TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13131, 2 June 1908, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

A great system of credit Credit clubs has grown up in EngClubs. land of late years, with its centre in Bradford. Theso clubs stand between tho tradesman and tho purcliaser, collecting the amount of tho debt in weekly instalments, charcing "poundage" from tho purchaser and commission from tho seller. They owo their origin to the manager of an industrial insurance society, who was struck by tho'difficulty tho working man found in obtaining credit. A subscriber pays a shilling a week for each pound's worth of goods purchased, this shilling being collected by an agent, who calls at the homo of tho buyer for the money.

Tho subscriber can obtain a pound's worth of goods from local tradesmen either on payment of tho eighth weekly shilling, or when the first shilling is paid. In the latter caeno an extri--shilling must be given at the start for poundage. Ninety-five per cent, of the customers pay the extra shilling. On paying the first shilling and the poundago money, the customer is given a credit note, and a list of tradesmen in tho district who have accounts with the company. Tho tradesmen wrjto the goods pu rob.-Bed on tho back of the credit note, arid no money passes. All manner of things, from boots to artificial teeth, are paid for in this way. There is am elaborate system of blacklisting, so that a man who fails to meet his obligations with ono club oannot ma-ko us© of another. The success of the system has been enormous. In most oases the club takes 4s Gd in the £, 3s Gd commission and 16 poundage. The Provident, the oldest and largest of th© fifty clubs in Bradford, has a nominal capital of £50,000 (of which, it is said, only £7 was paid in cash), and its turnover last year was £950,000, and its profit over £90,000. This institution, which is almost entirely owned by one man, has eighty-four branches, and employs over 3000 canvassers. On© little club, with a capital of £2000, had i turnover last year of £10,000, and made £600 from poundago alone. The profits are so enormous that all kinds of men havo been attracted into this scramble for easilyearned money, some of tho proprietors of clubs having been mill-hands, who Bived a ten-pound not© and started a little club a_oo_g their mates.

There is an- elaborate system of blacklisting, so that a man who fails to meet his obligations with ono club cannot mako use of another. The success of the system has been enormous. In most oases the club takes 4s 6d in the £, 3s 6d commission and 16 poundage. The Provident, the oldest and largest of the fifty clubs in Bradford, has a nominal capital of £50,000 (of which, it is said, only £7 was paid in cash), and its turnover last year was £950,000, and its profit over £90,000. This institution, which is almost entirely owned by one man, has eighty-four branches, and employs over 3000 canvassers. One little club, with a capital of £2000, had a turnover last year of £10,000, and made £600 from poundago alone. The profits are so enormous that all kinds of men havo been attracted into this scramble for easilyearned money, some of the proprietors of clubs having been mill-hands, who s_ved a ten-pound note and started a little club among their mates.

John _~_*a-_e-t6 Delano, the A Great greatest figure in the hisEditor. Tory of English journalism, is tho subject of a biography in two volumes, and very fascinating reading it makes, this story of the man who entered "The Times" office as a Parliamentary hand at twenty-three, became editor of the most powerful paper in the world before he was a year older, and for many yea-rs wielded an influenco in tho affairs of the world greater than that of any other newspaper man before or since." Delano had all the qualities necessary for success in his great position—fine physique, a great capacity for work,. tact, discretion, splendid judgment, a keen oyo for news* and a gift for brilliant conversation which made him welcome among th© leaders of society and politics. Ho spent much of his time in society, end was an inveterate diner-out. He would discuss tho leaders for th© next day with his staff in the afternoon, dine out, and go down to "Tho Times" at ten -at -right and work till four in the morning. Delano subordinated himself comrpletely. He would never allow his name to appear in "The Times" anion c tho list of guests at the different social engagements that he attended. Ho took every means to prevent his portrait from beir__- published oven by tho caricaturists. Tho "man in the street" did not know him by sight. Much the samo tradition prevails now, for how many people know the name of tho editor of "The Times"? Yet Delano had the confidence of at least two Prime Ministers, and most of the men who governed England seem to havo regarded it as a privilege to consult him. Ho was always a patriot, and never r>ermitted his clcfi© friendship with great men to stand between him and his duty to tho public. His biographer holds that his disclosure of War Office ineptitude in the Crimean war and his persist on t demands for reinforcements had a good deal to do with tho issue of the struggle; while his tact and sound judgment materially a«*_>ted to avert war between Great Britain and the United States over the Trout incident. His attitude on the Crimean war was particularly honourable, for, after visiting tho seat of war, he privately urged on tho Government the necessity of Ice-sening the hardships of the soldiers, and made no journalistic capital out of the army's plight till ho found that only the pressure of public opiniou would move the authorities. But in one matter, at least, his attitude was ooen to grave objection. When Prussia put pressure on -Denmark. Delano thundered for non-inter-vention, and. according to his biographer, influenced Paimerston in his deci*3ion to allow the little kingdom to bo despoiled. No man can say how momentous that decision was. To mention one result, the Kiel Canal, one of th© elements in the German niencce to.our naval supremacy, was cut t__rbu_"_- the conquered territory.

