited placards bearing the words, "English Re-
public," shouting at the Fame time " Republic for
ever." This piece of folly drew forth expressions of
indignation from the very large majority of the meet-
ing in the body of the hall, who in a few minutes suc-
ceeded in silencing the interruption.
Mr. Howard Evans seconded the motion.

Mr. Jacob bright, M.P., in supporting it, said he
was sure that the chairman did not expect every ,
speaker that followed him to agree with all he had '
Paid. For his part he did not wish to see this a nation
of soldiers, because he believed that no nation of sol-
diers could ever conduct commerce as the English bad
done. They bad come together that evening to ask
why the extra amount of £2,800,000 was demanded of
the people. He believed there was no man present or
elsewhere who could give a satisfactory answer to that
question. (Hear, hear.) He did not wish to speak
in terms of disrespect of the present Government. He
hail given it his consistent support (voices—" Oh,
yes," and laughter), but they must not expect too
much of any government (a voice—" No milk and
water sentiments, Mr. Bright"). He condi not but
think that the people should be more active, for
unless they were, they would most assuredly have
an increasing expenditure, which would ultimately
bring ahout had results. (Cheers.) He did not believe
that there was a man in the country, unless he was
crazed, who was not fully convinced that the present
expenditure for the protection of the country was
already enough (cheers.) That meeting, 89 he under-
stood, was called by the Workmen's Peace Association
(oh, oh, and laughter). Now he did not agree with
any policy that did not provide a powerful voice of
interference when occasion might arise, and if the
Peace Association had any other policy it was not, in
his opinion, consistent with its title. There were, he
said, great political and social questions to be settled in
this country ; but a settlement would never be arrived
at except through a long term of continued peace.
Mr. P. A. Taylor, who was loudly cheered, sail the
bill which had been introduced by the Governmet with
reference to the army was ahi idol compromise. He
was bound to say thxt he at one time voted for rai leg
30,000 men more to the army, but the period had
paroled, and at the present they were never safer ia his
opini on from attack. (Cheers.) They did not want au
increase in the army—what they wanted was a natiAllti
force.

Mr. Johnson, in a lengthy speech, denouncing the
acti kn of the Gaverament as prejuuici.l to canoe of
lioerty, moved an amendment to the effect that Eng.
bind would bier itably decay unless entirely recon-
stituted upon a pure cosmopolitan ptiociple.
Mr. Elliot seconded the amendment, assuring the
meeting that they would never have a decrease of taxa-
tion while they had kings tu.d queens to support (loud
cheers).
The Chairman express( d a hope that Mr. Johnson
would withdraw his amendment, as its points involved
questions they had not met to discus.
Mr. Johnson refused to withdraw his motion, which
was ultimately put, and lost by an overwhelming ma-
jority.
The original motion, on being put was carried amidst
tremendous cheers.

A second resolution, calling on the members of the
Hauge of Commons to resist by every constitutional
means the proposals of the government to add to tho
present warlike expenditure, was moved, seconded, and
supported by several working men from the provinces;
and a vote of thanks to the chairman closed the pro-
ceedings.