Merthyr Times and Dowlais Times and Aberdare Echo

Public announcements. Glamorgan County Council Election, 1895. TO THE ELECTORS OF THE MERTHYR TOWN WARD. LAtJIE8 AND GENTLEMEN,— The unfortunate retirement of your repre-soiitative Mr. Frank James—one of our mast popular and Onerous townsmen, causes a vacancy in the reprefen- tation of the above Ward. I should have been pleased If health had permitted Mr. James to continue to *r\e his fellow ratepayers for a further period; but w contested election appears inevitable, and I have Pleasure in submitting my claims to your considera- tlun, and confidently appeal for your votes and >l,PP0rt. i yield to no one in my desire and determination, If elected, to («crvti my fellow townspeople diligently faithful !v. Closely connected as I have been !rom my advent to public life with tny native town, ;IU(1 especially with the Town Ward, in which I 1 am most solicitous for its prosperity, and no l'uort shall be wanting upon my jwrt to promote its genera] interests. The present immense powers of the County Council J consider have not been directed as thoy should have 'jPeji for the l^enefit of the masses, whose condition ^serves more consideration and attention than have '"therto been Ix-stowtd u|>on them. Whilst I greatly fire and would advocate more extended {xjwers of J^ocal Government, I would endeavour to secure for 1e toilers of our valleys, upon whom the material prosperity of our districts so largely depends, those >(>ons which they are at present entitled to, and others which may l>e granted them. The expiring Council has been distinguished for its 'H ounded extravagance, and such policy, if pursued "I the future, will meet with my mast active and ^•{jorons opposition. Unnecessary posts have l>een 'seated with appointments for highly-paid, but use- Jesa officials, and in this and other ways our ccunty rxpenditnre has been enormously increased, and our ,r,eal burdens made very oppressive. Efficiency and !*°otK>my should mark our county administration, and It shall be my aim, if elected, to strive for a more sati«faetory state of things than at present exist*. Your interests and my own are identical, and I pro- "Mse if your confidence is reposed m me to merit it by "lagging attention to the affairs of our county, j)ar- "cularly ha ving in view the jnany and growing le'l"irements of our important district. I remain, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, JOHN WM. LEWIS. Coedcae House, Twynyrodyn, Merthyr Tydfil.

Glamorgan County Council Election, 1895. To THE ELECTORS OF THE TOWN WARD DIVISION, MERTHYR TYDFIL. AND GKXTLEMEN,— t- he retirement of your highly-esteemed representa- forti ^ran't James, creates a vacancy at the bfi ,lnins County Council elections, which you will Wi upon to "fill, and in response to the earnest *nes of large numbers of my fellow-townsmen, I *„^Pectfally offer myself as a candidate for your "P'ages. Hii -K"1 a na^ve t'ie Ward, and I have devoted '*•]• attention to the study of public affairs and I ij, ';eve 1 understand sufficiently well the general ter '"f-S t^le County Council, and the special inat- of tl"hlCh more particularly concern theconetitueaciea en; Parish of Merthyr, to be able to nerve you etfLc'ently. be my object to assist in securing the general att *'1e countV lai'ge, while devoting special JJIJJLn';i(>n T° the claims of our own district to its fa-ir Hdrrr benefits to be derived from efficient county sixp mi8t.rat'ou- I am of opinion that a town of the in». influence of Merthyr should in its turn be the a '?o"pla.ce for the Council, and I should introduce •JU-F n ^or purpose of securing this privilege for »ienf t"- The important questions.of county assess- ,,f 'he maintenance of the asylums, the regulation pjji- e. Police force (which 1 hope may some day be r ''f'f in the hands of the representative* of the tbft f ^le cou'ro^ °f 'he roads, &c., are branches of l>0 ,ork to be done by the Council, in which it is for every member to render some special ser- enj? own Part the county, and I should always int eav°ln' to the best of my ability to promote the e'est of my own and neighbouring constituencies. )\1 propose addressing a few meetings during the W(°nJ and at these I shall deal more fully with the of this important governing liody, *l^spcctfully soliciting your support, I have the honour to remain, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, ALFRED EDMONDS, t'ark ierraie, Mertliyr Tydfil. [2877

Glamorgan County Council. "fu THE ELECTORS OF MERTHYR VALE DIVISION. ANH (IKNTLKMKN", Coin to the earnest wishes of the Workmen's J?j 'n,ttee who represent the majority of my fellow data f8 "10Mt respectfully offer myself as a Candi- a p or your suffrages at the forthcoming Election of ^(jUnty Councillor for this Division. ]0, you are aware resided amongst you for a ]_>j.?. P-'i'iod. My interests are all identified with the 0n ''11(.>n> and 1 have represented you for many years ;i}„. a, °f our Local Councils, and my efforts have wen in the direction of everything tending to the district. huv l'!lno my residence of 28 years I el;»ii» that you Seiv very °Pl)ortiinity of judging by my i>ast ere that my efforts have been progression with Ut u'Mcy» but on strictly economical grounds, as only yn this and this alone can we expect success. 11 <uv, I am sure, conscious that our rates are ,f^inS by rapid strides, aud in the administration p 1(i affairs of our county it requires a competent j,~ Soil> well trained and qualified to cope with this nSfa*e. >'0. 111ri":igement aud regulation of our Police ithlCc aud Asylums, County Asse»snient, and more Krr iVatlt "till, the conduct of our Roads and Bridges, #•. au branches of work renuired to be done by our Council. heRo^s and Bridge-; are again placed under the Vo, °"r County Council, and I consider that j0(} should bo represented by a person qualified to your interest in the-se alone, and see that district receives its fair share of attention. jCbtiru that I have always been considerate of the tintre' ^s of my fellow Electors, and that 1 have at all R' ven tny best attention to any complaints or jj^tions that I consider founded on a good basis, ( ( seen them righted at the first favourable oppor- H* 'I' yo'1 ,ne the honour of returning me f'ilf0Ur ^Presentative, I promise you I will faith- int5 anfl honestly do my utmost to look after your Vp e.r<!sts in the future as in the past, and therefore to solicit your vote and interest upon day of Believe me, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, v 'lysowen House, WALTER BELL. Merthyr Vale, February, 1895. [2882 _n"

