The London Welshman

Notes of the Week. Opening of Parliament.- Though the two Houses of Parliament met on Tuesday in last week for preliminaries, it was on Monday that King Edward formally opened the first Parlia- ment of his reign. Owing to the death of the late King Christian of Denmark, the ceremony was somewhat simpler than it would otherwise have been, though it was still attractive enough to draw together an enormous crowd of sight- seers. The spectacle in the House of Lords, and the proceedings connected with the reading of the speech from the Throne, have been fully described in the daily newspapers. Everybody regretted the absence of the Queen, more especially on account of the cause of it. And it was difficult to realise that the persons who used to figure most prominently in the cere- mony for the last ten years had on this occasion to take back positions. It was Lord Loveburn and not Lord Halsbury who handed the speech to His Majesty, it was Lord Ripon who carried the Crown, Lord Crewe was in charge of the Sword of State, whilst the Cup of Maintenance was in the hands of Lord Winchester. In the place so long filled by Mr. Balfour, on the right hand of the Speaker when he stood at the bar of the House of Lords, was found Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, and it was in vain that the willowy form of the ex-Prime Minister was sought anywhere. We doubt if anybody pro- perly realised what a tremendous change the general election has effected until last Monday. In the Commons.-Though the scene in the House of Commons when it assembled for business later in the day was not so brilliant and stately as that in the Lords, neverthe- less it was quite as memorable, and in some respects more impressive. It is doubtful if the Chamber was ever before so crowded as it was on four o'clock that afternoon. Not only the floor of the House itself, but every gallery also was packed to its utmost capacity. The new men had evidently taken care to be in time to secure good seats, for among those driven to the side galleries reserved for members were many men who have been in the House for twenty and thirty years. And from the look of them they did not like it a bit. But they consoled themselves probably with the reflection that the zeal of newly-fledged senators would cool before long, and that then they would have a chance of the seats to which they have been so long accustomed. There was a great deal of curiosity to know who would lead the Opposition in the absence of Mr. Balfour. Would it be Mr. Akers-Douglas, or Mr. Walter Long, or Mr. Arnold Forster, or who ? But that matter also was soon set at rest. When Mr. Chamberlain rose to criticise the Speech from the Throne after the Address had been moved and seconded, it became clear that he had secured the coveted place of deputy- leader. For a while, at all events, the assertion of Mr. Gibson Bowles that the Tariff Reform Agitator is never destined to be first" does not hold good. Mr. Chamberlain's speech was very moderate in tone, and it must have galled him to admit that the country has given a mandate to the other side. His strongest point was the action of Government with regard to Chinese labour in the Transvaal. But even on that question he was much more subdued than one would have expected he would be. With regard to the forthcoming Education Bill and the Bill to amend the law with respect to Trade Unionists he admitted that there were real grievances to be removed, and promised that the proposals of the Government should have favourable consideration. It seems that even the lord of Birmingham has decided to give the Government" a chance." Or is it that the sight of the "legions behind the Prime Minister," as he called Ministerialists, had a sobering effect on him ? f- A Lost Opportunity.—The city of Cardiff has lost a splendid chance of proving itself worthy of the distinction it so much desires to possess, viz., to be recognised as the Capital of Wales. But it has missed it, and never again will the city be able to regain what it has forfeited. The Conservatives on the Council have. vetoed the proposal of the Lord Mayor that the free- dom of the city should be conferred on the Right Honourable Lloyd-George when he visits the city as the guest of the Cymmrodorion on the third of March. Be it remembered that the Lord Mayor from whom the suggestion originally came, is himself the staunchest of Conservatives when out of office. But he is able to rise above party considerations and party bigotry. Recognising that the first Welsh- speaking Welshman to become a Cabinet Minister, who is also without any shadow of a doubt the most popular Welshman of the day, is about to honour the city with his presence on a purely national event, his worship thought that it would be a fitting occasion to do him public honour. But his worship did not realise how antagonistic to Welsh nationalism and everybody tainted with Welsh feeling, is the spirit of the English element in his adopted city. No pleas of his could persuade the Saxon Conser- vatives to acknowledge that the leader of the Welsh people deserves any honour at all. Very well then. We venture to say that some of those narrow-minded and bigotted party men will live to regret the course they took. It is such actions as theirs that foster the cry of Wales for the Welsh." Mr. Lloyd-George will not suffer in the least because his name is not to be inscribed on the roll of the Freemen of Cardiff, but Cardiff will suffer more than it yet realises. Not only has it offended a nation, it has secured for-itself that nation's undying contempt.