The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-02-13 00:00:00

61,2 e, ,Stoarbribge Oberinr.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13th, 1886.

RIOTING AND ROBBERY.

ONE'S ideas of the state of society in the
most orderly city in the world were some-
what rudely disturbed at the intelligence of
the shameful rioting and wholesale rob-
beries whi2h were perpetrated on Monday
in the West-end of London by a maddened
mob of roughs. Such wild scenes of havoc,
plunder, and wanton destruction as were
witnessed between Trafalgar square and
Hyde-park would have been deemed impos-
sible by nineteen out of every twenty of the
public; and, judging from the inaction of
the police, the same view appears to have
been entertained at Scotland-yard. An
ordinary Londoner would have regarded it
as highly improbable—until the hard fact
exploded his comfortable assurance—that a
thousand lawless desperadoes could have
been gathered from the slums of the capital,
and, inflamed by revolutionary harangues
delivered in public places, set on to loot and
demolish the property of scores and scores
of nuoffending tradesmen and private indi-
viduals. And even had the peaceably-dis-
posed citizen judged it likely that such an
unprincipled multitude would have the
audacity to make so shameful an attempt,
he would have rested confident that the
police would promptly have overcome the
rioters. But no, our boasted law abiding
has proved hollow and incomplete; and our
costly peace-preserving and property-pro-
tecting system turns out to be altogether at
fault in the moment of emergency. Truly a
vexatious and alarming discovery for the
ratepayers, and a bitter disillusion of all
who had fondly imagined that in London at
least the influences of civilisation had killed
King Mob. It would be false and unfair to
charge these disgraceful scenes to the ac-
count of the undoubtedly large numbers of
distressed poor who are out of work against
their will. Ostensibly arising from a mass
meeting of unemployed workmen, the
terrible deeds which have so shocked the
country were perpetrated by gangs of des-
peradoes, chiefly made up of professional
idlers and street roughs, led on by agitators
of the so-called Socialist ilk. These latter
it is who are mainly responsible for the
mischief done, and the powers that be
should see that for their outrage against the
common weal they suffer punishment which
does not err at all on the side of leniency.
Freedom of speech and constitutional liberty
of the subject must not be allowed to lapse
into unbridled license with impunity as they
have done in London latterly. The public
rightly cry out for protection
against such dangerous men as the Socialists
show themselves to be; and, liberty-loving
as we are, the country at large will cordially
tail: the authorities in sternly repressive
measures and drastic dealing with the arch-
if isturbei'c. They are destitute of regard for
right, infatuated with thirst for power, and
thieves and murderers at heart; veritable
p,.5t...a of society who should be rooted out
without remorse by the unfaltering stroke
of justice. Strong words these, but such
only as the occasion calls for. We have a
Parliamentary Under Secretary for Home
Affairs who not so long ago was standing in
the ranks of labour, and who yet claims to
be in sympathetic touch with his former
fellow workmen. Let him hasten to use his
influence with the toilers to purge them-
selves of all implication with these repro-
bate Socialists, who are succeeding in noth-
ing but evoking execration, and alienating
sympathy from the genuine labourless
labourers. The President of the Local
Government Board rightly refused an audi-
ence on Tuesday to the self-deputed quar-
tette who waited upon him, being unable to
recognise in them representatives of the
distressed unemployed of London. After
having taken, avowedly, a prominent part
in the disturbances of Monday, the audacious
conduct of these men in endeavouring to
force themselves into a Government office is
sufficiently apparent. All those responsible
for the lead in the rioting are, however,
likely to be called upon to render an account
of themselves to the law, and it would be
monstrous were it otherwise. Meantime,
people ask how it is that the police were
powerless to prevent all this pillage and
senseless destruction? Sootland-yard should
answer the question; and Scotland-yard's
master, the Home Office, is at fault in not
having moved specially in anticipation of
possible disturbances. No opposition of any
determined kind seems to have anywhere
been offered by the authorities to the rioters,
who smashed and stole where and as they
chore, and desisted only when the novel and
costly amusement began to pall upon them.
Arrant cowards, they would have been
easily dispersed by half-a-hundred police-
men advancing in force; but no orders re-
garding special constabulary duty to be done
were issued or executed until the mischief
was ver. The property-owners who suf-
:ered under the brief but ruthless rule of
the mob are asking who will pay the bill,
bat the prospect of indemnity is not at
present very cheering. As to the relief of
the genuine unemployed, in whose name all
this rioting and robbery was committed,
but altogether without the authority or
consent of any real working men, vigorous
measures are being taken by Government
authorities and municipal bodies also, both
in London and the country. From the real
dlstreas we trust that public attention and
sympathy will not be turned aside by the
mad acts of the sham toilers, who would
regard
.the finding of "the job" they are
everlastingly professing to seek as little less
than a calamity.