JBt rtbs, ma rríagcs & BIRTHS. IAiis.- February 6th, 1895, at tlio Grosvenor Hotel, Merthyr, the wife of Mr. W. Williams, of a 1,- 'ohter. 'lusris.-On the 9th instant, at 6, Park-terracc, the wife of Mr. Alfied Edmonds, assistant editor "I>.rthyr Express, of a daughter. ^VANS.—On the 7th instant, at 2, Mei;ion-placc, enyrheolgerrig, the wife of Mr. E. R. Evans, 10Porter, Merthyr Timet, of a son. T DEATHS. ONES— Suddenly, on Sunday, the 10th iust., at his residence, the Hafod, Dowlais, Thomas Jones, aged J ears. Funeral on Friday at 3.30 for Ft lit emetery. No flowers by request. [2883 T'L'L''ebi'uary 13th, at 97, Thomas-street, Merthyr, Thomas Rets (Merthyryn). 1'ublic funeral cn Monday at 2.30 p.m.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. AIK.OJ IOS- ANnuoNicrs is a literal^ curiosity. A'erv Hue of it was penned in bed, where the ^'ithor, the victim of rheumatism, has been an V1 ^'»lutc prisoner for ten years. His hands have "-Cn distorted into all shapes, but he screws the p'K-il between his twisted lingers, and, with the ('^P of a small writing-board, acts as his own '•Hiuunisis. He contributes his weekly columns to r'rt,-h of three newspapers regularly, to wit the the H'T/). and the Cymro. More readable -Jitter does not find its way to the Welsh press, j lle stylo is racv of the soil, the only Teutonisms i'!lng occasional words or phrases having no exact els]i equivalents. Evan an Oxford Welshman ^'Uiot take exception to a style so idiomatic, so *e'orou8, and yet so lucid and direct. Andronicus, native of Bala, was brought up to the drapery '"ado, and for many years before he was struck .Avn by rheninatism" represented a Manchester Jr'» in Wales. He knows every bill and every x<Ulov in ylc ivjueipalitv from one end to the and loves his native-land with intense Datiioli^m. Though cut oft'from active life in his frilnc;. he ictains liis old cheerfulness, anil his Indlincss of disposition has never left him. lie ,cver said or wrote a word that would hurt the 'lings even of a political opponent. Blessed v ith marvellously retentive memory, he is thoroughly pn,iliar v'th the history of the present century in 'I'glish polities, and knows more than any .^eragc dozen people about men and movements 'a-lcs. He often enriches his journalistic fj.^ ith the most interesting personal -UHnbccuces. I'robably his highest effort was his v e?_kly contributions to the (Itvdl, cntitleil Yu jc,^len>" "which appeared from 1877 till about when the pen vas snatched from his hand by 'e grim giant tliat has kept him in his clutches *-&■- 01 For sonic four rears his voice was silent. But no soener had the more acute physical pain passed away than he took up the pen once more, to do valiant battle against the wolf that was besieging his door, and to feed the mouths of his wife and little ones with bread. Since then he ) has not faltered, buoyed np no doubt by the J inherent cheerfulness of his nature. Besides writ- ing to the three journals named above, he has contributed several articles to Mr. U. M. Edwards' i magazine, Cy/rr,t>, to the Traethodydd, and other publications. It is a selection of these articles that apptars in the Acbjofion. They deal with many subjects of varied interest. Chiefly they are reminiscences of past events and notabilities of davs gone by. There is not a dull page in the book from start to finish. It is all fresh and full of human interest, written in the most delightful Welsh. He who buys the book (the price is 2s. 6d.) will at one and the same time favour himself with a rare literary treat, and be doing an act of kind- j ness to one of the most noble sons of Cambria, I who deserves well at the hands of his fellow- countrymen. j

Jb'OR a thoroughly frank and candid Tory commend us to Lord Salisbury. That proud and haughty nobleman blurts out what is in his mind without fear or favour. He does not believe in mincing matters, but boldly holds up the mirror to the aristocratic species of Toryism. In him we see what Toryism really is, and his "blazing indiscre- tions" are consequently of great value to the student of contemporary politic". The other day he made a speech iu the Rouso of Lords. He said that the House of Lords represented the over- whelming majority of "the people." But there was a minority, "swept up from other places, especially the south-west of Ireland." "The people are the people of England the refuse and sweepings are the people of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. It is sweet and comforting to be insulted in this way by an English aristocrat, the head of the Tory party. We hope the Tories of Wales enjoy being classed with the "refuse and sweepings. But the terrible significance of the insult lies in the fact that Lord Salisbury faithfully represented the English Tory attitude towards the Celtic nationalities. In the near future still more than at present the two political parties will be made up of Celts and Teutons respectively. It Is a pity this should be so. But it is due entirely to the obstinate stupidity of English Toryism. The real "separatists" are the Tories of England. They are drawing the Celts to revolt.

By a majority of two to one the Merthyr School Board has declared that all schools deriving their income from public funds should be under public control. The affirmative view W¡¡S laid down by several speakers with great force, and some con- vincing statistics were adduced in support thereof. As these are fully reported in another column they need not be recapitulated here. Note especially the number of sectarian schools which subsist entirely on Covernment grant. The standard of efficiency in these schools must be considerably lower even than that of the average sectarian school. The negative view was set forth with con- siderable ability by Mr. Wills. He failed, how- ever, to make out a strong case. He raised the bogey of increased expenditure. That cock won't fight. He dabbled extensively in statistics, some- what after the manner of Principal Owen but he ignored the question of principle which was really at issue. He drew a terrible picture of what would come to pass if the sectarian schools were abolished. Rents would go up at a bound, children would be sent to school breakfastless, and the whole blessed universe would come to a standstill. All human reforms have been heralded with similar prognostications. For a Liberal, his sneers at the present Government were rather offensive. He seems to be a caudid critic with a vengeance. Indeed, to emulate the candour of Mr. Wills him- self, we must say that the position he takes up with regard to this education question cannot very easily be harmonized with the political faith sup- posed to be in him. No wonder he was supported only by two Tories. One speaker deprecated the discussion on the principle that sleeping dogs should be left alone. The sooner this particular sleepiug dog is waked up and sent about his busi- ness the better for all concerned. It is hirth time this education question should be finally decided. Two of the speakers were emphatically of opinion that there should be an unsectarian school in every parish. That is virtually what the motion was aiming [It, though it went, perhaps, a step farther and yet one of the speakers voted against it, and the other remained neutral. We leave to others the task of solving this peculiar conundrum. The debate as a whole was a good one, and it comes at a very opportune time. Touching as it docs on the vital question at i^sue in the present election, we trust our rea lers will give it a careful perusal. I'

