The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-03-27 00:00:00

ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION OF MR. WATER-
MAN AT CRADLEY HEATH.

Mr. Alfred Waterman, the Conservative candidate
addresied a crowded and enthusiastic meeting in
the Corngreaves School, Cradley Heath, on Mon-
day evening last. Mr. Hugh Ker presided, and
there were present. s:tme of the leading conserva-

~........... _. _ ~
tives of the district.
The Chairman remarked that the duty be had to
perform was a very plea sing one, and it was to in-
troduce the Conservative candidate for that Borough.
His personal claims stood very high. He (the
chairman) entertained a very high opinion of Mr.
Waterman. His knowledge of him did not date
very far back, but his claims increased in value as
one knew him. During the few days he had known '
him he found he had more and more respect shown
him and he believed he was the man o represent
them---hear, hear). It had been said by the
" Advertiser " tnat M. Waterman was a young
man and knew nothing about politics, and lived in
, in a little out-of-the-way village, but he was able
to tell th,-,m he was a thorough bush', ss man, and
the little village he came from was th,t sairllp.ace
London. Mr Waterman seenael to him a man
who had a wise head on his shoulders, and he could
say he had a good knowledge of business. With these
a .quireinents Mr. Waterman's position was a very
good one, and he was, beyond all d,ubt, a very able
1
man indeed—(hear, hear). As regards his political
claims, he could distinctly say that what the-ad-
vertiser " had said was not true, and he would

leave them to judge, after they had heard his
speec't. He would tell them, as a matter of fac-,
that Mr. Waterman had been more or I,ss inclined
to political busin, se to fit him for a M .tuber of
Parliament. So much for his personal claims; but

-
he had another very strong claim indeed for their
votes, and that wa he was prepared to give a col-
stant support to the 'present Governmenr. They
would not live m,ny more yt ars b ,f,re they learnt
to reap the benefits of what the present Govern-
ment had done—(hear, hear)—in the interests of
this country. They had done their best to
strengthen those possessions which they showd be
proud ot—(cheers). They had proved to them (the
Liberals may say what they like about the wars not
being- necessary) that had the Liberal party been
ia office, they would have rendered them larger and
more expensive wars. He did not think there was
trie sightest doubt of it. The Chairman rem .rked
as to how General Roberts carried out the campaign
in Afghanistan, and said it was acknowleged that
the march on Cabul was a decided check to Russia,

and there was nothing to fear from that quarter fur
many years to come. There was no fear of attack
as long as the nations abroad knew that we were
strong and able to defend ourselves. The present
Goverarnent had proved that we are strong in.every
respect. He had great pleasure in intreducing Mr.
Waterman to them that night, as a gentleman who
had strong personal claims as a candidate, and a
strong supporter of the present Government. He
hoped they would give him it patient hearing and
he would be ready to answer any question from any
party, whether opposed to him or not.
Mr Alfred Watei man, who was received with
enthusiastic cheering, said he had every reason to
thank them, and hoped he should have a fait hear-
ing. He had been in the Radical parts of the dis-
trict and had had fair play, and he thought he
should get votes. (Cheers). He did not owe it to
hierself, he owed it to the great cause he repre-
s nted. (Apelauee). He should be a firm sup-
porter of the Conservative Government. (Cheers).
He was proud to seknowledee that he was a Tory
(Cl•eers). As to the present Liberal party, it was 7-1
many-headed multitude. It was difficult to find a
particular head—there were so many. There was
Lord Hartingzon, the nominal leader of the party,
taut he was overshadowed by Mr. Gladstone the
Frankenstein of the Liberal play. He muse des-
troy something, and he attempted to destroy the
influence of this country upoe the Continent. On
the contrary, Lord 13-aconsfield's Government had
maintained the honour and dignity of the country,
without imposing a tax upon the people. (Hear,
hear.) He felt sure from the cordial greetings he
had received in all parts of the borough, that the
pcs pie approved of that policy, and that they we e
determined to send a representative to suppo t it.
It was a fact that the Conservatives proved them-
selves so be the true liberals. They had taxed
them ..220,000,000 less, in the last two years, than
the Liberal Government did in the five years they
*ere in office. When the Conservatives went into
g they did was to reduce the
the pound. The Censervativa s
ipnocwoemre, the first
to2dth
jinn
had never extracted so much money from them
in any year, as Vie Liberals had. As regerded the
the finance question, the Conservative Government
had reduced the nation al debt. Mr Gladstone
said that he reduced the national debt £26,000,000
but he over-taxed them £20,000,000 to do it with.
The Con-erva. ive Government had reduced the
nat.onal debt £18,000,000. They had bought with
15,000,000 of the money, public-works, and shares
in the Suez Canal. They did not tax the people
for it, they borrowed the money and were payine
three per cent, interest for it, and were receiving
five per cent, showing a profitable investment.
He th-n spoke about Mr. Sheriden and said that
between the year 1874 and tBBO, the last six
years, he would show how Mr. Sheridan had at-
tended to their interests. During those six years
there had laNn 1,468 divisions in the House of
Cemmons, and Mr. Sheridan had only been present
217 times—(Cries of "Shame,)—that left him
1,251 times that he had neglected their interests—
(Shame). He (Mr. Waterman) shou'd look after
their interews better than that, if they were disposed
ta return him to Parliament. (Cries of 'We will,"
and Cheers). He should make good use of the
dignity invested in him He should not le ,ve
them when they wanted him and then come when
he wanted them. (Cheers). The Conservatives
bad been accused of squandering a surplus f
:0,000,000 that Mr. Gladstone had left behind, It
was not left behind, it was only es.imated. The
Conservatives found they should have to ext ,rt from
them, during the next year, the sum of
£5,600,000. Immediately thay reduced it by
rating £2,030,000 on sugar, !yid £2,000,000 on in-
come tax. He undertook to show them that the
only true Libetals were the Conservatives. They
were more liberal with their pockets and more care-
ful of their honeur. He then pointed out the wars
in which we Lad been engaged, during the last 23
Tears, when the Liberals wet(' in power. He
earnestly wked them for their support; arel took
his seat amid loud cheering.
Mr. Strawson then moved a resolation to the
effect, thee the meet ng having heard Mr. Water-
man, thought he was a fit and proper man to
repreaent them in Parliament. Mr. Strawson in
moving the resolution, said he hoped that they
would take a Tory with them to the poll and
elect a proper representative. Dudley had been
misrepresented long en-,ugh. He was sure they
would send Mr Waterman to Parliane_nt. (Hear,
bear).
Mr. Standish seconded the resolution, and in
doing so expressed his confidence an the Foreign
Policy of the Government, and ask, d the electors
to go forward and return Mr. Waterman, woo
who would support that policy. (Loud Cheers).
The resolution was supported by Mr. Underwood
(Old Hill) Mr. Morris (Round Oak), Mr. Fletcher
(Dudley), and Mr. Launder (Cradley Heath).
, The resolution was then put by the chairman
, and was unanimously carried, amid loud cheering.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the
proceedings.
h

EA `';T WOR,rE )1' 17, R,qIIP,E ELEC. T ON.

MESSRS. GLADsTONE AND HAS.ING, AT
THE LYE.

There was &large meeting at the Lye Cross, oa