Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser

DRINK AND ITS VICTIMS. ON Saturday evening the main street of Aberystwyth was the scene of considerable commotion, The centre of disturbance was a well-known and, it must be said, well-con- ducted hotel. The principal actors were some three navvies who, having played an ignoble part at that place on Saturday night, had to make their second appearance on Monday at another stage—the Police Court. Scene 1. afforded a deplorable example of the depth and depravity of the crime and misery en- gendered by the drink traffic in its worst forms, and of the utter bestiality to which it reduces human nature. Those who wit- nessed the scene state that the only re- deeming feature they saw in it all was the admirable display of good citizenship on the part of the civilians when a young, untried police officer was rudely and roughly handled in a most cowardly manner by three strong, reckless men who would, in all probability, have made short shrift of him but for the prompt and practical assistance of Mr GEORGE DAVIS, J.P., Mr TOM ROWLANDS, and others. These gentlemen are deserving of especial and honourable mention; for by their aid the disturbers of the KING'S peace" were seized, frog marched, and locked up, to the huge delight of the people who gave vent to their joy in a loud huzza But even before the cheers of the people had died away the ear was jarred by a melan- choly undertone which, however much one might rejoice over the vindication of the majesty of the law, as- serted itself until it became the pre- dominant note. These men after all were British workmen-nay, fathers and hus- bands, possessing, we will willingly believe, many manly and roble traits; and each in his heart might probably own, when in a better mood, that "mine enemy hath done this." One of the prisoners had a wife, who was with him in town that evening, and several young children up the Valley, who had to face the dismal night through with- out the fostering care of parents. They had been robbed awhile of a father's protection and a mother's care throught the influence of strong drink, and Heaven only knows how much of the money which should have gbne to their sustenance had been diverted by the Demon Drink to swell the coffers of the publican and to enrich the pockets of the brewer. We would ask our readers to read, or to conjure to their minds, the peaceful scene of the "Cotter's Saturday Night," as portrayed by the immortal pen of BURNS, which was, he tells us, bliss beyond compare," and then to dwell for a moment upon that other scene-the Drunkard's Saturday Night as witnessed far too often in our streets in all its wretched nakedness. You must have noticed with bitter sor- row," said Dr. HORTON, speaking of drun- kenness, that directly the smile of God gives to this nation a gleam of commercial prosperity, the tides of its profligacy rise and roll afresh, and we record our national prosperity in the figures of our national vice." These words were spoken by Dr. HORTON many years ago, but their truth is receiving a painful emphasis nowadays in Black Glamorgan and many other places. And the scene witnessed at Aberystwyth on Saturday even in? was, we believe, only a further attestation to their truth. It is deplorable that the hard-earned money of working men should, not only enrich those to whose allurements they fall a prey, but prove the means of their own ruination also. But what is monstrously unfair is that those unfortunate ones who have fallen victims- those who have already suffered the terrible retribution which so surely follows over- indulgence and intemperance—should also have to suffer-and suffer alone—at the hands of the law. Is it right, is it fair, that the poor drunkard should be always made the scapegoat for the sins of those who are possibly deeper in guilt than he is ? A drunkard is manufactured—by degrees, we know, but he is at last" turned out," in more than one sense, a genuine boozer; and everyone so turned out" is a proof positive that the law has been infringed both by 1 himself and by the publican who has sup- plied him with intoxicants more than can be called refreshments. Drunkards, unlike poets, are made, not born, and their making is an indictable offence in the eye of the law. How then does it come to pass that one of the joint authors of the 'offence the pub- lim. n-is almost invariably allowed to escape with impunity.? Whether the fault be in the law or in the administration of the law we are not prepared to say but we repeat that every drunkard one sees reeling in the streets is a standing, or a toppling, proof of the infringement of the law. To saddle the guilt upon the real culprits would, we ad- mit, be a difficult task but we believe that if it were possible to make a better alloca- tion of punishment at times the result would be not only a probable fairer dispensation of justice, but a salutary reduction in the sum total of such offences.

