The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-07-17 00:00:00

THE COBDEN CLUB.

On Saturday afternoon the annual dinner of the Cobden
Club was held at the "Ship,'' at Greenwich. A special
steamer was appointed to start from the House of Commons
stairs at 4.30 p.m., by which time a large company had
assembled. The party, which must have numbered 300 or
400 gentlemen, reached the hotel just in time to escape a
heavy shower. Amongst those present were Earl Spencer,
who presided; Mr. T. B. Potter, M.P., vice-president for the
occasion; M. Challemel-Lacour, the French Ambassador;
the Vicomte de Lesseps, Lord Houghton, Lord Braye, Mr.
Morier, C. 8., Baron Overbeck (Austria), Sir H. Havelock
-
Allan, 31. P., Mr. H. Gladstone, M.P., Sir G. Campbell, 31. P.,
Sir T. Aeland, M.P., Sir Louis Mallet, M.P., &;c., &c.
After the usual royal and patriotic toasts, which
were received with all honours, Earl Spencer rose to
propose the toast of the evening, "Prosperity to the
Cobden Club."—We give the following extract from
the noble Earl's speech :—" It is not necessary for me,
gentlemen, to dilate upon the principles of this club,
which are the principles of a great statesman who
devoted his life to carrying those principles out, and
who worked with matchless common sense, untiring
energy and dauntless courage to fulfil his task.
(Cheers.) But I think I may make some remarks and
draw attention to some points which will show whether
those principles are gaining ground not only in these
islands, but throughout the world generally. I think
it may be imperative to see whether it is still necessary
for us to propagate the principles of this club.
(Hear, hear.) I feel I may"congratulate the club on what
has taken place within the last few years. This coun-
try, both in its manufacturing and agricultural inte-
rests, has gone through a period of dire depression
and no loud cry has been maole for a return to Protec-
tion. It is true, no doubt, that what I may term the
weak-kneed offspring of Protection, Reciprocity, has
been mentioned again, and in both Houses of Parlia-
ment. But one thing is satisfactory. Who was it
that gave the real death-blow in Parliament and in
the country to Reciprocity? Was it not the late
Prime Minister, Lord Beaconsfield, the leader of the
Conservative party? Who is Lord Beaconsfield?
He is the very Mr. Disraeli who in past days led his
serried hosts against Free Trade and in favour of Pro-
tection. Gentlemen, I think that is a matter for con-
gratulation; and if we consider that since then we have
had a general election, and that there was net a dis-
tinguished politician who adopted the cry of Protection.
or even Reciprocity, we may, I think, be satisfied that
that cry will not be raised for along time in our country.
Certainly one or two manufacturers and an hon. friend
of mine in private life, with whose politics, how-
ever, I have no sympathy, have attempted to raise
the cry. But lam sure my hon. friend will not find,
even in his own party, much support for his principles.
It is satisfactory to see what progress we have made
in considering this question. No doubt farmers and
manufacturers are to be found who consider that their
interests shauld be protected against foreign trade.
But during the last few years we have advanced
greatly. Last autumn I happened to be stud-wing a
question with which I expected to have a great deal to
do—viz., agricultural depression—and in looking back
over certain evidence given by some agriculturists in.
1836 I was much amused to find that a Buckingham-
shire farmer (perhaps resident near Beaconsfield),
being asked the cause of the depression, replied,—
"I see the cause of the depression; it is the great
competition we have to meet leoth in corn and meat."
But where, think you, that competition came from?
America? The colonies or Canada? No; it came
from Ireland, our poor sister island. The farmer to
whom I refer declared that the corn and pigs from
Ireland caused the then exicting aglicultural depres-
sion. We hope the British farmer is now more
enlightened. (Hear.) And here I must refer to a
book recently come to my hands and which has been
sent out to the members of the club in fulfilment of
one of its most useful purposes—l mean "The
Western Farmer in America, 'by Mr. Montgredien, who
shows most skilfully what has taken place in the
United States. He has the power of placing be-
fore his readers simple and forcible illustrations. He
tells us that the farmers in the West have to pay
400 million dollars a year more than they actually
need pay merely to protect the farmers in the East;
and he shows how the farmers in buying
crockery, ironwork, and implements have to pay a
far higher price than they would have to pay
if there were no protection. He shows clearly that,
so far from this having promoted the welfare of the
manufacturers in the East, the latter have suffered
more largely from the depression than any country in
the world. It appears that whereas from 1860-78 a
largely increased export has been made of cotton
goods from this country, amounting to 60 millions of
dollars, the American increase of manufactured goods
has only amounted to half a million dollars. (Hear.)
These are very remarkable figures, and show that as
far as the export trade is concerned the Americans of this
day, having the raw material at their own doors and
the natural protection of the Atlantic, fall far short
of this country in their power to export. The
failures in the Eastern trades during five years
ending with the years 1877 and 1878 were more than
double those of any previous five years. Again, 600,600
persons have been compelled to migrate from the
Eastern to the Western States owing to the depres-
sion in the former. That is the picture of a highly-
protected country. I hope the day will come when, aided
loy such distinguished economists of their own country
as we see here to-night, the United States will see the
error of their ways and adopt Free Trade. I must
claim some credit for Her Majesty's present Govern-
ment for having at this early period shown their
appreciation of Free Trade by the course they have
adopted in the repeal of the malt-tax. (Cheers.) It
is, as you know, the great agricultural interest, the
backbone of the Conservative party for the last forty
years, who have been restricted by this tax ; and yet
the Conservatives have never dealt with it in any
way. Though it was the constant cry of their Con-
servative friends out of office, that cry has always
been interrupted when a Conservative Government
has been in office, and it has never been dealt with
in any way. (Heart hear.) I think it speaks very
little for the financial ability of that great party,
that, in spite of the many opportunities, they have
had, even with a surplus of five millions, they had
never had the wisdom or the power to repeal the Malt-
tax. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, it has been left to
the great Liberal party, under that chief whose
leadership lam so proud to follow—it has been left
to Mr. Gladstone to propose this measure in Parlia-
ment. (Loud cheers.) After this subject had been
handled by him it would be presumptuous and ridicu-
lous in me to enter into any details about it ; but I am
sure that I have the wishes of this club and of all who
belong to it, whether present or absent, that we may
be able successfully to carry out this great policy.
