The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-09-28 00:00:00

Ou onbon t orrtsponbtitt.

Me deems 4 nght to state that we do not at all nude
Identily ourselves with our Correspundemga opinions.]

When the first Parliamentary election under the
ballot took place, it was a common remark that this
election was exceptional, there being very little party
hang, and People agreed to wit& the effect of the
second election under the secret-voting system. Now
we are told that this too is exceptional, as party feeling
ran so high, and people agree to look out for the next
election. I for one shall watch the course of the result
of whatever may be the next occasion of adopting the
ballot, fully expecting that what was done at Preston
will be done elsewhere. And indeed Ido not see
why Liberals and Conservatives 'alike should not ask
their presumed friends to vote for them, and why
voters should not, if they choose to do so, give
up their "cards" to certain agents. It may be
very well for people to vote in secret, but there
is no Act of Parliament yet, and there is not likely to
be any, to prevent A. asking B. for a vote, and B
afterwards telling the agent of A. how the vote was
given. I cannot see, in spite of assertions and arguments
to the contrary, how what is done before and after the
ballot affects the working of the ballot itself.
Dean Swift made some such a remark as this, that
"the mall who makes two blades of gran grow where
only one grew before "—but you know the rest. Cer-
tainly the man who could invent a new kind of food, or
Increase the supply of any existing kind of food, or do
anything, in a word, to make good food more
abundant and cheap, would be truly a public bene-
factor. I noticed the other day that a shop has been
opened in Paris for the supply, as food, of badgers,
foxes, weasels, ferrets, wild cats, 0w1,,, rooks, mag-
pies, Ate.. Some of these at all events are far
from tempting, but who shall say that they are
all to be despised—that the flesh of not one of these
animals or birds is good to eat? The proprietor of
this shop appeals to gourniets "without prejudices."
But where is the gourmet without prejudices? Tuete
people are specially remarkable for their prejudice. it
is this quality indeed that is the chief barrier to the
adoption of new kinds of food, or of new modes
of cooking our ordinary food; and it is a re-
markable fact that the poorer dames of society
have far stronger prejudices es to food than the
upper classes. The great middle class is doing
society good service by more and more adopting
the preserved meats, fish, and gape which are now
becoming important articles of trade. If the working
claim could but overcome their prejudices in this reepeot
we should not hear, read, and feel so much ae we now
do of the dearness of food. The more attention
I pay to this subject the more I am astounded
at the tenacity with which we most of us adhere (when
we can get them) to the same old dishes, and
the obstinacy with which we reject anything new while
No
many new kinds of food or new modes of preparing
them are offered to us. Witneea, as one example out
of many, Mr. Frank Buckland's remarks in The Times
relative to pond fish and eels. An inspector of Salmon
Fisheries ought to speak with authority on such matters,
but if • hundred inspectors were to speak thus it
would have very little weight with those very people
who are mostintrrested in the breeches-pocket question
of food supply.
Now that the cold weather is coming on it is cheer-
ing to find that the price of coal is coming down, and
that there are indications of a further lowering of
quotations. The sanguine among us may even look
forward to coal, ere long, being cheaper than we
have had it for years. But though this may be
too much to expect, we very fairly anticipate good re-
sults from the discovery of coal in various districts,
and from the impetus that will be given to the "out-
put "of seal in India and our colonies. At any rate
there is one general consolation. The recent investiga-
tions into the prospects of coal supply generally incon-
testibly proves that there is coal enough to last, I was
about to say, to the end of the world, but that ie a
phrase that ought not to be used too flippantly. But
that the increasing demand for coal will result in an
increased supply is certain.
After all that has been said and written on the sub-
ject of commodious dwellings for the poor of London,
after the debates on the matter in the two Houses of
Parliament, and after two public companies have
proved that the erection of ouch dwellings will pay
commercially, without any charity or patronage, it will
scarcely be believed that an Act of Portion ent which
provided for dwellings for the poor of London has
actually been ignored. Such, however, is the fact.
The Act which regulated the construction of that
splendid work, the Holborn Viaduct, provided that in
place of the hundreds of wretched dwellings (as well as
one old houses) that were then pulled down the Cor-
poration of London should erect houses especially for
the poor, and this within five years of the passing of
the Viaduct Act in 1857 ; and yet nothing has been
done in this direction. ',foreigners from all parts
of the world and residents in all parts of the
kingdom make a point of visiting the Viaduct
when they come to the Great City, but they
cannot admire this work with fut also being struck by
the enormous quantity of wade ground in the neigh-
bourhood. Monster factories and warehouses appear
to be coming slowly, but where are the workers to be
located?

