The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-04 00:00:00

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THE COBDEN CLUB;

The annual meeting of the Cobden Club was held
on Saturday afternoon at the National Liberal Club,
London, Mr. T. B. Potter in the chair. Sir Wilfrid
Lawson, the Right Hon. W. Buxton, Mr. W. Woodall,
and Mr. Gowing, secretary, were also present.
The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said
the circumstances under which they met had a
peculiar interest to members of the club. They
had a distinct warning last autumn that the great
principles of Mr. Cobden were threatened. He was
not surprised that a great effort should be made by
the landed interest to re-impose taxes on food.
Considering the difficulties under which they had been
labouring for some time, the club had felt that the
best means of reaching the masses was by circulation
of leaflets, and nearly 8,000,000 had been circulated or
were in preparation Alluding to the recent change
of Government, it is well, he said, that the friends of
Free Trade should note carefully that there were
a great nmnber of the new Ministers who were
committed to a policy of interference with the present
fiscal system. The names of the Protectionists on that
list were ominous. Some might ask an inquiry;
others had already demanded a tax on food. Practi-
cally, the Cobden Club had now to meet a strong and
determined effort to restore Protection in one form
or another. The club had now to develop its work to
advocate Free Trade everywhere, as well in foreign
countries as at home. As for the colonies, the day
was past when British interest alone were to be con-
sidered rather than the general welfare of the people
of those distant lands. The club must not lose sight
of the fundamental rule upon which it was estab-
lished—that of encouraging the growth and diffusion
of those political principles with which Mr. Cobden's
name were associated. They advocated not merely
free exchange of all commodities, but free trade in
land and every object wl-ich will secure civil and
religious equality to.all the people.
Mr. Richard Gowing then read the annual report,
which gave an account of the work of the club
during the past year. The report was highly favour-
able.

Mr. Baxter, in moving the adoption of the report,
said the members owed a debt to the members of the
club for their propagation of principles which, how-
ever much they were scoffed at in some quarters,
were quite certain to be generally adopted in the long
run throughout the world. There was not the
slightest doubt that their Principle; were making
great progress. Ideas that were even lately regarded
as Utopian by Whigs and Tories were being
gradually adopted generally by the people of the
country. They had reason to rejoice at the progress
in the reform of the land laws which had taken place
during the last 30 years. A marvellous change had
come over the country, and at the present moment
we were witnessing the whole feudal system
tumbling to pieces without one to say a good word in
its favour.

Mr. Ayrton seconded the adoption of the report,
and recommended that it should be printed and sent
out. •

After some observations from Mr. Walter Wren
and others, the report was adopted, and the proceed-
logs were brought to a close.