The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-03-25 00:00:00

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(We deem It right to state that we do not at all ttluet
nattily ourselves with mu. opink.t..j

Whilst we have been congratulating ourselves on
the termination of the late disastrous war, and
have been, as it were, tremblingly indulging the
hope that France will gradually rise, notwithetaud•
lug the crushing weight now burdening her, how die.
heartening, how saddening it is toreeelve the news that
the Revolution, which most of us must havedreaded, has
actually broken out ! Once again we hear the terrible
news of barricades being erected In the streets of Paris ;
of insurgents defying the Government, and troops
fraternising with an armed mob; of generals being
amassinated for no stronger reason than that they are I
leaders of the party of order, and assassinated, too,
under circumstances of atrocity similar to those which
characterised the revolution of ISt; and of military
authority struggling to put down unbridled anarchy.
es, France Is indeed in a painful and dangerous
transition state, and she has much, very much to
suffer before order can be restored, whatever be her
chosen form of Government. As I write, all is uproar
and confusion; and the very thoughts of any settled
form of Government suggests the weird prophecy,
' There must be much more blood;" and when we
turn back to history and see what has been done on
former occasions when Paris has been at the mercy of
insurgents, there is too much reason to fear that revo-
lution and counter-revolution will be deadly work.
Alas! what exciting news comes thick and three. I
fold! The wino shops filled with insurgents I
in various stages of drunkenness ; men, women,
and children working hard at throwing up barri-
cades; pavements torn up ; the National Guard
forced to work or leave the streets ; vivandiers plying
the soldiers with drink; peaceable citizens, hurrying
homewards, terrified, being stopped at the barricades
—all this and much more verifies the aphorism that
' history repeats itself," and the saddest and darkest
episodes of history are not excepted. The events that
are now nui le to pass before our bewildered eyes, are
in some respects like a reproduction of the blood-
stained panorama of the events of that wondrous year
1789.

Among the many other more important reasons for
lamenting the war now closed was the fact that it pre.
eluded the French from co-operating in the Interns.
tional Exhibition, which will open on the let of May
next, and it was only fair therefore that the Royal Corn.
niissioners should, as an especial exception, grant
France an extension of time for sending in her
contributions. She is now taking advantage of this,
and in the neighbourhood of South Kensington—that
locality so highly favoured by royalty—l have lately
seen monster vans loaded with exhibits from France
But it is to be feared that the revolution which has
broken out will, among other more important
results, completely frustrate her as an exhibitor.
In other respects, the International Exhibition
arrangements are progressing favourably, and every-
thing tends to the conviction that, the seven months
war notwithstanding, this first of our series of
annual International Exhibitions will be a most
attractive and interesting affair. Many of the London
traders and shopkeepers are becoming quite enthusiastic
In their hopefulness of additional business thus to be
brought, and there is good reason to hope that a great
deal of extra employment will thus be given to the
working classes.
It is much to be regretted that, from some cause or
other—either perhaps because the Government has too
much else to do, or because the subject of adulteration
is in itself so vast—Ministers decline to deal with this
subject this session, except in so far as it may be dealt
with in the Home Secretary's Licensing Bill. We have
to depend therefore on private attempts at legislation,'
and Mr. Muntz, who endeavoured last session to deal
with the adulteration of food and drink, this session
renews his efforts. I fear, however, that the bill of the
hon. member for Birmingham is in some respects too
stringent and in others not severe enough, and that, on
the whole, therefore, it will fail of its intended effect.
He proposes that where any person wilfully mixes
injurious ingredients with any article of food or drink,
he shall be fined in a penalty not exceeding £lO for the
first dience, and that if he offend again he shall be liable
to six months imprisonment. But will magistrates en-
force this heavy penalty! Not very likely. Moreover,
the difficulty under Mr. Muntz's bill will be to prove
that ingredients are "injurious," more especially as
the bill contains no provision for the compulsory ap.
pointment of a public analyst in each district. It is
strange that while the public generally clearly see the
evils and the commercial unfairness of adulteration,
neither Government nor any private member has the
courage to propose an efficient system of official inspec-
tion and prosecution, with reasonable penalties. Till
we have this neither John Bull's pocket nor his health
will be properly cared for as they ought to be by those
to whom he naturally looks for protection. By the way,
it is "a thing not generally known" that for some
years past Government has gone to the expense and
trouble of procuring from foreign countries accounts
of the methods they adopt to prevent adulteration,
the penalties they Impose, !to. The information
thus acquired shows that we are muck behind foreigners
In wholesome legislation on this subject, and yet this
valuable information is not put to its legitimate uses—
more's the pity ! There is one other point on which I
would insist—a point that seems pretty generally to
have been overlooked—that honest manufacturers and
tradesmen (And let us hope they are a large majority)
would themselves be in favour of a just and stringent
Adulteration Act, for adulteration simply means un
fair conditions of competition.
Whether we are to thank Mr. Monad], the new Post.
master-General, personally, or whether we are to thank
Mr. Graves, member for Liverpool, specially, and
those gentlemen generally who have so strenuously
advocated postal reform, the fact remains that postal
reform has been definitely promised, and that we now
only await the fulfilment in due time of the scheme
which has been officially announced. I need not state
the details of this reform, but may add my mite of
approval of it. Including the extension and simplifies.
tion of the dispatch of letters, samples, book
packets, parcels, Sm.—abolishing 'frivolous and
vexatious" restrictions and distinctions which now
so much bother us and a cheap money-order
system, the forthcoming regulations will be
an immense boon to the public. I believe it will
largely facilitate small trading transactions, etym.
mously develope the postal business of the entire
country, and in a thousand and one ways will prove
aoeeable to all who have any connection whatever
with postal business; and who has not? The cheapen.
I'w and extension of the money-order system will be an
especial boon to those who have to send or hope to re.
ceive small sums, and it will work very agreeably in
one respect. If a man now owes you 15s. he sends it
in stamps, which you may not want, and can only sell
a a discount of 2;1 per cent. Cheap money-orders will
almost abolish the stamp nuisance. I mist add how-
ever, as a set off, that the postmen don't like the pro-
posed changes. To an inquiry on this point, addressed
to one of them, the reply was, We don't like it at
all. So far as we are concerned, it only meant" a
lot more work, and no more pay. I suppose
after a bit we shall have to go round with barrows,
for I expect people will be soon sending home their
washing and mangling by post :" My peripatetic
friend spoke warmly in the bitterness of his heart, and
It must be confessed that his view of the case Is by no
means a ridiculous or unreasonable one. If the post-
men have to do more work, it is to be hoped that the
Postmaster-General will eft to it that they have more
pay; but one thing is certain—that the postal business
of the country will be largely developed, and thus no
little employment will be gives to the unemployed.
This in itself is matter for general congratulation.
Few of us, perhaps., take a great Interest in the foot
that the 21st of March is marked in our almanacks
"Vernal Equinox," some of us not knowing, and more
of us not caring, what that may mean; but who is
there that takes no interest in the royal marriage?
What can I add to the historical disquieitione on royal
marriages, the learned precedents as to royalty allying
itself with its subjects, the carefully-written descrip-
tions of every scene and event connected with this
marriage of which we are all talking, and the high.
flown aspirations for the health and happiness of the
Princess and the Marquis? Well, I can but add my
individual mite of loyalty and good-will. May they
be happy