MERTIIVK and Dowlais mourn the loss of two men of high standing and universal respect, men who enjoy the esteem and confidence of the public generally. In the death of Mr. Henry Lewis we have lost one of the most useful members of the District Council, whose opinion on all questions affecting the prosperity of the town carried great weight. An old Merthyr boy, he had climbed to the top of the ladder a.<; an auctioneer, estate agent, and valuer. In all commercial dealings his integrity was above suspicion. Mr. Thos. Jones, J.P., Hafod, Dowlais, has also gone to his eternal rest. For many years he tilled a position of trust and responsibility in the Dowlais Iron Works, and the proprietors lose one of their most efficient and most respected oflicials. As the County Councillor for Vaynor he displayed gieat zeal in the discharge of his duties, and enjoyed the confidence of his constituents. Both men led a life oT beneficence and usefulness, and by their death the world is poorer. In both their private and public capacities they set an example of faith- fulness to duty which all coming after them may well follow.

Tin: first weeks of a new Parliamentary session arc a time of weariness and fatuity, utterly stale, flat, and unprofitable. Would that some courageous statesman abolished Queen's Speeches Several weeks are wasted in frothy talk leading nowhere. All the bores and the cranks and the faddists are set a-going, and once they start you can't stop them. On the whole the Covernment have done remarkably well. They have distinctly scored over the Tories by the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the Unemployed ques- tion. Mr. Keir Hardie looms large on the Parlia- mentary horizon. Somehow or other, despite all the abuse and denunciation poured on him by every party, Kcir Hardie seems to be steadily making his way to influence. What he precisely wants, nobody appears to know. His tactics, as far as they can be said to be intelligible, mystify and stagger all his fellow-senators. And yet he is gradually making himself a power. What lie will be in the future, it would be a foolhardy (no pun here, please) tiling to predict. Sir William Harcourt is said to be far from well, but he has already displayed very considerable tact as a leader of the House. The merciless drubbing he gave to Mr. Coschen on Friday night was something to remember all the days of olie's life. It will not soon be forgotten by the victim. The Welsh mem- bers arc on the alert, watching with eagle eye every movement of the Government. Disestablish- ment ca.,e second in the Queen's Speech, the first place being given to the Irish Land Bill. There may be nothing in that. But it is well to watch the course of events. Mr. Chamberlain's letter has disgusted the Tories, filled the souls of Liberals with joy, and generally flabbergasted everybody all round. Past experience has taught Welsh politicians not to put their trust in Brummagem. This letter of his Ins a plausible look. But the writer, as likely as not, will be one of the bitterest opponents of Disestablishment when the Bill comes before the House.

On: readers' attention is invited to a letter from Mr. Brace, which will be found in another column. Certain remarks made at the colliers' conference here last Mabon's Day are contradicted. A delegate said that Mr. Brace had declared himself opposed to the formation of a separate organization for the Merthyr Valley. This is not so. Mr. Brace had even advised the two lodges in Abercanaid and Troedyrhiw to sever their connection with the Federation, and throw in their lot with the new organization when formed. The strictures we passed on Mr. Brace are unreservedly withdrawn. We had been misled by the remarks made at the conference mentioned above, which were not con- tradicted, and which we took to be based on reliable facts. It attends us great pleasure to give as much prominence as we can to Mr. Brace's ver- sion of what actually occurred. His conduct is worthy of all praise, and we respectfully commend it to the notice of other miners' agents. Would that all agents, and likewise all miners, were as ready as lie is to make an effort and a sacrifice to secure that general organization, without which, if present appearances are to be trusted, they cannot escape disaster and defeat

IOKISWVN is a candid and a fearless critic. He has smitten the weekly press of Wales hip and thigh. The Welsh weeklies arc utter drivel, without a spark of originality, or the slightest attempt at independent thought. And the Euglish weeklies, well thev arc a hundred thousand times worse We accept the critic's verdict with resignation. But we would respectfully point out to him that the Welsh papers of both classes will compare favourably with papers in Endand of similar resources as regards circulation and adveitiscments. To an old journalist like Idriswyn, we need not waste space in proving that £ s. d. is a factor that cannot be ignored. It would not be fair to com- pare the weekly press of Wales with that of large towns like London, Manchester, or Liverpool. They have not the same resources at command. Another point There was a time when the English weeklies of Wales were hopelessly Dic-Shou- Dafyddol in tone and policy. But that state of things is being gradually improved. The national awakening is at last making itself felt even iu the sanctums of some English journals, which arc Welsh in everything but language, and which throw their whole influence on the side of Welsh patriot- ¡ ism. In our modest and humble way it is our I ambition to be counted of their iiumbci. As long as there are Welshmen iu Wales who cannot read the vernacular, English newspapers will be a necessity. Idriswyn would scarcely hold, we should imagine, that these English-speaking Welshmen should be left entirely unprovided for, and com- pelled to depend altogether on the press of England. Having disposed of the weekly press, we invite Idriswyn to take the daily in hand. Are they not English in tone and influence as well as in language What are the Cardiff and Swansea dailies doing to foster the national spirit, or to encourage Welsh literature ? Can it be said that they are doing anything like justice to Welsh life ? What prominence do they give to the religion or the history or the literature of Wales ? Do they give due space and attention to anything in Wales except football V Will Idriswyn favour his readers with his candid opinion on these matters, which are of great importance just now in our national life. ¡

