The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-08-21 00:00:00

Alleiropolltan 6ossip,
11 OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.

ate remark under this head are to be regarded as the ne
premien of nalepeniteut opinion, from the pen of a gelato. el
.-, whom we have the greatest confidence, but for which se
-iwarilieless du not hold ourselves responsible.]
"There is no such thing in August as politics," said
Mr. Disraeli the other day, addressing a party of
excursionists at Alton Towers, and most people
will feel inclined to agree with him. And per-
haps it is just as well that it is so. We have had
quite enough politics during the session that has just
closed, and party spirit has not run so high for years.
It is a relief to turn from great public questions and
pay attention to the minor social problems of the day,
which are perhaps of even more importance to our
happiness than thaw great questions which come
within the domain of politics. Certainly to that
übiquitous individual "the general reader," newspapers
now become far more interesting than they are during
the session. The world does not stand etill because
Peers and Commoners take holidays. Still the strangely
similar and yet ever varied tale of human life and
death goes on. Accidents and offences, crimes and
casualties, facts and rumours, penny-a-line mysteries
and sober narratives, assaults and robberies, burglaries
and murders --these never stop; and, with all the vast
machinery of our well-regulated press, perhaps they
are not half recorded. For myself I know no more
interesting reading than a well-edited newspaper during
the so-called dull season, and I doubt whether this I
opinion is a singular one.
The statement that both Mr. Gladstone and Mr.
Lowe intend to visit Ireland before Parliament again
meets has not been contradicted, that I ani aware of.
Be the fact as it may, it would be desirable if our
statesmen generally would ouake themselves better ac-
quainted with Ireland in the country itself. The Times]
has been reminding us that a Land Bill for that coun-
try bad long been promised as the measure which the
ministry will put foremost next session, and that the
promise will have to be redeemed. The leading jour-
nal has begun to call particular attention to the sub-
ject by sending a special commissioner to that coun-
try to inquire into the land question. It is remarkable
that, in connection with these articles, The Times
deals with the subject in such a way as to make its
difficulties almost appalling. Great as they are, how-
ever, it is believed that Ministers will endeavour to
grapple with them, and we may look forward to stormy
discussions. Meanwhile it is said that some members
of Parliament—Mr. Mill, Mr. Fawcett, Mr. Jacob
Bright, Sir H. Hoare, and Sir C. W. Dilke among
them—have formed, or are forming a society to col-
lect information and disseminate opinion on the land
question generally. Altogether the subject bids fair
to become a very prominent one.
The best wishes of the country go with Prince
Arthur on his trip to Canada, where he is to join the
Rifle Brigade. The visit will tend to increase the
loyalty of the already loyal Canadians, and he will be
received none the less heartily for their reading that
just before leaving us he joined in a game at cricket at
Osborne, in the presence of the Queen and several
members of the royal family. True, his Royal High-
ness only scored two runs in his two innings, but it is
refreshing to see royalty, for all that, j3ining in a
national sport, on equal terms, with ordinary mortals.
People who take a keen interest in politics will pro-
bably look forward with anticipations of pleasure to
the publication of Sir Henry Bulwer's "Life of Lord
Palmerston." The private diary of the late eminent
statesman has been discovered. "All his great con-
temporaries figure in it, and they are said to be drawn
by a bold and masterly hand." If this be so it is an
additional proof of the wonderful industry of the de-
ceased nobleman, and bears out the statement made '
during his lifetime that almost as a rule he would be
occupied for hours after the rest of his establishment
had gone to rest in writing in his private room.
Whatever may be thought of the advisability of
having genuine working men as members of Parlia-
ment, no objection can be urged to the steps which a
new association, the Labour Representation League,
is taking to lead to that result. A council consisting
of thirty-two " leading " working men, has been
formed, and it is now proposed to form branches of
the league throughout the country, and thus acting
upon public opinion. This is legitimate enough. The
new society will probably find that their greatest
difficulty will be the pecuniary question.
While there is such a dearth of female employment
in the mother country, it would be well if domestic
servants would turn their attention to Canada, the
United States, and Australia. It has frequently been
shown of late that in Canada girls who have been sent
out by Miss Rye or some emigrantion society, have been
engaged as servants at good wages immediately on
their arrival. In the States there is still a great de-
mand for "helps." and they have a much easier
time of it generally than domestic servants in our own
country The Melbourne Argue tells us that in Aus-
tralia female emigrants do not remain long out of
employment, and that thirty single young women
being offered for domestic service at the Emigration
Depot, were engaged within half-an-hour at from
£l5 to 00 a year. Add to all this the greater chances
—in fact almost the certainty—of young women
getting husbands if they wish; and stir suprising that
our philanthropists and social reformers at home do
not make greater efforts to promote the emigration
of unemployed young women. Indirectly, and from
considerations that will at once present themselves to
the thoughtful reader, the subject is of great im-