The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-15 00:00:00

HALESOWEN CONSERVATIVE
ASSOCIATION.

SIR R. TEMPLE ON FAIR TRADE

On Monday evening a public meeting convened
by the Halesowen and District Conservative and
Constitutional Association was held in the large
Assembly room of the Shenstone Hotel, Halesowen,
Mr. F. D. L. Smith presided, and there was a
crowded attendance, among those present being Sir
Richard Temple, Bart. ; Messrs. E. Gem, H. Howard'
J. G. Reay, W. Somers, W. Rose, M. Rose, E. Higgs,
A. lloinfray, S. Goodman, A. G. Hayes, Rev. G. J.
Thatcher, T. White, J. Grove, G. Melley, J. Smith,
E. Russell, A. Burr, E. Pewtross, C. Moseley, E.
Smart, F. C. Holmes, Sco.
Tile Chairman. in introducing Sir Richard Temple,
said Sir Richard had given up an important position
in India in 1880 in order to contest that division of
the court y, and they all hoped he would be returned
at the next election—(applause). He thought the
time had come when the electors were tired with
the vacillating policy of those at the head of affairs.
When the Liberals came into power England held a
position second to none in Europe; but now she was
despised by other nations. It was for the electors
to decide whether they wculcl keep in power a Gov-
ernment which had failed to maintain the prestige
and position of the country, or would replace them
by men more qualified to conduct the national
affairs—(applause).
Sir R. Te:nple, who was cordially received, said
that in current p ditica the new Franchise; Bill
o cupicd the first position inltheir minds, and there
was every probability that it wou'd be before the
House of Commons soon after the 29th March. What
its ultimate fate might be they could not at present
d .termine, but as it was unaccompanied by a scheme
of redistribution, he thought it was most probable it
would be rejected by the HOUSO of Lords in order to
obtain the judgment of the country upon it by a
general election—(applause). The only way to test,
the feeliugs of the people of England was a dissolu-
tion of Parliament, A direct challenge would be
offered to the Government to dissolve Parliament
during the summer, so that the general election
would take place in the autumn. Whether the
Liberals or Conservatives were in a majority at the
election a Reform Bill was certain, and it was ne-
e, s eery that it should be a complete measure, which
the Government scheme was not It was also ne-
cessary that the rights of all classes should be re-
spected,a nd that each party should have its proper-
tionate share of represented° z. Surely the pro-
spects of adding 2,000,000 to the present electors,
almost doubling the electorate, would bring grave
responsibilities and would especially render it im-
portant that national educat!on should be extended
SJ as to make the people patriotic and contented—
(applause). This would be the object of the Con-
servative party—(applause). As to the principles
of Conservatism, they were bola defensive and con-
structive. It was their duty to maintain the exist-
ing institutions of this country, the House of
Lords, and the connection between Church and
State—(hear, hear). With reference to constructive
Conservatism, he advocate a wide diffusion of the
land among the people in order to give popularity
in land a stronger popular basis. Conservatives
were anxious, he said, to facilitate the outlay of
capital on the land, for the only chance of compet-
ing with foreign nations in agriculture was to have
the farms well drained, and cultivated on the most
scientific principles. It was therefore desirable
that all laws relating to the land should be made as
workable as possible. lie expressed the opinion that
the Act of Lord Cairns would have been more ser-
viceable if it had been made compulsory instead of
permissive The Conservatives desired to see Free
Trade in cattle disease stamped out of the country
—(applause). He admitted that the restriction on
tne importation and conveyance of cattle caused
much inconvenience, but careful inquiry showed
th .t the foot-and-mouth disease had cost the
farmers tens of millions of pounds, and unless we
were careful the losses would soon be counted by
hundreds of millions. He asked them to study the
statistics prepared of Mr. Duckham, who was not a
Conservative, but a member of the Farmeas' Alli-
ance. Was it not enough that the farmers should
have had bad seasons and foreign competition, with-
out having their difficulties increased by the impor •
tation of cattle disease, which was quite preventible.
The stoppage of the impo:tation, which was less
than 10 per cent, of the meat consumed in the
emntry, would not affect the price of meat, though
there was no doubt that the spread of infection
among the iemaining 90 per cent. of cattle was cal-
culated to raise the price very considerably. yon-
servatives also took a deep interest in questions
affecting the welfare of the working classes, and
foremost among those questions was the condition
of the artizans' dwellings—(applause)„ Soznething
more than inquiry was wanting, and that was
the strict and efficient execution
of the measures that were devised. It wai necessary
to place the dwellings away from trio factories and
amid the green fields of the country. Therefore it
was desirable to arrange for cheap trains to convey
the working men to their cottage homes, and also
that to every cottage a piece if garden should be
attached.- At the Social Science Congress last
autumn many questions were argued about the
dwellings of working men, and competent author.
Li s bro ight to show that even in the im-
proved dwellings there were many defects, and in
the removal of those defec's there was a field for
Conservative as well as Liberal philanthropists—
(applause). Sir Richard further advocated that
education should be on a religious basis, and the
Conservativea asked for the co-operation of the
Noncomformiste in insisting that in all public
schools religious instructim should be given. They
also supported the voluntary system in schools, for
that system was the best to ensure a sound religious
education. Sir Richard next spoke in favour of the
(levelopement of reformatory institutions, whereby
the hotbeds of vice and crime were being stamped
out. Another point which dernauded attention, he
said, was the encouragement of thrift, and that
could be best promoted by the agency of friendly
societies. In order to understand the working of
these societies he had been initiated a member of an
important friendly society, and while he recognised
the great good they were doing, still he considered
that there were many faults which might be
remedied by a more business-like system. He re-
minded them that upon the solvency of these
societies depended the relief in sickness and the
pension in old age of their members. There were
many institutions which did not come up to the
return prescribed by Lim, by which alone they could
be properly tested. Turning to the question of our
foreign trade Sir Richard said that owing to foreign
tariffs market after market was being closed to our
trade, The remark not only applied to Europe,
but to the United States, and even to our Colonies.
Teis artificial system which foreigners fancied did
them gcod really did them harm. He was afraid
that if we retaliated up n them we should only be
Injuring the nose to spite the face. There was one
point to which he wished the Fair Traders would
direct their attention. Instead of proposing duties
on American. and foreign manufacturers, if they
wanted retaliation, why did they not direct eaten-
teen to the duties on foreign wines? There would
be great difficulty in regard to putting a tax.` on
foreign manafacturers, but there could not be the
same objection to the further taxation of wines.
We imported wines from Gern-.any, France, and
Spain, and he ventured to suggest that we should
say to those countries, " If you don't admit free our
manufactures we are not going to admit your wine
free. If you close y ,ur markets against us and
refuse to give us a fair field of open competition
then recollect we will stop your wine—(applaus.).
We are:sorry to deprive ourselves of that luxury
but for the sake of the prosperity of England we
will give np.drinking your wine and we will take to
manufacturing these articles at home "—(applause).
that, of course, was putting the case in rather a
strong way. He did not think he could go quite
sc far as that, but something might be done in that
chreetion, Though ho woo unable to agree with