(Cheers.) There may be difficulties in the way in the
form of opposition from some interests which are
affected; but I am quite sure that whenever a trade or
industry is set free from restrictions' it is impossible
ito tell n what way new benefits may arise to
that industry. (Hear, hear.) They spring up in
every direction, and although brewers may complain
of the tax which has been laid upon them. I am sure
farmers will benefit from the advantages which will
arise from removal of restrictions on their industry to
an extent far greater than they at present anticipate.
(Hear, hear.) I had almost forgotten what I wished
to include in this subject—viz., a short quotation from
a speech of Mr. Cobden on this subject :—" We sym-
pathize with the farmers; we will never tolerate one
shilling duty on corn, but we will co-operate with
them in getting rid of the Malt-tax. We owe the
farmers something, and we will endeavour to pay them
in kind." (Cheers.) I now wish, before concluding,
to touch on a matter of, perhaps, greater difficulty.
It is one which was touched upon in one of the great
speeches of the Prime Minister delivered in the House
of Commons when he introduced the subject of the re-
peal of the Malt-tax—it is that of the commercial
treaty with our great neighbour, France. (Cheers.)
I shall begin by assuring the distinguished diplo-
matist, who I am glad to see by my side to-night
—(cheers)—a man distinguished not only in litera-
ture, but I believe I may class him as a Free-
trader—that I shall not put any difficulty in his way
by my mode of touching that subject. Mr. Cobdencs
name will
of
willmbsoe fasor
with eivt Free Trade. Cobden negotia-
er connected in history with the
Treatyted with great skill that treaty with the French nation.
He knew that to encourage commercial relations with
that country would do more than any alliance to
fight a common foe. I think you will see that his
objects and anticipations have been entirely realized.
(Hear, hear.) We now are every day increasing our
friendship and intercourse with the French people.
(Cheers.) I sincerely trust that now the time has
come for again reviewing the question of the treaty,
we shall again be able to secure the co-operation of
the Government of France in renewing the treaty.
(Cheers.) I feel sure that not only will that be of great
benefit to this country, but that it will largely benefit
France. While on the subject of treaties I think we ought
to recollect that it is our duty to try and extend the
benefits of these commercial treaties to other nations.
(Hear, hear.) Action, I think, should be taken to
induce the Governments of those countries to increase
their intercourse with us and lower their tariffs.
(Hear, hear.) If other nations will join us, I feel sure
that they will greatly benefit not only the world at
large, but their own people. (Hear, hear.) Having
spoken of commercial treaties, I may, perhaps, be
allowed to say a few words on a very important
branch of statesmanship. At some times in the
history of this country we find that the people
do not take that interest in foreign affairs which
at other times seems to engross them. Now, I
do not think that can be said of the last four years,
or of the present time. No cry was so much raised
during the late election as that of the foreign policy
of the late Government. Their foreign policy in regard
to the tributary nations of Turkey, with regard to
Greece, with regard to Cyprus, with regard to the
Anglo-Turkish Convention, and also with regard to
India, was made the subject of canvass and discussion
on every hustings. and I believe there was nothing
which 80 much influenced the vote of the people as
the late Government's views on these subjects. (Hear,
hear.) The noble Earl then adverted to the foreign
policy of the present Government, and, after alluding
to the land question, concluded his speech by saying :
What we want to aim at is unity of ownership and
such a system of simple and ready transfer of lands as
will put the land question on a satisfactory basis. We
find that the principles of this Club are becoming pro-
minent all over the world, and that in free trade,
in foreign policy, and in home policy these principles
are what you have adopted as the motto for your
books. "Free Trade, Peace, Goodwill among
Nations." Let me, gentlemen, add to that one other
1 sentiment, which I am sure will not be opposed to the
views of the Cobden Club. It is that we must not
forget to uphold in this country the principles of re-
ligious liberty and toleration. (Hear.) We have seen
both before and since Parliament met that there are
still some in this country who need reminding that we
do not intend that religious tests shall be enforced or
that religious toleration shall be interfered with (loud
cheers) ; that we hold that in the political life of this
great country every one should be free, without any
religious test, if only he is fit, to hold any office, high
or low, that is open to the citizens of this great
country. I have now the honour to give you the toast
of the evening, "Prosperity to the Cobden Club."
(Cheers.)
The toast was drunk with enthusiasm, and was re-
sponded to by Mr. Baxter, M.P.
Mr. Herbert Gladstone in proposing the next toast,
Our Foreign and Colonial Friends," said that the
r opniiilnde itp lh
oe s n spreadam name
of
the
ee
man brighterwh o
had first advocated and then fought for the principles
mwooureld garor.w
of flu td ill Euglitlad.
Cthoebdheaillo' s