THE School Board election appears to be hanging I fire. True that at Trehams a certain amount of activity is displayed, but it is not activity of a very edifying order. Here at Merthyr the denom- inational teams are being put in harness, and the running will commence in earnest, we hope, with- out much more delay. There's a good deal cf I work to be done. The Sectarians are at it might and main circulating false statements and mis- leading the electors. The precise financial posi- I tion of the Board should be carefully explained to I the public. The half-crown rate cry is a mere electioneering dodge, set up by the enemies of the State schools. The actual rate for the year, strictly speaking, is only Is. 2itl. But this matter should, by speeches and leaflets, be brought within the knowledge of every voter. The fundamental principle of popular control over all institutions supported by public funds also needs expounding from the platform. It is this principle that forms the real keynote of the situation. The election is a battle between the champions of schools run in the interests of, and controlled by, the sects, to wit the Established and the Roman Churches, but at the expense of the nation, on the one hand, and ou the other hand of the advocates of schools the dominant motive in which is to give the children a thorough education, not coloured by sectarian dogma, and which are maintained and controlled by the whole community. This subject is of vital importance, and every effort should be made by the Unsectarians to enlighten the public as to their bearing on the election. It is generally icgretted that the Independents did not see their way clear to select Mr. C. H. James, J.P., as one of their candidates. Mr. James has done excellent work on the Board, and was, by universal consent, one of the most enlightened and efficient members. As an educationist he deser- vedly s-tands in the very first rank. Unfortu- nately, he has not pulled well with his party, and perhaps lacks some of the qualities essential to I popularity. At any rate, he/does not happen to have favour iu the sight of the Independents, and therefore he is rejected. The incident does not reflect much credit on the denominational system of fighting the School Board election. We hope Mr. James will stand, and, for the sake of educa- tional progress, that he will be triumphantly returned. The Board cannot afford to lose the services of a member who has proved himself an educationist of so true a calibre. We say nothing, of course, against the other two Independent candidates. Mr. W. L. Daniel, like Mr. James, is an educationist of ripe experience and progressive ideas. He is so well known in this capacity that it is I quite needless to sing his praises. The Rev. John Thomas, Zoar, will also make a most excellent member. It is ts be hoped the two will be elected. We sincerely trust that Mr. James also will find himself among the saved [on the polling day. Let the Nonconformists give him the votes they would otherwise cast for Catholic or Church candi- dates.

SPARKS FROM THE ANVIL. Br JOE HAMMERSMITH. I hope my fellow-electors will take an intelligent view of the School Board contest. The half-crown rate is a terrible bogey raised by unscrupulous sectari- ans, and the cry of economy" is a deliberate false- hood. What, then, is the real question at issue ? On one side we have the champions of the sectarian schools, and on the other the advocates of State schools. In Wales the Nonconformists are thoroughly sound ou the education question. They do not ask the nation to maintain schools which are but nurseries for their sects. They are satisfied with the schools provided by the community, and teach religion to their children in their own schools at their own j expense Churchmen and Catholics ave not so straight- forward. The State schools are not good enough for them. They must needs go and set up their own schools, and ask the nation to pay for them. It seems to me that ecclesiastic-ism is never conducive to a high form of public honesty. Now me must fight for the State schools, and not on any account allow their efficiency to be diminished. That is the real keynote of the situation. Let every Nonconformist open his eyes as wide as he can, and study the question with intelligent care. Let him beware of the men who go about circulating falsehoods. Nobody seems to pay much heed to the recent pranks of the Wt^tern. Mail, that dear old orgau of alcohol and hysteria. The marvellous election mani- pulated hy that journal in the interests of the liquor traffic has not disturbed the public equilibrium. Things go on much the same as liefore. In my opinion, Mr. Editor, the J/fl-il'¡¡ figures are not worth a tinker's curse. No opportunity was given the other side to lay its case before the electors. The Mail floods the town with hysterical articles and statistics, and then proceeds forthwith to put the matter to the vote. Did we ever hear of an election where only the candidate of one party had issued his address or harangued the multitude'' The question which the electors were asked to answer was couched in a very artful manner. It ought to have been framed in some such way as this: "Is the Sunday Closing Act a failure? If it is. ¡ which remedy would you recommend: ('<) abolition of shebeens, and the bona lide traveller clause, :t more stringent regulation of drink- ing clubs, and the strengthening of the Act generally, or (b) the opening of public-houses during certain hours on Sundays?" Instead uf that the electors were only asked whether the Act, the failure of which was practically taken for granted, should be modified in the direction of Sunday open- iug. Those who held that the Act is a failure, but who would recommend greater stringency as a remedy, were to all intents and purposes disfran- chised. The dominant motive of the Mail seems to be not the reduction of Sunday drinking, but the opening of public-houses on Sunday. The alcohol party have been excellently well served. Fancy taking a poll and leaving Mr. Allen Upward out! The thing is really too absurd. Were it only for this reason the whole bally election is null and void. A resolution was proposed, seconded, and carried at the Pontypridd Guardians to the effect that a guardian, should he feel so inclined, be allowed to address the Board in Welsh. What is the country coming to that such a resolution was required at all? Wo shall soon hear of a resolution giving us per- mission to breathe God's air. Or we sliall hear of a county council in England allowing its memliei-s to speak in English. Are we debarred from using our native tongue without passing resolutions ? It's a crying shame that Welsh guardians, parish, town, district, and county councillors should be compelled to expressed their thoughts iu a tongue that is foreign to them. The Plymouth Cricket Club banquet was a cheerful function. For lack of an ordained minister of the Gospel Mr. Bailey, who was in the chair, acted as his own chaplain, saying grace before meal and returning thanks after. The club is in a flourishing condition, and I hope the forthcoming season will be a prospeious one. Cricket is a magniticent game. Alas tny early education in that respect was sadly neglected. I did handle the bat once, and once only. On that occasion I suddenly became a great astronomer, and dis- f covered millions and millions of stars which no human eye had ever seen before, and no telescopist has ever gazed upon since. At the sight of these countless myriads of heavenly bodies, chasing one another round and round, with incredible rapidity, I became dazed, and when 1 regained consciousness they had all vanished. There I began and ended my studies both in cricket and astronomy, and I have been grateful ever since that the bridge of my nose was not broken. I have always thought the Astronomer lloyal should be called Sir Robert Cricket Ball, so closely is associated with cricket in my world of intellectual conceptions. Still 1 am not so prodigiously ignorant of the game as the Frenchman who gave the definition of it "A man standing behind three sticks, and another man trying to hit him with a round wooden ball." I know better than that anyhow. Even my poor knowledge of it entitles me to say that the game is at once an interesting, enjoyable, and beneficial form of physical exercise. I hope that many Merthyr young men will avail themsehes of Mr. Bailey's kind and hearty invi- tation to go and play on the Pentreoach ground. 1 raise my cap to Mr. Bailey, and beg to inform him that. with all due deference, I ha\e a bone to pick with him. In giving the royal toast at the aliove dinner he deprecated criticism of the royal household expense. To that form of loyalty he is fully entitled to adhere. On that point he and 1 must ague to differ. But he went on to remark that the cost of govern- ment in the United States was four times as heavy as in this country. That may bo i-o. We can easilv understand that the government of a new and vast country like the United States is a more expensive affair than that of an old country like England. There may he countries still more expensive to govern than either. 1 should say that Russia, for example. spends a tiemendous amount every year on its government. But 1 fail to see where the analogy cyme's m. If the United States chooses to spend four times as much money as we do on government, is that a suffi- cient reason for our throwing money away in vain ? The majority of Tories look upon America as an em- bodiment of ;ill the ires and faults which we in Eng- land ought HI guard against. They seldom, if f>ver iiddiicH that country in juMiHealioii of anythiii" here' of hold it up as a ^I'uiou- model for us to follow. But to come still nearer the point. They have a sort of king in the United States whom they call President. He is get on the throne by the voice of the people, and at the end of four years is taken down ugain. The only other difference between him and our sovereign is that be has a great deal of work to do, and exercises immense authority and iafluence. How much do you think he costs hi's country every year ? £10,000, or two-thirds of what we pay a certain parson in this country. Our royal family costs us .€530,000 every year, or considerably over half a million of money. And the crowning heauty of the arrangement is that we get nothing in return for all this expenditure. If a man were to tell me that the people of this country will be satisfied for ever with this state of things, I would simply reply that I didn't believe him. Here's another item that affords material for reflec- tion and food for thought. The first president of the United States, George Washington, was elected in 1789. That is 106 years ago. Assuming that the annual salary was always what it is now, we find that from 1789 to the present day, rovalty" has cost the people of the United States the" sum of £1,060,000. That' 4 big sum, isn't it? But we spend on our royalty*here every twelvemonth one-half as much as they have spent altogether in the United States since the establishment of the republic, 106 years ago. In other words, we spend m two years as much on royalty as they spend in the States in the course of a whole century. That's something to be proud of, eh ? I am glad to tell you, sir, that Mrs. H. has had at least one trouble off her mighty intellect. Of the many weighty and intricate problems that oppressed her brain, one has been completely solved. She had studied this subject in all its aspects, had looked at it from every possible point of view, had caiefullv and minutely examined every fact, figure, and theory bearing on it. But she could find no satisfaction to her weary soul. Now she inclined to one view, now to another. For days and weeks she was pitilessly tossed on the billows of doubt and uncertainty, and her frail bark was almost shattered to pieces. But the desired haven was reached at last, and her storm- tossed vessel sweetly rides at anchor in peace and safety. Yes, the problem has been solved. The problem was that of the outside taps. And what brought light and peace to Mrs. H.'s mind was the fact that both Mr. David Davies and Mr. Dan Thomas were in agreement on the matter. They are authorities on taps, the one negative, the other ;)osi- tive. And when negative and positive come together and combine, there harmony prevails, and no room is left for doubt.

