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FRIDAY, AUGUST 8TH, 1890.

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 8TH, 1890. THE Carmarthenshire Conservative Associ- ation, at their meeting on Saturday last, decided, after a lengthy discussion, that Mr Abel Thomas should have a walk over for the Eastern Division. A strong fighting spirit manifested itself amongst the members of the Association, but eventually the advice of their responsible officials was accepted, and Wales will to-day boast of the addition of another legal gentleman to the number of her repre- sentatives. While regretting the decision arrived at, we trust that it may prove a wise one. We cannot but have confidence in the leaders of the party in Carmarthenshire. On former occasions they have shown that they do not shrink from a contest, and the discretion now exhibited can only have been prompted by serious consideration of the interests of the Association. It would, perhaps, have been too much to expect a victory over so strong an opponent as Mr Abel Thomas, but there can be little doubt that the adverse majority of 1885 would have been considerably reduced. Conservatism in these divisions suffers from difficulties of its own creation, the manifest reluctancc of candidates to declare themselves throws an unfair burden upon the shoulders of the officials of the party who have to expend their energies in labouring for a shadow, and under such circumstances it is impossible to carry out the work that may result in victory. In face of an adverse majority it is manifest that careful organisation and earnest united action are the only means that can prevail, but these conditions are never present in our contests the nearest approach to them was in 1885, when Viscount Emlyn fought West Carmarthenshire, but even then the enormous increase of the electorate and recent changes in the party organisation created a certain amount of confusion and misunderstanding. To bring out a candidate at the last moment, and to fight a high pressure battle exhausts 2D C) those engaged, and courts defeat of a peculiarly demoralising nature, causing heart burnings and distrust. When disciplined I forces meet and honestly and deliberately put out their full strength in the struggle, even 0 n-n defeat possesses some element of satisfaction, and the routed forces are easily rallied. But when one polling district strains every nerve in a contest and polls every rote available, while in another the known friends of Conservatism are apathetic and hardly trouble to record their votes, there can be but one result—defeat, and when the occasion again arises the former district is hardly likely to exert itself, and the party is for aver disunited and weak. Again Conservatism sometimes appears in the most modest guise, timid and retiring. This is perhaps the most provoking phase, and those labouring under it should remember that there is nothing to be ashamed of in an honest principle, and that even in Radical Carmarthenshire their convictions are shared by at least a third of their fellow electors, a number that will be largely augmented as soon as they can be induced to show a bold front with courage to uphold their opinions. Fortune never favours the faint-hearted. Our local Conservatives must learn to work together and boldly and patiently seek to win the smiles of the fickle goddess.

Society atio personal.I

CARMARTHEN.

LAUGHARNE.

. LAUGHARNE REGATTA.

GLAMORGANSHIRE ASSIZES.

EAST CARMARTHENSHIRE.

THE ltAILWAY CRISIS IN WALES.

MARKETS.

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