The London Welshman

THE WELSH PARTY AND DISESTABLISH- MENT. To the Editor of "THE LONDON WELSHMAN." SIR,-At last the "crisis" has come, and, as Ar emus Ward used to say, it looks as if he had come to stay Welshmen, naturally, turn to look what advantage, if any, is taken of his arrival by the Welsh Parliamentary Party-for, the Rev. Evan Jones, of Carnarvon, and the Traethodydd notwithstanding—I am told that such a party exists-somewhere. I have not, however, seen any account of it having been called together to consider the immediate political situation and its bearing upon the Disestablishment or any other Welsh question. It is true that the Chairman of the party has delivered himself recently of a weighty declaration and made a specific demand in relation to a vague Welsh programme, and that the member for Anglesey has taken up, only this week, a "strong position" somewhere or other, from which he is entitled to speak with authority," but, unfortunately, both honourable gentlemen were only airing their individual views to a press correspondent whose business it was to "draw them. The party, as such, is nowhere in evidence. Is it satisfied to remain dumb, to keep its eyes closed, and its mouth open for the incoming Administration to throw into it anything it likes ? What possible benefit is to be derived from individual members talking bravely in arm-chairs to press interviewers of what they desire and what they do not? Mr. Ellis Jones Griffith (as able and staunch a Liberal as any in the last Parliament) gave vent to his views to a correspondent of the Daily News. Nothing could possibly be stronger in the best interest of Wales than the personal views of the honourable gentleman-if they were adopted by the party. Said he: What I desire to emphasise is the necessity of coming to a clear understanding with the Liberal leaders before Parliament meets. It would be a calamity if, after the election is fought and won, there should be any uncertainty as to the co-operation in Parliament between the party of progress and the representatives of Wales." The situation is gauged by him to a nicety-but, has the "necessity" urged by the member for Anglesea upon the special correspondent of the Daily News been urged by the Welsh party upon the Liberal leaders Is the party-not individual members of Parliament- to count for anything when the next King's Speech is in course of preparation ? To-day, a political party without a militant note in its demands is ignored. We live no longer in the days of two great political parties. Now, instead of politicians being drawn up in two large opposing armies, they are banded together in a number of groups-each group reserving for itself the right to decide upon which side of an issue it will,, or will not fight, and the fate of modern Administrations is rapidly becoming more and more dependent upon such a group as the Welsh party is supposed to be, than upon great issues which divide the House into two great camps. The Welsh party must learn to keep its personal convictions in one pocket, and the purpose for which it is at St. Stephen's in another, and make what terms it can, and accept support towards the accomplishment of that purpose from whatever quarter it may come. In the 1S92 Gladstonian programme, Disestablishment came second to Home Rule, and the Irish party had the cordial and active support of the Welsh members. Is the Irish party willing to give the same cordial and active support to the Welsh party, providing Disestablishment has precedence over Home Rule in the Campbell- Bannerman programme of 1906? Has the Welsh party taken the trouble to approach Mr. Redmond on the subject ? If not, for what purpose does it call itself a party ? There was a time when Wales took an interest in the Disestablishment question- the days of Dr. Herber Evans and Dean Edwards-and if some one would only lead it back from these totally inactive times and bring it again into contact with the national spirit that prevailed twenty years ago, the Welsh Parliamentary Party would be obliged to bestir itself, or it would have to "go in the same fashion as the old landed interest party which preceded it had to "go." Rousseau was of the opinion that religious people made bad politicians because they were too much occupied in preparing for a future existence to take due interest in the temporal affairs of their country. Whether this view be correct or not, it is certain that the recent religious revival has, to a very considerable extent, supplied the place of politics with the Welsh people. W. A. R.

THE WELSH MUSEUM. Differences Settled. The meeting of the General Conference of the Welsh National Museum and National Library was held one day last week at the Devonshire Club, London. Notwithstanding anticipations to the contrary, it terminated in complete harmony. Sir A. Thomas, M.P., occupied the chair, and there was a good representation of Welsh Institutions. When it was moved and seconded that the report of the Executive Committee laying on the table, draft petitions and charters for the Welsh National Museum and National Library be received, Sir Isambard Owen moved and Lord Kenyon seconded as an amendment that article 2 of the proposed charter, which has already been published, should be left out and another definition of the objects of the museum and library inserted. A discussion followed, and ultimately an amendment satisfactory to all was agreed upon. Sir Isambard Owen there- upon withdrew his amendment, and Mr. William Jones, M.P., moved and Sir Isambard Owen seconded an amendment of article 2, which was carried unanimously. The article in ques- tion now reads as follows The object of the museum shall be mainly and primarily the complete illustration of the geology, mineralogy, zoology, botany, ethnography, archaeology, art, history, and special industries of Wales, and the collection, preservation, and maintenance of objects and things of usefulness or interest connected therewith, and further the collection, preservation, and maintenance of all objects and things (including pictures, engravings, statuary, and all works of fine art of any kind, whether connected or not with Wales), which may help to attain the purposes for which the University of Wales, its colleges, and other educational institutions existing in Wales were created and founded, especially the furtherance of higher education within the meaning of the Education Acts, 1870 to 1902, and of literary and scientific research, and further the creation and maintenance of duplicate or multiplicate specimens and collections to be lent and used from time to time for the purposes of exhibition and instruction at or in connection with the said colleges and other educational institutions." In its present, as in its original form, this article enables the national museum to accept the transfer of the existing museum at Cardiff and of any other collection within the scope of the wide definition which it now contains. Motions to give St. David's College, Lampeter, and the Borough of Merthyr representation on the Council were lost. It was then moved by Sir Isambard Owen, and seconded by Principal Reichel, that the petitions and charters of the national museum and the national library respectively as amended be adopted, and the motion was carried unani- mously. Steps will immediately be taken to present the petitions to the Privy Council.

