The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-05-01 00:00:00

THE CHANGE OF MINISTRY.

The Earl of Beaconsfield went to Windsor on
Tuesday, and had an audience with Her Majesty,
delivering up his seals of office as First Lord of the
Treasury and Lord Privy Seal. His Lordship left
Paddington at 1.5 p.m., and arrived at Windsor at
1.40. Many persons had assembled at the station on
his arrival and cheered him. Lord Beaconsfield, who
was accompanied by Lord Rowton, entered a Royal
carriage which was in waiting and drove to the Castle.
His Lordship left for London at 4.50. There were
very few persons on the platform at the time.

The Daily Telegraph of Wednesday said :—" Earl Granville
and Mr. Bright visited Mr. Gladstone as early as ten o'clock
yesterday, and remained in consultation with the right hon-
gentleman for some time. The Foreign Secretary and the
Member for Birmingham left together, and walked arm-in-
arm towards Cavendish-square. Soon afterwards Mr. Forster,
the new Secretary for Ireland, drove up in a hansom, and
stayed with the Premier for about an hour. Shortly
after noon Mr. Gladstone, attended by his -son, Mr.
Herbert Gladstone, left home, and on appearing in
the street a hearty cheer was given, and a crowd followed
them as they walked down Harley-street, Regent-street, and
Waterloo-place, across Pall-mall, to the residence of Earl
Granville, on Carlton House-terrace, where a meeting of the
Liberal chiefs had been fixed for one o'clock. As Mr.
Gladstone walked through Regent-circus, Earl Cain's, the
late Lord Chancellor, was a spectator of the popular tribute
to the new Premier. Mr. Goschen reached Earl Granville's
before Mr. Gladstone. A few minutes later the Marquis of
Hartington, attended by his brother, Lord Frederick Caven-
dish, walked to the house of the Foreign Secretary, and.like Mr.
Gladstone, was cheered on his arrival. Punctually at the time
appointed Sir Charles Dilke, the popular member for Chel-
sea, drove up in a dashing brougham and pair, and was
cheered by the crowd. ir Charles remained at the meeting
for some time, and was the first to leave. Shortly afterwards
Mr. Chamberlain came in a hansom from the Reform Club,
but did not remain more than twenty minutes. Mr. Adam
and the Marquis of Ripon followed at twenty minutes to
two and Mr. Forster at a quarter past two. The Duke of
Argyll and Mr. Childers also visited. Mr. Gladstone at Carlton
House-terrace, and Mr. Chamberlain had a second interview
before the meeting terminated."

The Times of Tuesday, in a leader, remarks :
"The composition of a Ministry is a work of art and of mys-
tery. It is necessary to know whom to reject and whom to
choose, to neglect none while allowing supereminence to
none, to be firm without being arrogant, to balance
opposing pretensions and opposing forces, to measure
weight in council against dexterity in administration,
and to remember that the composite body which is to
be the end of so much care and forethought must
satisfy the tests of Parliamentary action as well as of
popular approval. Even when the men are selected, the
task of settling them in their places is apt to provoke multi-
tudinous bickerings and jealousies. Mr. Gladstone must
expect his turn of criticism, and it is perhaps not lighter to
him because he has experienced it before. His first care evi-
dently has been to construct a Cabinet which shall be in some
measure a balance to himself. This is a consideration that was
not always remembered by those who insisted that he must
be the head of the new Ministry. Its justice is, however,
obvious. Had either Lord Granville or Lord Hartington
been finally charged with the duty of formWg a Govern-
ment, it would have been his care to introducAito it a suffi-
cient number of Liberals of a pronounced type to flavour
what might otherwise be called its aristocratic character. A
Whig Prime Minister must necessarily choose some Radicals
to associate with himself. Mr. Gladstone is free from this
obligation. His duty has been just the counterpart of
what would have been the duty of Lord Hartington. He
is bound to re-assure the Whigs. Hence it is that lie has
been drawn to call to his council men who will cause
anxieiky to none. If he is revolutionary himself, as is
sometimes charged against him with more haste than ac-
crfracy, his chosen colleagues will restrain the ardour of his
political temper. It is a practical question, to be tested by
future experience, whether the moderating influences thus
accumulated within the Cabinet may not prove too strong for
Mr. Gladstone himself to overcome. In such a case, External
powers may come to his aid, and it is, indeed, true that
the discontent of advanced sections within Parliament,
preluding dissensions among the constituencies, is a
main force in keeping Liberal Governments along the
line of advanee. We are thus confrontn with what is the
standing problem of the Miners of free States—to keep
themselves as nearly as possibly at the centre of the moving
mass of the community. It is dangerous when a cry is heard
from pioneers without that' they did not work in order to
place in power atGovernment that lags behind. It is equally
dangerous when the counter-complaint is muttered that
Liberal majorities were not constituted to put all things in
confusion." . . .

