Widnes Examiner. — 1905-01-14 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

TRATIS-CLEGG paid at Stalybridge the penalty—if we may compare small things with great—which so many adherents of the Pretender in Scotland paid for their magnificent but most vain constancy to a quite undeserving personality," Mr. BALFOUR will be more than human if be find consolation in this beautiful mixture of ancient history and moonshine. If we may compare small things with great, we would suggest I that we have still among us a Scottish Pretender, I whose adherents at Stalybridge and:elsewhere have been rewarded for their most vain constancy to his charmin gpersonality but quite undeserving policy. The'moral of Stalybridge is that the blessed formula will not do. By an admirable coincidence the good sense of the Stalybridge electors is inforced by the Trade Returns for 1901, which proves to have been a "record year for British exports— those exports which, according to Mr. CHAMBERLAIN, are going to rack and ruin.  There is a political resemblance between Warrington and Stalybridge, in addition to both being to all intents and purposes Lancashire boroughs. They have both been Conservative for t wenty years —and they have both changed their political complexion this year, we were going to say, but it does not do to anticipate joyful events. Stalybridge has at any rate, shown her determination to have nothing to do with either Protection or Retaliation, and her voice is unmistakably, we believe' the voice of Lancashire on thel fiscal question. Warrington may have an opportunity ere long of testifying her faith in Free Trade, and we doubt not that that testimony will be unhesitatingly given. The issue is not in the least obscured. Mr. R. Pierpoint has long ago committed himself entirely to Mr. Chamberlain's chimerical views, and as , a whole-hogger he affords a ready target for the Free Trade artillery. In the 1900 election he obtained an inflated and unreliable majority of over a thousand. Just as there were special circumstances contributing to his triumph then,there will be special circumstances and weighty reasons ' tending towards his overthrow in the coming struggle.  We are not surprised to learn that the local L.R.C. is, (to •quote the report of the Secretary, "yet far from being wholly representative of the trade unionist and reform societies of Warrington." It has long appeared to us that the L.R.C. was like a very little man with a very big voice,and our supposition has apparently been correct. Now, the members of the Independent Labour Party have retired from the L.R.C., as they find that the trade unionist members are out of sympathy with them. The Committee must be getting smaller by degrees and beautifully less. As it has so far been constituted it has been too much like a house divided against itself to stand very long, and we should imagine ' that the time has almost arrived when it might be disbanded and the question of labour representation reconsidered in a new light. With the aim of labour representation we have always been in sympathy. There is ample room for it, and the condition of the masses demands that they should have men from their own ranks qualified to raise the voice of labour in the halls of authority. But the attainment of labour representation has proved itself to be a problem of considerable magnitude beset by many difficulties. The L.R.C. wishes to drive a straight road through or over all existing wiles to the House of Commons. This is an unwise and well nigh hopeless course. Labour must seek to raise its head to a respectable legislative level by the aid of the existing powers and parties, and not by attempting to ride rough-shod over them. Labour men are usually wide-awake to the advantages of co-operation, and they are being misled when they try to cut a path of their own. We should like tv see the local L.R.C. reconstituted so as to admit a wider membership of men whose desire it is to readjust the social order and uplift the masses, At present such a body as the Social Service League, which is whole-hearted in its aims is denied association with the L.R.C. The latter is, notwithstanding the secretary's denial, committing suicide, and we advocate a broader policy if the situation is to be saved and Labour benefited.  "Warrington as a port" may sound much like a dream, but its fulfilment largely rests within the power of the people, and more especially of the manufacturing concerns, of this town. It is a atanding reproach that a great waterway like the Manchester Ship Canal should be lapping our shores, carrying past us a tremendous volume of traffic, and yet without the slightest appreciable advantage to Warrington. If thme great vessels could make Warrington a regular calling place for the shipment and discharge of cargoes for our many manufacturers and traders, the possibilities of the development of the town into a busy shipping centre would net be so remote as many people imagine. The apathy which has led us into a state of quiet contentment with an anomalous position which we imagine, few places similarly situated would tolerate, is indeed surprising. Traders have continued the system of barging or training their goods to Manchester and Liverpool for shipment, and have received imports by the same roundabout means. Every handling means an additional cost and there is the extra carriage to and from the ports to be paid. To firms possessing a fleet of barges the advantage of direct shipment and importation irom and to Warrington would perhaps not be great, but as we have before pointed out, there are numerous concerns less favourably placed which could hardly fail to profit by the altered conditions.