The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-28

VICTIMS oFESoLASD's PRE- TRADE POLICY.
Never were the importations OF GER
eals, brcads.uils aud provisions greater
into England than this year thus far.
Tho vessels como loaded down from
America. But for tho scarcity OIL the
continent and tho Indifferent crops here
this year, poor "llodgc" secs that Ms
against tho American surplus ho would
not have received any price ut MI for
his products. last year he got 80 sliill-
ings per quarter for his wheat here in
London, equivalent TO say 30 cents per
Dnshel, or say 10 cents net to the farmer
N tho rural districts one to two hun.
drcd miles away, for transportation is
excessively dear in this country, saying
nothing OF other charges for expense OF
marketing country, produce. They all
cry ont with ono voice that no such
price. for wheat will pay in En-
gland, albeit they can raise thir-
ty bushels 10 tho aero as against
tho twelve bushels OF America, because
they say that tho intensive character OF
English crop farming Is very expensive
and is also badly handicapped with
high rents, tithcs and otherraic charges,
!s also by tho uncertainty OF tenure. |
have talked somewhat with the hard
handed ycomanry on this subject and
am carefully translating theirgrievnnces
to you as they themselves express them.
They say, in SO many words, that they
arc the victims OF England's free trade
policy. They do not demand that she
shall return TO protection us in tho days
prior TO 1916, but all the same thoy re-
allie that it IL American grain and
American meat that keeps down the
price OF their product. have sent you
tho recent speeches OF the government
commissioner OF agriculture admitting
this fact. Lord Salisbury, tho premier,
admitted It in Il speech q few days ago
at birmingham. The, London Times adj
mits it in its to-day'I editorial oil tho
conference.
SACRIFICED TO THE MANUFACTURER. !.
Disraoli predicted this result i'll a
speech away back in the fiities. The
fact is that England sacrificed tho
farmer TO the manufacturer in adopting
FREQ trade, and while Hodge" realizes
this fact he also realizes that it was q
necessity OIL her part, for cheap labor
had to have cheaper bread than he could
furnish. There are some farmers who
demand reimposition OF duties on for
cign agricultural products, but they are
minority. England rs nation is
welded to FREQ trade, and despite all the
dccadercc Of her agriculture there is no
likelihood that she will abandon it.
Neither political party is seeking rem
edyin that direction. What Hodge"
in particular is seeking is "access to the
land''--a chance to get hold OF some OF
it in his own right, or, failing in that,
chance to lease it on more advantageous
terms rs regards rents and iixity Of ten
urc.t lie wants TO get rid OF the squire
and the parson and OF the Establish
mont" and this was the burden OF his
specialization here during the two
days OF the conference.
All this much preface brings me ut
last to what ! particularly set out TO
write about, viz: tho speech OF Mr.. Glad.
stone at 4 breakfast yesterday morn
ing OF these delegates at the IIolborn
restaurant, at which breakfast, rendered
by the Liberal association to the
delegates, about 500 people sat
down. As your senior will recall,
the lIolborn restaurants is very.
extensive affair, and has been known to
dine as many as 500 people. After
breakfast the delegates all gathered into
an adjoining room, and at hall past ten
o'clon1. Mr. Gladstone npf IA; ~; /, ~, 1, 10
their appearance on the scene. You
could hear Il great crowd OF people
cheering immensely in the street rs they
alighted from their cab and were escort
ed up stairs into the reception room,
where, as the guards opened the doors
and made way for them, there was 4
recurrence OF the same enthusiasm.
PEN PICTURE OF GLADSTONE.
The delegates rose TO their feet ell
masse, waved their. hats and handker.
chiefs in most >demonstrative manner
and chcered the old man and his wife
in 4 way that indicated Enthusiastically
the intensity OF their respect and affec-
ton for both. A grand old couple they
are and no mistake, he eighty-two and
she eighty, and yet both in remark
able state OF preservation; she espec-
tally, for she scarcely looks sixty-tive. l
had good view, as they passed close to
me coming in and going out. Mr..
Gladstone is the handSomest man OF
his age l ever saw. He is nearly six
feet in height and well proportional,
and his face is Il majestic one, physically
and intellectually handsome, his large
dark eyes being an especial feature.
They light up his face like the "two
windows OF great intellect" as some
body once said about Daniel Webster.
Shakespeare tells us that there was
king once III this land upon whom
every God had set his scul to give the
world assurance OF q man." He might
perhaps morea appropriately have written
this OF the man | am describing. He
has massive head, slightly bald on the
crown, thin flowing hair, soft white
rulle OF ,whiskers, in which his clean
shaven, leonine face is set like picture.
Mrs. Gladstone has IN attractive and
decidedly strong face. She is said to
have been q famous beauty in her
youth, and is handsome woman to-day
healthy and happy looking, as her
husband is also. They have been happy
in all their long wedled'life, we'll on to
sixty years, and both are now historic
figures in the eyes and esteem OF the
people. The delegates gave three sep
arate and rousing cheers for Mrs. Glad
stone as she took her seat BY tho side OF
the .tGrand Old Man." AS you see BY
the papers, she goes with him every
where, wherever he speaks. She had
fixed him off yesterday as is her Gus
tom, with a button-hole bouquet, and
certainly it was very becoming as he
stood IN in his m1Stori,l way hefnro