The Rhondda Leader

CORRESPONDENCE. The insertion of a letter does not neces- sarily mean that the Editor agrees with the views expressed therein. We do not answer correspondents through the post. All correspondents must write on one side of the paper only, or their letters will be rejected. No letter will be published unless the writer sends'his real name and address, not necessarily for publication, but as a guaran- tee of good faith.

The Theistic Debate. To the Editor of the "Rhondda Leader." Sir,—Mr Rees having explained his posi- tion as a Christian Theist in you last issue, I trust that you will grant me a similar privilege, and permit me to state the Secu- larist side of the question. We admire the efforts of Unitarians and other rational Christians in casting out the tackling of superstition so as to lighten the sinking ship of Christianity, but we fear that it is doomed to founder and our advice to the rational Christian is "leave thy poor old stranded wreck and pull for the shore." Our relative situations stand thus —The Secularist Iconoclast is engaged in destroy- ing the idols of orthodoxy. In this he is aided by the Unitarian Theist, but the latter insists upon sparing a few choice ones. And because the former insists upon making a clean sweep of the fetishes of faith, he is regarded with mixed feelings of indignation and pity, and his "pernicious influence" is deplored. Now let us ex- amine these items of beliefs, and see whether they are the essentials of charac- ter. One is the Theistic idea. These broad Christians contend that belief in God and a future existence is indispensible to the welfare of humanity. We, on the other hand, do not positively deny either, but in the absence of adequate evidence we are compelled to maintain an attitude of Ag- nosticism. What conception of Deity are we to .accept? Is it the blood-thirsty warrior-God of the Old Testament, or the arbitrary despot of the New ? Or is it the God of Nature, the infinite Designer, whose design is manifest in plague, pesti- lence and pain, in disease and death? And as for that mystic post-mortem habitation is it the orthodox Biblical region with its extreme climatic conditions, or is it the debatable borderland of the Spiritualist or what? Until our Theistis friends can sup- ply us with definite information as regards God and another world, we will meanwhile devote our attention to man and this world —in other words, to Secularism. Another cherished idol that our friends are loth to part with is the Christian belief in prayer and Providence. Secularists sub- stitute work for prayer, and science for Providence. When the world was on its knees praying instead of on its feet work- ing we had the Dark Ages. We hold that every man should work out his own salva- tion, and not rely on some one up in the eonstetations to do it for him. We be- lieve that prayer and faith in a4Divine Pro- vidence is more detrimental than other- wise, inasmuch as it prevents humanity from falling back on is own resources. Another treasure that our friends cling to with persistent tenacity is the Chris- ian name. Although they have stripped the Prophet of Nazareth of almost every vestige of his supernatural garments, they still regard him in some mysterious sense as the Saviour of mankind and the world's emancipator. Secularists revere and res- pect him in common with other great tea- chers they treasure many of his moral maxims, but they cannot accept his sup- reme authority on political and social ques- tions. As a matter of fact, Jesus of Nazareth discarded all secular topics he entirely ignored this world's affairs and continually diverted the attention of his foHowers to some mystical spiritual king- dom he was about to establish. Now, Mr Rees is labouring under the delusion that the scepticism of the age is due mainly to "the unchristian and ungodly life of the churches." Theoretical Christianity, says he, is all right, but practical Christianity is all wrong. Now I have it on Christian authority that a good tree cannot bear evil fruit, and vice versa. You admit that the fruit is bad. I maintain that the tree is corrupt. You say, "Let us strike at the root of the cause." I say, very well "cut it down." Remove the theoretical ob- stacles to belief, and do not evade discus- sions. Mr Rees' letter betrays a distinct aversion to debates on the subject, The old Erasmus Darwin defined Unitarianism as "a featherbed for falling Christians," and pending the advent of better light on the subject-to quote his immortal grand- son—"I for one, must be content to remain an Agnostic." Moreover, we are by no means the lugu- brous pessimists you take us for. It is true we are without God, but not without hope; we are void of divinity, but not of humanity. Iam etc., SECULARIST. To the Editor. Sir,—In your last issue I saw a letter by someone who calls himself "Equality." It is evident that he was ashamed to put his name to the public, or