the Fair Traders in most respects, he would make
them a presroit of tlaai suggestion—(laughter).
Instead icq wasting time n endeavours to induce
foraioa nations to remove their tariffs, we ought to
look to tli nentr a markets which embraced nearly
the whale of Africa. the greater part of Asia,
to:t d tee l'e, iiic Islands, or fully half of
the lr,!ot 010. One re..son for keeping a
careful watch over the neutral markets was this,
that wherever the Russians, French, and Portuguese
carried tivir conquests they adopted restriezive
regulations against British commet ce. Open com-
petition ment victory for the British manufacturer.
In British India we had an instance of Free Trade,
and the consequence was that she was the largest
customer of Great Britain. Then with reference
to Chink., of the great foreign trade of that empire
eigh.y percent. belonged to England. It, therefore,
was not a matter of indifference to us that China
should become engaged in war with France We
should take care that that extensive commerce was
not interrupted by the operations of the French---
(hear, hear). It was also desirable that we should
look to the large island of Borneo, where a British
company had established a position, and he thought
the island would ultimately fall into the possession
of the English. He further recommended that New
Guinea should be annexed to Australia. This
should be done by means ot a confederation of the
Colonies. Unless the Colonies were treated by
England with proper eympathy he was afraid we
should alienate the loyalty of the Colonists. The
annexation of New Guinea would prevent filibuster-
ing expeditions to that island and the possible in-
troduction of slavery, and at the same time it
would open up a large market to British con-
gress. He further advised us to take care that the
French did not annex Madagascar, and that the
Boers did not oppress the native races of Southern
Africa. We ought also to do our duty along the
valley of the Congo, along the banks of which an
industrious population of negroes had clustered.
With that population we should do an extensive
trade if commerce were allowed to be free, but the
French and Portuguese would do their utmost by
means of tariffs to keep us out of that region. The
introduction of British commerce into the Valley of
tte Congo would not only be an advantage to Eng-
land, but a groat benefit to the tribes themselves—
(applause). Sir Richard went on to reftr to the
Central Asian question, and urged that a distinct
understanding should be come to with Russia. We
should tell the Russian wave of conquest 'Thus far
shall thou come, and no further "—(applause). He
respected the Russians personally, but he admitted
that they were the political enemies of England.
He regretted that in the Soudan we were abandon-
ing the natives to slavery. The Mandi and his
followers were aiming at the perpetuation of a cruel
and destructive slave-holding system. We were not
in a r osition to take away the slaves the Soudanese
already possessed, but we ought to prohibit the con-
tinuance of the slave trade—(applause).
Mr. E. Gem proposed: "That in the opinion of
this meeting Sir H. Temple, Bart., G.C.5.1., is
a fit and proper person to represent the Eastern
division of the county of Worcester in Parliament,
and those present pledge themselves to use all s.
legitimate means to secure his return at the next
election."
Mr. E. Higgs seconded the motion and it was car-
ried amid applause.
Mr, H. Howard mowxl"That the present Govern-
ment in consequence of its gross mismanagement
of home and foreign affairs, has forfited the confi-
dence of the country and should be replaced by a
Government more:in accord with the feelings of
the bulk of the people.
Mr. W. Somers seconded the resolution which was
adopted and a vote of thanks to the chairman, pro-
posed by Sir R. Temple, and seconded by Mr, G.
Melly, concluded the proceedings.