The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-10-24 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION.

On Saturday Mr. Trevelyan, M.P. spoke at
Taunton in connection with a testimonial presented
to Lord Kilcoursie for his efforts on behalf of the
' Liberal cause at the last election. He denied the
statement made by the Quarterly Review that the con-
dition of Ireland was undeniably far better than it
had been since Mr. Gladstone returned to power, and
•be emphatically denied the assertion made by Lord
Salisbury to the effect that the condition of Ireland,
which was now so discreditable and so dangerous,
grow up under, and was due to the administration of,
Lord Spencer and himself. He did not believe that
that a,sertion would be endorsed by a single
man who had any property at stake in
Ireland, be be Liberal or Conservative, and he
pitied from his heart and soul those Irish land-
lords and Irish farmers who read the sort of
statements made by Lord Salisbury on this side of
the channel for Conservative consumption. When
Lord Spencer was in Ireland, civil obligations were
fulfilled. They were not fulfilled now. When Lord
Spencer and himself were in Ireland, rent was paid
more regularly than it was in England; but at the
present moment in many parts of Ireland—he
thought he might say in most parts—sent was not
being paid at all, and boycotting was more virulent
and more universal now than it was then. But the
most inconceivable statement of Lord Salisbury's was
that the Crimes Act did not diminish outrage.
Before the Crimes Act was passed—in 1881—there
were 4406 agrarian outrages; but in 1883 there were
only 762, whlle the murders had decreased from 26
in 1881 'o nine in 1884.
Mr. Childers was the principal speaker at a Liberal
demonstration held in Orton-park, Peterborough, the
seat of the Marquis of Huntly, where there were
delegates present from Efuntingdonshire, Northamp-
tonshire, and Lincolnshire. Replying to a vote Of
confidence in the late Government, Mr. Childers said
it was entirely due to Liberals that the extension of
the franchise had been secured. There was an
attempt on the part of the Conservatives to make the
voters believe that the ballot was not real. He could,
however, assure them that the secrecy of the ballot
was now perfect. The first duty of the new Parlia-
ment ought to be to reform the procedure of the
House of Commons.

Mr. Shaw-Lefeve, at Reading, defended the foreign",
policy of the late Government, and said the present
Government were carrying it out. With regard tO
Ireland the late Government did not intend to renew
the Coercion Act, and he agreed that an attempt
should be made to govern Ireland by the ordinary
law, and he hoped it would succeed. The renewal
of the Coercion Act might have been followed by
more serious consequences. With regard to the land
question, all the influence of the State must be
brought in favour of a wide distribution of property
in land through local authorities, which should also
have the power of regulating the liquor traffic. With
rekard to education, he was of opinion that when it
became comptisory it must be made free, and the
tax for it should be levied by the State. It was made
compulsory in the interest of the State as well as of
the children. Two-thirds of the cost of education
were already paid by the State. There had always
been differences in the Liberal ranks, but they would
be united when the general election came. He
awaited the agricultural labourers' opinion on the
question of disestablishment, as they were the most
interested in that question.
Sir Richard Cross, opening his campaign at Newton-
le-Willows on Saturday, said the Liberals had blamed
the Conservatives for the bad trade, but had it im-
proved during the term that the late Goveitment held
office? He believed that the commission which had
been appointed would have very beneficial results, and
if this should be the case he urged his hearers to
remember that the Liberal leaders had taken no part
in the inquiry. Referring to Ireland, Sir Richard
said he was no party to the breaking up of the
Empire, and he wanted to convince Irishmen that it
was to their interest to be united with England. He
strongly denounced the education working scheme,
which, he said, would make working men feel like
paupers. He was in favour of cheapening the trans-
fer of land, and also for shortening the hours of labour
of the House of Commons, but was opposed to dis-
establishment. On behalf of the :Conservatives, he
claimed the credit of bringing Afghan and Egyptian
affairs to a peaceful conclusion, and, in conclusion,
asked those present to place no faith in Radical
promises, for those made in 1880 had not been fulfilled.
If elected he would serve them as in the past. A reso-
lution of renewed confidence was carried.

