The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-10-22 00:00:00

THE UNITED KINGDOM ALLIANCE.

The General Council ot the United Kingdom Alliance for
the suppression of the Liquor Traffic, held their annual
meeting at Manchester on Tuesday in the Friends' Meeting-
house.—Sir W. Lawson, M.P., presided, and there was a
large attendance of members from all parts of the country.

In his opening address the Chairman remarked
that, in view of the eventful character of the past
year, it would not be out of place to give a sum-
mary of their present position and their duty in
the future. The United Kingdom Alliance had
been established for a considerable number of years,
and they should always keep clearly before their
minds its scope, object, and constitution. It was
not, as some peGple seemed to think, simply a tem-
perance or teetotal organization. The Temperance
and Teetotal Societies had existed for a long time
before their Alliance was formed, and the Alliance
was established by a body of gentlemen who
thought they understood that all the self-denying
and benevolent efforts of the Temperance Societies
could never come to the conclusion which they desired
to see attained until the great opposing influence of
legalised temptations to drunkenness were taken away
fr.•na the people. (Applause.) That was the origin of the
Alliance, and it was now recognised by almost all as
being indispensable to the work of the others. Some-
time about ten years ago the House of Commons was
obliged to take notice of them. The result of their
efforts was the attempt by the first Government of
Mr. Gladstone to deal with the licensing question.
Some little good was done in the way of removing'
temptation ; but such a tremendous opposition was
aroused among all those who were interested in the
sale of drink that there was a reaction, and in the
year 1874, when the General Election came' there was
a sort of overthrow of their temperance friends in
Parliament, and it looked as if the publicans were
the rulers of the land. During the six years
that elapsed before there was another General
Election the Alliance was at work educating public
opinion with such a result that when the year 1880
came, far from the publicans being the rulers of
the land, they were all swept away. (Applause.)
What was the result of their triumph? Nothing for
them to make a great song about. But still they had
got Parliament last year to commit itself to this prin-
ciple that, if the licences were to be granted at all
for the sale of drink, they were not to be granted for
the benefit of the publican, but for the benefit of the
public. (Applause.) The question had been twice
adjourned in the House of Commons, and he hoped
they might assume that the Government would consider
it one of their most pressing duties to carry into legisla-
tion without unnecessary delay those resolutions. (Ap-
plause). But in order to enable the Government to
do that they should continue their exertions by night
and by day to raise a demand out of doors for such
legislation. If they only did that there was, he be-
lieved, no reason why they should not raeet that day
twelve-month to congratulate themselves on the pas-
sing of an Act bestowing upon the people of England
the right to manage their own affairs. (Applause).
The report, which was read by the hon. secretary,
Mr. S. Pope, Q.C., was adopted.

On the motion of Mr. F. Thorpe, of York, seconded
by Mr. A. Sharman, of Sheffield, the list of Vice Pre-
sidents and the Executive was also read and approved
of.

It was announced that subscriptions had been
promised in the room amounting to £3,700 indepen-
lent of the Chairman's donation.

Resolutions calling for increased subscriptions to
promote the agitation, urging all social reformers to
aid in the movement, and thanking the members of
Parliament who were mainly instrumental in pas,ing
the Welsh Sunday Closing till, besides others, were
unanimously adopted.—The Council then rose.

The annual meeting of the friends of the United
Kingdom Alliance was held on Tuesday night in the
Free Trade Hall, Manchester, under the presidency of
Mr. Stafford Howard, M.P., who was supported by
Sir Wilfred Lawson, M.P., Mr. S. Burt, M.P., Mr.
B. Whitworth, M.P., Mr. Hugh Mason, M.P., and
Mr. W. S. Caine, M.P.
Mr. Herbert Gladstone, M.P. in writing to excuse
his absence, said the cry for legislation on a large scale
from many quarters was now so strong that it was ex-
tremely necessary that the temperance reformers
should make all their voices heard above the rest.

The Chairman having opened the proceedings, Mr.
Hugh Mason, M.P., moved a resolution which stated
that the meeting being convinced that the licensed
liquor traffic was the great promoter of those national
evils which Mr. Gladstone had declared to equal in
magnitude the combined results of war, pestilence,
and famine, urged upon Mr. Gladstone the necessity
for Her Majesty's Government initiating legislation
on the subject. He asked the meeting to use their
electoral power as their conscience dictated for the
accomplishment of that greatest of all reforms the
emancipation of the people from the thraldom of
drunkenness.
The resolution was seconded by Sir Wilfrid Lawson,
who said that Sir Stafford Northcote, speaking lately,
had said that the state of the Conservative party was
such as to warrant encouragement and demand vigi-
lance. Such was the position of the Alliance 'at
present. Referring to the promise of Mr. Gladstone
to deal wiAi the subject as soon as his hands were
free from other subjects, Sir Wilfrid Lawson said they
could not wait till those other subjects were disposed
of, but claimed priority for their movement.
(Cheers.)
The resolution was supported by Canon Leigh, and
carried unanimously.
Other resolutions thanking the members of the
House of Commons who voted with Sir Wilfrid
Lawson, and calling upon all reformers to render all
possible aid to the movement by means of their
electoral support or other means, were also carried.

