The Evening star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1884.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4725, 28 February 1884, Page 2

The Evening star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1884.

The licensing elections which have just concluded within the Borough most certainly " point a moral," if they cannot be used to " adorn a tale." From the two contests which hare been csrried out

several deductions which should be of do mean import, may be drawn, and stored away as treasure for use in the future. It is not our intention to congratulate one party, or condole with another, but an opportunity exists, nay, a necessity demands (hat some notice should be taken of the late contests. In the first place there is an enactment giving the people power to elect certa'n of their number to regulate—to a certain extent — the liquor traffic; this, we hare an idea, should^ be as the power given puts it, left to the people, but some confusion is imported, and a division of the people is caused by members of an association to whom we will give every credit for conscientiousness, unselfishness, and a variety of other virtues, who attempt to force their views on the people regarding a matter which should be left to the vqz populi, and, as will be seen, with a crushing result to the importers. The recent contests for seats on Licensing Benches have proved beyond a doubt that the public will intelligently exercise all the privileges given to them, irrespective of any coercion or outside influence attempted to be used on them. Certain zealots endeavored to enforce their views by

various means, and with most—to them— unsatisfactory results. A. contemplation of the names of the elected will at once convince even the most sceptical that the beat men hare been choseD, and if any persons should disagree with eny of the ■elections made on account of the views held by any individual, they will at any rate have to admit that as regards respectability (without drawing invidious distinctions) better selections could not have been made, and concerning liberality and an absence of any class or other bias, little improvement could be made. It appears to us that the attempt made to interfere with the exercise of the com mon sense of the general public has met with the rebuff which it well merited, and although it may be said that if the Good Templar patty attempted to influence the people, the Licensed Victuallers took similar steps ; nevertheless, it must not be forgotten that it was not until after what was somewhat erroneously termed " the temperance ticket" was issurd that on op posing party came out; and, as was the case last year, the chances are' that no attempt to interfere with the voice of the people would have been made' had it not been for the action this year of the party who have sustained such a crushing defect. The importation of the clerical element into the contest was somewhat inadvisable. With all due respect to their calling, we are inclined to the belief that having a regard for the duties of a commissioner, a member of the Licensing Bench is not a position to be filled by any reverend gentlemen. The general good of his district is doubtless the chief aim of a clergyman, but ministers will find their hands fully employed in attending to the multifarious duties of their high office without interfering in_ such mundane matters as licensing benches, this is a thing requiring to be dealt with in a purely secular way, and no religious attention' whatever. If certain clergymen pant for work, and find time hanging heavily on their bands, we think there are other directions in which they might direct their thoughts. We hope to see none of this society or church influence imported into such contests in the future.