he is a great coward. It must be one or the other. Every rate- payer can see at once that he is not a ratepayer by the tone of his letter. It seems to me that he wears the khaki clothes and draws his hundreds of pounds from the golden stream which flows from the pockets of the ratepayers. Then we could not ex- pect the man to put his name before the public. I shall leave his letter to be judged by the ratepayers. Now I ask for help to establish a ratepayers' association. Who will help me ? We have no protection what- ever. he officials of the Board can do what they like. They can raise the valua- tion of our property just as they please. Appeal to the Assessment Committee is no remedy. I have been before that super- ior court3 but my evidence was of no use, it was ignored. The assistant overseer said I lived in a large cottage, and one of the assessors said the same. Now these are the dimensions of the house I live in: — 15ft. by 21ft. in the clear, and the kitchen is 12ft. by 10ft, 6in. A table and a few chairs will fill it up. I only try to shew the unfairness we are forced to suffer. You can see that both gentlemen have been wrong with regard to the size of the house. I remember when our present assistant overseer was in the grocery business, and he was then as keen as anyone against the heavy rates and taxes, but now he wears the mitre he forgets the block which he has been hewn out of. It is a lot easier for a man to ride on another maiqs back than to fight the battle of life himself. Many have failed to paddle their own canoe in ilfe, but let him go to another man's canoe and sit on a feather cushion with an- other man to paddle the canoe for him he would drive him to death without mercy. Fancy L350 a year I That com,es to L6 14s. 7d. per week, and only working from 10 a.m. till 3 p.m. What about the poor fel- lows who work on the road. They only receive about 21 shillings per weekJ. and work 12 hours per day. Where is Equality now with his uniformitv ? I admit at once that there is nothing better than uniform equality, but where can we find it? Not in the Parish of Ystradyfodwg. I am told that the Clerk of the Board gets L600 a year, and another person L200 a year to do his work, and another gets Eloo to help that one again. And another man gets L400 a year, and another £350, And these are only a few who milk the golden cow. May I ask are we in a Christian country or in the time of the Diana of the Ephes- ians ? Many in the Parish of Ystradyfodwg who milk the golden cow can cry out to-day "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." JOHN J'ONES, Tonypandy. Butter Merchant.

Chats about China. Men and women never eat together in China, The meal is formally arranged, and shared by the men when it is hot fresh; the women retire and wait until he has finished before they cah eat. They must often have to be content with a cold and cheerless meal. The Chinese have completely domesti- cated the otter. In that country eTery fisherman has his staff of 'fishing otters. These are trained to hunt in company, to attack, pursue, and seize the fish. Some- times well-trained otters are/sold for zC50 sterling each. In a country where the roses have no fragrance, and the women no petticoats where the labourer has nq Sabbath, and the magistrate no sense of honour; where the roads bear no vehicles, and the ships no keels where old men flv kites where the needle points south; where the place of keels where old men fly kites; where the seat of intellect is in the stomach where to take off your hat is an impudent geni ture and to wear white garments is to put yourself in mourning-one ought not to be astonished to find a literature without an alphabet, and a language without a grammar; and we must not be startled to find that this Chinese language is the most unwieldy vehicles of thought that ever ob- tained among any people. Diamonds, small in size, are found in China. The mode adopted for collecting them is very curious. Men with thick straw shoes on walk about in the sands of the valleys and streams of the diamond mountains. The diamonds, which are ragged and pointed, penetrate the straw and remain there. The shoes are then col- lected in great numbers and burnt, the diamonds being searched for in the ashes. The Empire of China in its greatest length is about 1.000 miles its breadth varies from 900 to 1,300 miles. Its area has been estimated at from four to five million square miles. One of the latest calculations concerning the CMnese is that it measures 4,540,000 square miles, or one- twelfth the -entire land surface of the globe. The first iron-clad battleship of the Chinese navy, the Ting-Yuen (or Everlast- ing Race), is a turret corvette of the first rank, with compound armour of English steel and iron. Both turrets are armed, and the deck has eight guns of Herr Krupp's foundry at Essen. In order to introduce telegraphy into China, the authorities granted the free