Tux MILIOET Ow OLD Lox --The Oldh lien'ng
Frprus. say!, at 192 kapahester Street, are thewell
.
known chemists, Mews. Thompson la Co., who being
interviewed. say that Mr. John Tetlow. one of the oldest
at 4 most respected citizens of Oldham, limped into their
shop hardly able to walk. His joilsts were badl swollen
and he was but with agony. He was advised to use the
medical discovery of which so much is heard. He did
so. In tivo days the change was marvellous. His sure
was entirely due to 81. Jacobs Oil of wbieb he used one
as
bottle. Although sixty years of age. he now walks
well as ever, The sus of a young woman was mentioned.
She was in a helpless condition for three years. A few
days ago, she was out walking. The same wonderful
remedy worked the grateful change. The case of Mr.
Thomas Sagshaw, 34 Caroline Street, was investigated
El• was confined to the house for twenty-one weeks with
rhatusatisua. The day after using this magical curs, he
was able to resume work.
To (.luna sirs Drsaascs.—SuLenounn LOTIt.N wii
completely remove all eruptions, pimps, redness.
blotches, scurf, ..cirema, psoriasis. in a few days ,
ba:ptioline attack's old skin disorders, au
i totally de-
stroys them. It s a peculiar, agreeable, harm ess fluid,
producing a clear skit,. finipholine Lotien is sad by
‘1i5.111,11601 beidear VC

COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOi-ICS,
It. JoErn MORLEY, to whom, at the out-
set of his official career, has fallen the
peculiarly trying task of di.charging the
duties of Irish Chief Secretary. :nay fiting:y
be styled the "young man tloqueut.' of his
party. Excepting the Earl of ItoFe:Jerry,
who is only 39, and Mr. Trev,iyan, who was
horn in the same year as the new irish
Secretary, Mr. Morley is the most youthful
member of a Cabinet chiefly composed
singularly enough of young men, the only
septuagenarian Ministers of the first rank
indeeebeing the Premier and Lord Gran-
ville. Trained to the law, but by choice a
journalist, Mr. Morley finds himself, after
only three years of experience in Parliament,
placed upon the Treasnry bench. The
eloquence of the distinguished liths3rateur,
who now essays to try his 'prentice hand at
Statecraft, is recognised equally by political
friends and opponents; and if the Chief
Secretary can attain an official reputation
equal to that which he already enjoys on the
platform and at the writer's desk, his public
career will indeed be an illustrious one.
Mr. Morley is a master of metaphor, and
delivers his scholarly periods with an easy
grace which enhances their effect. Readers
may find themselves hopelessly at issue with ,
the ex-editor of the Pall Mall Gazette in
opinion and in sentiment, but Conservative
and Liberal alike recognise the high intel-
lectual gifts of him who has boldly prophe-
sied that we shall yet "see the star of Irish
content appearing out of the glowing sunset
of Alidlothian."
MR. MoRLEY's Irish programme is a
thorough one, and he approaches it with
the zeal of an enthusiast. But the situation
is beset with difficulties of the gravest, and
the Chief Secretary will need all the support
that older Parliamentary hands can give
him if the end in view is to be achieved.
The cunning of experience must accompany
the brilliance of confident manhood, or the
plans of Government will assuredly suffer
defeat. Speaking at Newcastle of the
intentions of the Ministry, Mr. Morley said:
"They should not merely restore superficial
order, but build up such a social state that
order should be based upon the affections of
tlie people of Ireland. The task was not
beyond the genius of English statesmen.
They would approach the task with consider-
ation for every interest of the minority as
well as of the majority of the people
landlord as well as tenant. The day of
half-measures was over; the stttlement
must be final." These "be brave words"
from one on the threshold of office; but there
is a ring about them which touches the heart
of the public as regards the whole matter.
Let us hope that the ring is a true one. If
Mr. Morley's ministerial deeds fulfil the fair
promise he now puts forth, he will win the
applause of the men of every shade of
political thinking; and all will earnestly
hope that he will be allowed and hssisted to
stretch forth his arm, haply too-confident
though it be. There must be no pandering
to, or even parleying with, sedition-mongers,
or the new Secretary will be pulled down
from his eminence by the great public
opinion which throbs with pulsations of
regard for right and justice. Mr. Morley
and his fellow Ministers must be watched,
with hope and all good wishes, but still with
intense vigilance, lest the liberty they extend
broaden out, though it be against their will,
into dangerous license.
THII January returns issued by the Board
of Trade are not of a character calculated to
cheer the hearts of depressed merchants and
others interested in commerce. Imports
and exports alike show a sad falling off as
compared with the past three years.
Rousdly, in 1883, we imported goods to the
value of 426 millions sterling, while last year
the aggregate was only 373 millions.
Similarly, we sent away in 1885 to foreign
countries only 213 millions worth of goods,
as against 239 millions in 1883. And to
compare the first month of this present year
with the corresponding period of last, we
find an alarming decrease, in both exports
and imports. showing a loss to British com-
merce of trade worth nearly eight millions.
These figures tell more loudly and far more
truthfully than lawless riots and demonstra-
tions of that commercial depression which
affects all classes of society more or less.
Our shopkceping nation is in the midst of
"hard times, and we must address ourselves
to economy in consequence. If we would
only remember the necessity of thrift when
business is brisk and all things correspond-
ingly prosperous, we should all feel the
blast less when the trade wind blows from a
bad quarter. It is not the poor who are the
least provident, by any means, but when
supply ceases the smallest vessel is neces-
sarily the soonest empty. Just now, with
wintry weather to accentuate distress, those
who have enough and to spare should accept
it as a duty to give from their substance
somewhat for those who have not.

