The Carmarthen Journal and South Wales Weekly Advertiser

wSTPTTK Seventeen years ago, a distinguished states- man speaking of Home Rule for Ireland said That man would be little short of a madman vjho should propose to make this country ridiculous in the eyes of Europe, by disintegra- ting our ancient institutions, and by dis- uniting our three kingdoms." When he uttered these memorable words he was of ripe age, 65. He had been over forty years in Parliament, and had often been a minister of the Crown. He had been both Conservative and Liberal, so that he had considered both sides of the question, and this was his deliberate opinion as a Liberal of Liberals. Do our readers now guess who uttered them ? Mr Gladstone Twelve years afterwards he brought in a Home Rule Bill! His pro- phecy of himself must have been in Mr Spurgeon's mind when he said" The whole scheme is as full of dangers and absurdities as if it came from a madman." Matthew Arnold said It takes away one's breath to find an English Statesman propounding it. zn ZD Was ever such madness heard of 1" And if it was mad in 1886, what is it now when two millions of Irishmen absolutely refuse it, and when peace is only kept between the other three millions by the armed constabu- lary of Mr* Balfour 1 What is it now when we are justified out of the mouths of the Irish members themselves, in that ever memorable committee room No 15 ? Have they not solemnly declared that the Home Rule Bill proposed by Mr Gladstone in his old age was only accepted by them as an instrument to obtain other concessions? Mr Parnell declared this, no Irish member dared deny it! Have we not, therefore, an emphatic warning never again to trust to the Irish Demagogue ? His word is about as trustworthy as the dust before the wind. How can we believe any- thing they promise now ? What guarantees are of any use? Mr Parnell in the name of the Irish people promised Mr Gladstone that his Bill would satisfy and quiet Ireland at the very time when they were only making use of the foolish fond old man." Happily the history of Committee Room No 15 remains with us in print. He who runs may read. The Nationalists may attempt to explain. For instance, Tim Healy on the 1st of December, 1890, after the Divorce Court Disclosure said The declaration I shall have most reason to look back to with satisfaction in my life was the declaration I felt able to make/or Mr Parnell in the Leinster Hall A few weeks after Mr Healy turned at the beck of Mr Gladstone, and although he was indebted for his whole status in life to Mr Parnell he not only deserted him, but exhausted himself in such disgusting ?3 Z5 abuse of his benefactor that Michael Davitt spoke of his attack on Mrs Parnell as filthy and infamous," and says that her sex alone, apart from the protecting shield of her dead husband's name, should have saved Mrs Parnell from insult." If Mr Gladstone were equally severe in his condemnation of worse errors, we could, to some extent, under- stand him. But what is the case ? In the Forest of Dean he is practically encouraging Sir Charles Dilke of all people-the man whom Scotland refused to hear. It may be argued that he says he leaves the contest to the deci- sion of the Forest of Dean voters. No doubt he does so, but why did he not do the same in the case of Parnell, when he well knew that all Irish voters, if left alone, would have sup- ported him ? There was no comparison between the iniquity of the two cases. We do not attempt for a moment to palliate Mr Parnell—for we think he deserved his fate- but in his case there were none of the horrible complications and foul offences that character- ised Sir C. Dilke's. If Mr Gladstone does not really intend to condone Sir C. Dilke, why does he not tell the Gladstonian Association to bring forward a candidate for whom all can vote with a clear conscience? Moral Gladstonians will now be obliged either to vote for a man ten times worse than Parnell, or else to vote for the Conservatives, or to waste their votes. Mr Gladstone is always ready to give a character in the most fulsome terms to men whom he has never spen, pro- vided they are ready to fight for him. No bye-election has passed without the usual character being forthcoming. Why, then, does he not tell the Forest of Dean electors what he really thinks of Sir Charles Dilke ?— an ex-Cabinet Minister and a man whom he has allowed to remain a Privy Councillor. This mark of honour, which enables him to join in the deliberations of the Queen's Privy Council, which enables him to be called a Right Honourable, which gives him rank 0 ZD over all baronets and younger sons of Peers, Z3 Mr Gladstone has allowed him to retain. The Conservatives have not moved in the matter, because they felt that the punishment of Mr Gladstone's black sheep rested with him, and not with them. But Mr Gladstone makes no sign he condones Sir C. Dilke he is silent about the 5,000 boycotted people Mr Balfour has lescued he pays no attention to the fearful outrages, the loathsome attacks on poor dumb animals that were perpetrated by his confederates. To give specimen instances, it is only last year that the cottage, in which a poor old caretaker ( and his wife lived was set on fire by what Mr Gladstone now calls the "poor Irish nation," j with whom the truest wisdom lies," and burnt with themselves, their corpses being found in the ruins. It is only this e r that these "babes and sucklings" (as he calls them) broke into a boycotted farm, and smashed one leg of each of fifty ewes with lambs the scene when discovered being described as most pitiful to see, the poor mothers with only three legs each, attempting to stand up so as to suckle their young. These are the men to whom Mr Gladstone tells us on Saturday last" Hope and Joy" has been conveyed by a promise of his Home Rule Bill these are the men to whom it is to convey the promise of a holy and happy brotherhood, and a brotherhood exhi- biting peace and harmony at home," which is to be "a model and example." To give an example of how this happy brother- n hood of Nationalists are conducting themselves at present, and how rational is the fear of Ulster as to how the Roman Catholics would comfort themselves if Fate gave them the power, we quote the words of an anti- Parnellite priest at a large meeting in Dublin. He said 11 Whether we fail in this contest or not, we will, all over the country, when we are your masters, crush you when we have the power." These words were addressed to Parnellites and Catholics, so we may imagine what short shrift the Protestants would have, and we give below a verbatim account of the proceedings. We also give an example of a Roman Catholic Bishop's idea of mercy and humanity.