use of the wires to the people for one month. Opium kills about 200,000 persons an- nually in China. Chinese soldiers live on rice and cabbage. There is a saying that a Chinese soldier is "eleven-tenths thief." Chinese regiments are recruited in the same manner as British regiments. Twice a pear, in the first week of April and October, the Chinese carry food to their dead. More than 100,000,000 Chinese, is is said, are engaged either directly or in- directly in the tea trade. It is not an uncommon sight to see a Chinese soldier with a fan and an umbrella strapped across his back. The railway from Tientsin to Pekin, a distance of about seventy miles, was the first constructed in China. The society of Boxers is composed of lodges, each of which has a president, whose power for good and evil is consider- able. Every president has under him two or more vice-presidents who are bound to obey his every command or else suffer a terrible death. A Chinese regiment presents a gay ap- pearance to the foreign observer. Nearly every man bears a banner. The horse-shoe in China, as well as in other countries is looked upon as a har- binger of good luck. For that reason Chin- ese mandarins, when buried, have horse- shoe graves, and they believe that the bigger the horse-shoe grave the better the luck of the departed. As a result, the mandarins out-vie each other in the size of these horse-shoe graves. The Boxers' signs are so complete and so admirably arranged that individual Boxers are able to communicate with one another at a considerable distance, even in the middle of a surging crowd. Though electrical science may years ago secured a footing in China, the Chinese still regard it with superstitious abhorence. The pages of modern Chinese history are stained with blood-the blood of helpless and defenceless men and women. Since the days when Europeans went first to the Far East, but especially during the past forty years, there has been a constant suc- cession of brutal murders murders usual- ly brought about solely by the passionate hatred for the yellow man for the white. During the past few years the attacks on missions, of every kind have been so fre- quent that to chronicle all of them would make a wearisome list. The Chinese, it is important to note, have mostly attacked the missionaries, not because of their re- ligion, but because they are foreign. In the north, French and German missionaries have been especial victims, though the mobs are not articular as to the nationality of the white man when once they set to work. Britain will have immense advantage over other nations going to China. She will be able to use the Canadian Pacific Railway, and that, with the greyhound service across the Atlantic, and the swift Empress line to Wei-hai-wei and Talien- wan will enable her to land troops fresh from the depot in Britain, or straight from the Cape in the shortest possible time. Even Russia, with the aid of the Trans- Siberian Railway, will not be able to throw men and stores into North China at the rate Britain will do it.

Eisteddfod at Trealaw. A grand evening eisteddfod was held at Bethlehem Baptist Chapel last Monday evening. This is the first competitive meeting held at this place for some years. The previous ones had been eminently suc- cessful, the competitions drawing scores of competitors from all parts of the Valleys. This one was no exception, a large number being present, the competitions very keen. and the adjudicators doing their duties to everyone's satisfaction. The chairman was supposed to have been Mr J. Hopkin, Rhon- dda View, Trealaw, who, however, wired his inability to attend, at the same time wishing the meeting every success. Mr Daniel Thomas, M.R.S.B.. filled the vacant post in his usual pleasant manner. The adjudicators were —music, Rev. W. Cynon Evans, G & L.. Blaenycwm; literary, Mr T. P. John, headmaster of Schools, Tre- alaw. After the chairman's opening speech the competitions were proceeded with as follows —The first was a recitation of "Bedd yn yr ardd," for children. Only one competitor came forward, viz., Master Richard Thomas Evans, Trealaw, who was deemed fully worthy of the prize. The au- judication of the "map of Wales" competi- tion was next given. Six maps were sent in, and two-Raphael and Nil Desper- andum-were so equal in merit that the prize was divided between the two. Their names did not transpire. The soprano solo drew two competitors. The test piece was "Llythyr fy mam," and in his adjudication Mr Evans said that both young ladies were faulty in their phrasing, but the former had given a rendering that was very feeling and correct as regards the reading, etc. The winner was Miss Hannah Griffiths, Tony- pandy. A consolation prize was given to the other by Mr Thomas.