In remarking upon the members of Mr. Gladstone's
Cabinet, The Times of Wednesday says :

"Out of the dozen or more members of whom Mr. Glad-
stone's Cabinet will be composed, the great majority will be
Liberals, or Whigs of the old type. Lord Selborne, the
Duke of Argyll, Lord Granville Lord Hartington, and
Lord Northbrook are no more likely to countenance ex-
treme measures in domestic affairs than in foreign
policx. Mr. Forster, Mr. Childers, and Sir William
Harcourt are also guarantees for the sympathy of the
Cabinet with old traditions and moderate views.
In the presence of such a company of moderate
men, Mr. Bright may be expected to be as reasonable in
urging the views characteristic of him as he was in the last
Liberal Cabinet; and even the admission of a younger and
more advanctd Liberal to the circle need excite no anxiety.
It has always been found the safest rule to disarm extreme
sections of a party by admitting their representatives to the
responsibilities of office. A man Can both think and
say many things as an independent member which after
a very short experience of affairs he finds can neither
be said nor seriously thought and there is no
effectual way of educating an aspiring and enthusiastic
politician but that of submitting him to the trammels
of actual business. A Radical on the one side, or an enthu-
siastic Tory on the other, is like a young horse, innocent of
reins, traces, and collars; and as long as he is not in harness
he can disport himself as he pleases. What he has to learn
is that work can only be done in subordination to fixed con-
ditions, and that whatever the destination he desires to
attain, it can only be reached by the ordinary roads, of
which many are often very heavy and out of order. It
has often raised a laugh against agitators that they be-
come quiet as soon as they are in office; but the in-
crease in sobriety is no reproach to them. It is one
thing to complain of the way in which some one else is
driving the coach, and a very different thing to drive it your-
self. In any cage it is a matter for congratulation that,
Mr. Bright in the Cabinet, the advanced section of the
Liberals will be sure to have their views effectively repre-
sented, while at the same time they will be kept in due sub-
ordination to the experience and the traditions of the party.
So far as the new Administration thus gives credentials
in the balance of its composition for its general harmony
Nysith the previous polky of Liberal Administrations, it may
be expected that the .exaggerated hopes and fears aroused
on the Continent by the result of the elections will subside.
There have been many changes of Administration in England
during the last fifty years, but the main course of En lisa
policy has remained the same; and the Continent will geo•
learn to look on the changes of men in English Ministerial
life with as much equanimity as that with which they are
contemplated by the great majority of Englishmen them-
selves.

"The new Government therefore promises to be a moderate
one, while it will allow due play to the younger forces of the
party. Of the appointments outside the Cabinet, the most
remarkable is that of the Marquis of Ripon to be Governor-
General of India. His previous experience qualifies him in
sonic measure for this great post. From 1863 to 1866 he was
Secretary for War, and in February of the latter year lie
succeeded Lord Halifax as Secretary of State for India. In
the present case it is inevitable that the post of Viceroy
of India should change hands simultaneously with a change
of Ministry at home; but the example is novel, and it is not
to be desired that it should become a precedent." . . . .

