The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-09-10 00:00:00

commences

TELE f4ToTTIRBIUI)OR OBSFIR,VER.

COMMENTS ON CURRENT NEW

Trades Unionists in Congress k-:iould re-
strict themselves to the debating of matters
immediately pertaining to industry, com-
merce, and unionism, and not enter into
heated argumentation on purely political
lines. Democracy, on a rightful footing,
may be a good thing, or it may not—we do
not here discuss the question but the
Trades Union Congress is not the most fitting
occasion to insist upon the sovereignty of the
common people. The priApiple which un-
derlies Trades Unionism is that an equally
attentive hearing should be given to all
classes, so that from the harvest of many
voices wisdom may be winnowed; therefore
we are at issue with those members of the
Congress who disagree openly on the main
point of union because of variant political
predilections. Trades Unionism, to be use-
ful and practical, should closely ally itself
with no party, but steadily pursue progress
on its own lines. Otherwise, too much
political or party fervour, will infallibly
mean premature death to Trades Union
organisation.

The dropping of a heavy steam-roller
deep down into the roadway at Fulham,
because of a defect in the construction of a
sewer, together wish the alarming subsidence
on the Caledonian Railway near Coatbridge,
are both phenomenal occurrences, worthy of
comment only because of their reit' arkable
features. The morale of each is that under-
ground excavations should not be permitted
to be made where the ordinary crust of the
earth which every day people are wont to
use is thereby endangered. At Coatbridge
it was a deep pit which caused a tremendous
pit to be made; in the London suburb only
a drain ; bu iu either case much loss of life
might have ensued. Those who burrow
below the surface should have some concern
for those who are content to take their walks
on terra firma.

A tribute to the thrift of the better-to-do
artisan and lower middle-classes is given in
the returns, just issued, of the registered
building societies of England and Wales.
There are nearly two thousand societies in
the two countries, having a membership of
some six hundred thousand, and with nelrly
twenty millions annual receipts, as judging
from last year. 436 of the less vigorous
societies show a balance deficit of £151,639;
while 1506 have a balance unappropriated
profit of £1,87,059; the latter figure being
without doubt encouraging to those who
would see our toilers profitably :investing
the savings from the product of their toil.

Mr. Brunner, in unwarily espousing the
cause of a discontented letter-carrier the
other evening in Parliament, laid himself
open to a not unmerited censure. Mr.
Raikes, the Postmaster General, severely
rebuked the member for Northwich for ask-
ing a frivolous and trifling question. It is
just such frivolous queries as he put that
waste the time of the House of Commons
most unwarrantably, and should, therefore,
be sternly reprobated. The rounds of a
rural postman are scarcely of sufficient
moment to need discussion in Imperial Par-
liament; and any complaint of inconvenience
or injustice in connection therewith might
be advantageously addressed to the sub-
postmaster of the district concerned. Many
other insignificant queries proposed in thq
House could, with a little forbearance, tact,
and good feeling, be disposed of without
wasting hours which should be devoted to
legislation.

The proclaimed meeting at Ennis on Sun-
day passed off without bloodshed—a matter
at any rate for gratulation, after fears of a
fierce disturbance had been aroused. The
situation remains the same—the Nationalist
party defiant and Government insistent on
the observance of authority. It was sadly
feared that a sanguinary engagement would
have occurred between the troops and the
populace; but more cautious counsels pre-
vailed, and what was to have been a riot
turned out a comparatively tame affair.

When will fanatics and extremists in
religion recognise that by eccentricity and
pronounced heterodoxy they but drag things
sacred to the dust of ridicule? The "Army
of the Lord" at Brighton, by their extraor-
dinary doings in the " Glory Hole" at that
popular resort, are drawing down contempt
upon the holy observances of public worship,
and the appearances of elders "Elisha" and
" Isaac " in the police-court are scarcely cal-
culated to work much moral or religious
good among the masses.

Scarlet fever is alarmingly prevalent just
now in London, and every possible precaution
is being taken to prevent its spread. It is
seriously thought by many who know Lon-
don life well that the overcrowding in
dwellings is a prolific cause of the spread of
zyrnotic disease. It behoves the metropoli-
tan authorities, therefore, to exert them
selves to the utmost to do away with the
fruitful sources of malaria which are hidden
in the dirt of close alleys and other densely-
populated places, and exert themselves in
all ways to sweep away everything which
tends to make the capital unhealthy. From
the five millions crowded into London much
of contagion, where infectious dsseases exist
must necessarily bet conveyed to the country
beyond, to the manifest danger of the entire
community.

