The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-10-17 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION:

Lord Derby, speaking at Blackburn on Saturday,
said there was a restlessness for reform which could
not be ignored. The Tories spent freely, swaggered,
and went as near war as possible, and thereby drew
public attention from the question of local govern-
ment and other reforms. While he would not sup
gest that they would barter the English hold on
Ireland for the sake of the Parnellite support, he
warned them that they were running into strong
temptation. It was necessary that in the new Parini...,
ment the Liberals should have a majority irrespective
of the Irish party, and while he advised the Whigs
not to be scared by the utterances of the more ad-
vanced members of the Liberal party, he asked the
Radicals to remember that if they went in for too
much they might in the end get nothing.
Lord Hartington addressed a large Liberal meet,.
ing at Rossendale on Saturday. Criticising the
foreign policy of the Government, he expressed a
hope that they would not thwart but foster the growth
of Bulgaria and Roumelia as self-sustaining and in-
dependent nationalities. Replying to Lord Randolph
Churchill's recent invitation to join the Conservative
party, Lord Hartington said that he had no confP
deuce in the leaders of the party, while he bad coil.?
fidence in the colleagues with whom he had beeit
acting. With regard-to the legislation of the futnre,L
he stated that there was a great deal that would have
to be fully considered and fought out within the
Liberal party itself before it could adopt as a united,'
party the principle of free education. Lord Harting4
ton criticised in detail the Marauis nf Plraliuhurv'a nt•A4

posais win respect to toe iana laws ana Weal govern.
ment.
Mr. Goschen, speaking at Edinburgh on Saturday
night, said that the recent statement of Lord Salis.
bury with regard to the Irish policy of the Govern-
ment was not so clear and decisive as the country had
a right to expect. He was dissatisfied with Lord
Salisbury's proposals on the subjects of local govern-
ment and local taxation. Proceeding to state his
views on the land question, Mr. Goschen said that he
cordially approved of every facility being given to
landlords to sell and of every step that would facili-
tate the cheap transfer of land. He was not afraid
to go forward with the multiplication of small hold-
ings. On the contrary, he was in favour of this
system of allotro.etzts' arid he rejoiced to think that
under the influence af public opinion great progress
is beitig made with the whole system of allotments.
Mr. Parnell was present at a Nationalist demons-
tration at Kildare on Sunday even:ng, and, in reply
to a number of addresses of welcome, he remarked
, that he was pleased to see that agrarian offences in
Ireland in the month after the lapse of the Coercion
Act showed a considerable diminution. Speaking on
the land question, he said that the Land Act would
have to be amended in the very near future, either by
the English or an Irish Parliament, and a further
reduction of rents would be brought about.
Lord George Hamilton, addressing a great Conser
vative meeting at Leamington, disclaimed being a
Protectionist. All he wished to see was fair play
between English manufacturers and foreign manufac-
turers. Liberals took every opportunity of unduly
protecting foreign productious against home manu-
factures. There were only two programmen before
the country, those of Chamberlain and Salisbury.
The Gladstone manifesto was so curiously worded
that it might be applied as expressing approval of
Salisbury's or Chamberlain's views. It was not in the
power of any political party to carry out the promises
made by Mr. Chamberlain, which meant that the
community generally was to be taxed for the benefit
of certain sections. His proposals would drive capital
from land by making land not worth having. The
Conservative party would sweep away all restriction
and expedite the natural forces for increasing the
number of landowners. Free education meant the
increase of I:7,000,000 taxation.

Mr. E. Stanhope, M.P., addressing a meeting at
Paddington, said that if any one could understand
Mr. Gladstone's programme he was very clever
indeed, the document being most misty. The present
Government had brought to a satisfactory conclusion
the negotiations as to Egypt, which were at a dead-
lock, and were now carry. ng on further negotiations
for a settlement of the diSculties still before them.