THE EFFECTS OF COMPETITION.
A Berlin journal gives a story which deserves to be
transfered to the note:book of every writer and lec-
turer upon political economy (says the Globe). There are
two rival grocery stores in that city situated at the
opposite
corners of a busy street. LI Berlin eggs are
a:Ad by the " Mandeoin lots of fifteli. One fine morn-
ing the owner of one of these establishments put up a
mighty placard which bore the inscription, "Eqs are
now sold here at 70 pfennige the Mandel.' The
words here was written in blue letters, scored above
and below with blue lines. His riyal on the opposite
side of the 'way was determined not to be outdone;
he preprepared.a bigger placard in brighter colours,
on which he informed the passers-by' that he was
selling eggs at 6$ pfennige the" Mandel. "rhe original
discounter of the usual price of ego-b 8 felt that he must
trump this defiant placard of his competitor, and imme-
diately lowered his price to 65 pfennige. Hereupon his
opponent took down his placard, easily manipulated the
eightinto a three, and then offql-..ed his, eggs at only 63
pfennige for the fifteen. His triumph did at last long,
for the man on the other side of the street at once
lowered his price to 60 pfennige, whereby the other was
compelled torcome down to 58. The strife went on for a
whole day, to the amusement and profit of the neigh-
bourhood; and some observers were enjoying the
mischievous expectation that during the following
day one or other of the combatants would be goaded
on by the spirit of mercantile emulation to offer
fifteen eggs for nothing. It appears, however, that
there was a third egg-dealer in the neighbourhood.
He thought it was high• time that the strife between
his colleagues, so unprofitable to both of them, should
be brought to an end and turned to somebody's profit.
Before. they closed for the night, he sent an aent to
each of the two cheap egg-stores, and bought the
entire stock of both the rivals.

Charles C. Frost, a learned shoemaker, has just
died at Brattleboro', Vt., aged 74 years. Although a
dyspeptic, he had a wonderful thirst fer knowledge. ne
mastered several languages, and at the time of his death was
well versed in geology, mineralogy, entomology, zoology,
conchology, meteorology, and botany, especially the latter,
to which he devoted his particular attention, and in the de-
partment of cryptograms he became a leading authority.

In the German Parliament on Tuesday the debate
took place on.the second reading of the Bill granting State
support for the development of trade with the Samoa
Islands. Prince Hohenlohe asaurred the House that the
Government attached gTeat importance to the measure, and
would much regret its rejection. The Bill was nevertheless
thrown out by a majority of 3ixteen. It is said that Prince
Disruartk is much interested in the rittetien, and is disap.
pointed that the measure has failed.

THE NEW PEERS.

Tuesday night's London Gazette announces that the Queen
has been pleased to direct Letters Patent to be pasged
creating the following Peerages :
- - - • •

- -
The Right Hon. William Watson' her Majesty's
Advocate for Scotland, to be a Lord cif Appeal in
Ordinary, in the room of Edward Stralleam, Baron
Gordon, of Drumearn, deceased, and granting unto
him the dignity of a Baron for life, by the title of
Baron Watson, of Thankerton, in the county of
Lanark.
Sir Lawrence Palk, of Haldon House, in the county
of Devon, Bart., by the title of Baron Haldon, of
Haldon, in the said county of Devon.
Sir Ivor Bertie Guest, of Dowlais, in the county of
Glamorgan, Bart., by the title of Baron Winabonie, of
Canford Magna, in the county of Dorset.
Sir Arthur E. Guinness, of Ashford, county of Gal-
way, Bart., by the title of Baron Ardilaun, of Ash-
ford, countY..of Galway.
Alexander D. R. Cochrane-Wishart-Baillie of La-
mington, county of Lanark, Esq., by the title Of Baron
Lamington, of Lamington, in the county of Lanark.