Untitled

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 20, 17 March 1894, Page 11

Now that tho English House of Lords.and their obstructionary attitude towards democratic measures oro being the subject of much discussion,-the following remarks, culled from this year’s issue of that excellent publication, the Financial Reform Almanac, may prove of special interest: —“ It seems to be a common fallacy in some quarters that tho Lords merit our profound veneration and gratitudo because their ancestors, in the days of King John, gave us Magna Oharta. Now there aro four good reasons for refusing gratitudo to tho House of Lords to-day for that undoubtedly groat historical docuraont. Firstly, because, though gratitudo may bo duo to a man for doing a certain act, it does not follow that it is due to his descendants, howover remote. Secondly, because tho Barons of 1216 woro practically not tho ancestors of tho prosont poerago. Thirdly, because the armour-plated Barons of King John's day, like tho gold-plated nobility of-our own, woro actuated principally, if not entirely, by their own interests, and whatever good came to tho nation as a whole was purely reflcotivo and not in the reckoning, and, fourthly, because tho evil doods done by Iho nobility have more than cancelled whatever good they havo secured.

As to tho. persistont and consistent way in which thoy legislate in the interests of “ proputty, proputty” and nothing else, tho Almanac may again bo quoted :—“ Tho action of tho Lords has over been directed townrds the preservation of property. Hence, even to this day, tho laws protecting property are far more stringent than thoso protecting tho person, except in tho case of murder. In 1810 it was a hanging matter to steal goods of tho value of lialf-a-crown. A Bill was brought in by Lord Holland to increase tho value to fivo shillings, but ovop o modest a measure was rejected by tho Gilded Ghambor. Lord Wynford said if the Bill passed ‘.tho people of England would no longer sleep safely in their bods.’ *- *

The Manchester ship canal is now in good working,order In one week, that ending January 15, there sailed from Manchester 19 vessels with cargoes of 2460 tons, whilst there woro 23 arrivals, the weight of the various cargoes being estimated at about 4000 tons. Tho arrival of the steamer Finsbury in tho canal with the first cargo of cotton—-4170 bales—to Manchester naturally aroused considerable interest. The Finsbuiy is a vessel of 1909 tons register, and her progress up the canal was slow. In the same week the Glenisle, with 6000 boles, was also docked at Manchester.

Tho Manchester men are evidently determined to back up the trade of tho canal by every means in their power. Trans * port referring to the canal and its traffic says:—“ Considerable prominence has been given to a suggestion by a Manchester firm that the leading shippers of Manchester should take concerted action with a view to all their exports going by the canal. The reason for this is that ships cannot Ibe expected to comb up to Manchester while their is any uncertainty as to return cargoes. On Tuesday an informal meeting of traders resolved to requisition the Lord Mayor to call a public meeting with a view to stimulating the Company to at once vigorously set obout organising a regular service of large ocean-going steamers, tho! adequate employment of which it was stated could be assured.