The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1886-11-06 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

COMMENTS ON CURRENT TOPICS.  • THE Bulgarian imbroglio drags its slow length along, with little enough of interest, and small progress towards satisfactory settlement. We have just, however, had plain show of Russia's hand in the international game. Special Commissioner Kaulbars, unable to find in the action of the Regency a decent pretext for Russia overrunning the Balkan State with troops, has done what was wanted by his Imperial master, and conjured up a grievance. Some Russian subjects, he says, have sustained injury at the hands of the Bulgarian authorities. What the injury is he refuses to demonstrate, but in punishment o 3 this imaginary affront ships of war weri,`, to Varna, and General Kaulbars cavalierly remarked that as many soldiers as the Czar pleases will be poured into Bulgaria. It seems now, indeed, that Germany and Austria have agreed that Russia may have her way in Bulgaria, and that being the case no other great Power will care to do more than protest against the Muscovite occupation. But what will the historian say of the morality of this latest continental movement ?  THE new Shop Hours' law brings the employment of young persons in shops, refreshment-rooms, public-houses, and warehouses under legal regulation for the first time. The measure is neither a full nor a final one, for its, operation is limited to the three years next to come. It will do something, though it is far from thorough, in safeguarding the "slaves of the shop," and extend to them ale protection which years back Parliament afforded factory hands. No young person— that is, under eighteen years of age—may legally be employed more than 74 hours in. a week, including meal hours. A fine of a sovereign is the penalty which it is enacted shall be inflicted upon an employer for an infringement of this regulation. There should be inspection and official means of bringing recalcitrant shopkeepers to book, or this provision will be in danger of becom. ing, a dead letter. Employ(S3 or parents will hardly dare to prosecute in view of the dismissal which would inevitably follow. The new Act is short and simple, and goes as far as might have been expected for an initial measure in free of the opposition it had to encounter; but we consider that to see the clock round in the shy, meal times deducted, every day in the week, is too great a strain upon the health of "young persons," and girls above lffi might well also have come under the protection of the Act. Three years hence the measure may, however, be amended. There is a better method than legislation to cure unduly long shop-hours, and that is public abstention from shopping at such times as inflicts hardship upon the assistants. Employers will nrf lmrri gas 311 re , irs' at Tr v itEuff earlyshopping, and Acts of Parliament in the interest of assis:ants will cease to be necessary. The public, in common humanity and unselfish consideration, ought to heed their cry, * •  • J., -,-- Ir seems a pity shut Imperial politics and their attendant individual bitternesses should be permitted to obtrude into the contests for seats in our municipal council chambers. What does it matter whether an alderman or a common councillor thinks on great State questions with the present Premier, with Mr. Gladstone, or with Lord Hartington ? His qualifications should be business capability and purely local knowledge, added to native common-sense and hard-headedness. It seems to us ridiculous that these necessities for the making of an efficient local legislator should be altogether lost sight of, as they are in many instances, and the Ist of November tattles be fought on the grounds of the candidate's Liberalism or Toryism. The same reasoning applies with equal force to the elections for the Rectorship of Universities. Sir Lyon Playfair and Lord Iddesleigh were pitted against each other the other day at Edinburgh in a contest for that honourable position in connection with the university of the Scottish capital. Both were highly cultured, and both qualified for the post; but that does not seem to have been considered at all. Lord Idd.esleigh was re-elected purely on account of his Conservatism, Sir Lyon re— jected because he was a Liberal. Weeks ago Professor Freeman was dropped from the candidates' list by reason of his being academic and non-political. This party spirit is a distinct and growing evil.  A. CORRESPONDENT of a London journal gives an interesting account of a stroke of fortune which has befallen the cook of a Hertfordshire clergyman. If the story is true then the widow who has ruled a rectory kitchen is indeed lucky. A very large sum, part of the proceeds of the sale of a London estate valued at between two or three millions sterling, is xQxned as the cook's share of an unexpected legacy. The estate belonged to the woman's grandfather, and a singnlar circumstance is connected with the recovery of the property. Money in Chancery lapses to the Crown after a certain number of years in the event of no. heirs turning up, and is applied to the reduction of the National Debt. In this case the claim was lodged two days only, before the expiration o the statutory period. The name of the favoarite of fortune who has thusbeeome unexpectedly rich is Mrs. Adcock, and she has until the last few days been in the service of the Rev. Mr. Lane, of Little Gaddesth.n. This rev, gentleman has had a number of applications soliciting donations for all manner of charitable purposes, but he has no control over his ex-cook's money. Mrp. Adcock, though sixty years old, has received some thirteen offers of marriage since it became known that she was about to be in such altered circumstances.  THE fasting man-mania goes on apace, and we have had a threat of a senseless exhibition of this sort here in England. Signor Succi, the Italian, tried unsuccessfully to commit suicide by deliberate starving in his own country, and now he and a Frenchman are fasting against time and each other in Paris. A Kentish peasant is said to be anxious to pit his abstaining powers in London against the winner of this ridiculous affair, but we trust he will receive no encouragement from the British public. No good can come of such morbid displays, which are only engaged in by lunatics or crazy hank.erers after notoriety. Besides there is generally an element 0.. deception