of society and politics. Ho spent much of his time in society, and was an inveterate diner-out. He would discuss tho leaders for the next day with his staff in the afternoon, dine out, and go down to "Tho Times" at ten at night and work till four in the morning. Delano subordinated himself completely. He would never allow his name to appear in "The Times" anionc the list of guests at the different social engagements that he attended. Ho took every means to prevent his portrait from being published oven by the caricaturists. Tho "man in the street" did not know him by sight. Much the samo tradition prevails now, for how many people know the name of tho editor of "The Times"? Yet Delano had the confidence of at lea<rt two Prime (Ministers, and most of the men who governed England seem to havo regarded it as a privilege to consult him. Ho was always a patriot, and never r>ormitted his clcse friend-

ship with great men to stand between him and his duty to tho public. His biographer holds that- his disclosure of War Office ineptitude in tho Crimean war and his persistent demands for reinforcements had a good deal to do with tho issue of the struggle; while his tact and sound judgment materially assisted to avert war between Great Britain and the United States over the Trout incident. His attitude on the Crimean war was particularly honourable, for, after visiting tho seat of war, he privately urged on tho Government th-» necessity of lc-f.se.ning the hardships of the soldiers, and made no journalistic capital out of the army's plight till ho found that only the pressure of public opiniou would move the authorities. But in one matter, at least, his attitude was ooen to grave objection. When Prussia put pressure on 'Denmark. Delano thundered for non-inter-vention, and, according to his biographer, influenced Palmerston in his decision to allow the little kingdom to bo despoiled. No man can say how momentous that decision was. To mention one result, the Kiel Canal, one ot the elements in the German menace to.our naval supremacy, was cut through the conquered territory.

■Under Delano "Tho "The Times" Times" knew most in its things quite as soon Glory. as the peoplo whom they immediately concerned, and sometimes sooner. It received from the Prime Minister the information of the coming repeal of the Corn Laws, the publication of which astounded even Ministers, It was from "The Times" that- the Czar first heard of the ultimatum launched

against him by Great Britain. Wo learn that during the last Ministry of Palmerston tho Emperor Napoleon the Third himself 6ent Delane contributions, which were printed in "Tlie Time*,"' and that later on, after Franco had declared war against Prussia, Bismarck sent to Delano for publication a copy of the projected secret treaty between France and Prussia, by which Napoleon was to bo givan. a free hand to annex Belgium, although England was pledgfd up to the hilt to preserve the independence of that country. We read of Disraeli complaining of the treatment of "Coningsby"' in "The Times," and suggesting a competent reviewer for his '"Lifo of Lord George Bentinck," and of Delane writing to his assistant from Ascot in 1870 instructing him to publish in large print

a letter from Lord Ros-cbory on tho House of Lords—"l won £20 from him, which makes mc anxious to oblige him." When the ab-onee of the griefstricken Queen from public life was beginning to have undesirable effects on public sentiment, De-lane suggested tactfully that tho Prince cf Wales should bo permitted to perform some of tho ceremonial functions of royalty. The suggestion was welcomed by her Majesty, ami Delano was told that, as no one else (hired' to tell her tho truth, it was fortunate that he was ablo to do so. Of his eye for news the following story will suffice:—"One day," says the biographer, ''he met his doctor, the late Sir Richard Quain, at th© Athenaeum. • In tho course of a few minutes' conversation tho latter said : 'Lord Northbrook called to iw to-day and asked mc how a hot climate would bo likely to suit his daughter, whom I have had under my charge. I said it would suit her very well indeed.' Delane uaid nothing at the time*but the next day tho first article in 'The Times' astonished everybody, including the official world, by announcing that Lord Northbrook was going to India as Governor-General." And it was quite correct, although tho only two persons alive who knew tho fact wero Gladstone and Lord Northbrook