PLAIN POLITICS. l By MAENHIU.] INote. "Maenhir" alone is responsible for what appears in this column.—Ed. i. One of the most important subjects for consideration by working-men to-day is the position of the so-called Labour members in the House of Commons. The present state of the Labour Party reminds me very much of the state of the Home Rule Party when it was under the leadership of the late Mr. Isaac Butt. A number of members were returned under the name of Home Rulers once a year they used to bring forward their little formal resolution in favour of Home Rule, and then for the rest of their existence they sank into the condition of silent supporters of the official Liberal leaders. As long as that state of affairs lasted I need not say that they never effected anything for Ireland. It was not until Mr. Parnell arose, with his jiolicy of vigorous and relentless opposition to all parties which would not concede the demands of Ireland, that Home Rule entered the range of practical politics. A tame, lukewarm Labour representative, without sufficient courage to set his back against the wall and fight, or without sufficient ability to tight with success, is really an enemy to the cause of labour, just as the Shaws and the O'Shaughnesseys were really enemies to the cause of Home Rule. What mark has the Labour Party, so far, made upon the House of Commons ? They, too, introduce their Eight Hours' Bill year after year and after that farce has been gone through, in what do they differ from the most lamb-like supporters of the Liberal Government ? It is sometimes said that their numbers arc too small to effect any. But they number at least twelve, and when the Parnellite Party only numbered two, and when the Fourth Party only numbered four, they had made their existence more felt than these Labour members. Unless a bolder and more indejiendent line is struck out, how can this party make recruits LA Labour member has now come t-j mean simply a Liberal member who once used to work in a mine or a factory. What is there to tem pt a constituency of working men to subscribe their money and undergo sacrifices to return one of themselves, simply that he may be a cipher behind Lord RoseVwry's 1, just like all the other Liberal members ? At present the cry for direct Labour representation is false and hollow, and there- fore it meets with no response. Let 113 have a real Labour Party, with a real Labour policy, and then we shall have no difficulty in securing Labour repre- sentation. When Mr. Buius and Mr. Keir Haidie entered the House, it was at first thought that they were going to strike out a different course of action. But the effect produced on Mr. Burns by the House of Commons has been strikingly like that which it produced on the late Mr. Bradlaugh. It has sobered him down, and taught him to seek the good opinion of the House rather than the good opinion of the democracy out- side. Mr. Parnell, who understood the House, if any man ever did, always used to look upon this as the greatest danger to which his party was exposed, and I can well remember when his followers were practi- cally under orders not to associate with the English members, lest they might come to value their opinion I as against that of Ireland. The system was faith- fully carried out. When'Mr. Sexton was delighting the Honse with his eloquence, and earning a Parlia- mentary reputation greater than any of his colleagues, he weighed far less in Irish estimation than a man like Mr. William O'Brien, who had scarcely ever addressed the House. Mr. Burns is by nu means so able a man a- Mr. Bradlaugh was, but he belongs to a younger genera- tion, and is more in touch with the questions which interest working men at the present day. For this reason he will no doubt do good work in time, and perhaps form a useful member of some future Govern- ment. Mr. Keir Hardie has plenty of zeal, but I am afraid, not quite so much discretion. He has not yet succeeded in striking the right note, as is proved by the fact that though he has been in Parliament ior two and a half years he has not succeeded in winning the confidence of his own class. Moreover he is a very much less able man than Mr. Burns, and his "Independent Labour Paity is likely to be faced with the disagreeable alternatives of bankruptcy, or "dependence" upon the bribes of Tory millionaires. So far as 1 have been able to gather the drift of I public opinion, the working classes throughout the country are turning thcireyes more and more to Sir Charles Dilke as the future leader of their party. If Sir Charles had been guilty of worse thing3 than have ever been alleged against him, they would have been long ago wjped out, in the opinion of all but those merciless and cowardly libellers whose personal spite is poorly redeemed by their evident insanity. His immense political knowledge and great talents as a speaker and writer place him head and shoulders above all but about of his contem- poraries. And be has recently been making some outspoken deliverances on the House of Lords and on the Government, which look like signs of an inte"tiun to come out boldly a" a champion of the democratic Labour cause. Should a man like that take the field in earnest, some of the mediocrities who now strut in borrowed plumes as great statesmen would very soon have to shrink into their corners. -Sir Charles Dilkc might, perhaps, succeed in rousing the country on a real Lalxmr programme, and uniting the working men in their own cause. At present the outlook for Labour is gloomy indeed, and nowhere more so than iu the constituency for which I have a vote. All doubt as to the accuracy of the rumours respect- iug Sir Edward Reed's suppressed letter has been set at rest by the frank admission of that gentleman that a paragraph—of course a harmless "irrelevant para- graph—was erased at the conclave in London. Sir Edward's attitude from the first seems to have been fair and above-board, and forms a pleasant contrast to that adopted, no doubt from the best of motives, by somt of the local officials. I. was rather amused by one passage in Mr. Bird's ¡ speech of self-exculpation at the Thousand meeting, ¡ when lie assured us, almost with tears in his eyes, ¡ that lie h:'d not approached any person with a view I to offering him the seat. No wonder, if he has some idea. of standing himself He certainly worked hard at the meeting, making all the speeches, moving all the resolutions, answering all the questions, and giv- ing no one else a chance to put in a word edgeways. I am glad he abandoned his former idea of asking the old Thousand to undertake the work of selection, but 1 do not know that it was necessary, or even in accor- dance with the traditions of the chair, for him to be the mover of the resolution in favour of electing a new Thousand. The efforts to a\oid that discordant note which the officials so much dread, amounted to the actual suppression of free speech. The old five-minutes gag was not brought in, because no one was allowed to sjieak even for the seconds. The moment the resolu- tion had been seconded, and a daring individual rose up to aak. a questton, the chair luanp^mmlyp^ his feet, answered the question, and then put the resolution right off, and declared the meeting closed. The Liberal leaders in Cardiff evidently lahoflf under the impression tba.t a dead silence is unity, like the Romans of whom Tacitus says that they made a desert and tailed it peace. I noticed that the press next day spoke of the meet- ing as harmonious I always thought that harmony was the combination of several notes, which is hardly the case when one man makes five speeches and is on his feet at least 65 out of the 75 minutes which a meet- ing is permitted to Jast. That sort of thing may be melodious, hut the word harmony seems a little out of place.