The Earl of Dunraven, at a large Conservative
demonstration at Norwich, denied most positively
that there was any arrangement between the Govern-
ment and Mr. Parnell. With regard to the land
question, much as he should like to see more small
freeholders and occupiers, it was a most foolish thing
to attempt to create them forcibly. He contended.
that if England had not then resisted the Russian
advance in Afghanistan after our Envoy had been
insulted and intrigues had been discovered there
might have been a Mussulman rising in India and a
great disaster. Mr. Harry Bullard, brewer, of
Norwich, became Conservative candidate in response
to a memorial signed by 5000 electors.
Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett, M.P., addressing a meeting
of electors at Chester, said that Mr. Chamberlain had
been delighted at the destruction of the Treaty of
Berlin by the union of the two Bulgarias. But the
big Russian Bulgaria from which Russia was to have
had Constantinople at her mercy did not exist, and
had been prevented, not by Lord Beaconsfield and
Lord Salisbury alone, but by the whole of Europe.
The Eastern Question was complicated by the num-
ber of nationalities of which the Mussulnian was by
no means the worst.
Lord Harris, addressing a crowded meeting held in
the Public Hall, Gravesend, in connection with the
opening of the borough of Gravesend Habitation of
the Primrose League, said it was necessary now that
Conservatism should put forth its strength to stop the
growth of the enslaving bond of the caucus. There
was now, too, an endeavour to thrust all religion out
of the educational system of the country, and the
HOllBO of Lords was also attacked. In conclusion he
gave a detailed exposition of the League and. its con-
ditions of membership.
On Monday Mr. Bright opened the Crispin Hall,
which has been erected at Street, Somerset, at the ex-
pense of his son-in-law, Mr. Clarke. Addressing a
large meeting in the hall, Mr. Bright dwelt upon the
advantage which Free Trade had conferred upon
Somersetshire and Dorsetshire, as well as upon the
entire country. No doubt many people were in
favour of free education because people were by in-
stinct favourable to anything which would lessen their
expenses and not diminish their advantages. There
was a good deal to be said upon the question, but he
did not think the payment of the pence for education
was a burden from which conscientioes parents ought
to shrink. He did not desire any new-fangled propo-
sition with regard to land, but he thought the obstruc-
tions which the present lave placed in the way of the
I easy transfer and &vision of land' should be
removed.
Mr. Childers, ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer, ad-
dressing his constituents at Pontefract, speaking of the
I reform of the county government of Great Britain,
said he rejoiced greatly at the immense strides which
Lord Salisbury's speech at. Newport showed that he
had made on this subject. His lordship doubtless
knew what the Liberals were ready to propose, had
time allowed, in the last session of Paliameut, and he
had shadowed out a workable plan. What they
wanted was the leaving to the great towns the entire
r management of municipal affairs, and the counties
should each have what might be called a small Par-
liament popularly elected.
Mr. Herbert Gladstone commenced his election
campaign at Leeds on Monday, and addressed two
meetings of his constituents. The hon. member said
that the question of Ireland was paramount. They
haudn to deal
four
with five millions of people, and of that
n
r millions were determined that questions
touching their nterests must be dealt with, and
should be dealt with, in the coming Parliament. The
hon. member afterwards criticised the recent speeches
of Lord Salisbury and Lord Randolph Churchill,
alleging that now the former was brought face to
face with the Irish questions he had nothing to say
about it. It was clear some reform was necessary,
and all parties were agreed in abolishing the Lord
-
Lieutenancy, and moreover the system of police was
altogether wrong. Nobody denied the necessity of
reform, and, in the speaker's opinion, they ought to
give in frankly to the desires of the Irish people—
namely, self-government maintaining always the
rights and privileges of the Crown and the rights,
liberties, and religion of the minority.
Mr. Labouchere and Mr. Bradlaugh addressed a
meeting of the electors of East Finsbury on Tuesday
night. Mr. Bradlaugh announced that upon mature
consideration be had determined to withdraw from
his candidature for that division, in order that Mr.
Merchant Williams, who he declared had hitherto
declined all offers of arbitration, should submit his
claims within forty-eight hours to authorities to be
selected for that purpose. The meeting passed a
resolution endorsing Mr. Bradlaugh's conclusion, but
protesting against his retiring.
Mr. Chaplin, M.P., addressed a meeting in Crieff
on Tuesday in support of the Conservative candidate,
Colonel Drummond Moray, and severely criticised
Mr. Chamberlain's proposal to give local boards the
power to take land compulsorily to form allotments
for labourers. He further believed that such a pro-
ceeding would result in failure.
Speaking at a large Conservative meeting at
Shrewsbury in support of the candidatuee of Mr.
James Watson, Me. Ashmead-Bartlett said that he
was not opposed to small holdings, but the peasant
proprietors abroad had protective tariffs to aid them.
The new-faugled philanthropists should begin by
giving fixed fair wages out of their large profits, which
were from 20 to 30 per cent., while the profits on land
were but 2 or 3 per cent.
Mr. Herbert Gladstone, at Leeds on Tuesday,
stated that he was in favour of the exclusion of tlie
bishops from the House of Lords—an opinion which
his father shared.
Mr. W. H. Smith and Lord A. Percy took leave of
their constituents, the electors of Westminster, at St.
James's Hall, London, on Tuesday evening. Mr.
Smith said the recent speeches of the Liberal leaders
showed that Conservatives had only to stand aside
and the Liberals would destrcy one another. Mr.
Childers had virtually proposed a repeal of the union
with Ireland; was that done with the acquiescence of
his colleagues in the late Government P In respect
to education, Mr. Smith contended that sonic religious
instruction should be given to children, the parents
deciding what kind it alp:mid be. He saw scope for
reforms in the spending de,partment of the
Government, ei-al would do whathe could to effect
them if he was eontinued a office.