The Bee-Hive. — 1876-01-08 (London, England)

BEE-HIVE was established to assist the working classes, politically and socially, and from that purpose we have never deviated through good or evil report. In our time, and to some extent by our advocacy, the franchise has been extended, and we feel proud that the mode in which the artizans have used that power has fully justified our advocacy. We have invariably upheld the claims of workmen to a fair day's pay for a fair day's work; but, at the same time, we expressed our opinion that the sober and temperate would profit more by the rise in wages and the diminution of the hours of labour. We advocated temperance with a just regard for individual liberty; but our experience teaches us that numbers of very excellent men cannot use strong drink in moderation; therefore we sustained those associations whose motto was neither to touch, taste, or handle it. Our readers cannot fail to notice what little sympathy those principles arouse in our Legislature; but it is some satisfaction to us to know that one at least of those who directly represent working men gave Sir Wilfrid Lawson greater support than even if it came from a Government bench. We hope the honourable member for Dundee in the forthcoming session will display the same courage on the question in the House which is evidenced in his book now before Us. We believe it is the first time the evils of the liquor traffic have been brought home to the millionaires who distil strong drink, and are the owners of hundreds of gin palaces, and to the homes of the aristocracy, from which the bulk of our legislators are selected. While, at the same time, Mr. Jenkins tolls with no uncertain sound the ruin wrought in middle class families; and he ingenuously presents to his readers the loss the country sustains by hanging Bill Knowsley, and another ironworker, for the murder of his wife while under the influence of liquor. The book begins with a suicide in StMartin's-lane, and ends with a fire at sea, when all on board the ship are lost, caused by the recklessness of a drunken sailor. The characters in Mr Jenkins' book are admirable, but we are of opinion that he has not worked them out sufficiently; some of the best are dropped unaccountably, and there are some errors of detail which lead Eli to believe that the honourable gentleman has not bestowed sufficient time on the consideration of his subject. But we are bound to say from the perusal of his book our convictions arc strengthened that the liquor traffic requires additional regulation, and that every person should assist in promoting the cause of temperance.  Hand and Heart. Conducted by the Editor of "Our Own Fireside." Published by Thomas Burt, 15, Shoe-lane. Price One Penny. "Hand and Heart" commences with the new year; it will be a weekly journal of news. Its chief aim will be to treat of questions that concern the social and home happiness of the people. Ihe title is a very comprehensive one. It gives us the widest range. Whatever the hand can do, or the heart can feel, opens out an endless diversity of subjectmatter. Its plan already embraces such topics as the following :—" The Week: its Events and Opinions ; " "England at Work ; " "In Parliament ; " "Sanitary Questions ; " "Building a House ; " "Our Children's Education ; " "Fireside Tales ; " "The Worker's Rest Day ; " "The Evidences of Christianity ; " "The Temperance Movement ; " The Humanity Page ; " "Mon of the Time; or, Life Lessons From Leading Biographies ; " "Historic Pictures ; " "Out and About; or, Round the World ; " "Household Economy ; " "Evenings at Home." The first number is full of valuable information, and we trust that "Hand and Heart" will find a place in the homes of our working people.  The Fortnightly Review. Chapman and Hall. The new feature introduced this month in the Fortnightly Replete, of an epitome of home and foreign affairs, will add considerably to the steadily increasing weight and value of that publication. Tho section of home polities will be undertaken by the editor, Mr. John Morley, whilst the foreign section has been intrusted to M. Emile De Laveleve, the eminent Belgian publicist, who has every talent for such a task, and whose intimate acquaintance with most of the leading statesmen of Europe, both in France and Germany, will give to his review of the political-horizon special interest.  The Financial Reform dlinanack for 1876. Price, One Shilling. Among the new matter introduced will be found highly instructive and edifying expositions of the Land Tax and of the way in which the  January 8, 1876.  _ temporalities of the disestablished Irish Church have been distributed so far, and are likely to be distributed hereafter. The public house statistics are interesting and important. The advocates of Parliamentary reform will nowhere find so complete a dissection of our present electoral system, and of the two Houses of Parliament, as is contained in its pages, at anything like the price of the whole volume, if at all. No pains have been spared in the endeavour to render this number the best of the series, and it ought to have a wide circulation.