—Miss Annie Ed- wards, Penygraig, who, had it not been for the "stage fright," would have given a better rendering. Mr uohn next gave his adjudication in the "love letter" competi- tion. There were four competitors, two writing in English and two in Welsh. The prize was awarded to Mr George Vale, Penygraig, whose letter was read out by the adjudicator, the winner evidentlv feel- ing too shy to read aloud his sweet phrases. "0 rest in the Lord" was the test piece for contralto voices. Mrs Catherine Jones, Tonypandy, was the only competitor, and she was awarded the prize, the adjudicator at the same time highly praising her ren- dering. The singing of the hymn tune "Ellacombe" for those over 40 years of age. The only competitor was Mr David Bowen, Tonypandy, and he secured the prize. Reading a piece without punctuation marks was the next competition which greatly amused the audience. Mr Robert Hum- phreys, Tonypandy, was awarded the prize out of four competitors. Unly one-Master W. Henry Price, Portb -answered the roll call on the alto competition, "Where is my boy to-night P" and an excellent render- ing was indeed given, the young lad show- ing that he had had careful training. There were nine competitors on "Yr hen gerddor" the late D. Pugh Evans' famous tenor song. The contest was an excellent one everyone giving a fine rendering. The prize was divi- ded between Mr David Williams, Peny- graig, and Mr Albert Jones, Treherbert. The old favourite, "Y Ddau Forwr," was sung by no less than seven couples, all of whom sang before the now large audience. The prize was awarded to Messrs Evans and James, Penygraig. The chief choral com- petition was next taken and encited a great deal of interest. The test piece was "Dy- head," a hymn-tune composed by Mr Oba- diah Edwards, of Porth. Four choirs sang in the following order Bethlehem (con- ducted by Mr David Evans), Tonypandy (conducted by Mr Rees Rees), Dinas (under the leadership of Mr Isaac Price), Blaen- clydach (conducted by Mr John Evans). Mr Evans, in his adjudication, confined his re- marks to the voices, time,, reading balance and expression. The last choir gave an admirable rendering, and to them the prize was awarded. A silver medal was also pre- sented to the successful conductor. The bass solo was taken at Mr D. Thomas' house the number of competitors being so. great. Three appeared on the stage, viz., Messrs David Williams, Penygraig; Tom Thomas, Clydach Vale; and Lewis Hoskins, Peny- graig. The three sang excellently, each one giving a rendering worth far more than the prize. Mr David Williams was, however, the winner. It will be noticed perhaps, that the same gentleman secured half the tenor prize also. The next com- petition was "Duw bydd Drugarog" for a soprano j tenor and bass trio. Twojparties sang. Mr Ted tlughes, the leader of the Tonypandy United Choir very kindly ad- judicated in place of the Rev. Cynon Evans who had to leave to catch the last train. The prize was easily secured by the first party. They were Mr and Mra W. J. Michael and Mr J. Jones, Clydach Vale. This concluded one of the most enjoyable competitive meetings ever held in the district, and the greatest praise is due to the secretaries, Messrs W. Thomas. Tony- pandy, and Arthur Thomas, Trealaw, for piloting the venture to such a successful issue, The treasurer. Mr Thomas Wiiliams, Trealaw, also deserves a word of praise. The accompanist throughout the evening was Miss Maggie Thomas, Trealaw, who did her work in her usual accomplished manner.

The Mining World. Meeting of the No. I Rhondda District. On Monday, the monthly meeting of the No. 1 (Rhondda) District of the South Wales Miners' Federation was held at the Imperial Hotel, Porth. Mr Thos. Jones, Cilely, was in the chair, and Mr J. Morgan, Maerdy in the vice-cAair. Messrs W. Ab- raham (Mabon), M.P., and D. Watts Mor- gan (agent), were present, and the dele- gates present represented about 31,000 miners. How to deal with non-Unionists. The question was considered of granting permission to the Gelli and Glyn workmen to tender their notices to terminate con- tracts, in order to compel non-unionists in those collieries to join the Federation. It was stated that there were only four non- unionists at Gelli, and eleven at Glyn, and that permission had been granted to other lodges in similar circumstances. On the other hand, it was pointed out that the lodges should not deal with this question in piecemeal fashion, but that there should be uniform action throughout the district. Subsequently it was decided to grant the permission required. Juvenile Lodge Members. The following motion was brought for- ward by the Llwynypia lodge "That if boys will not join the lodges within three months from the time they commence to work they shall be called upon to pay half the amount of the entrance fee; if not within six months then the full entrance fee shall be charged." A long discussion took place on this subject, and it trans- pired that there was no uniform system in the various lodges. Ultimately the ques- tion was referred back to the lodges for re- consideration. Dispute at