The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-01-08 00:00:00

NEW YEAR PROSPECTS.

Without dwelling upon the memories left be-
hind as a legacy by the old year, it may safely
be said that it was one to which an immense
number of persons willingly said good bye. We
had not been at war even ,vith such foes as the
4.shantees ; we had no financial panic in the
city; we had experienced no remarkable losses
in the deaths of our public men; our trade, if
not increasing, was not falling •off to any appre-
ciable extent; yet somehow or other the year
contrived to leave a bad impression behind it.
Its extraordinary meteorological disturbances
may account in a groat degree for this. Weeks
and weeks of rain, and gloom, and storm, and
flood have left an unfavourable effect, and it is
chiefly in connection with these that 1875 will
be remembered. But 1876 has scarcely opened,
and while we cannot tell what it may have in
store for us, we can at least anticipate hopefully
and express an earnest trust that its results may
be better than those of its predecessors.
Looking at our prospects by the light of pre-
sent appearances, it cannot be said that we have
much to complain of. We are at peace, except
with a few wretched Malays, whose chastisement
need not give us much anxiety, and not only are
we free from present war, but from any immedi-
ate fear of war with any nation. It is not so
very long ago since our relations with the United
States seemed to be in a hopelessly unsatisfac-
tory.condition. We appeared never to be able
to please our cousins across the Atlantic. They
were dissatisfie.d with our recognition of the
belligerent rights of the Southern Confederacy,
with our promptitude in taking means to avenge
the insult offered to our flag in the seizure of
the Commissioners on board the Trent, and with
the escape of the Alabama—very naturally so
far as the latter cause of offence was concerned.
Ile strong language of the American press was
resented on this,side of the ocean, and a highly
irri:ated state of feeling seemed to have become
an institution with both peoples. Yet now there
is not the slightest trade of it ; and there can be
no question that our statesmen acted wisely in
submitting to arbitration the differences between
the two nations in 1872. We had to pay three
millions and a quarter sterling for the depreda-
tions of the Alabama ; but had we been at war
ourselves,,we certainly should not have liked a
friendly State to let loose a corsair for the pur-
pose of preying upon our commerce. It looked
a considerable sum of money to pay for our
laxity, but there is no doubt that it was founded
upon principles of justice. As to other nations,
there is not one of them with which we have a
cause of quarrel. France, Geresniy, Austria,
Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy—we may run
through their names one after another without
fuidiner one of them who is not on the most
frieudly terms with us. fhe only Power which
our statesmen seem to distrust is the great Colos-
sus of the north, which is credited wi•h an un-
dying desire to swallow up, Turkey. Without
denying that there are incidents in the develop-
ment of Russian policy which are susceptible of
explanation, it may honestly be doubted whether
the language sometimes employed towards Rus-
sia this country is likely to produce or main-
tain that good feeling which ought to exist. At
one time we were possessed with a craze that we
were to be invaded:- by the French, and nothing
that the late Emperor Napoleon could say or do
would suffice to get that impression out of our
heads. In 1857 we Were seized with such a panic
that the male population flew to arms as Volun-
teers; but there are many even now who are in-
elitied to be sceptical as to whether there would
really have been an invasion even bad the Vol-
unteer movement never existed. In like manner,
why should Russia be always plotting against
the integrity of our dominions in the Last
There is no doubt that Russia would very mach
like to poesess India, but her statesmen should
know full well that Great Britain would rather
lay down her life es a nation than be dep.-ivcd of
that commercial constellation. It may suit Con
tinei tml journals sometimes to talk of the efface-
ment of England, but the writers know letter;
and it is very certain that so far as the sinews of
war stand affected, Greet Britain could better
afford a prolonged conflict than any other nation
in Europe.
So much then, for our prospects as far as
foreign politics are concerned. At home there
is much to make ua hopeful respecting the fu-
ture. '1 he prices of the necessaries of life art
high, it is true ; the coll. one of these neces:a.
ries, hae.been much higher; the workingclasses
are fully employed, and nowhere does any great
'strike or extensive displacement ~f industrial
energy interfere with the prosperity of a distiict.
i There s no chronic discontent, no cause for po-
litical agitation, no paralysis of business such
as there was at this time nine years, when our
shipyards were deserted, and thousands of me-
chanics and artisans were compelled to stand
idle in the minket place of life. The revenue
returns published at the end of the year, were
of a fairly satisfactory character, and in all prob-
ability the Chancellor of the Exchequer will
have a balance on the right side next April.
Therefore, upon the whole, the new year, if not
full of radiant hope, comes to us with a fair am-
ount of modest promises. -Bright visions end in
disappointment because they are shadowy and
unreal ; it is the substance which is lasting, al
though less brilliant in its hues.