BY THE WAY. The Merthyr Police-conrt witness-box possesses a new Bible. It was sadly needed. Like the GvJeuvtl, the severely denounces Parry Owen's Welsh Idylls in the British We^kl; How are some of the Mountain Ash Councillors like a famous travelling troupe ? Because, says the Tarhtn, they are Hann Bell ringers. The O'o^ii'td says that 1900 is not a leap year. We have tried to work out the figures, but, failing, have handed the problem over to ti.e office First Wrangler, G. A. Sala places the poets in the following order Swinburne, Edwin Arnold, Alfred Austin, Lewis Morris, William Morris. At the Police-court on Monday a well-known advo- cate, in the pt-rson of Mr. Beddoe, was repeatedly addressed as "mun." He seemed to enjoy the dis- tinctiun. Last week certain tradesmen at Dowlais could be seen dispensing their goods from behind the counters, while attired in overcoats and large era vats. And they sighed for July, and the months on each side of it. Dyfed was for a year a signal-box man on the Taff Vale. One day he sent a train to a siding instead of somewhere else, and as a result he was sent to a siding himself by the directors. He has done well there. A correspondent in the Church organ, the Lku<, j goes the length of saying unkind things about the poor publicans. Is the alliance between the Establishment and the beer barrel about to be dissolved ? j The first Disetablisment society was started at j Machynlleth fifty years ago. A Machynlleth lad, the Rev. Evan Jones, of Carnarvon, has probably 1 done more than any dozen men that could be named to popularise the doctrine of religious equality. I Wh»t is the matter with the Brynmawr Urban District Council ? Since that body came into exist- ence the water supply of the town has l>een very j inadequate. Is it because the majority of membets ¡ are Baptists, and appropriate the oqun j,>•>' for their own use ? We have just sent Swiftfoot round to Unionist's" with a note saying that Inspector Tonbridge has been instructed by Scotland Yard to return from South America (without good old Jabez) on board a French mail t>oat. We want to know whether this is not another instance of giving a contract to a foreign j go\ eminent. At one of the swell dinners we have recently had in ¡ Merthyr, a collier, when the various courses had been disposed of, was offered cheese and celery. No thanks, I don't put up with bread and cheese for dinner at home, and I am jolly well sure I am not going to pay 5s. for dinner, and take bread and cheese." Has the medical profession reached it level at last, or is the following advertisement, which appeared in the Cardiff Evenim Express, a ghastly joke — MEDICAL. To Butchers.—Situation Wanted by respectable steady Man just out of business, as Shop and Slaughter Man or Mauage Branch Shop used to English and frozen.—Address G. 12, Western Mail, Cardiff. The Tarian waxes funny over the new chairman of the Mountain Ash Council. His name is Little, and he was proposed by a man named Long, and then our conterajwrary gallops off: Man wants but Little here below. Nor wants that Little Lonn. This is downright profane. Next week the Tarian will parody a comic song: "Little Longer Lucy, Longer Little Loo." A Gokuad critic i!" down on Parry Owen, the writer of the "WeIgh Idylls" in the British Weekly. He advises the idyllist to study English grammar, to read Barrie, Crockell, and Ian Maclaren, and tocome to Wales to get a knowledge of the people. He is surprised that a paper like the British Weekly should publish such stuff, which, he srys, should be called "Welsh rubbish," not "Welsh Idylls." This critic is somewhat too severe. I am sorry I am not in a condition to make you a lensrthy speech," remarked Mr. Joseph Owen in intro- ducing a resolution at the Merthyr Board of Guar- dians on Saturday. As the members had already sat upwards of two hours, they gave unmistakable indi- cations that they did not participate at all in that expression of regret. Having been lengthily occupied in granting relief to others, they were thankful to find themselves relieved. The dialectical methods of some Merthyr men are singularly chivalrous. They make an allegation vhich is shown to be totally without foundation. Then they lie low and say nuffin" fur some months, when they reappear on the scene, and make what they are facetiously pleased to call the amende honor- able. We seldom realise what great men there are all around us. It's a prime virtue in a newspaper to !jc up-to-date. The Ct/mro Ifor January 30th says a lacture was delivered by so-and-so at a certain debatinp society. And now the O'oltnad for February 6th comes along, and says that that very same lecture is down on the programme of the society for the next meeting, What we would like to know is has that lecture been delivered twice by the same lecturer before the same society ? j The Merthyr Board of Guardians is not by any means a polite body, and now the lady members have been elected, a new regulation has been adopted to effect that unbecoming language shall nut he used at the Board. The members, however, arc not to he baulked, and when they get outside, or into the com- mittee rooms, they vent their feelings pretty freely. The County Council ha»e passed byelaws prohibiting obscene language. It would be fun to see the Board of Guardians figuring in the police-court. The members of the debating society referred to in this column last week, did not receive the anticipate visit from their accuser. Rumour hath it now that there is more than one of them. As wc remarked ast week the air is very thick, and we would advise them to keep away for a little time svs sides are much excited, and woman is more apt to be rash than the other sex. All ought to be heavily insured.—N.B. The writer of this paragraph has already done so for £1,000. Mr. Dan Kennedy, the Prince Bismarck of the Dowlais Excelsior Miustrels, wished on Friday after- noon that he was still a cullud gemman, so that his blushes might not be seen. He was in a certain shop when a young lady entered. The conversation between her and the shopkeeper naturally turned upon the event of the previous night, aud the fair one paidamost cloqueut tribute to the genius of Brother Kennedy without knowing that that worthy was within a few inches of her. Miss Winnie Parry, the well-known writer of Welsh short stories, contributes the following iK.iutiful hymn to the current number of Wales If clouds o'ercast the sky, No gleam of sunshine nigh, If life should prove Devoid of love A hope with no fulfilment blest, Still may we say, Each night, each day— Dear Lord, thou knowest bc-'t." If dark the path and drear, With ne'er a friend's help near, If all our life Be toil and strife, A lalxmr with no after rest, Still may we say, Each night, each day— Dear Lord, thou knowest l»est." Whate'er, whate'er betides While life with us abides Our aim be still To work His will. To follow every least behest, And humbly say Each night, each day— Dear Lord, thou knowest l>est." We often hear cf schoolboys writing some remark- ably funny compositions, and the following 011 Girls," written by boys in a certain school in Aber dare, are well worth publicity Girls ale female gender when they have grown up, some do go servants, and others nurses, and some learn to be teachers. Some girls like to play with boys and in the summer they do go away to spend they summer holidays, and some do bath. Girls' dresses are not the same as boys' dresses. And girls keep long hair, and some are very good singers, and some eani great money by singing. Nearly all girls marry when they comes to the age of twenty, and some before twenty." —" Girls arc useful, they work with their mothers, they clean the floor and knives, and after they finish their work they wash themselves and go out for a walk. Some giris like some boys to come after them, and others are playing, but some girls like the both purposes. And after some boys catch them and kiss them, and said to the boys go on you old pig. I won't be a sweetheart to you never again. Then they go to the house and do something else, and after they do the work again, they do go out for a walk agaiu and met with the same boy. And said to him, will you be a sweetheart to me?"—"Girls are very fond of boys because they run after them. Some girls are fond of going to school, and^some are fond of miteh- ing. They sew, and knit, and crochet, and do many useful little things to wear. \V hen they grow up they make dresses and millinery. Some of them have to leav e their mother for being disobedient to them, They du not think who looks after them and buy" their clothes and sends them to Sunday school. Some are stupid and mischievous.—The above are the opinions of schoolboys, aud not ours, and the editor ho)*>s he will uot be inundated by letters from indiii-

