The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-02 00:00:00

plicated business carried on by one temp= sloes:
how much more, therefore, is the. labour mkt eased
when the same person ,belongs to three or foam
Doubtless, in some but comparatively few instance,
the difficulty is overoome; but in the majority of
cases the attempt is never even made. This class
of directors mostly confine themselves to silently
registering the resolutions which their more hard-
working and conscientious colleagues maturely de-
liberate upon and propose. The evil, however, of
this kind of sham superintendence becomes much
worse when the same name is found upon the
boards of seven, eight, ten, or even more companies,
including perhaps the additional position of the
chairmanship in three or four of the number. But
even this is not all. The director enjoying so
many diverse functions is often engaged largely in
business on his own aooonnt, and perhaps is also
a member of parliament. With such a multitude
of distracting engagements it is impossible but that
some of them marl suffer, and it requires little ex- ,
perience to perceive in what points the default
will be. A directorship under these circumstances I
becomes a mere farce. It would hardly be sup-
posed that persons of fair position and mercantile
standing would lend themselves to a practice in-
volving positive deception, but unhappily such is
the fact. To trade in this manner upon a name
has become too common to be considered reprehen-
sible among the numerous and increasing body who
are eager for directorial fees and honours.
The present moment seems a favourable one for
reminding shareholders how much the efficiency of
the directors of public companies is in their hands.
If one could believe that shareholders as a body
were incapable of steadily pursuing a firm, reason-
able course towards directors ; that their conduct
must be governed alternately by neglect and
passion ; that at one time they would culpably
leave everything to directors of whom they knew
nothing, and then, on the occurrence of difficulties,
in a spirit of blind reaction, turn upon
good and bad alike, we should be compelled
to conclude that joint stock companies could no
longer be conducted with their present constitution,
and that great organic changes were requisite.
We do not, however, believe this. All that is
wanted is that shareholders shall discriminate, and
support good directors when they have them. Men
who render conscientious service at a board will
not submit to be made a mark for vituperation.
It is for the interest of shareholders to have
men at the head of their concerns who are
jealous of their honour, and who will not hold any
position on terms inconsistent with sell-respect ;
and such persons will not consent to be made
targets for invective because others have abused
their trust. It is unnecessary to enlarge on this

subject ; proprietors will see that their interest
can only be served by supporting and honouring
upright men of business on boards, while the
fussy and incompetent are care fully weeded out.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(THIS DAY.)

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY,

thronging Parliament-street from Charing-4i
Westmiefilgr Abbey, they will erstinue tri ithe
comet et resistants which they bre
It is painful to read in journalsztrim4hive attit
herited the tradition of liberal p • foolish dispa-
Tegument of the action of the electors and non-electors of
various boroughs and cities in calling and attending public
meatiest on the subject of reform. Rome of thaw whe .
grant the right of omuitiruenoiee to take such action
ea is necessary for keeping members of parliament to their
word demur to the propriety of paying any deference to
the expressed opinions of the unenfranchised part of
the nation. Appeal to their wishes, collectively expressed
in the only way save that of petition which the constitu-
tion allows, is designated as simple terrorism. It is cen-
sored as an invocation of brute forte against reason and
conscience. But, says the Daily News, they most effec-
tually deprecate an appeal to the preponderant form of
the many who insist on a timely and respectful regard to
their opinions and wishes, and who encourage the legiti-
mate expression of their sentiments. Those who refuse
this, challenge a coarser trial of strength ; and with them,
if it comes, will rest the responsibility of inviting it.
In the view of the Poet, Ministers were under no obli-
gation to deal with Reform, and if the Government oon-
treated liabilities which it is enable to discharge, the issue
to be determined would relate, in the first instance at
least, to the exercise of its discretion. The circumstance
that an Administration which commenced business with a

working majority of sixty, now appeals to the great towns
to strengthen its hands against a " dirty conspiracy" in the
House of Commons, is in itself significant. The " great
meetings" that, declining to petition the Legislature, call
upon it to take notice of their resolutions, so far from
strengthening the hands of the Government, will simply
exaggerate the difficulties that might, perhaps, be over- '
come by frank and faithful explanations.
The Telegraph believes that Mr. Lowe is wincereithostile
to reform, because he is eaten up with the bitter vanities
of intellect ; that Mr. Horsman is a genuine tory in every-
thing save his hatred of the bishops; and that Lord
Grosvenor has the sincerest feeling that between 800,0001.
a year and a 71. franchise there is not that natural affinity
which some people would like him to see. The
fact is that these men have heretofore been
hiding under the wide skirts of Lord Palmerston.

Liberalism without reform was an empty programme,
which the old premier's popularity could tempo-
rarily sustain ; but he has died, and as the parasites of
the living mast quit the dead, so the " Pahnersionians"
have now to show themselves in the light of day. The
country does well, therefore, to repudiate and to denounos
the theory of political morals which these people and their
new friends set up. It is loot honest to pass muster as a
liberal, with the main article of the liberal creed mentally
reserved ; it is not decent to creep into a parliament which
has reform to settle as a " liberal," being all the time an
enemy of reform. No mild desire to have that kind of
thing called by nice genteel names can make any word
preferable to " dirty" as its just description.
John Bright on Sunday Schools ! But why should he
apologise for it? exclaims the Times. Without the least de-
murring to Mr. Bright's perfect right to a3itate, and even
intrigue, for any amount of parliamentary reform, yet the
Times can feel him quite as much at home on the platform
of a Sunday School meeting as anywhere else that might
be named. It is indeed a new poeition, and a new part,
compared with our more recent experience of the member
for Birmingham. That, no doubt, is what he feels himself.
Before the world of scholars, teachers, ministers of religion,
and committeemen, Mr. Bright is a philanthropist, a ption,
a man descended from the clouds, speaking kindly and
affably, as such men are wont to do. He is there to drop
honeyed words, and distil the soft dew of a flattering en-
couragement. Not but what there is often a little dog-
matism and tyranny even in this smooth guise. But it is
not the John Bright of our most recent recollections. That
personage is no oondescendinz divinity, but an astgrand.

Than about to scale the Heavens and din the Olympians
down to earthly level. There he is with sinewy arms and
tucked-up sleeves—if the Titans ever wore body linen—
and such a voice as earthquakes announce themselves
with. But the Times will greet him now in his last
avatar—that of last Friday, at an annual conference of
Sunday School teachers of Lancashire, Cheshire, and
Derbyshire, held at Rochdale, and numerously attended,
as it was, indeed, likely to be. All that the Timm can
say of the speech is that it is very interesting, and even
instructive.
The Star remarks that the taste foe perfidy is an aoquried
one, and that the electors of Stroud have not yet acquired
it. The rest of the country wondered how Mr. Herrman
managed to be re-elected at the general election. it now
appears that he retained the position which he has
continued to abuse by giving a pledge to which
the innocenoe of Stroud attached very undue importance.
Mr. }kremlin is now virtually dismissed from the service
of Stroud by a resolution expressing deep indignation at
his desertion of the liberal party, and declaring that he no
longer possessed the confidence or represented the prin-
ciples of the electors. So perish the parliamentary future
of all who play the people false.