CO-OPERATION IN CARDIGANSHIRE. Mr. AUGUSTUS BRIGSTOCKE is to be congratu- lated upon the success which is attending his efforts to introduce co-operation among the farmers of Cardiganshire. The .idea is gaining ground, and, whatever may be the ultimate success of the movement, there can be no dispute that ,it is rapidly winning popular favuur at the present time. Re- ports which reach us week by week from all parts of the county, show that the farm- ers are eager and ready to adopt new methods, or auxiliaries to old methods, if they can be convinced that they will but help them to make both ends meet. Briefly enumerated, the objects of the agricultural co-operative movement are :—(a) To enable farmers, by combining to make their pur- chases direct from the manufacturers; (b) (to improve the breed of their live stock by the introduction of new blood (c) to estab- lish butter and bacon factories and cream- eries; (d) to encourage-the turning out of farm and dairy produce of a better and more uniform quality, and to secure a profitable market for such (e) to exercise an educa- tive influence, and to give the farmers the benefit of expert knowledge; (/) to give financial assistance by means of Credit Banks, and to secure insurance at reduced scales. To realize these objects Societies will have to be established throughout the length and breadth of the county; and it is to be hoped that the present favourable feeling will not be allowed to die out before it will have been transformed into organiza- tions of real practical value to the farming community. We understand that such. Soci- eties have already been formed at Lledrod and Tregaron, and that another is about to be established at Cardigan. Lampeter, Llanfarian, and Talsarn are also about fall- ing into line with the movement; and the district of Llanybyther is marshalling its forces under the command of the Lord Lieutenant of the county. Mr. D. D. WILLIAMS, of the Agricultural Department of the Aberystwyth College, is taking an active interest in the movement and has already given much valuable support and advice to those who are anxious not to com- mit themselves to the new movement before first learning what is being done elsewhere, and with what results. Mr. VAUGHAN DA VIES, the member for the county, is also taking a keen interest in the movement, and on Saturday evening he met the farmers of his neighbourhood at a meeting in the village, in order to set before them the ad- vantages of co-operation and this he did with such success that it was there and then decided to form a Society and to have it registered at an early date. On Tuesday afternoon a meeting of farmers was held at Tregaron, when the chief agent of the Marquis of RJPON attended and gave an address on the manifold advantages of co- operation in the agricultural industry. Mr. THOMAS DAVIES, J.P., of Pantybeudy Hall, Llangeitho, has already done a vast amount of good for that district by the establishment of a creamery at Pont Llanio, and it is only fair to recognize, now that the movement is gaining ground and becoming general, that what success it may achieve will be due in no small measure to the fact that his fore- sight and enterprise have prepared the way for it. Situated conveniently in the dis- trict as it is, Mr. DAVIES' creamery should prove a great acquisition to the Tregaron Co-operative Society, and it is to be hoped that if the Society cannot acquire it for its own use, means can be found to arrive at a satisfactory working arrangement so as to avoid unnecessary competition and the clash- ing of interests. We notice that in several of the districts where meetings have been held, the farmers have shown considerable anxiety to hasten the completion of the organization so that they may be able to make their usual purchases of seed and manures for the coming spring at reduced prices. In this connection it would be well to utter a note of warning and to caution those interested in the Societies not to ex- pect too speedy a return in the way of profit and advantage from their membership, and not to be cast down and disappointed if their first hopes are not immediately realized. The agricultural co-operative movement will, no doubt, have to encounter many, and probably unforeseen, difficulties, and these can never be overcome by spasmodic efforts buoyed by false hopes. One of the most hopeful features of the movement is the in- elusion of the labourers and the encourage- ment given them to remain on the soil on the lines pointed out by Mr. D. D. WILLIAMS at Tregaron on Tuesday. If the Agricul- tural Co-operative Societies can accomplish this last object alone and do something to arrest the depopulation of the rural districts, they will fully justify their existence and richly deserve the support of all who have I at heart the staple industry of the land.