CONFERENCE ON THE LIQUOR TRAF ?IC.

A conference under the auspices of the United
Kingdom Alliance Was held in the Corn Exchange,
in this town, on Tuesday afternoon last.
Lord Lyttelton presided, and there was an influ•
ential attendance at the conference which was
held in the Commissioners' room. The object of
the conference was to obtain an interchange of
opinion upon the liquor traffic, in order to ascer-
tain the best means of removing the national evils
of intemperance.
Mr. W. Jones (Birmingham agent of the Alli-
ance) explained the purpose of that body, and said
when the public knew them better they would like
them better.
"'Lord Lyttelton said with regard to the observa-
-1 ion which fell from Mr. Jones as to the object of
the Alliance being the suppression of the liquor
traffic, that that meant the compulsory suppression
of the traffic, compelling a great many people to
abstain whether they wished or not. He could
understand the position of the Good Templar, who
said drinking was a sin, but not that of the Alli-
ance. They would only encourage smuggling
enormously, and A and B would be permitted to
tyrannise over C. It was not the people who were
to put permissive principles into force, hut the
majority of the people, and that was a great dif-
ference. One way suggested of dealing with the
evils of intemperance was by providing
that the sale of 'liquor should be under
the control of those who had no personal interest
in promoting the traffic. .At Gothenburg the re-
tail trade was carried on by the authorities, and.
not by private individuals.
The Hon. and Rev. W. H. Lyttelton said he was
told that there was still much drunkenness in
Gothenburg. The people drank spirits, and the
only way to stop the evil was by a better education
of the people.
The Rev. R. M. Grier, Rural Dean and Vicar of
Rugeley, said they admitted by their Acts of Par-
liament that this was the most dangerons tmcie in
the country, and if it was so dangerous that it re-
quired regulation, ought they to force. it upon an
unwilling community, and how could they take the
opinion of a community except by majorities?
Mr. Jones said there were 1,400 parishes in the
Province of -Canter bury, and 1,000 in the Province
of York, where there were no public-houses.
Lord Lyttelton said he should like to know
something about these parishes. He had no
doubt a great ninny of them were very little
places. With regard to its being said that people
could brew for themselves if the liquor traffic was
put down, he had no doubt they would brew very
pernicious stuff—(laughter). The Alliance did not
want the people to brew for themselves, but not to
brew at all.
The Rev. T. Williams said it was always more
easy to get signatures to petitions for the Permis-
sive Bill amongst the very poor who, it was said,
would suffer by it, than among the other classes.
The Re v. 11. Sherrard asked if there was any-
thing illegitimate in the trade itself? It had not
been proved that it was wrong and sinful for men
to drink strong drink; and the trade in itself was
perfectly legitimate. Not a single argument could
be brought forward to show that it was unlawful
and wrong for a man to engage in the trade, and,
that being so, he thought it would be wrong wholly
,to suppress a legitimate trade. This was a world
of temptation, and they could not put temptation
out of it. Did they think it would remove temp-
tation if they suppressed the liquor traffic? They
would have to create a new world to do so. He
thought one of the means of dealing with the
evils of intemperance would be by limiting the
number of public-houses to a given population.
This would not prevent people getting what they
desired; and he should also like the Legislature
to enact that there should be no drinking on the
premises where drink was sold. That seemed to
be what led to the great drunkenness they saw.
They should also look to the elevating influences
of education, morality, and religion to remove the
evils complained of.

