Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

17 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

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TREVINE.

-----------..,,-ILiberal Demonstration…

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

I Liberal Demonstration at I Fishguard. An Appeal to Nationalists. Address by a Radical Cleric. An enthusiastic meeting in support of the candidature of Sir Owen Phillips was held in the Temperance Hall, Fishguard, on Friday night, practically every speaker being accord- ed an ovation, whilst persistent outbursts of cheering punctuated their respective address- es, the proceedings affording a strange con- trast to those which had occurred forty-eight hours earlier in the same building. The Rev D Phillips David presided, being supported by Sir Owen Philipps, the Rev J W Maurice (Dinas), the Rev J Hughes-Parry (Rector of Rudbaxton), Capt. T James, J.P. (Glanteg), Messrs E D Jones, J.P., 0 D Jones, D Gwion Thomas, Tom Jones, B G Llewhelin, David John, and D R Reynolds. The Chairman said they were met under very exciting conditions, the Lords having declared war against the Commons, the issue being neither Tariff Reform versus Free Trade, nor Home Rule versus Unionism, but the question as to who should be supreme The Lords wanted to consult the people concern- ing the Budget, yet could not be induced to discuss it. The conflict had long been in- evitable and the Liberals were glad that the Peers should have chosen their own ground, which could not have been better selected from the people's point of view. The first bullet had been fired that morning and the booming of the guns had not yet been silen- ced. He had every confidence in their cause and in their champion. Unless the obstacle to progress presented by the House of Lords were removed the people would lose political freedom and become slaves. The Budget was not a Socialistic one, but a social welfare one, which produced eighteen millions in order to alleviate the sufferings of the unemployed and of the aged. Sir Owen Philipps (who was loudly cheered on rising to speak) said his opponents ap- peared to have an attack of the German measles, and, despite the fact that for years they had been denouncing Liberal measures as Socialistic, had called in the aid of Mr Blatchford. The statement circulated by Sir George Armstrong to the effect that, between March 1908 and March 1909 Krupp's had en- gaged 38,000 additional men, appeared to be a party exaggeration of Mr Blatchford's 28,000, which had been officially repudiated, the latter figure represting about the total number of employes, whilst during the last three months there had been no addition to the staff, which remained normally as it had been in 1906. Dealing with the Navy, the candidate was interrupted, and cries arose of Chuck him out," but Sir Owen asked to be permitted to deal with him verbally. Proceeding, he said that, at the present time Germany had only two Dreadnoughts, whereas we had seven, together with three more building. As to the threatened danger in the Spring of 1912-when, if we had to pay the alleged indemnity of a million ster- ling, the land taxes would have to be a great deal heavier than under the Budget—Ger- many would have thirteen Dreadnoughts to 3ur twenty. In addition, she would have twenty pre-Dreadnoughts under twenty years Jf age, as compared with our forty. Lord Charles Beresford-whose opinion he respect- ed more as an admiral than as a politician- iad not very long ago been understood to lave held the opinion that many pre-Dread- noughts were quite as good, if not better :han Dreadnoughts. The speaker did not :hink that there was an admiral worthy of :he name who was not capable of dealing pvith a German fleet upon equal terms, let ilone when he had a preponderance of sixty vessels over thirty-three. The cry of starving :he navy was an old device for preventing the Liberal party from passing great measures of reform, but the Budget provided nearly three idditional millions for the purpose, and Mr Lloyd George had declared that the sum ,vould have to be increased next year. Turn- ng to Tariff Reform, the candidate proceeded :o consider the statements made by Mr Chamberlain seven years ago in the light of -ecent experience. Mr Chamberlain had said :hat cotton would go, that wool was threat- ned, that the iron trade was going, and everybody knew what he had said about the .inplate trade. Yet between 1902 and 1909 Jur exports of cotton had increased by ;wenty-one millions, of wool by eight mil- ions, of iron by nine millions, and of tin- plates by practically two millions. But, Mr Chamberlain had said that we were export- ng more raw material and importing more nanufactured articles, and that consequent- y we were decreasing the amount of home mployment. This argument would be ab- solutely sound if it were based upon facts, 3ut it was not. Between 1902 and igog our mports of raw materials had increased by hirty-four millions, and of manufactured joods by only eight millions and, whilst )ur exports of raw material had increased by ixteen millions, those of manufactured goods lad increased by seventy millions. It was dleged that the constant exportation of gold n payment for imported goods was impover- shing the country, but, if one took any five rears during the past thirty veais, one would find that the amount of gold in the country had been increased, and that, since the intro- duction of Free Trade, no less than 170,000,000 more sovereigns had come into the country than had gone out of it. The fiscal question was, lioweyer, merely a side- issue in the present contest, the chief one being the Budget, this being the first occasion in which a fair share of the burden of taxa- tion had been imposed upon the owners of ground values. Having quoted examples to prove the justice of the proposal, included amongst