The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-04-03 00:00:00

44e storabrible elocrtier.

S‘Tr'). ..v, APRIL 3, 1875.

•i.iN4y iG' t.

li, i

't!e 4-I;iyq rfl.kpri% the ta%

; - • •-e ei !et leet of he Chan-
.o..a ii„ quer. I.he amouat of public
a ::1 the anti,iipeted revelations varies
wia 372 whidi the custodian of the nation-
al purse ie eilown to have in hand. Formerly
we had to welt O the quarterly revenue returns
betcn we knew how .the balence stood, but
within t'ne east few years the taltles of revenue
and expenditure have been puilished every week
and the peopiekeow just as much of the state of
Cat, Treasury es the Chenctelor of the Exchequer
himself. Teo financial year closes on the Blw,
of Merch, and open the receipts. in the twelve
months un to that t:late. the Budp..et is construe- .
ted. In the-vilely &aye, now -fading into dis-
tances, when M. Giadetoile wes nimister of
Finance, wee Lord Palwerstone was at the helm
of State, Budget night wes the great ei,3ht of
the eessioti. in those bygone times, when the
Government wes content to cary ou quietly the
bueinces of legistation, the people seemed for a
time to care not for Parlianientery Referee, for
the levelling of the Irish Cnerch, for the aboli-
tion of Purchase in die e.rtnee for the adoption
of the Bellok, end for the other great me.isurs
wlaich Lave come up for setteenent since Lord
Pslruerston was laid to his rest in Westminster
Abbey. As the. vener:ibie Preteir approached
his eightieth year, even his po!itical opponents
declared that he was a fine old fellow, and that
while he lived, it would be a pity to disturb his
tenure of power. I confess," said Mr. Bright
at Birmingham, at the general election of 1865,
three months before the Prime Minister died,
" I confess I have no wish to enter the lists with
an old man eigaty years of age." Satisfied with
little more than tile duties of ordinary adminis-
tration, and taking care to introduce no blazing
questions to form the subject of great debates,
the Government of that titee passed a quiet un-
eventful existence There was one break in
the monotony of life, and OW. W 4.3 the night on
which the chancellor of the Exchequer explained
his Budget. Floor and galieriee were crowded •
and the public showed the most eager desire to
have early infornaiiou of Mr. Ciladetone's pro-
posals, the more so as he had often diree or fonuiillious t.
steriieg to give away, and there
host of iaterests wiiitine to know whether their
repreeentatihis had been e.ousAered. And al.
thougli t e ap9rtanco of liudget-nl4ht
xiow crslnitiows o anger th it of till the odor
nights of the legi.,Atitive year, it is one which ie
anticipattei aid epeculated upon by various Sac-
titntil of the ern-or:, unity.
Weat wilt Sir Seaford Northcote have to sit:.
O n the 15th when he explains his propositions to
the liteusd of C 0111,110116 2 Well in the first place
we are all aware that ne will not be calted upon
to imeose new taxee. Speakiug nearly six
months IWO, when the receipts for a time seemed
to be felliug oil', the right both gentletnan expresed
his coutidence doe, notwithstanding adverse ap-
pearances, he wArill be dnahlad to make bote
ends meet, and probably bave a baletice in hind
even thou:01 A s trill au,. •,r3 javd-
fied Sir B:Ad.-1.-Ts T.,e reveuti-
returns ere setiefectory as up to the is
timate, and althoileil teere is no megaitieeie,
surplus, as yeerse there is
little to spire, thouge nut very much. There are
indeed, twiny who are inc ine.d to doubt tee
wisdom of the eistein weleh produeee evert,
year an enoioiou.i sucplui. Wii,Lt is the Übe,
they ask, of taking fro at the pockets of tile
people, five or all miltious ster.ing more than
required for th, pub iu scrvie? ? Or rather what
Is the good of takiis i. oat of one tioceei, to put
it back ita:n the other —seizing it with the right
hand and restoring it with the ieft, ? We are
not about to enter into hiS eoutroversy, whiee
used to rage fiercely when Mr. Lowe was at the
Exchequer. The right hon. gentleman's finan-
cial critics accused him of systematically under-
estimating his receipts in order that he might
produce a pretty little plum in the shape of a
surplus; and this, of course, meant that the then
Chancellor of the Exchequer, retained unneces-
sary taxer, merely to increase his own reputation
as a financier. We must, hawever, leave it to
Mr. Lowe to fight his own battles ; and this, by
the way, he has sh.,wo that he is perfectly able