Major Walker said he found it quite exceptional
for a well-educated workman to be drunk.

This remark was challenged by others, and there
was a discussion as to whether educated people
were proportionately more sober than the unedu-
cated.

Mr. A. Freer said the drunkenness of the edu-
cated was not so prominent and repulsive, but no
doubt there was much serious and injurious drink-
ing among them. The sign over this country was
"Drinking made easy." To that he objected, and
they should consider how they could make drink-
ing less easy. He thought the appointment of
inspectors of public-houses would stop much of
the drunkenness which prevailed.
Lord Lyttelton, in replying to a vote of thanks
at the close of the discussion, said he should be
glad to see the Gothenburg plan tried in this
country—(hear, hear)—and he should also like to
see a limitation of the number of public-houses in
a given district. He should be glad to support
such proposals if brought before Pailiament, but
he did not think Parliament would be disposed to
re-open the licensing question again at present..

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It stated that" notwithstanding the increased zeal
ocal anb istrict gCths. and activity of the great army of religious, edu-
cational, social, sanitary, and temperance workers,
drinking habits continue lamentably prevalent."
The reason religious workers were not so success-
ful was that on account of the drinking habits
which were prevalent it was impossible for them
to get a hearing. • They were so engrossed in this
vice that they did not care to listenlto religious
teachers. Education was very incomplete without
without religious training, and, consequently, if
they had education in its truest garb, they had
the strongest safeguard against intemperance—
(applause)—but secular educatiou was not so. He
was quite sure that public opinion would have a
very great effect in putting a stop to public drink-
ing. There was, however, a great deal of secret
drinking, and he was very much afraid that the
permission which was given by the Legislature
some time ago to grocers to sell wines and spirits,
was mischievous. He was quite sure that a great
deal of secret drinking was the result of that—
(cheers).
.. The Rev. R. M. Grier, M.A., seconded the pro-
position. He said he appeared before them that
; night as a fanatic. That should be clearly under-
stood. Those who advocated teetotalism were
called madmen; but all great reforms were brought
about by people whom the:world called mad.
There was no one whose common sense was more
frequently called in question than teetotallers.
The. Archbishop of Canterbury, in a speech the
other day, alluded to the " nonsense " they talked.
They (the teetotallers) were commonly spoken of
as being as intemperate in their teetotalism as
drunkards were in their drink. To a certain extent
that was true; but he protested against the intem-
perance of teetotallers being classed with that of
drunkards Did they not see that all teetotallers
were only intemperate because they wished to try
to make the rest of the world temperate. Could
any one say that by following the example of
drunkards they would make teetotallers; but by
following the example of the teetotallers they
would most certainly cure the intemperance of the
drunkards. They knew it was quite hopeless to
expect men to have courage and strength of mind
to resist the craving for strong drink so long as
there was so much temptation placed before them
by the law. What were they doing at that present
moment. They were exposing a number of men
to temptations, by law, which they cannot resist,
and when they fell a prey to them they put them
into prison and made them sober by Act of Parlia-
ment. They did not imprison the drink, 'which
was the cause of it. They were, after they had
committed themselves, made sober by Act of Par-
liament; but was that a proper exercise of power?
Would it not be a better exercise of power to ex-
clude John Barleycorn, as they did in the State of
braine, than to imprison the unhappy men and
women who were victims to him? It was no use
for persons to say they were not interested in the
liquor traffic. They were all interested in that
trade. They all licensed those gentlemen for the
sale of strong drink; consequently, they were res-
possible for the results of the trade. Were those
