The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-01-23 00:00:00

MR. W. E. FORSTER, M.P., AT
BRADFORD.

A soirée in connection with the Bradford Chamber
of Commerce was held in the Exchange on Monday
evening. Mr. Stead, the President, was in the chair;
aid among others present were the Right Hon. W. E.
Forster, ALP., Lord F. Cavendish, M.P., Mr. Ripley,
M.P., and Mr. Whitwell, M.P. The report of the
Council in regard to the action taken by the Chamber
during the past year personally and in connection with
the Associated Chambers of Commerce was read by
the Secretary.

Mr. Forster, M.P. in moving the adoption of the
report, observed that as it was a meeting of business
he merely proposed to make a few remarks upon
topics which were suggested by the report. He would
devote his attention to those interests upon which it
was desirable that Chambers of Commerce should form
public opinion and advise the Government. To one
of these subjects he had paid some attention in conse-
quence of his recent visit to America, namely, the Ex-
hibition which was to take place in Philadelphia next
year. When he was in Philadelphia several of the
most influential persons there mentioned the subject
to him. He told them he had no authority to speak
for the people of England, nor even for his own town,
but he added that he did not imagine that Englishmen
were keen or earnest for exhibitions of this kind; on
the contrary, they had had almost enough of
them. At the same time he assured them that if they
took any interest in any Exhibition anywhere it would
be in the one that was to he held in America. Per-
sonally his own opinion was that in this country we
had been exhibited enough, and had had exhibitions
enough, generally speaking; but he should be sorry to
see Great Britain refrain from taking a hearty and
earnest part in the great assembly of the industry of the
world which was to take place in America next year.
There was several reasons why we should do so, even if
we were rather tired of exhibitions. America was our
most important customer, and we wished the commerce
to be still greater. Then, again, the Americans were,
very friendly towards us. Speaking from his own ex-
perience, he could assure any gentleman who desired to
visit America that he would experience a hospitality and
a pleasure in his personal reception which would com-
pensate him for any trouble he might take. There were
two or three special reasons why he wished to see this
country represented at Philadelphia next year. One of
them was suggested in the report and had reference to
the proposal to render the patent laws uniform. The
Americans were known to be a most inventive people,
and it was exceedingly desirable that we should come
to some agreement with them on such a question 88
the patent laws. (Hear, hear). It was stated in the re-
port, and to a great extent he agreed with it, that wha
England and America agreed to upon this matter
would be adopted by other countries. Without dis-
paraging our Continental friends it was impossible to
deny that the great majority of inventions came from
this country or from the other side of the Atlantic, and he
could not help thinking that the industrial gathering
next year might afford an opportunity for a discussion
of the question which might result in both Govern-
ments being convinced that an advantage would be
derived from co-operation and unity. (Cheers). He
advised any person who went from Bradford to the
United States to see the Patent Museum at Washing-
ton, and it was one of the finest buildings in the world.
There was another reason why they should be well
represented in America. Their friends out there were
not so convinced as to the value of free trade as they