Blaenrhondda. The dispute existing at Blaenrhondda Levels with regard to the price list in vogue there was considered, and application was made by the men for permission to tender notices to terminate contracts. Mr D. Watts Morgan said a list of prices had been agreed to by the previous owners, but the manager who represented the present owners contended that it was very unfair. He had agreed to three of the items in dis- pute, but would not agree to pay 4s. 3d. for day workmen as the list specified, but 4s. 2d. as was paid in other seams. The lodge delegate said the feeling was strong at the colliery to fight for the penny. It was re- solved that Mr Watts Morgan endeavour to effect a. settlement, and that failing this the men be empowered to give notice to terminate contracts. Cymmer Colliery Dispute. Mr D. Watts Morgan made an appeal for a uniform levy throughout the district in order to assist the men who were affected by the dispute existing at the 2ft. 9in. seam Cymmer Colliery, as the 10s. per week now granted to the men from the district fund was not thought sufficient. It was also pointed out that the men who had secured employment elsewhere were stopped direct- ly the managers got to know they were Cymmer strikers. A complaint was made that the hauliers who were affected by the dispute were not paid the same weekly con- tribution as the other men. "Mabon," M.P., argued strongly that the district should make no difference in their payments to the men. Every man in the Federation was on the same basis. It was resolved that the lodges be asked to make a levy of 6d. per man and 3d. per boy throughout the district to support the Cymmer men, to come into force a month hence, and that in the meantime the voluntary contribu- tions of the lodges be continued. The late Alderman David Morgan In referring to the death of the late Al- derman David Morgan, Mabon said he did not know what was the explanation, but on Friday last the Executive of the Federa- tion met at Cardiff, and there passed a vote of sympathy with the bereaved family of their late friend and colleague, Alderman David Morgan. That had not appeared in the papers, and the reason he did not know. Now they had a second opportunity. There was no doubt they all deeply regretted the death of the veteran leader. It was well known that the late Alderman did not, in the latter part of his career, always agree with his co-leaders of the miners of South Wales and Monmouthshire, but he was glad to say that the years he did agree and faithfully work with his co-leaders were far more numerous than those in which he disagreed with them. He had no doubt they were all prepared to forgive and forget, and they would always when they thought of him in the future, endea- vour to remember only what was best in the nature of the leader that had gone. He had given tHe best part of his life honest- ly, according to his convictions, to the cause of those he represented, and they had lost in him a man whose services had been able and honest, and the district he repre- sented would be some time before they would be able to obtain another so efficient. He moved that that meeting extends its sympathy to the relatives of the deceased, and he hoped that the children in their future lives would be able to emulate all that was good and best in their departed father. Mr D. Watts Morgan seconded, and the resolution was carried in silence, the delegates standing. The Question of Night Hauliers. Mr Tom James, CIvdach Vale, said that on a recent Friday mgnt the night workmen at the Clydach V ale 'Collieries were stopped from working by the manager, and more than that, two turns for that night, were stopped from their pay. Friday night was the shortest night of the fortnight, and the men would have finished the next morning at 3.30. Now, the men had worked the extra turn before Friday night, and yet the manager had deducted two. Mabon said he was not at all sorry those things occurred in their district, as it gave them the advantage of deciding those great principles. There was a necessity in the present case of deciding the principle, and the way he proposed to do it was by taking legal proceedings to recover the two turns. For some reason or other, the manager thought it wise to send the men home and the colliery worked the next, and had then the audacity to stop the extra turn together with the turn which he had stopped the men working. If the colliery had been work- ing, if he had wanted the services of those men and they had not gone there, be, like ——————————————————— other managers in the district) -0J likely have used his right to s men for a breach of»ontract. for' was sauce for the goose was s» gander, and with the delega they proposed deciding the P jjjiow resolution to this effect was carried.. ns were The following contributIons d old ceived — £ 1,096 3s. 10d.; tovvard 0 fund, £ 33 16s. 8d. forwarded » Lodge strike fund, £ 35 6s.; 6s. 6d.