GELLIGAER DISTRICT COUNCIL. Saturday. Present Mr. M. Truran, J.P. (chair- man), the Rev. Aaron Davies, Messrs. J. L. Smith, Isaac H. Jones, Edmund Lewis, G. Seabourne, R. Edwards, F. Treharne James (clerk), and Jamec Jones (surveyor).—The Chairman reported that him- self, the Rev. A. Davie.s, Messrs. J. L. Smith, and George Seabourne met Sir J. Szlumper, chief engineer i for the Barry Railway Company, at Cardiff on the j previous Wednesday. The Coun-il laid before the j engineer the works which they required to be done in order that the proposed new railway should not inter- fere with the sewage land and works at Gilfacb- fargoed. Sir. J. Szlumper promised that the works should be attended to. and also undertook to send the Council a written undertaking in time for their meeting thatt day.—The Clerk said that lie had not received the promised undertaking.—After a brief discussion the Council decided that the clerk be instructed to write to the solicitors for the railway company, stating that Tinier the written undertaking referred to wn" forthcoming by return of post tti-, Council would lodge a petition against the new rail- way.—Rev. Aaron Davies dissented, and said that he thought that the Council should regard their inter- view with the engineer as satisfactory.—Mr. J. L. Smith How can it be satisfactory unless we haye II written agreement ?—The Clerk My experience in these matters is that a verbal agreement is not a bit of good, and we cannot regard our position as safe unices we have the arrangement in black and white.—Rev. Aaron Davies: Well, I give notice that at the nest meeting I shall move that the resolution just passed be rescinded.

