The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-11-07 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION.

Lord Randolph ChUrchill, addressing a Conserva-
tive meeting at Birmingham, said that Mr. Bright's
address dealt with the remote past, and Mr. Chamber-
lain's with the remote future. The Liberals were
endeavouring to put a false issue before the country
by spreading out a wonderful programme nf ,legisla-
tion which they promised to carry out if returned to
power. The real issue was whether Mr. Gladstone's
Government had adequately responded to the
immense measure of public confidence placed in them
in 1880. He claimed that since the Conservatives
came into office there had been a freedom from foreign
alarm.

Lord Iddesleigh, speaking at Camden-town, re-
marked that while Lord Hartington professed to be
satisfied with Liberal principles as they had hitherto
existed and denounced Socialistic tendencies, he
showed himself prepared to go an unknown distance
in the direction of Socialism. He doubted whether
Mr. Goschen and other men did not place party feel-
ing before the interests of the country.
Lord Derby, speaking at the Liverpool Reform
Club, said there was nothing in the question of free
education involving differences of so grave a character
as to justify the disruption of a party. With regard
to land law reform, he thought that there was abso-
lutely nothing in proposals which have been made to
excite that horror and alarm which for very obvious
party reasons many persons were anxious to excite.
He also pointed out that the principle of graduated
taxation has already been adopted with respect to the
income, carriage, and other taxes.
Mr. Gladstone, in a letter to Mr. Bosworth Smith,
denies that the Disestablishment question has reached
a crisis. There are, he says, a group of social ques-
tions on which the Liberal party are agreed and pre-
pared to act, and it is an intelligible manceuvre on the
part of Tories, fearful of the approaching verdict of
the country, to aim at thrusting aside the matured
subjects on which they have now to confront an
united party, and forcing forward others on which
differences prevail, so that judgment may be given
not on what is before the country, but on what is
not. -

Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, addressing a meeting at
Bristol, referred at some length to the depression in
trade, and suggested that fresh markets might be
looked tor, and markets now closed reopened, if a
foreign and colonial policy different from that of the
late Government were pursued.
Speaking at a meeting at Ashton, near Wigan, Sir
R. Cross criticised Lord Eartington's election address,
which, he said, was more remarkable for what was not
there than for what was in it. Hi lordship was a
Moderate Liberal, but it only showed what "a weak-
kneed lot "they were, wanting as. they did pluck,
energy, and determination to all people what they
thought. Lord llartington was not at present in
favour of disestablishment, but there was danger that
he might be led by the advanced men of his party to
fall in with their views.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have
written a letter urging electors, in reference to the
coming election, to weigh with caution all ready pro-
mises, and to give support to candidates who have
shown an interest in the great social improvements
which must largely occupy the next Parliament.
Disestablishment is spoken of as being, among social
questions, highest in importance. The system of
asking for pledges is condemned.
Loid ILartington, speaking at Nelson, Lancashire,
expressed his belief in the necessity for an inquiry
into the Working of the Education Act. He objected
to the question of disestablishment being raised now,
inasmuch as it is not within the range of practical
politics. On the land question, he could not commit
himself to any measures beyond such as are necessary
for removing restrictions and for promoting free trade
in and free -transfer of land.

Sir William Harcourt and Mr. T. Roe have issued
a joint address to the electors of Derby. They are
confident that, under the Franchise Act a great acces-
sion of force will acme to the Liberal party, and they
look for the conduct of that force to Mr. Gladstone,
whose hands they desire to strengthen.
Mr. Forster has issued his address as a candidate
for the Central Division of Bradford. He supports
the four points of Mr. Gladstone's programme. He
cannot pledge himself to the proposal for the com-
pulsory purchase of land for labourers' allotments
until assured that the compulsion is for a public
object and the best way of attaining that object. He
requires more facts before legislating with respect to
free education, and he is in favour of reforming the
House of Lords.

Mr. W. H. Smith, M.P., speaking at Trowbridge
on Monday night, contrasted the policy of the late
Government with that of the present Administration.
The former, he said, had created unrest and sus-
picion; the latter would restore confidence. With
regard to the delusive promises of the Radicals, he
believed that, if carried out, they would prove to be
disastrous to the working classes.
Mr. E. Stanhope, addressing an enthusiastic meet-
ing at Spilsbv, on Monday evening, said the Conser-
vatives sought to benefit the agricultural classes, by a
proper readjustment of the burden of local taxation,
and by cheapening the transfer of land. But instead
of the property being taken by compulsion, a fair
price ought to be paid for it.
Lord R. Grosvenor, addressing a meeting in Flint-
shire on Monday night, defended the principle of
Free Trade. He also alluded to the need for a
form of the procedure of Parliament.
Sir Wilfrid Lawson addressed a meeting nf the
electors of the Cockermouth Division on Monday
afternoon at Cockermouth. He said that he was in
favour of abolishing the House of Lords. Lord
Rosebery had undertaken a task he would never be
able to perform. lie had propounded a scheme for
amending the House of Lords, but it could not be
mended, and,therefore, should be ended. He avowed
himself in favour of the disestablishment of the
Church.

