Widnes Examiner. — 1891-05-09 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

MAY 9, 1891.  ! holders should ask for the General's matches, Iwhich are named" Lights in Darkest England."  Captain Verney is one of tbe big fish who have failed to break through the net of the Criminal Law Amendment Act ; and he deservedly receives sentence of a year's imprisorment. As he could not resign and could not be offered the "Chiltern Hundreds," steps will be taken, on Tuesday, to effect his expulsion as a member of the House of Commons. Sir Henry James is bringing in a bill to permit of resignation in an ordinary way; but the change is hardly worth making. When the iniquity of M.P.s is disclosed, it is a question whether the way out for them should be made easy.  At the Liverpool Assizes, on Monday George Warren,of St. Helens,was sentenced to penal servitude for seven years for‘ a murderous assault on his wife. The man seems to have been lacking mentally, but, as the judge remarked, a long imprisonment, with regular work and regular living, might help him to recover his mental equilibrium. There is a tendency in some quarters to refer to all crime as a species of insanity; but even if that view be admitted the duty still rests upon society to keep mischief-makers, sane or insane, under control.  Mr. Luke Fildes as an artist seems to go from strength to strength, and from victory to victory. A London correspondent, referring to the opening oi the Academy, on Monday, says:—" All day long a very large number of visitors crowded round the pictures and the fashionable element was well represented even from the very first. There is no longer any doubt that Mr. Luke Fildes's splendid picture of the Doctor,' will be a popular favourite. The crowd which- collected round it yesterday remained dense and sympathetic from first to last."  The Statham farmer who committed suicide, on Tuesday, seems to have been unnecessarily depressed about the Ship Canal shares which he held. Nothing has happened to suggest that the undertaking will not in the end be successful. There is every prospect of the money being obtained ,to ' complete the work ; and,once completed,the shares will rise in value. Meantime tlie hardest thing to bear by people who have invested most of their savings in Canal Shares is the suspension of the payment of interest. But this, under the cirownstances, would §eeni tg be inevitable.  ----The Liberal Victory at Stowmaricet has thrown the Tories upon their beam-ends. They were beginning to hope that the turn of things was in their faVour,and speculate upon an appetil to thecountry in general, when—disgusting spectacle !—a Liberal takes possession of a Tory seat; a Tory majority of 543 in 1886 is converted into a Liberal majority of 214 in 1891. The" Standard's" comment is that the electors decline to accept the bribe of Free Education, and sees in the result evidence of "Conservative reaction." This is good, very good. Oh that the "reaction " would continue here, there, and every where  And it is continuing. Yesterday the result was declared of the South Dorset by-election. In 1886, the Tory candidate was returned with a majority of 991. A Tory is again returned, but this time the majority is one of 40 only. The Liberal gain as between one election and the other is 951 votes, in South Dorset ; and 757 at Stowmarket. It will do. The more the merrier of this kind of "Conservative reaction." Keep it up, and England will be a happy land at the next General Election.  From a communication to the Warrington Magistrates, which has been received from the Home Secretary, it appears that the practice of imposing costs along with fines of 55., or under 55., is contrary to law. It is only in special, cases that this is allowable. Alderman Sutton commented freely on the Home Secretary's letter at the Warrington Police Court on Thursday; and most people will agree with him that costs become a hardship when they are heavier than the fine, and are the means sometimes of people being sent to gaol who would otherwise be in a position to pay the fine alone. Having had this hint from the Home Office, the justices at Warrington and elsewhere should see to it that their justice for the future is not injustice.