THE CHARITY FOOTBALL MATCH. The charity football match for the benefit of the Merthyr General Hospital wiil take place to-day (Thursday) at th- CJwynn Field, Cefn, and very great interest is manifested in the match, for a very large number of tickets, amounting in all to more than 1,000, have been sold. The number of sjiectators therefore can be expected to be abnormal. The following are the respective team. ButcherR: Full back, Isaac Davies three-quarters, John Millward, sen. (captain), M. Jenkin-, James Thomas, John Watts; half backs, Morgan Morgans and James Davie" forwards, R. Hosking*, J. Rolmttom, Arthur Morgan, Thomas Daviea, .James Bull. Rowley Jones, James Sweet. Reservea Full back. T. Dicks three- quarters, W. Kivilin (captain), H. Baker, W. Mill- ward, E. Millward; half backs, 1 vor Williams and Eutrie Jones forwards, Fred Huggett, Fred Jenkins, Thomas Davies, Thomas Price, Bert Bull, George Watkins, James Millward, J. Lewis. Police: Full back, Michael Clynch three-quarters, Dan. William? David Williams, J. Brew, D. Driscoll; half backs, John O'Neil, Tucker forwards,jjTheophilus Edwards, David G. Morris, Tom Smith, Robert Bull, John Phillips, Rohert Henry, Charles H. Melhuish and Albert E. Boulton. Mr. T. Dav ies will be the referee. To tin Editor. SIB,—I am very pleased to see the great amount of enthusiasm aroused over the football match Butchers v. Police." I would suggest that during the coming summer a good a'.hlctic meeting be held in Merthyr for the same end as the football match. Cardiff teaches us a lesson by holding a moat success- ful Sports annually on behalf of its infirmary. We have at present one of the fastest runners living in our midst England has produced. If he has retired from the path, possibly he could be induced to move in the matter. I feel sure if Mr. Dan Thomas was appealed to, and induced to take the secretaryship, we should have a champion meeting. Trusting tbio; will have the desired etfect,- Y oun; truh'. TANDEM.

RESULT OF A COCRSIXG MATCH. At the Tredegar County Court on Tuesday. Alljert. Hale sued William Day for £10, money winch had been deposited with defendant, who acted as stake- holder in connection with a coursing match held at New Tredegar on November 5th. A dispute arose, and complainant requested defendant not pay the money. This the defendant denied. Witnesses were called on both sides, and his Honour gave judgment for plaintiff for the full amount with all co.:ts.

A POSTMAN ASSAULTED. At the Tredegar County Court on Tuesday, E. Ker>haw, postman, Brynmawr, claimed £ 3 damage* for ail assault committed upon him iu the pub!i<- streets by the defendant, Philip Addis, opposite thtl Crown Inn, Brynmawr, on Monday fortnight.—Com- plainant deposed that he was walking home past th" Crown Inn, and saw several ruffians assaulting the landlady. He asked them to behave, when the defendant said he would give him the same, knocked him down, and kicked him severely. He had been unable to work for eight days. A witness was called who corroborated the evidence of the plaintiff. His Honour, in giving judgment, said that the defendant had been guilty of gross and cowardly conduct in assisting to assault a woman, and then to assault a man for hav ing remonstrated with him for euch a cowardly act. He ga ve judgment for £ 3 and tijsts.

PLYMOUTH CRICKET CLUB. The annual meeting of the above dttb was held last (Weduesday) night at Pentrebacli. A full report of the proceedings will appear in our next issue.

MAKVELLOUS BAKGAINS IN FURNITURE! EXCEPTIONAL AND UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY. WILLIAMS'S AT 14, High Street, Cardiff, HAVE JUST I-UKCIIASED FKOM THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND A BANKRUPT STO( 'K> FURNITURE WHICH THEV ARK NOW Ort'KEIXC AT ABSOLUTELY MARVELLOUS PRICES KKALLY 20 ro 25 fEIi CKNT. OFF USUAL rRTr £ S. Cane Scat Bedroom Chairs, 1 111 each. 1- Strong Useful Kitchen Chairs, J 11J each. 2 Lath-Back Chairs, 2.72 each. Well-made Saddlebag Suites, o\ guineas. Suites in (ienoa Velvet, t'1 guineas, (iuod Leather Suites, £4 6d. Excellent Etill-sizcWooJ Mattresses 10/11. Dining Tables, with extra leaf and Patent Serew, '24 Jl. Useful Chamber Ware. G set. Solid Black Walnut Bedroom Suites, large size, U guineas. Wardrobes with Glass Doors,31* G. Duchesse Stands and Tables, from :1H Glass Back Cheflbniers, -0 U. If you are buying, do not miss this exceptional opportunity of obtaining Real and Genuine Bargains. Ail W;ii VdUted. Free J'cliv cry. WILLIAMS'S, THE Furnishing Emporium, 14, HIGH STREET. CARDIFF. £ 350]

SOUTH PIT, PLYMOUTH. PERIODICAL INSPECTION. Ou January 14 and 15 the above pit was inspected on behalf of the workmen by Mr. John K. Jones, haulier, and Mr. J. Beynon, collier. In'their report they state that several places, though free from gas, were very dusty. Also that on the drift they found a blast pipe leaking, and making so loud a noise that the waggons could not be heard passing. Subsequent to the report we understand that the pipe has been repaired.