re-1

Sir Richard Cross, speaking at Golborne on Mon-
day evening, denied that the Conservatives had
brought the disestablislament question forward. He
contended that it had been done by the Radical
leaders, who wished to appropriate the funds of the
Church,

Speaking at a luncheon it Worcester on Tuesdaj,
Lewd R. Churchill referred at some length to Use
question of Church Disestablishipent, which, he said,
had been forced to the front by Mr. Gladstone and
his colleagues, and about which he exhorted the Con-
servative party to stand firm. At an evening meeting,
addressing about 5000 persons, his lordship reviewed
and condemned the foreign policy of the late Govern-
ment, and said there was no reason to expect the
Liberals woula do better now if returned to office.
Hopes of a permanent and honourable peace had
revived under Lord Salisbury's Administration. He
said the reform of Parliamentary procedure should
depend rather on a large extension of the system of
provisional orders, considerable development of the
functions of Parliamentary Committees and earlier
hours for the House of Commons. It was not extra
speed but more regularity in the progress of business
that was needed.
Earl Granville, speaking at a Liberal demonstra-
tion at Shrewsbury on Tuesday, said he was prepared
to admit with Mr. Gladstone and Lord Hartington
that they committed some mistakes in their Egyptian
policy, but then it was under circumstances when it
was a choice of evils, and when the avoidance of mis-
takes was well nigh impossible. He said it would
have been an immense responsibility to have refused
to send out Gordon after representations coming from
so weighty an authority as himself as to the possibi-
lity of pacifying the country without force. He de-
plored the fate of that hero, but did not feel remorse.
He claimed for the late Government that they had
practically settled the Afghan and Egyptian finance
questions, when they were succeeded by the present
Administration. His lordship expressed an opinion
that the disestablishment of the Church was not
within the range of practical politics in the next Par-
liament, and said the position of Liberals united was
impregnable.
Addressing a Conservative demonstration at Stroud
on Tuesday night, Sir Michael H. Beach said that
though there was nothing revolutionary in Mr. Glad-
stone's programme he challenged Liberals to say what
it was they desired in the reform of Parliamentary
procedure. As to local government and taxation
what was wanted was a fair representative system,
and not such as was proposed by Mr. Chamberlain.
He asked why Lord Hartington did not join the Con-
stitutional party instead of being a drag on the
Radicals, and he predicted that the Whigs, if a
Liberal majority were returned, would do as they had
done before and surrender to the Radicals.
Earl Spencer, speaking on Tuesday at a mass meet-
ing of Liberals held at Dorchester, said he agreed
with Lord Hartington's views on the land question,
He particularly desired to see a devolpment of the
allotment system and an increase in the number of
small landlov;ners. In regard to Ireland he accused
the Conservatives of having changed suddenly the
policy they had advocated all their lives. They had
taken a leap in the dark, and had abandoned even
the most moderate measures for repressing crime on
the plea that they could govern Ireland by the ordi-
nary law. What was really wanted in Ireland was a
policy which would reconcile the people with our
government, and which would at the same time main-
tain law and order.
Mr. Bright, writing to Mr. R. P. Blennerhassett,
M.P., who is contesting North-East Manchester in
the Liberal interest, says that the great enemies of
Ireland are those who profess to lead her people, and
who lead them to disorder and to the destruction of
their industry. Mr. Bright hopes that Irishmen will
unite with Englishmen to send to Parliament men
who will promote what is just to England and Ire-
land, and restore the harmony which is essential to
the welfare of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Chamberlain on Tuesday commenced his can-
didature for West Birmingham by addressing a
crowded meeting in the Town Hall. He said it was
because the Conservatives had no definite policy in
regard to domestic affairs that they were so anxious
to distract the altention of the electors to the failures
and mistakes of the Liberals in the past. He
admitted that he did not look back upon the
history of the past five years with satisfaction, but
he claimed that it would compare favourably
with the preceding five years. On the Egyptian
policy especially the Conservatives bad always
assisted the Liberals when, in his opinion they
did wrong, and opposed them when they didright,
Speaking of the differences among Liberals, he said
that if any considerable body of the party wished with

Lord Hartington for an inquiry into free education
the Radicals would not object, providing the inquiry
was bona fide. With regard to land reform, Lord
Hartington's opinions were entitled to the fullest
consideration, for he had never deserted his party,
but the case of Mr. Goschen was different. Mr.
Chamberlain adhered to all the statements he made
in London about his future action if Radicals were
not to remain outside the next Liberal Cabinet. He
trusted that his co--stituents would support him
whatever might be his position, whether in or out of
office.
THE CRISIS IN THE EAST.