Education in Parliamept (By E.R.) The Pit Boy- j jjgOflF In spite of the, great attention f)J by the war, parliamentary inte cation has in no wise ^ee11 •j.got' stifled. There appears to be a' part of all public men to ma*-e pig education more effective. bir g Bill on behalf of the pit-boy ^^sUj through the House of Corara?1\'nris- then through the House of i the law at present stands a down the shaft of a mine at ttf K k,7 tigtl he may not work at the "bans t tllS r a year older. The Governing jt ged by Sir John Gorst, its de Berlin Conference, to raise rp(#, teen. Sir Charles Dillte's Bin ^0yss forbid all underground work to thirteen. It is noteworthy j is backed by influential mine j employ many boys. When the^ j becomes law, it may be ^jcts school-life of bovs in mining be generally prolonged.. a.nPi Sir .John Gorst has brought tion Bill, consisting of a P10^ ments to the existing Acts, f t)f> which calls for special notice 1 vpol^jj ning of further legislation °nl:cJ) i#9y dance. The maximum fine W2lect'?S{f imposed upon the parent fo_r nt crotiiK(j. his children to school is raise" twenty shillings. The nufflfytels dances which must be made e$$ in order to obtain an atten y j, cate at thirteen is increased 0yisi<> 350 per annum. The fi1"8^ 3^$!• most valuable. School a mittees will be able more en threaten defaulting parents point to a possible fine of twe J j But the largeness of the ai»° tber help to convince the l°c' 1 nf C i'' I that deliberate withdrawals w.p from school is a serious fliction of the increased PeIia the magistrate with the c school attendance committee jnSc the constant presence of children Military Ma«'a' o5| One feature of the cation in the Houses of Pal the cannot be viewed with fav°"r 1 e # i ally expressed desire to in^r0,ary SCV drill compulsory into ElemeO 'gobetjJ Though it is essential to teacH^ riotism in our schools it is 'hat the minds of children she of J familiar to the murderous s for It is glorious to fight and to country, but it is the duty 0 and not children. Circumstao when the necessities of sell; eggeiit'^ among other things, make 1jjle "Li? create soldiers hy every aval jy and then school children WuS 'ft troduced into the military toLr State. It would be a necess'-j u plored if accepted, and the r \of.A it would be, for a large nUin -gce 0 jjr sober-minded citizens, a 0{$ conviction before the urgency danger. t:iotll 'tie Agricultural EdLlØ coviot io The Agnicultural Educatioll rt,vleo approached the Education the early part of the year niofl 0 A cure, if possible, some recogn fW/, programme in the new cod • J come has been a circular let* L by the Board of Education t°^e pee schools, calling attention to tioll ol making the course.of instruC itl1 t ¡II rural school more consonant vironment of the village.v of L" urged to "lose no opportuo1 -rje |jfft their scholars an intelligent f1ir& tb the surroundings of ordinal^sei and of shewing them how weS- j/ processes of nature for .-Wji side work in the shape of suration, the drawing of c° ft visits of observation to woo^ € and farms is suggested. The ciple of the circular is the i gj■ soundest instruction that c» v> children is based upon a in their surroundings. .røl Teachers' Ten1"'0. The President of the Nat10,f Ji Teachers for this year (Mr chose for his subject of a.dd tion of tenure. He urged th^ ype* .j P tion of the teacher's claim } tion should legitimately rjty ,>iie, recognition of his right tO-Se. t u ure. Fixity of tenure was 11. b and the sole practical step asked from the Board of Educ^g right of appeal against The claim of the teacher t see that teachers are not l>^f their appointments, by parochial spite and tyrrany- jC1j., been striking examples °^. yanc0 J0t>s C some teachers whose contin 0[ was made to depend upon e aec\ My siderations which did no* nA oe j#™ teachers. The usefulness Wjjft teachers and schools should^ l depend upon the whims of P als.

A Tylorstown Publ*0*" At Porth Police Co1^ ?$0 Edward Griffths, landolrd rged Hotel, Tylorstown, was c oH pf* i legally keeping his house -ftgUU 17th ult. Mr James l %etg,e .bei a 3" defended. The evidence of '$■ and P.C. Alridge shewed watched the premises jpg t gtjpP,y0 a.m., and seen five men tP The defendant admitted. e<J the two men who last e -jjig8 gS pints of beer, but denied others. A fine of £ 5 1IlC imposed.

THE MOST NUTR,T j £ E p p3-» GRATEFUL.—-gv II CO Cj BREAKFAST-SUP