The Times (in a leader) speaking of the meeting of the
United Kingdom Alliance, says :—" Sir Wilfrid Lawson has
reason to congratulate himself and his friends upon the
progress they have made. It, is quite fair that the Alliance
should bring to bear legitimate pressure to effect its ends.
But in order to elaborate and carry a measure of local option
at any time a good deal of pressure will be needed. At
the present moment we question whether there is any-
thing like the general demand which Sir W. Lawson
assumes. The Alliance must be exhorted not to beg the
question at issue by assuming that everything is simplified
by the abstract resolutions of Parliament. The application
of the principal of local option, as has often been pointed
out, would be attended by the most glaring anomalies. To
suppose Manchester with its public-houses open and Salford
with its public-houses shut would be to suppose only ;Ale of
the absurdities possible under the bare principle of local
option. In such a matter details are everything; and no
one knows what the difficulties are until he comes to try to
e ',body the details in a statute. If Sir W. Lawson is
sanguine that this result will be achieved in 1882, he is more
sanguine than most of the many people who are amused by
his speeches."

The foundation stone of the Yorktown Monument
was laid on Tuesday. President Arthur, the members of the
Cabinet, and tke Governors of several States were present at
the ceremony and there was an immense gathering of mili-
tary and civilians.
J ....At. • • • , •„,

THE PRINCE OF WALES AT SWANSEA.
Amid great public' rejoicings and enthusiasm, the
Prince of Wales opened on Tuesday at Swansea the
new dook, which is intended to afford greater
shipping accommodation to that port. The dock is
twenty-three acres in extent, and will, it is expected,
be ready for the reeepiion of vessels in the course of a
few months. The Prince and Princess of Wales
arrived at Swansea on Monday night, and
were the guests of Mr. Hussey Vivian, M.P.
About eleven o'clock on Tuesday some thou-
sands of Sunday-school children attended in the
grounds of Mr. Vivian, at Singleton, and sang an ode
of welcome, composed by the Rev. Dr. Rees. The
Royal carriage left Singleton about twelve o'clock, the
first important event being the reception at the
Pavilion. The carriage contained the Prince and
Princess of Wales, the Duke of Beaufort, and Mr.
Hussey Vivian, M.P. On alighting the Princess was
presented with a handsome bouquet of flowers by the
tuayor's daughter. The Town Clerk read the address
of the Corporation, in reply to which

The Prince of Wales said: The Princess of Wales
and I nave received your address with much satisfac-
tion, and we thank you warmly for the hearty welcome
you have offered to us on behalf of the loyal Welshmen
of Swansea and South Wales. It affords me, I can
assure you, no little pleasure to be able to visit your
Principality, from which I inherited the oldest and
proudest of my titles, and I am e pecially glad that it
has been in my power to do so on the present occasion,
when I come to take a prominent part in the cere-
mony of so great an importance to the future of your
ancient borough. The Queen has always impressed
her children with a sincere desire to emulate the
bright example that was set them by their lamented
father, who ever showed the deepest anxiety to pro-
mote the welfare and happiness of the community. I
venture to express a hope that the lesson thus taught
to me has not been thrown away. I earnestly
pray I may continually be imbued with the same
spirit that has hitherto guided me in the perform-
ance of the duty I am called upon to fulfil. Your
words of devotion to the Queen and of attachment to
the Crown and the members of the Royal family will
be fully appreciated by her Majesty, and I will not
fail to make known to her the sentiments by which
you are animated.
The Royal cortege then resumed the journey towards
the docks, the streets being crowded all along the line
of route, whilst the decorations were most profuse.
In a street which the Princess named as "Alexandra-
road " their Royal Highnesses summoned to the
carriage two Welsh girls dressed in the na-
tional costume with the tall sugar-loaf hats,
and the Princess spoke some kindly words to them,
and appeared much amused at their quaint appear-
ance. Here the Freemasons' Society address was pre-
sented. It referred to the interest taken by the Prince
in Freemasonry, which had shed fresh lustre upon the
ancient and honourable institution. The Prince made a
suitable reply, and the procession then moved, amidst
deafening cheers, through High-street and Wind-street
to the docks, which were reached shortly before
one o'clock. Here the Royal party embarked in
the yacht Lynx, which proceeded seaward towards the
harbour entrance and bay. On reaching the new docks
they disembarked, and were received by Mr. Yeo, the
chairman, and trustees of the harbour, and were pre-
sented with a third address. The Royal party then
descended into the lock and inspected the masonry,
gates, and machinery, after which the Prince lifted a
sluice and admitted the water, declaring the docks
open, the Princess of Wales at the same time naming
it the Prince of Wales's Dock.

A luncheon afterwards took place, followed by a
march past of Volunteers, after which the Royal
party returned to Singleton, and were to attend the
mayor's ball at the Music Hall in the evening.