Y DYFODOL LDymunir ar i ysgrifenyddion a threfnwyr y gwahano Gyfarfodydd anfon gwybodaeth yn brydlon am unrhyw gynulliad a fwriedir gynnal, er mwyn rhoddi hysbys- rwydd amserol yn y golofn hon.] 1906. Ion. 18. Cyfarfod Te a Cyngherdd Blynyddol Jewin. 20-22. Cyfarfod Pregethu Blynyddol Jewin. 25. Te a Chyngherdd Blynyddol Barrett's Grove, Stoke Newington. Chwef. 10. Eisteddfod y Tabernacl, King's Cross. Maw. 8. Eisteddfod Eglwys y Wesleyaid, City Road, yn y Shoreditch Town Hall. 8. East Ham. Cyngherdd Cystadleuol yn y Recreation Hall, Manor Park. 15. Cymdeithas Ddirwestol y Tabernacl, King's Cross. Cyfarfod Cyhoeddus. 29. Eisteddfod Flynyddol Shirland Road. Ebrill 6. Cymanfa Ganu M.C. Llundain yn Jewin Newvdd. Os am wneyd y cyfarfodydd a enwir yn y golofn hon yn llwyddiant yn mhob ystyr nis gellwch wneyd yn well na rhoddi hysbysiad o honynt yn y WELSHMAN. Telerau rhesymol a gostyngiad sylweddol am gyfres. A'r papur i bob teulu Cymreig a chedwir ef fel ference. r..weler y telerau ar tudalen 11.

PREGETHWYR Y SABBOTH NESAF. YR EGLWYS SEFYDLEDIG. Eglwys St. Benet, Queen Victoria-street— 11.0 a 6.30, Parch. J. Crowle Ellis. Eglwys Dewi Sant, St. Mary's Terrace, Paddington Green- 11.0 a 6.30, Parch. W. Richards, B. A. Eglwys St. Padarn, Hornsey Road— 11.0, 3.0, a 6.30, Parch. W. Davies. Eglwys St. Mary, Camberwell New Road- 11.° a 6.3°, Parch. Lewis Roderick. Cenhadaeth y Dwyrain, Bridge Street, Bow- 11.0 a 6.30, Parch. Howell Watkins, B.A. Y METHODISTIAID CALFINAIDD. Jewin Newydd 10.45, Parch. J. E. Davies, M.A. 6.45, Supply Shirland Road. Charing Cross Rd. 10.30, Parch. P. H. Griffiths. 6.30, J. Garnon Owen. Wilton Square 10.30, Parch. G. H. Havard, M.A. 6.30, D. Oliver. Falmouth Road 10.45, Parch. S. E. Prytherch. 6.30, Supply Clapham Junction. Mile End Road 11.0, Parch. D. Oliver. 6.30, G. H. Havard, M.A. Shirland Road 10.45, Parch. J. E. Davies, M.A. Holloway 10.30, Parch. R. O. Williams. 6.30, T. Huws-Davies, B.S. Hammersmith 11.0, Parch. F. Knoyle, B.A. 6.30, Mr. D. J. Evans, Oxford. Stratford 11.0, Parch. J. Wilson Roberts. 6.30, Supply Willesden Green. CIa pha m J unclion 11. o. 6.30, Parch. S. E. Prytherch. Walham Green 0.30, Parch. D. E Jenkins, Dinbych. 6.30, „ LI. Edwards, M.A. Willesden Green 11.0, 6.30, Parch. J. Wilson Roberts. Lewisham 11.0, Mr. D. J. Evans, Oxford. 6.30, Parch, F. Knoyle, B.A. Tottenham 11.0, Parch. J. Garnon Owen. 6.30, P. H. Griffiths. Walthamstow 11.0, Parch. LI. Edwards, M.A. 6.30, D. E Jenkins, Dinbych. Wood Green 11.0, Parch. T. Huws-Davies, B.Sc. 6.30, R O. Williams. YR ANNIBYNWYR. Y Tabernacl, King's Cross- 11.0, Parch. J. Machreth Rees. 6.30, H. Elvet Lewis. Y Boro', Southwark Bridge Road — 11.0, Parch. E. Owen, B.A. 6.30, D. C. Jones. Radnor Street, Chelsea- n.o, Parch. H. Elvet Lewis. 6.30, J. Machreth Rees. Barrett's Grove, Stoke Newington- 11.0, Parch. D. C. Jones. 6.30, E. Owen, B.A. East Ham, Sibley Grove- 11.0 a 6.30. Woolwich, Parson's Hill- 11.0 a 6 30, Parch. LI. Bowyer. Battersea Rise- 11.° a 6.30, Mr. J. Cynddydd Davies, Bryn- gwenith. Y BEDYDDWYR. Castle Street, Oxford Circus 11.0 a 6.30. Little Alie Street, Aldgate- 11.° a 6.30, Parch. B. Arberth Evans. Totteilham-i i. o a 6.30, Mr. D. Davies, Regent's Park College. Norman Hall, 252, Harrow Road- 3, Ysgol Sal. Y WESLEYAID. City Road- 11.0, Mr. J. H. Edwards. 6.30, Parch. T. Jones. Gothic Hall, St. Thomas Street, W.- 11.0, Parch. T. Jones. 6.30, Mr. J. H. Edwards. Poplar, Duff Street- 3.0, Parch. T. Jones. 6.30, Mr. D. N. Evans. Dymunir am i bob hysbysrwydd ar gyfer y golofn hon gael ei anfon i'r Swyddfa erbyn Dydd Mawrth y fan bellaf.

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