The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-11-13 00:00:00

MR. THOMAS HUGHES ON AMERICA.

• Ur. Thomas Hughes left New York for England on
Sunday in the steamer Germanic. On the 21st of
October Mr. Hughes lectured at the Academy of
Music, Philadelphia, to a large audience—his subject,
"The Crookedest Stick in all the Pile—Ourselves!"
and he described the impressions made upon him by
the changes which he had noticed in America since
his previous visit to the States three years ago.
Among the changes he noticed was the increased cost
of living. He said : _ _

During my last visit I found the cost of living greater than
at home. It is with difficulty that I can now make a dollar
go as far here as a shilling at home. If I want shoes, a coat,
or a knife, I must pay double the price I pay at home. Your
prices fcfr the best goods are simply prohibitive to thirfty
folk. It was very hot when I arrived three months since,
and I forgot to provide myself with a straw hat and did
without one rather than make such an extraordinary outlay
as it would require hue. I have been told that if I only
knew how to set about it, I could make my money go as far
here as elsewhere. That may be so. I am not an expert
but a visitor accustomed to pay what he is asked for what
he wants, or go without it, and each of these two
alternatives are most disagreeable in this country of yours.
But if it pleases you to encourage your citizens by giving
them a handsome bonus for what they pr•duce for you, it
is nobody's business but your own. When I said just now
that I found my dollar only producing the power of the
shilling, I should have made an exception of my own wares,
for I find I can purchase the last of my own books over here
for the sum of three cents, or about one-fifteenth of the
lowest sum for which I could buy a copy in England from
my own publishers, and I would rather be read in America
than paid.
Mr. Hughes also referred to the political conditions
of the country, and the changes that they have under-
gone, and spoke of the interest with which they have been
watched by the people of England from the beginning
of the late war until the present day. On this branch
of his subject he said :
We have seen many signs of late for the better from the
other side of the Atlantic, but I was chary in coming to any
conclusion I could not satisfy by personal observation.
But since I have had that opportunity I can
very sincerely congratulate you upon the marked change that
has taken place in the right direction. For, without refer-
ring directly to any of the issues which have been decided
within the past few months, I think it impossible to doubt
that outside of your great party organizations there exists
now a strong element of pure patriotic citizenship, which
cares only for honest government, and is resolved to leave
no stone unturned to obtain it."

After touching upon the American system of edu-
cation, Mr. Hughes said that the United States was
destined to become the leading nation of the world in
the near future, and he thought that the greatest boon
they could offer would be to set a -good example in all
matters to other nations.

A correspondent (says the Pall Mall Gazette) writing
from Rugby, Tennessee, October 15, thus describes
the new settlement, named in honour of Mr. Thomas
Hughes's most popular book :
"The plan of New Rugby is most elaborate. Streets and
squares abound on paper, but there is nothing as yet to
show except the hotel and an office. We started this morning
provided with a map to explore the town.' The woods consist
mainly of white oak, chestnut, and walnut trees, with a good
'deal of undergrowth. Every now and then we came to a tree
marked Scott-street,' or Market-street,' &c. We rejoiced in
the title of Beacon Crescent,' but it required a good deal
of imaginaton to picture houses and public buildings in this
wilderness of scrub. The forest is lovely. After losing our
way in some of the future suburbs of the city, we got into
a romantic glen, with precipitous sides, which had some
beautiful views. The river looked so tempting that I could
hardly resist a plunge. The company intend to reserve this
glen in its present condition for the recreation of the inhabi-
tants. The river runs through, and every inch of the lime-
stone soil is covered with rhododendrons and magnolias. The
hotel is picturesque and full, and has been full all summer.
We went for a ride one day to see some of the farms in the
neighbourhood tenanted by old settlers, who live in a must
primitive way. The business of such a family consists in
cultivating a small plot, raising Indian corn, keeping pigs,
COWS, sheep, &c. These people make their own houses and
furniture, grow a little cotton which they weave into clothes
and DliX with wool for bedding. All seem happy and are
very hospitable. There seems a fair chance of success for
this venture, as the climate is wonderfully healthy and
the surroundings tempting. Americans will probably
use the place as a summer resort, which will create a
demand for farm produce in the neighbourhood. Land is
rising in value. Lots worth 100 dols. in the summer now fetch
125 dole., and the company have sold several large plots at
200 dols. Still it is only the town' property which fetches
fancy prices. An expensive road has been made to the
railway, seven miles off. It seemed odd getting out at
Rugby station, a small platform—nothing else—in the
midst of these wild woods, which extend over a district 200
miles wide 9,nd nearly double in length. There are almost
as many Americans as English interested in the affair,
which otters a pleasant and profitable existence to persons
of limited means."

Harpers' Weekly contains a brief account of this in-
teresting scheme, and a charming sketch of the
" En,glish garden, where we see young ladies in straw
hats busily employed in gathering fruit for market.
The soil is especially adapted for fruit- culture. The
climate is delightful, only five hours of snow having
been experieuced last winter. Lastly there is abund-
ance of good water."