Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-16
JOSEPH ARCH.
The First Representative of tho Agricul-
tural Laborsrs In the House of Com.

The First Representative of tho AgricuI-
tural Laborers In the House of Com.
mons.
Mr. Arch's defeat Is one OF those which
will leave a scar behind, writes London
correspondent of the New York Tribune.
1t is to be regretted independently Of the
hour. There is theory among
Englishmen that representative men of all
parties ought to find place In the house
of commons. Nobody wants TO see
man ostraclzed. If he happens to repre-
sent grievance, all the more reason why
he should be in the house. Better air the
grievance inside than outside only. Well,
Mr.. Arch Is a representative man, II there
be one, and he represents the most mar
ticulate class in England, the agricultural
laborers, or the peasantry, as 1t is still the
fashion to call them here. He is himself
peasant, and he has climbed slowly, very
slowly, to the point of eminence he now
occupies. He was born sixty years ago,
worked in the fields, studied at night,
preached. Fourteen years ago he founded
the Agricultural Laborers' union; amid
general laughter or neglect. But he forced
the question to the front He has shown
moderation, good sense, good judgment;
has discouraged the more SNOWY and dan
gerous sorts of agitation and won the
confidence to which he showed himself
entitled.
Last November for the first time Mr..
Arch made his way into the house Of conf
mons, defeating Lord Henry Bentinck by
nearly 1000 votes In the northwest division
of Norfolk. Now the same Lord Henry
Bentinck has defeated Mr.. Arch by ma
iorlty OF twenty. Lord Henry is the half
brother and heir presumptive to the duke
of Portland, whose property In Norfolk is
| uncomfortable. The DUKES influence,
they say, was not exerted very strongly
perhaps he has not much in Norfolk to
exert. But other "class" influence was
exerted. The landlords, the farmers, the
clergy, were in great part on the side of
MIR. Arch's opponent. The primrose
danes were as busy in Norfolk as else
where. All this, however, was as true of
the last election as of this. So there must
be other causes for the present defeat.
The disappointment of the laborer had
something to do with it. The laborer
has not got his three acres and COW,
sees no prospect Of getting them, and
holds Mr.. Arch responsible. Then there
| is Mr.. jesse Ceilings on the other side,
who before was on Mr.. Arch's side, and
there was Mr.. Gladstone's imprudent
disparagement of Mr.. Jesse Ceilings, and
Of his programme. When Mr.. Ceilings
famous amendment was carried and the
| Tories were turned out the peasantthoughi
his hour had come. Parliament had taken
up his cause, new government had come
In pledged to consider his interests.
The labOrer of West Norfolk little thought
he had been used only as stalking horse
There is story that Mr.. Ceilings con
suited Liberal leader as TO the framing
of his amendment. "My dear Ceilings"
was the answer, "put it in any words you
like. You don't suppose anybody really
cares about your three acres and a cowp
And when the amendment had served the
purpose of the Liberals they proceeded
to prove how little they cared. The mat
ter was shelved--not altogether by th'
fault Of the Liberals, however.
There is an interesting story that all the
tenants of the prince OF Wales are sup
porters of Mr.. Arch. Sandrigham is II
this division OF Norfolk. The prince, too
according to the same authority, though
not IN any sense supporter OF the peas
ant and parliament man, said he was glaC
to be represented by him. Mr.. Arch wal
one of the few psid English members
had salary of $50 week, and on tn
strength Of IL he took his daughter TO
! service, and made her his secretary. Sh'
had been housemaid to lady well-knowI
ia London society, and astonished thi
,, lady one morning by telling her she mus
leave because her father had become
member of parliament. The girls rela
tlonship to the agricultural agitator has
remained quite unsupported. NOT Ina
:, she or her father had any shame IN TN
matter-far from it. Mr.. Joseph Arch \
man to whom dignity OF labor has al
WAYS seemed equal to any other dignity
He bore himself well in his new position
, won good will and respect, but dld no
make marked impress on the house as
member OF the house.