Both cabs and cabmen, I think, are more abused '
than they deserve. Undoubtedly there might be some
improvements effected in the latter, but I doubt
whether the offer of the Society of Arta towards this ,
object is sufficiently liberal. The Society proposes to
give £6O for the best improved cab, two prizes of £2O
each for the next best two, and two prizes of £lO each
for the next best two. The cabs are to have been in '
use for three months previously, and the prize-gaining
cabs are to be exhibited in the International Exhibition
of 1873, that is to say the owners are to be prevented
from earning money with them for five months. That
will never do. The prizes are small and the penalty
great. The Society of Arts, however, does well to
draw attention to the subject. Visitors to London
sometimes find that they have worse cabs here than
those they have left behind them.
The remarks of Lord Cameroon, on laying the first
stone of a working man's club the other day have, I '
doubt not, been intelligently discussed in many work-
big men's homes. His lordship advocates freedom in
the use of, or abetinence from, beer and tobacco, and even
said a word or two in favour of a billiard-table, believing
that the good sense and good feeling of the members '
of the forthcoming club will prevent any abuse of
this freedom. I shall not enter largely into the discus-
sion of this subject, but it is one which deserves the
attention of all those who may be contemplating the
starting of a working man's club or the joining one.
That such clubs have ocussionally failed through the
managers being too strict is certain ; and it may be
well to consider whether a more liberal policy would
not promote the welfare of these clubs as well as the
temperance of the members.
I did not assist at the Alexandra Park races. My
taste may be peculiar, but I confess it does not lie in
the direction of races and racing prophets, horsey men,
Welshers, kc., but after residing the probably under-
coloured accounts of these races, I arrive at the
conclusion that the sooner the Lord Mayor and his
friends perfect their scheme of devoting this park to
the recreation of the public witheut ram the
better. The Alexandra Park and Pala e, under the
scheme which is n,w being promoted by numerous
gentlemen of influence, and who have the best interests
of the public at heart, will become a popular resort,
without those undesirable aceessories which race-
meetings always involve. How this scheme is pro-
ceeding I have not lately heard, and I fear the working
classes are not taking up shares as rapidly as they
ought to do for their own benefit. The preservation of
500 acres for the health, recreation, and amusement of
the immense population of the northern districts of
London, and this on sound commercial principles free
from the evils of company-making, in an object that
might to commend itself to the general public.
Three young English ladies have ascended to the
summit of Mont Blanc. Well, and what then ? Why
they will be able to ray that they have done this—
cadet tout. Sheridan, yeu remember, asked his son what
ever he wanted to go down into a coalpit for. "Only to
say I have been," said the son. Surely you could say
you had gone without going," said the highly moral
father. These young ladies, doubtless, have higher
notions of the value of truth. They would not eay
they had reached the summit of Moot Blanc without
bavii.g done it, but still the pleasure of saying they
had been no doubt weighed with them. But is the
game worth the candle? I rather doubt it, considering
the numerous fatal ac ddents that are occasioned in
the attempt to scale the monarch of European moun-
tains—to say nothing of some other deaths of which
the general public never hear, and of many minor
catastrophes that are not worth reporting. But where
is the flee of moralising on such matters! People will
risk their lives, with very little to gain if they win ;
and so it will be to the end of the chapter.
Till we know how and why M. About was arrested
by the Germans we may as well suspend our opinion on
that occurrence, but it is certain that this brilliant
writer will "have much to tell," as be already says.
There is no doubt that he formerly told s good deal
that was very distasteful to the Prussians, and that his
writings have already had considerable effect on public
opinion throughout the Continent and in our own
country. In one respect his arrest will be a capital
thing for him. He will make a great deal of
copy" out of it. He is known as one of the most
brilliant of journalists and newspaper correspondents,
and he will now be more famous than ever. Nobody can
blame him for profiting by the occasion, any more than
Mr. Stanley can be blamed for accepting the brilliant
offer of £lO,OOO for delivering • series of lectures in
America describing how be found Livingston..