Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-08-24
THE TARIFF,
tMr. Batteil's Letter Continued.I

wages:
'i.The only effect of the ministerial
changes on the operations of the free trade
party, represented by the National anti
corn law league, was to stimulate them to
increased activity. During the six
months that elapsed between the forma-
ton of the new ministry and the session
of 1912, the work was incessant. The
leaders of the league made innumerable
speeches at innumerable public meetings.
The lecturers of the league addressed
crowded audiences in as quick a success
sion as they could travel from place to
place. The publications of the league
were issued in millions, and found access
to the smallest hamlet in the kingdom.
We must cite a few of the most notable
instances of the leagues leverage on pub
lie opinion. A conference of ministers
of religion of all denominations from all
parts was convened at the town hall,
Manchester, for the 18th of August. 1t
was attended by 700 ministers, to all of
whom during their stay of one week the
hospitality of the various members of the
league was respectively extended. The
conference lasted four days; it was adj
dressed by Richard Golden, George
Thompson and others, contributed valu-
able information as to the condition and
state of feeling Prevailing in remote dis
tricts of the kingdom, and passed sever
al resolutions in which the religious as
pect of the question was forcibly urged.
Over a large and influential section of
the community these proceedings had a
powerful effect.
"On the 18th of November, 120 dele
gates met at Manchester from various
parts of the kingdom. The principal
feature in the plan of proceedings which
they concerted was the copious and time
ly preparation of petitions, as embodied
in the following resolution: That all
the present anti-corn law associations .
proceed Immediately to get up petitions,
and that it is very desirable that all petit
tions should be ready for presentation
prior to the assembling of Parliament
1t is to their business-like attention to
such practical matters of detail that the
league owed much of their success.
"'Nor were these gatherings in further
ance of an important political and social
object confined to the sterner sex. The
lal;oo of o,oacbira tnoly tIair r, u rt II,
the work and occasionally held %
ster tea-meetings, at which they were adj
dressed by some of the leaders of the
movement, and most frequently by
George Thompson, whose peculiarly i'm
FASHIONED language and thrilling accents
secured him great favor from female au-
diences. 1t was at these meetings that
the scheme originated of a bazaar to be
held OF a large scale in aid of the funds
of the league and a ladies' committee
was appointed to report as to the mean
of carrying out the design. With the
view of making the demonstration a ma
tional one an appeal for contributions of
articles for sale was made to all parts of
the country and it met with a most liber-
al response. Under the auspices of an
active ladies' committee of which Mrs.
Golden was chosen president, the bazaar
was held early in 1912 at the Theatre Roy
al, Manchester, with signal success. 1t
lasted ten days, and resulted in a net
balance of about f9, 000-an important
addition to the funds of the league"
1t was in 1912 in his introductory
speech to Parliament that Sir Robert
Peel said 81 believe, that on the gen.
eral principle of free trade there is now
no great difference of opinion, and that
all agree in the general rule hat we
should purchase in the cheapest market
and sell in the dearest. . . The eX-
ample of England would ensure the gen.
eral application of just principles with
benefit to herself and to those who were
wise enough TO follow"
The continued zeal of the anti-corn-
law league is again referred to, p. 10:
lLAC JULIE " Nv untl-SOi H-ldW
league from August to December, 1912.
were incessant, and richly deserved the
success which they achieved. Innumer-
able public meetings fully reported, the
distribution of bales of tracts, the de-
livery of lectures wherever there was an
audience to listen, the dissemination OF
free-tIade principles in every form, in
every place, and by every conceivable
means except force-and, to clench all,
the determination (Which was carried
out) to raise a fund of 100000 for the
purpose OF educating the country
abundantly testified TO the yigor and en-
ergy of the league.
''In relation to the fund to be raised,
the first intimation of it was given by
Richard Golden in a speech which he de-
livered at a meeting of the league on the
9Th October, George Wilson being, as
usual, in the chair. In the course of il
he said: Money is wanted to carry or
II 2 n.A -