Mr. Disraeli has knighted Mr. E. W. Watkin, Member for
Stockport, Chairman of the South-Eastern Railway Company, and general advocate for the Railway interest whenever it wants to oppress the public, or drive a bargain with Government, or get rid of a law which costs money and protects life. Ho sits for Stockport nominally as a Liberal, but really as a Chair- man ; puts Adullamite motions on paper, but gives them up when his constituents open their eyes. lie led the foray against the public in the matter of the fares, and defends it on the ground that the Companies, even if they have wasted their money in "legal expenses," reckless contracts, and mad feuds with each other, have a natural right to five per cent. He has never done the nation a service of any mark, and can only have been decorated in the hope that he may one day be of use to the party he nominally opposes. We trust the Stockport electors will consider these facts, and rid the House of at least one Director.
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