results—virtues—such as they had reason to be
proud of, as befitted a Christian people? No, they
knew it was not. Then the best thing they cou/P1
do was to put a stop to the trade. The speaker
then described at considerable length and with
great eloquence, the evils of the liquor traffic, and
said tha . public opinion had driven public drunk-
enness from the higher classes, but it would not
effect a cure. Secret drinking had taken its place,
and his experience was that one kind of drinking
was as bad as the other. They were making a
very great mistake if they supposed that public
opinion had cured drunkenness amongst the upper
classes. The poor, as a rule, lived very close to
each other, and, consequently, they knew all the
failings and infirmities of their neighbours. The
upper classes lived in houses detached, and it was
much more easy for persons in their circumstances
to appear steady and sober than for the poor. Pub-
lic opinion had not cured it aseongst the tipper class,
and they could not expect it to do so amongst the
poor. They (the teetotallers) did not want to make
drinking abhorred; they wanted to drive it out of
existence. The rev, gentleman then went on to
make some severe strictures upon a speech made by
Mr. Staveley Hill, M.P., at the recent Licensed Vic-
tuallers' Dinner in this town, and said that as that
gentleman had stated that he wished to represent all
shades of public opinion in the House of Commons,
he (Mr. Grier, who was one of his constituents)
should ask him to vote for the Permissive Bill next
time it was introduced in the House. They had
been threatened that if they did not let the publicans
alone, the latter would unite togethei, and compass
the disestablishment and disendowment of the
Church. But they did not exist as clergymen simply
for the loaves and fishes of the establishment. They
defied them to get rid of the clergy. But it was
quite different with the publicans. If once their
business was made a badly paying one, there would
be an end to the publicans. There were no men so
badly paid as clergymen, and no men so well paid as
the publicans. He urged upon all present when the
next election came round to vote onlytfor those who
would support the Permissive ,Bill. Whether the
candidates were Conservatives or Liberals, they
should make the Permissive Bill the test as to
whether they would give them their support or not;
and he hoped they would never desist from their
efforts to suppress drunkenness until the people of
England were made sober by Act of Parliament—
(loud cheers).
The Rev. T. Wfilliams then put the motion to the
mseting, and it was carried.
Mr. Jordan, of Wollaston then moved the follow-
ing resolution :—" Tbat the most hearty thanks of
this meeting be presented to Sir Wilfrid Lawson,
and to the whole of the 94 honourable members who
in the recent session voted or paired in support of
the Permissive Prohibitory Liquor Bill—a measure
which aims to grapple with the giant evil and curse
of the nation, and provide a practical solution of the
greatest and gravest social problem of the age—
'How to stay the ravages of strong drink ?'—and
this meeting pledges continuous, earnest, and deter-
mined efforts to aid and ensure the adoption of that
just, wise, and moderate measure."
This was seconded by Mr. Jones, Secretary of the
Birmingham Branch of the United Kingdom Alli-
ance, in a lengthy speech, after which it was put to
the meeting and carried.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the
tsroceed:ngs.

TREAT TO WORIEMEN.-011 NOW Year's Eve, Mr.
Packwood, cabinet maker, of this town, gave the
annual dinner to his workmen and their wives. An!
excellent spread was put before them, to which am-
ple justice having been donerthe. usual loyal toasts
were given, and an enjoyable day was spent.
ROBBERY BYIA DOMESTIC SERVANT. At the
Worcester Epiphany Sessions, on Wednesday last,
before Mr. W. G. Hastings, Jane Stone (24) servant,
pleaded guilty to stealing several articles of female
attire, on the 6th November, at Oldswiford, the pro-
perty of Sarah Jnne Rigley ; and also, to stealing a.
blanket, on the sth November, at Stourbridge, the
property of Jessie Cartwright, and was sentenced to
nine months' nard labour on each charge.
QUEESLAND.—We learn that the ship," Gauntlet,"
which left London on the lath September for Bris-
bane, arrived at her destination about the 20th of
December last.

