The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-12-11 00:00:00

-COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.

THE Smithfield Club's annual show of fat
stock at Islington take 3 up to London a
great army of country folk who seize the
opportunity afforded by that December ex-
hibition for a holiday outing. They see the
fit oxen, sheep, and pigs first, and turn to
other pleasures atterwards. To all such a
falling off at Islington would be a great
grief. This year there has happily, at the
show proper, beetino cause of disappointment.
If fewer beasts have been penned at the
Agricultural Hall, the prize lists have been
very heavy, and the exhibits have been
super-excellent in quality. Out farmers
have again demonstrated their-ability to pro-
duce animals of mammoth proportions, pos-
sessing every point desiderated by the cori-
sumer. Thus from the sightseer's view-
point, the Smithfield Show of 1886 has been
a capital one. But the very marked diminu-
tion in the number of beasts shown furnishes
matter for serious reflection to all who have
agricultural interests at heart. Corn-grow-
ing is giving place to pasturing on many
farms. Therefore we look for a greater pro-
duction of food-giving animals than when
cereals were more generally cultivated. in
Britain. We see our own farmers raising
unsurpassed beef and mutton, but we want
to see them producing a greater quantity.
The outlook is gloomy indeed if foreign
cattle are destined to drive English beasts
from the market in the same alarming ratio
wall which imported oats, wheat, and barley
have vanished English grain from British
flour-mills. The Smithfield Club has done
much in improving the breed of farm ani-
mals ; let it grasp with all seriousness now
the matter of cheap production and foreign
competition, and it will confer . a boon upon
the country.

THE great gathering of Liberal Unionists
in London on Tuesday established clearly the
position of the followers of Lord Hartington,
and the defining line which marks their di-
vergence from Gladstonian Liberalism. It is
purely a matter of disagreement as to the
method of dealing with the Irish difficulty.
The proposals of the ex-Premier are rejected
with firmness, and until they are abandoned
the Hartingtonians can no longer recognise
their old chief, but will war in the opposite
political camp to prevent the consumation of
any plan of disruption. Viewing the whole
matter from an unprejudiced standpoint, it
seems clear that Ccnservatism may remain
dominvit until either Mr. Gladstone retires
from the Liberal lead or changes his views
as to Ireland, or until, as an alternative, the
followers of the member for Midlothian
desert him, The whole case suggests the
probability of as ugly a block in legislation
as may well be conceived, a deadlock with
which Irish obstruction at its worst would
comparatively be rapid progress. It is to b 3
hoped that some way out of the difficulty
will shortly bc discovered, or the House of
Commons and politics. generally will suffer
in reputation.

THE heavy incubus of National Debt under
which England suffers is a millstone, so to
speak, round the neck of the country's fin-
ancial system ; and we are very much more
solvent net% than many Continental powers
are. We way well in this matter look with
envious longing over the Atlantic, for
Bother Jonathan has saved twenty-four
millions sterling beyond expenditu,T from
his income for the year ending with last
June. The obvious first reflection is that he
has taxed himself beyond need to provide for
so large an income, but the truth remains
that depression in England is more marked
than in America just now. If any English
Chancellor could produce such a handsomo
surplus he would build himself a brilliant
reputation for financial ability.

THE quarrel between the English Govern-
ment and a private firm of fast Transatlantic
steamship owners, as to the carrying of the
mails, is a very unpleasant one. The refusal
to take any letters because the authorities
have made new contracts with foreign com-
panies caused an injunction to be applied
for by the Crown law officials, and we have
not heard the last of the matter. Not to go
into the merits of a case which will be tried
in Court, but to speak generally, the Post-
master-General holds that he can do better
for cheapness and facility by dealing with
these foreign boats, some of them subsidiseci
by a foreign Government, and that he is
studying the taxpayer aud public interest
and commerce in employing them. Some of
his supporters say. that he is in effect
cleverly drafting this foreign subsidy into
the British purse by the mancenvre. It has
been said, too, that a combination of steam-
ship interest has existed to the detriment of
the postal serTice with a view of getting al
the mail carrying on certain routes into
certain grooves agreed upon by the
carrying companies, and that abuses
have thus arisen. It seems to us that the
whole matter demands public inquiry, with
a view to preventing "jobbery" on the one
hand and injustice on the other. It is
well at times to break through a long estab-
lished monopoly ; but there is a great antip-
athy against employing foreign ships in
British public service, be it cheaper or not.

A SMALL paragraph, which went the round
of the papers the other day, would doubtless
prove somewhat of a solace to the discon-
tented race of humanity who have latterly
rallied under the banner of Socialist champ-
ions. It appears :that not more than ten
years ago, a gentleman of birth, had a rent
roll front his Irish estate of £2,000 a year.
He had the reputation of being a reason-
able landlord ; but the development of the
disaffection ammg tenants in Ireland, and
their ultimate refusal to pay any rent, com-
pletely ruined the whilom property owner.
The financial disaster killed his wife, and he
himself had to seek ret lige finally in a North
London Workhouse. His decline from com-
parative wealth to poverty was rapid, but
not more so than :tho consequent wreck of
body and mind, which soon brought him to
the pauper's grave in which he has just been
buried. An only son enlisted only a short
time ago in the army as a common soldier,
Here Is a, typical illustration of the fate with
which the wealthy and upper middle classes
are threatened when Messrs. Hyndman,
Burns, and Co. have gained the coveted
pedestal of power.

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moment they are excited by the act of sucking the
Glycerine in these agreeable confections becomes
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London." Dr. George Moore in his work on 'Nose
and ibroat Diseases," says: • The Glycerine Jujubes
prepart d by James Epps and Co, are of undoubted
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Throat and Ear Infirmary, wlites : "After an extended
trial, I have found your Glycerine Jujubes of couside::-
able benefit in ,linost all ftnius of throat disease.'
Ispps's Medicines may be had at 136, 1- ugh Street
Stourbridge.