ABERDOVEY DISTRICT COUNCIL. THE members of the Aberdovey District Council had to deal with a difficult and per- plexing question at their last meeting, a full report of which is gives, in another part of the paper. No fault can be found with the attitude of the majority of the represent- atives of Aberdovey for when such an im- portant question was at issue—involving the safety of the public health of their town- and when expert knowledge was at such variance, and when their own surveyor and the surveyor of the applicant arrived at such different conclusions, the only safe and logical course open to them was to suspend their judgment until they could be satis- factorily assured of the superiority of the one or the other of the two schemes. We are not in a position to pronounce in favour of either, and even if we were convinced of the merits of the one over the other, every fair-minded man would have to admit that the precautionary policy taken by the Aber- dovey members was perfectly justifiable-in fact, they could adopt no other policy, having regard to their own judgments and their grave responsibility to the community they represent. This, at any rate, we believe to 10. be the opinion or no less an authority tran Mr. LECKY on the proper course to pursue under such circumstances. Others, how- ever, like Councillor D. C. DAVIES, do not hesitate to differ from such a policy of prudence. It is to be hoped that the com- promise arrived at will not endanger the public health, and that the confidence Mr. HOWARD JOXES reposes in his scheme is well founded. ===-

LLAIVDYSSUL DISTRICT NURSING THE Victorian era, long and glorious as it was, probably never witnessed the birth of a nobler and more humanitarian movement than that which has for its object the pro- viding of the poor with the services of trained and experienced nurses for the purpose of alleviating their suffering in cases of sickness and disease. Such cases are the common lot of all; but the suffering of the poor from bodily ailments are oittimes prolonged and intensified by ignorance as well as by poverty; and there can be no dispute that the introduction of well-qualified nurses into any district cannot fail to result in an incalculable amount of good, not only directly by the succour of the poor in their direst need, but also indirectly by the quiet, unostentatious exertion of an educa- tive influence, the value of which cannot be over-estimated. Lady LAMBTON, speaking at Aberystwyth a few years ago, said, on the authority of the Warden of St. Catherine's Guild, that the work of district nurses strengthens the hands of sanitary author- ities, and makes the work of ministers of religion less difficult. Llandyssul may con- sider itself extremely fortunate in having the unstinted services and influence of the Hon. Mrs. STEWART, of Alltyrodyn, Mrs. JONES, of Gellifaharen, and Mrs. LLOYD, of Gilfachwen, in the work of promoting this good object; and it is to be hoped that these ladies will not be grudged the most liberal support which the movement they have at heart so richly deserves. When local associations are affiliated to the Queen Victoria Jubilee Institute for Nurses," we believe that a grant of X20 is made by the parent institution in the first year, and £10 in the second year, after which the branch societies are expected to become self-sup- porting. In such a district as that of Llan- dyssul there is no leason why a nursing association should not become self-supporting almost from its inception, if the tradesmen and farmers will only take the practical interest they should in it. It must be remembered that if the nursing association is to do its work, and do it thoroughly, contributions must be received, not from a few of the wealthier classes, but from the masses for whose benefit it is established. The people should make the institution of a trained nurse their own by taking a kindly and sustained interest in it; for that, and that alone, will ensure its success in the way, we feel sure, that the good ladies who are now organizing it, wish to see their hopes realized.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. Parliament will re-assemble to-day. The Corporation of Aberystwyth have re- solved to build another batch of workmen's houses, making, with those already built and now building, a total of eighteen houses. It is said that the call for ten thousand Volunteers just made by the War Office has so far been feebly responded to. The fact that the pay offered is less than that given to Imperial Yeomanry is held by many to militate against success. ■■ "L L 1- At the special meeting of the Court of the t' University of Wales held at Shrewsbury on Friday the Prince of Wales was formally elected Chancellor of the University. I If the suggestion given in another column by our Aberdovey correspondent were car- ried out generally it would be difficult to realize to what extent the face of our country would be improved and its land- scape beautified. j The death is announced, in his sixty-ninth year, of Mr. James James (lago ab Ieuan), of Aberdare, the composer of the music of Hen WhuÍ fy Nhadau," the words of which were written by his father, the late Mr. Evan James. j Machynlleth is still without a public ¡ library and it is somewhat strange that it should make a bid for the offices of the Welsh University before providing itself with an institution which is within the easy reach of every community which is anxious to encourage and popularise learning. The circular letter of the Cardiff