Speaking at Old Southiato in support of the can-
didature of Lord Folkestone for the Enfield Division
of Middlesex, Lord George Hamilton said Mr. Cham-
berlain had charged the Conservatives with holding
place without power, and-office without honour, and
that Mr. Chamberlain arrived at this conclusion be-
cause the Conservatives had contrived to satisfactorily
settle the difficulties and legacies which the late
Government bequeathed to them. Ile also pointed
out that the treaty of Berlin was ridiculed by the
Liberal party, and said that Sir Charles Duke and
Mr. Chamberlain seemed at one time much pleased
at the idea that it should be violated, but had recently
changed their tone, because they f9und the infringe-
ment of it was likely to land Europe in war. As Sir
Charles Dilke remarked the night before, a collision
of this nature would be a terrible catastrophe. That
treaty had secured the peace of Europe at a critical
moment, and its infringement must promote a disaster
that could only he averted by the concerted action of
the united European Powers, and that concerted
action was only possible in consequence of the
friendly relations which the present Government had
re-established. -

Mr, Chamberlain, addressing a meeting of the Bir-
mingham Liberal Association on Monday night, de-
set ibed Lord Randolph Churchill's election address as
a rigmarole which might have been written by a
penny novelist. It was a vague and scurrilous docu-
ment, and if Lord Randolph were still at school, his
political handwriting had not improved since Lord
Salisbury had corrected his copies. Referring to
Lord Salisbury's recent speeches, he remarlud that
the noble marquis had not said a single word about
the' Medical Relief Bill. As to foreign affairs, Lord
Salisbury had admitted that since he had been in
office he had done what he condemned in opposition,
and his reply was no reply at all. It was only an
attempt to. shuffle Out of the distinct accusations
whi4l he brought against members of the late
Government.

Sir Richard Cross, speaking at a Conservative
demonstration at ManclAster on. Monday evening,
expressed the belief tliat the country would send back
to power the men who had proved that they could

govern the cauntritnout exceptionl AWN, TITO dada-
manage the foreign policy with credit.
Lord Randolph Churchill addressed a meeting of
Conservatives at King's Lynn on Monday night, and
expressed his conviction that the labourers' vote would
go largely for the Conservative party. It was certain
that the Conservatives could not hold out promises
like the Radicals, but the promises they made they
were determined to keep. As to free education, he
agreed with Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Bright, but he
thought it might be possible to adopt a middle course
calling upon all to pay a penny a week for purely
elementary education, and by an increased State
grant for regular attendance up ta a certain standard.
Having defended the action of the Conservatives in
regard to the last Liberal Budget, he referred to Mr.
Chamberlain's proposals in reference to the land, and
said that Mr. Chamberlain knew they would never
be sanctioned by an English Parliament. These
proposals showed the flagrant immorality of the
Radical party, because they were utterly and hope-
lessly absurd and ridiculous. It might be possible,
under conditions to sanction small holdings, but it
must be done under the control of Parliament itself,
and the process must be a gradual one.
Lord Rosebery, speaking at Nherdeld, referred to
the increasing number of the unemployed in the
country, and suggested as a remedy that we must be
prepared to face the question of emigration on funds
provided by the State. At the same time we had no
right to interfere with the colonial labour market, and
therefore sufficient safeguards must be applied.
Lord Iddesleigh, speaking at Henley on Tuesday,
said that the Radicals seemed certain that they would
secure the votes of the agricultural labourers because
it was the Liberal party who gave them their vote.
That, he remarked, was an argument which was not
allowed to hold good in 1868. The new Franchise
Act owed its existence to the co-operation and support
of the Conservative party.
Sir Charles Dilke addressed the electors of the
Kensal Town polling district of the new borough of
Chelsea, on Tuesday night. In the course of his
remarks he took occasion to reply to Lord Salisbury's
criticisms on the subject of allotments, and to contro-
vert Lord Randolph Churchill's views with regard to
the agricultural labourers. He also made some
suggest ions for the improvement of the army and the
conduct of business in the House of Commons.

Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, addressing a meeting at York on Tuesday night,
said that he was considering an important alteration
in the incidence of real and personal property. He
was endeavouring to see whether personal property
might not be made liable for local rates. If it were
practicable it should form part of that great scheme
of local government which Lord Salisbury had pro-
posed. If it were possible to make any reduction in
taxation he thought the income-tax payer should be
Grst considered.

ENGLAND AND BIIRMAH. -
THE ULTIMATUM TO KING THEEBA.W.

(From the Daily .News Correspondent.)
SIMLA, Sunday.
The Indian Government has sent an ultimatum to
King Theebaw.
The ultimatum insists that a Resident shall be
appointed under proper conditions, with whom the
King must settle the trading dispute.
Meanwhile, if the Bombay and Burmah Trading
Company be interfered with in any way the Indian
Government will take instant action without further
tommunication with the Burmese Government.
(Through Reutex's Agency.)
SIMLA, October 18.

The Indian Government has despatched to the
King of Burmah a letter calling upon his Majesty to
receive an Envoy with a view to the settlement of
existing differences, to suspend action against the
Bombay and Burmah Trading Company, and to
accept in future a Resident under becoming condi-
tions.

Arrangements are being made to reinforce the
garrison in British Barmah.

A telegram from a correspondent at Calcutta, dated
Tuesday, stated that the force it was proposed to send
to Burniah would consist of 10,000 men. The troops
will be under the command of General Prendergast.