A STRANGE story of the sea is that of
Elizabeth Mouat, the sick woman who was
tossing about for nine days and nights alone
at sea on the smack Columbine, and yet was
brought safely to her friends, though she
had been given up for a week as lost. Hers
is indeecl an unenviable and yet marvellous
experience. To be helplessly adrift for so
long a time in almost Arctic weather, ex-
posed to all the perils of the ocean, might
well have driven the life out of the poor
woman's pain-worn body, but the spirit
within held her up until the wind bore her
prison-ship within sight of a strange Nor-
wegian harbour. The narrative furnishes
all the elements of a stirring romance, and
exemplifies once again the truism of the old
adage, "fact is stranger than fiction."

THROAT IRRITATION AND CODOH.—Soreness and dry•
um, tickling and irritation, inducing cough and affect-
ing the voice For th se symptoms use Epp's Glycer-
in, Jubjubes In contact with the glands at the
innment they are excited by the act of sucking the
Glycerine in these agreeable confections becomes
actively healing. Sold only in boxes, 7id., tins Is 10
labelled "JASIES EPPS & Co. Homoeopathic Chemists,
London." Dr. George Moore in his work on " ose
and Throat Diseases," sa%s : ”The Glycerine Jujubes
prepared by James Epps and Co.. are of undoubted
service as a curative or pal is:ive agent," while I',
Gordon Holmes. Senior Physciau to the
Throat and Ear Infirmary, 'writes : "After an extended
trial, I have found your Glycerine Jujubes of consider-
able benefit in abuost all foims of throat dise,tse,
Epps's Medicines may be had at 136, High Street
Stourbridge.
TO lADIES ONLY.

SOUTHALL'S (Patented) SANITAE7 TOWELS. A;.
proved for accouchemeut and general use. The
Towels are sold at ls. and 2s per packet of one dozen
sod can be obtaiued of ladies' outfitters the world cver
or seruple packets of one dozen will be forwarded by
parcels post for Is. 3d ,or 2s. 3d., s:x packets 6s. 6cl.
and 12s. 6d , from the patentees, Southall Bros., and
Parelay, Birmingham. Ydiolesa e Agents—Sha p.
Perrin ik Cc., 31, Old Change; .Stapley & smith, Lou-
don Wall; London. For protection against useless
and injurious imit.tions, the label on each packet bears
tits siguature of the pateutees.
HOAE, SWEKT HOI1E:1

TiM SWILITEST Flaunts in this Town Mil those
where Hodsou's Nxtrset of hasp is In daily use.