Widnes Examiner. — 1901-09-20 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

RUNCORN NOTES. NOTES.  [BY A CORRESPONDENT.]  The thrill of horror which ran through the whole of the civilized world at the announcement that President Mainley had succumbed to the murderous bullet of the assassin vibrated on Saturday morning in the breasts of the majority of the inhabitants of Runcorn. The sudden and untoward cutting off of so great and so good a man was tne all absorbing topic of interest, and natural indignation,which for the moment clouded all local questions, was freely expressed against the sect whose fundamental doctrine is, according to report, the" removal " of the chiefs of Government.  On Sunday, as will be seen from our columns, references was made at most of the churches in town, ad in one or two instances Handel's "Dead I March" was played. At the Police Court on Monday the chairman, Mr A R Norman alluded to the ' deceased statesman and expressed the hope that ;something would be done to prevent any repetition 'of such an occurrence. Before, however, anything can really be done in this direction it will have to be decided whether the assassination was the rash act of an individual or the organ'zed blow of a secret society. Even if the latter hypothesis prove to be the correct one the war of extermination against the Anarchists will have to be carried on very warily indeed for there is always the stubborn historical fact to be confionted that the growth of a society especially a secret one—is accelerated rather than retarded by persecution.  The other day I had the somewhat doubtfnl pleasure of speaking to a Liverpool gentleman who knows something more about Anarchy in Liverpool and elsewhere than does the ordinary" man in the street." Himself a political exile from Russia, and , being an exceptionally clever man who may or may not be in the " know" he deprecated strongly that the assassination was the work of the Anarchist body. The principles of Anarchy, he said, struck at the root of Government by the belief that every man should be a law unto himself, but instead of having recourse to violent means to attain the end they believed in the dissemination of economic doctrines, and in the farther spread of knowledge. Everybody knows that the times are a trifle out of joint, but to substitute the capricious will of the mass for the present law and order would be to let chaos reign supreme. The constructive policy of the Diberat is far more statesmanlike than the mad rush of the Anarchist, or even the stow-footed policy of Toryism.  ()rice more the Runcorn youth has an opportunity of extending his acquaintance with the subjects which will make him a better citizen and which will equip him to fight the battle of life in his later years much more vigorously and successfully. The art, science, and commerciai classes have now commenced their winter .session in earnest, and those who desire to pursue any particular branch of study can do so at the Institute undsr the guidance of some of the best possible teachers. The high result q previously attained by the evening classes are sufficient commendation to ensure their attention from local students, and lovers of knowlEdgo cannot do better than deepen their understanding by placing themielvesin touch with a trained mind I cordially wish the classes the highest p3ssible success.  At this period of the, year tradesmen, and others who profit by the wages of the working man 'find things" to use a sock phrase, 'quiet.' Besides being between the seasons, which itself causes depression there is another reason that is usually overlooked by the ordinary individual. Just at this time the books of the town must be closed for the half-year and therefore all the rates, water rate, poor rate, district rate and street mOring accounts, must be collected for their different funds. The majority of the working class leave these compulsory payments right to the last minute and then out of the town's earnings some hundreds of pounds have to be abstracted and placed to the credit of the Imperial and Municipal revenues. This, to a certain extent, sudden withdrawal from circulation of 83 much of the town's revenue or rather the diverting of it int ) other channels seriously retards for the time being ordinary trade which accordingly takes some little time to recover. This explanation really seems to be the only possible account for the depression which has stolen over Runcorn* during the pest month. All hopes, however of reviving prosperity are now centred on the building of the transporter bridge, which it is understool, will be commenced very shortly.