The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1885-05-23 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

COMMENTS ON CURRENT THINGS. An offer of women warriors from Baroda is the newest sensational item t intell'gence in the st,t., of pr varations for conflict as to the rights ot the Afghan frontier. We trust these wouid-be suocessore of the Amazons will not, however ibe wenteil  mik  MEM  to assist us in any pcssible hostilities with Russia. I If, uuhappily, all our statesmanly endeavours toe avoid the horrors of a sanguinary conflict should p-ove futile. the English idea will still be distinctly averse to the employment of women in war for other than ministerial purposes. The Dowager Maharani of Baroda, thou2h her zeal in Britannia's cause is laudable, is not a wnman of correct taste, and hence her willingness to run to the rescue of Indias Empress fails to In:let with the appreciation it would otherwise desvrve •  Ere long the sixpenny telegram will be swiftly tray rsi,.; the wi e : and to smooth down all oppo-ition, we find our exceedingly politic Postmaster General has, to some extent moderated the announcement that the naint-s of sender and addressee w, uld be charged under the nPw arrangement. The receiver's full description and addre-s have still, however, it seems, to be set forth at the cost of the sender; and as any delay in delivery will deubtless be charged if possible, to insufficient direction, we may still stigmatise the nominally cheap new telegram as not at all less costly than its predecessor for general purposes of commu&cation If the sender's de.criplioo as a purely private matter, ad been charged, and the recivor's aPcepted free, thed that would h eve proved a public boon ; but the shillimr telegram would thereby have found its occupation gone. hence an impassable gulf internoses between the sixpenny mssage and its double-priced foregoer.  Ir is Well that we have a house of Commons 3elic: Cammittea enquiring into the matter of provident assurance. Th. re are in existence associations for a curing the contributions of woiiking which are far from certain of p....,viding for him that fortification against an indigent old age wi.ich he is fondly looking for, It may be hoped that the labours of this Committee will wipe out iiltoget her insecure and insolvent d pro' ident Visurance societie, and turn the attentiou of the toilers, eithet to an accredited and well-establisheo association which Unites no tale c.intest or moneymaking speculation with its business, or to a COMprehensive scheme of Governmental ass .a.ance. And when this is done, other life assur,nce which draw heavy annual premiums from a struggling middle-class, and still aro not, financially speaking, beyond suspicion, may fittingly receive Parliamentary attention.  iS to he hoped that the heavy sentence inflicd ! the other day upon the two dynamite treason-felons will have some salutary effect on the lawless and d,:spicable combinations that secretly plan the turible outrages which so shock the civilised world. So subtly bad this conspiracy been conduc ed ,hat the police were only able to complete their long link of convincing evidence against Cunningliana and Burton by the exercise of untiring vigilance cudixpe-ienced skill of the highest detective order. rhe question which suggests itself to the average r..a,der's mind is—Whwe does the heavy cost of defe iding the convicts so ably come from? The State lid not provide it. Moving out of sight in the backzround are some poweifut monied persons who are more—aye, mu in more guilty conspirators— rhan the p ,or tools corisigne to penal servitude For life. Until the influential money-finders are placed at th., bar, side by side with their deluded catspaws. t'ais agitation of murder and dynamite will pxc' e • *