KIDDERMINSTER.

FAREWELL SERMON BY THE VICAR.—The Rev.
,iu Claughton, who has been Vicar of Kidder-
rntnster for seven years, preached his farewell per-
m, n on Sunday evening, in St. Mary's Church,
when there was a crowded attendance.

BURIAL BOARD.—A. monthly meeting of this
Board was held on Tuesday, Mr. James in the
chair. The Clerk reported that the balance in the
Lak amounted to £43 Os, 11d. The number of in-
terments during August was 18, and the fees
r ceEved £lB 25., of which clerks and ministers
r-?eeived £4lCs 6 I.—Mr. Scholes, stonemason, wai a d
upon the Bo ,rd and complained that Randall, the
c imetery keeper, favoured. other 6tonemasons, andk
recommended th,ir work in preference to Messrs.V
-ieholos. He called as a winces Mr. Morris, of
?rancho, who said that Randall showed him photo-
graphs of Messrs. Brown's monuments, and recom
;needed them to him —Randell and his wife denied
the statements made, and the Board decided to
lass no resolution on the matter, but to let it drop.
THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS' ASSOCIITION —The
lit:: annual meeting of the members of the Kidder-
minster Licensed Victuallers' Association was held
on Tuesday afternoon, at the Hen and Chickens
Ina, Mill Street. Mr. Starr (vice-president) pre-
ened, and there was a good attendance of members.
—Mr.- R. Wils la, general secretary, read the report
and balance-sheet. The latter showed there had
been a gain on the year of -214 3s. Id. , which made
Vie total worth ot the society £lO9 6s, '2d. The at-
tendances of inemters had been very satisfactory.
Several bills affecting the trade had been brought
before the House of Commons during the year, but
with one or two exceptions they had been with.
drawn owing principally to the determined opposi-
tioa of tlle trade generally. Thirty-five new mem-
bers had been made during the year, and there had
also been a very substantial addition to the honor-
cry members.- There were at the present time 91
financial members.—The report and balance-sheet
were adopted.—The election of officers was then
proceeded with, Mr. Starr was elected president,
and Mr. Oseland vice-president. Several other
Gfficers were re-elected. —A lively discus ensued
as to the election of solicitor. Mr. M. Corbett and
Mr. D. Dawes were proposed, and on a vote being
taken there were 12 for each. The Chairman gave
his casting vote in favour of Mr. Dawes, and he was
elected.

CHANGED HIS MIND.
From the 'Cycling Jounwa," July 22, 1837,

I usually fight very shy of patent medicine ad•
v...rtis?ments, and regard te,timonials to the effiein
eaey of secret panaceas as unmitigated: rot. A' d
my exasperation upon having started to read down
an article in a newspaper, cunningly set up in the
form of a literary or news essay, which developed
into an unblushing advertising puff of some bottled
concoction, is equal in force to any number of ohms,
volts, and amperes of the most powerful dynamo
ever built. Moreover, the stuffs most extensively
recommended for the use of cyclists, in healing
wounds and easing strained muscles, are ge )43. ally
s id at prices most frightfully out of proporti‘m to
t..e cost of the raw materials composieg then". It
is therefore, all the more confidently that I make
a departure from my usual principles by offering a
gratuitous and unsought-for puff for a kind of
ment which I have often seen advertised, but never
cared to try ; because I discovered its merits quite
accidental}, Having bruised my leg by a fall from
a broken tricycle, last Monday, I was offered a small
bottle 4 f some mixture, at a relative's house ; and
af er rubbing a microscopical portion of it on to the
bruise I place, mon is order to satisfy my friend
than wiAl aiy taith in ilia virtues of the stuff, I
was agreeably surprised to wake up, the following
morning, with every trace of stiffness and pain re-
mco ed. And for the benefit of any of my readers
who may have rebelled at paying half a -crown a
time for a miserable little tin of healing paste. I
add that the balm of which less than a teaspoonful
cured me was the much advertised St, Jacobs Oil,
which will henceforth be exempted from my con—
demnation of similar preparations.