to do.
We have said that the guardian of the uatiou-
al finances will not be called upon to lay new
burden upon the public. Oa the other nand be
will not be in a position to take many off. In
connection with this our old friend the Income
tax naturealty present himself to our mental
vision. What will be his fatelat the halide of a
Conservative chancellor? How many times he
has been condemned to death since Sir Robert
Peel galvanised him into active life in 1842 it
would be d.ffieuit to say. Sir Robert placed the
period ot me existence at One year 4, but he has
groan from eildhoed to ruanbooLi` and thirty
tlt4e years h4ve now pessed over his head.
Wieleu Mr. `..iderietone leas Chalice :0.: ,f Ex-
cl4/oer, ie 1853, he producod a ee-• • ie fer the
et,raoua; sreegaletion of the men rex—a re
wilt which was to be accomplished in 1860. The
seven years rolled away; Mr. Gladstone was
again at the Exchequer; but; meanwhile, the
wAr with Russia had intervened, aud the imposi
which had been intended for execution was
stronger than ever. Did he look alio a dyiee
man then, whee h. ' bringieg in tenpence iel
the pennit ? N•• ei` of it. True, Mr. Glad-
stocte me, .8 rep, t ia le; flee the pe f.,,
for he retitle,. t..••• eiaieesi .ne truei teneence
fourpence, hut 4 ill ef hie:iee. .4r. Ware
Haut foued lio le% eueiuk whlei he wanted
money for th, Aeve-siniali Expedition ; Mr. Lowe
strengthened hini by 50 per cent. when his
match-tax Budget wa.4ri j Jeted by the Houee of
Comm6us. Sabseqeent assauits have aril]
lessened his propertious, but even at twopence
in the pound we find him capable of producine
five mile ions sterling per annum. Sir Stafford
Northcote toll a deLeitetion weeks aeo that tie
would nta b.- in a pord•ioti Lo repeal the Dicotne-
tax, and that thi7 eenid not be uotie by a seeeti_
tote. And as thi-4 ceild no/. he aeco,updshe,l hr
fresh indirect taxat:oe, the neer imi)ost, mue7.,
like the Incoa..e itseef, be a 4Urect one. To
relieve Lineal -4-tax pavers at the expense of the
oonsumers of tea, coffee, and sugar would be
inch a grave infriugement of the laws of politi-
cal economy that no minister would propose it.
What new direct impost then could be devised
which would be paid cheerfully and without ob-
jection? The task of finding a satisfactory
answer might well puzzle the head of a wiser
man than even the Cuancellor of the Exchequer.

Good value f,r numey is desired by all, with articles
that e.tnnitt he jahig,..l of by appearance, careful par.
*hissers rely ;)11 211 high standing of those with whom
they deal. For 30 year, flor.iirnar's Para l'eas in
packets have givn generil satisfaction, being exe.-edingy
strong, of uniform good quality, and truly ch-ap Ag :
Stour bridge—Clarke, ISt, gia•street ;Bs ker, lf 4, EL gh.
street ; wit, Market Place; Morris, 136, litgli•street,
Brierley ilill—Rawlings chemist ; Kidderminster, Bull
Ring; Haiesowen, Adam. ch, mist ; Lye. Jones, chemist,
Wordsley. Turner, chemist; Kingswinford. Pearson.
Brett;-.1 Lane, Ccriings. chereist ; Birmingham, Banks,
13 ail Itng.
BTorsealoots o 0 4ALE---Thi4 *ale was held on
Moorlay, ieing I.a.r clay. The sheep pens had b-en in-
evssect to aecetuministe newly 600 sheer, and were fuil,
acid the shed, c 70 heed of cattl... beef ad
o• nt'o' waslsf snpfrior cpaity. as the 101 l .whnff figures
inJicats. irg..eit prices reuse 1 were, th, vrethere,
77,.. 6d. per head ; fat cuws. £35. 15.; fat short horn
▪ £3B 5i West iiivla.l oxen, £23 and cows add
calves, £29 We. T e company Wit 4 very numerous. and
the hiddings brisk. It is ir ,r:hr a note that one
purchaser's account trait nearl Z5OO. .1 he sale re dised
weedy £3,000
The PaivarioN or THE U+l.l 'AWES v.tile the
other functions ‘.l lutat:t 4 a ,eritras ;r
tion to the actively tIP ad- " ° s "'' "n‘
ditto:, .1 tie v!, taus ,1 r;•e 4'1.0%.,-- or got.. ..ira
Is
, 1.4) use the anus.
wiaient y
lice from oxehce at ;;;; p. ,1, SJI.IY ml.rse,...eAbie. A
feeling P.' ti,meTi. op, :v3 'es the iraehe wher
• meaEs ore silo, of u ~; members vut!t:tut
judicious sllolre4ujt, a, .Ii of PoWELL's Rilatt•
Naito I.,3sest.c.krtoo ji sat All doubt th. grin !eat
walla tr,r tit, sit Mid vt hers Of a
similar i of AII Cherw,t.,.
P,ice is 124. nd 2- 91. aul 116 culls:
accip,o—mw• L-;,•
A BALD f1E.%1, ti.sy " .'4
without a tine rrii• g•it i; Lo ‘•,,1t.•
gether unsigiiily ..tij3e.t:rti"tig7sev be bad
a °r a" 8-'ernl,thge of 1,-,r;ign hiirs interminglzd
with the feanty ivaterial of 0 • •
soled to the b,re riono,l r rwth st:11 vouch-
c"Putl or but the poor and the
disguise too appureiit. Let those whoescet i;sitirorurr s'llassurees
them of the 4PPrOach nf btfizintancss or the stealthy tilthare h
of grey ;lairs assail tiie
Oldiploy the r,„l„..eYkh tit"' libet ,
ALLEX'd WOlitLL's kia.tß wrou. ar'n'tlw"l:4l; rtso. oSiinfn
the imptsteh.,7 of ye:rtr.biett:i
disfigure humarey. ' attclit to r9th and
let of at: c i
kerfumere through4ur i,t.
404 116, boutitsuirrni-sun, 1,00,1,on:ic" ("" et'''. ti :41