which he mentioned the unearned increment accruing locally to property owners in consequence of the development of Fishguard and Goodwick, the speaker point- ed out that the proposed tax would result in land being available for public purposes at far more reasonable prices than prevailed at present, whilst the income derived therefrom would benefit the struggling ratepayer direct- ly by grants in aid, and indirectly by reduc- tion of the poor rate consequent upon the increased number of old age pensioners. The Budget also paved the way for the provision of state-aided insurance against regularly- recurring periods of unemployment, the em- ployer and the employee also contributing to the fund. Drawing to a close, he reminded his auditory that, although Fishguard might be progressive, there were the other contri- butory Boroughs to be reckoned with in that contest, and that they would have to meet the dead weight of the South County. He appealed to them not to be disheartened if that night's declarations of polls revealed the gain of many seats by the Conservatives, be- cause it was' quite possible that, for many reasons, the Metropolitan Boroughs might re- vert to the situation which had prevailed prior to the last General Election. Never- theless, London was not going to lead the country it was the Celtic Fringe which was going to do so. Whenever there was a great fight it was the Welshman, the Scotchman and the Irishman who were in it. He believ- ed that they were in for a- big battle, but he also believed that Fishguard was going to do its level best to record every vote, so as to encourage Mr Lloyd George, their great Chancellor, and Mr Asquith, in the battle which they were leading against the House of Lords. The Rev J Hughes-Parry (rector of Rud- baxton) said he found himself for the first time in his life upon a political platform, and he was there because he endorsed the opinion of Canon Hicks, of Manchester, who had uttered a protest against the pressure which was being brought to bear upon the clergy by their ecclesiastical superiors in order to induce them to work and canvass in the inter- ests of the Conservative party. The ecclesias- tical authorities were steering straight for dis- aster, and their mischievous claims could only be frustrated by Churchmen who would speak firmly on national issues He would go even farther, and say deliberately that, in that solemn crisis deep with fate, it would be a lasting disgrace to any clergyman not to stand up for the people. From the Arch- bishop of Canterbury down to the humblest clergyman, any Churchman who supported- the Peers in their disloyalty to the Crown and the Constitution, and their daring and insolent attack upon the rights of the Com- mons and of the people, would be disloyal to his Church and a traitor to his country. He dared say that he would be told that he was playing to the gallery, but to such a charge he would reply that the Church of England ,had played quite long enough to the private boxes, the stalls, and the dress circle, and that it was time that the gallery was given a turn. He ventured to hope that, in that great crisis, hundreds of clergymen throughout the country would have the manliness and moral courage to stand up against the Peerage and the Beerage to come out into the open and to fight strenuously for national righteousness and the liberty of the people. He was there that night because he was, loyal to his Church, to her highest interests, to her moral and spiritual influence in the land and he stood there to support their late member-and their -future member. He was proud to be there that night to support the Liberal candidate with all his heart, and soul and strength. Mr W J Hernan, of the Parliamentary Branch of the United Irish League, addressed a word to the Irish Party, reminding them that the House of Lords had wrecked Glad- stone's Home Rule Bill, and that the present government had done many things for the benefit of Ireland, including the passage of the Evicted Tenants Reinstatement Act, and a measure for the compulsory sale of land, and the-granting of a Naiional University, besides having tried very hard to amend the Act of Mr Wyndham. There were, he said, many Irishmen who had delicate consciences, and to those the people of Ireland were ap- pealing to vote Liberal on this occasion, con- fident that, in so doing they were supporting the best interests of their own country, and, at the same time, contributing to the freedom of the people of this country. Mr E D Jones, J.P., in moving a vote of confidence in the candidate, said Sir Owen would take care to properly represent in the House of Commons the views of his constitu- ents, which they had inherited from their j forefathers. There could be no shadow of irresolution on Wednesday, for they had all made up their minds upon the issue before them, and were determined to secure an open door and ar clear road for Liberal measures of reform. The motion was seconded by Mr Phillip Rees, of Llanychaer, in a vigorous Welsh speech, and carried with deafening cheers. A hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman was proposed by the Rev J W Maurice, seconded by Mr B G Llewhelin, and heartily endorsed. Sir Owen, having acknowledged the ex- pression of confidence extended to him, pro- posed a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was accorded with acclamation, and a very enthusiastic and orderly meeting ter- minated with the singing of the Welsh and English National Anthems.

Disturbances at Henner.

Fishguard Slaughter-house.

■ Fishgoard Tradesman's Misfortunes

--------Oddfellows Meeting…

NEVERN.

JORDANSTCN.

NEWPORT, PEM.

MAENCLOCHOG.

----------__-Pembroke Boroughs…

DINAS CROSS.

IN MEMORIAM.

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Foresters' Meeting at Fishguard.

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