Corpora- tion appealing for the co-operation of other public bodies in Wales in a petition to the Government for a grant for a national museum for Wales, was considered at a meeting of the Cardigan Town Council on Monday, and it was decided to sign the pro- posed petition. It is to be hoped that the Llanybyther School Board will pursue its present policy of insisting upon a better and more regular attendance by the children on the rolls of its schools. Parents could do much to assist the Board in this matter, and it is to their own interest, in the long run, that they should do so. The Admiralty orders for Welsh steam coal during the current year amount to some six hundred thousand tons, at prices from 13s 9d to 14s 6d a ton. A little over twelve months ago the cost of coal of the same qualities ranged between a sovereign and a guinea per ton. The lowest tender in December last seems to have been 15s a ton. Thus the gain by an average reduction of 101d is over X26,000 in the pockets of 2 the country. t About fifteen thousand persons witnessed the Rugby match between England and Wales at Blackheath on Saturday. After a keenly contested game, Wales won by nine points to eight, the winning point being j scored by a Cardi-Mr. J. Strand Jones, the full-back, who dropped a. goal within the last few minutes of the game. On return- ing homa to Lampeter on Monday evening, Mr. Strand Jones was accorded an enthusi- astic reception. » What is the first case in South Wales under the new Act for the prevention of the sale of intoxicating liquor to children was heard at Llanelly last week, when a landlady was summoned for selling intoxicating liquor to a child under fourteen years of age. The mother of the child was also summoned for sending her for drink. Defendant pleaded ignorance of the Act. The Bench dismissed the case, but cautioned defendant, and stated that future cases would be dealt with more severely than these, the .first which had been brought before the Court. The smallpox scourge which has broken out in the Metropolis has claimed a victiim from this county. Mr John Lloyd Lewis, chemist, of Aberayron, who had been for five years a student at the London Hospital, and was about completing his,.cours "lore, i died of it in London on Friday. --m- wa. stricken by the disease on the previous Fri- day. Cases of smallpox have been notified in the South Wales coalfields also; and all medical officers would do well to take the utmost precaution to prevent its introduc- tion to their districts. The smallpox oubreak will be a very costly thing for London, for, apart from the maintenance of patients, the Metropolitan Asylums Board is committed to an expendi- ture of E600,000, of which one-half will come out of the current rate. The public vaccinators are very busy, and the lowest estimate of the cost of vaccination which the rates have to meet during the current half- year is X75,000 for the whole of the Metro- polis. I The new Youthful Offenders' Act was en- forced at Manchester on Monday. Four boys, aged from 12 to 16, were charged with stealing pigeons. It was stated that their homes were not very good ones. Thereupon the magistrate marshalled the parents before him and read that section of the Act referring to contributory negligence of the parents or guardians, and their liabi- lity to be summoned for contributing to the offence. He then directed that summonses should be issued against the parents, and that the boys be kept at the workhouse for a week in the meantime. ¡ —————— The Isle of Man will not be popular with young men under 18 if the Bill to be intro- duced to the House of Keys at the next Session becomes law. Such as are indicted to smoking will find themselves unable to purchase the weed, as tobacconists selling tobacco in any form to them will be liable to a fine not exceeding Xio, or to imprison- ment not exceeding one month, or to both fine and imprisonment. Those youths under 18 who elect to bring their own supplies to the island must cultivate their tastes in the strictest privacy, as, if found using tobacco in any way, they will be open to a fine not exceeding X2 or seven days im- prisonment, or they may be whipped. The author of the proposed Bill is a smoker him- self, and the youngest member of the Legis- lature. What I have said I have said" ex- claimed Chamberlain on Saturday before the Jewellers of Birmingham. Now let us see what Mr. Chamberlain has said. In June, 1881, he said at Birmingham, referring to < the Majuba settlement: I appeal to the j impartial public opinion of Europe and America, which has approved of the action of the Govenment in preferring justice to revenge, and the best interests of South Africa to the vain pursuit of military glory." At Hanley, on October 7th, 1884, he said: The House of Lords has become, so far as the majority is concerned, a mere branch of the Tory Caucus, a mere instrument of the Tory organization, and the House of Lords does what the Tory wire-pullers of the Tory party suggest." At Glasgow, on September 15th, 1885, he said I am a Liberationist. I would free the Church, whether in England, in Scotland, or in Wales; and my opinion on the subject is strenghtened by my belief that the appropriation to the ser- vice of a single sect of funds which were originally designed for the benefit of the whole nation is an injustice." At Dingwall, i April 19th, 1887, he said: "I was a Home Ruler long before Mr. Gladstone." What I have said I have said quoth Mr. Cham- berlain; but would that he had stuck to balf what he has said.