STOCKBRIDGE STOCK SALE.—MT. H. King held
his first sale this year on Tuesday last, and had Lai
excellent supply of stock. Nearly 400 sheep were
penned, and about 40 head of cattle. Wethers
reached 72s 6d per head, ewes 71s 6d, bullocks £26
15s, heifers £26 ss; and there was a fair supply of
calves and pigs. The quality of the stock was un-
exceptionally good, and caused a brisk competition.
There was a large attendance of Birmingham, Black
Country, and local butchers, which testifies to the
growing popularity of these sales. Mr. James Lane,
of Birmingam, was a purchaser to the amount of
£5OO.
A DISLI.ONEBT SERVANT.—At the Worcestershire
Epiphany Sessions (Second Court) on Tuesday last,
before Mr. R. H. Haringtow-Eliza Lewis, a res-
pectable-looking girl, was convicted of stealing a
black fall, a white scarf, two towels; a pair of
drawers, and a brass hair pin, in the month of Oc-
tober last, the property of Mary Ann Perrens of
the Foley Arms, Beauty Bank. She was also con-
victed of stealing a pair of dark green kid gloves
and a straw .hat, in November, the property of
Lavinia Swann, residing at Union-street, in this
town. Prisoner had been acting as charwoman at
both places. She was sentenced to three months'
hard labour. _ _ _

EXCISE APPICAL.—At the Worcester Epiphany
Sessions, on Monday last (Lord Dudley in the
chair) the following case of appeal was 'heard—
John Frudd Otter (Excise Officer) appellant v. the
London and North Western Railway Company res-
pondents. Mr. Godson and Mr. Jeff were for the
respondent; Mr. Streeteu representing the railway
company.—The appeal was against a judgment of
Colonel T. W. Fletcher and Mr. C. Cochrane, two
magistrates of Stourbridge, upon an information
for an offence against the Excise laws, namely,
keeping a earriage withont having paid the license
thereon. After hearing evidence and the argu-
ments of counsel, the Court sustained the appeal,
found for the Excise, and imposed the mitigated
penalty of .210.—The Court granted a case to Mr.
Streoten on his application.
ANNUAL MEwrlNG.—The annual meeting of the
Working Tifens' Club, was held in the large room
on Monday evening last, Mr. B. Collis, president,
in the chair. The report
.showed that there were
more than a hundred members. The officers were
elected for the ensuing year, most of whom were
elected a few months ago, when the club was for-
med.

DRIINK AND DisoRDERT,Y.—At the Public Office,
:YeSterdaY,,before Colonel Fletcher and sir. Frank
Evers, Edward Andrews, Joseph Walton, Joseph
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Guise, Francis Crockett, Levi Waldron, and Ambrose
Waldron, were charged with being drunk and disor-
derly, at Belbroughton, on the 28th ultimo. Police-
constable Payne said that he heard a noise of fight-
ing. On going up to them he saw all the defendants
were stripped and fighting. They were making a
great noise. All the defendants denied they were
drunk. The charge against Edward Andrews was
dismissed. Walton and Crockett were fined 2s 6d
each; Thomas Walton and Joseph Guise 7s 6d each
and costs, and Ambrose 20s and costs.
CHARGE OF FOWL STEALING.—WiIIiam Pearson
and Thomas Knight were-charged with stealing fowls
on the 7th inst, the properly of Mr. Giles, of King-
swinford. Police-constable White gave sufficient
evidence for a remand to Brierley Hill.
ASSAULT CASE.—Louisa Griffin, of Belbroughton,
was charged with assaulting Jane Mitchell, on the
29th ult. There was a cross-summons charging
Mitchell with assaulting Griffin at the same time.
After hearing the evidence both cases were dis-
missed.