EXAMPLE OF AN ANTI-PARNELLITE PRIEST. A meeting of the supporters of Mr W. Pearson, the Anti-Parnellite candidate for the St. Stephens-green Division of Dublin, who is opposing Mr W. Kenny, Q.C. (Liberal Unionist), and the Lord Ilayor (Pat-nellite), was held last night under the presidency of the Rev Father Behan, who was frequently inter- rupted by a body of Parnellites. Referring to the disturbances in the hall, lie said :— Will you rowdies come up here and sit in the front so that we may see i oa ? (A voice. Not likely, we would be afraid of being inspected" ). "I insist that the passage down there should be cleared." (A voice.- Then call in the police and have it cleared and don't be intimidating.") A cheer was then 0 given for the Independent party. Father Behan, making himself heard with great diffi- culty, said that the hall had been taken for him and his friends, and the rowdies down there had better take care (laughter and cheers). I tell you," he added, you base lot of old scoundrels at the end of the room, I would flog you out of it. (Groans and a voice, Net you, the day for that sort of thing is gone by." loud cheers). It is not gone by° I will do it. You are the agents of intimida- tion and of infamy. Remember the officers of the peace are public servants, and we will call them into the room and bludgeon every one of you (groans). I say the men who have organised this factionism are the greatest scoundrels ever before known in history" (groans). Great uproar ensued, the people screaming and using defiant epithets. Father 0 ZD Burke, who was received with some show of respect, claimed a hearing, and, a lull occur- ring, Father Behan resumed and said he had a little story to tell them. Nineteen hundred years ago a man named Herod made an ora- tion. His blasphemous followers when they beard him, said, It is the voice of God that speaks." He was struck dead. Parnell," he continued, is constantly flung in our faces. Well, I detest that man's memory (loud groans and some cheers). He has been a curse to himself and a curse to us (shouts of" No.") I say that God Almighty has revealed His will in thrusting that man into his grave. His bones are rotting, his flesh is putrid, his spirit is dead, and detestable though dead (loud groans). I say, you ruffians, I would not have made these statements had it not been for your action (loud groans). You say you love Ireland, I say you hate Ireland." ( A voice.—" God save Ireland," and cheers). The rev gentleman proceeded in the same strain for some time, and said that every man who liked to lead a loose life,every blackguard, every drunkard, every man who liked to beat his wife—these were the Parnellites (groans). Every virtuous man," he concluded, is on our side, and whether we fail in this contest or not we will, all over the country when we are your masters, crush you when we get thepower" (loud groans). Cheers were then given for the Lord Mayor, the dead chief, and others. The chairman, amid great uproar, said he was a priest, but lie was also a man, and he warned the people who had come to break up the meeting that the priest might disappear and the man would step in. If they did not immediately cease he would give the word and physical force would be used (derisive cheers, and a voice.—" Send for the police, of course.") The Rev Dr Burke asked them in the love they bore for Ire- land—(A voice —" Bosh," and groans). The chairman ultimately induced some of the Par- nellites to leave the hall, and Mr Pearson was then heard. Dr Tanner, protected by 100 police, made several attempts to address a meeting at Tuam yesterday. The platform from which he was to address the meeting was seized by the in- dependent party, who hung a portrait of Mr Parnell on the front of it, and when Dr Tanner and his party arrived they found the supporters of Colonel Nolan in possession. Dr Tanner made several attempts to get on the platform, but each time he was knocked down. The police, under the command of Mr M'Lean, resident magistrate, came to his rescue; a free fight took place, the police batoning in all directions. All the shops were closed, and Dr Tanner had to be protected by police with fixed bayonets."

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP AND MRS. MONTAGU. All our readers know Mrs Montagu by name, and we venture to say there is not one who does not thrill with horror on hearing it. She not only caused the death in a most in- human way of her little daughter, aged three, but also cruelly tortured all her other children and rendered their lives miserable. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, which has rendered such signal services to the cause of humanity, happily has succeeded in punishing her—though with a very inadequate sentence. We think that she should have been kept in prison till her off- spring were of an age to be beyond the reach of her wickedness. However, she will now finish her sentence in nine months, and we can only hope that the prison authorities take care that she does not illtreat the poor little boy who through no fault ef his own has been horn in a gaol. When she comes out the public must zealously keep her in view and determine that she shall not repeat her atrocities. The more publicity the case has, the better will this end be met, as fear and force, we are much afraid, are the only levers that will work successfully on such natures as hers, and the more warning will be given to those cruel women who may be as wickedly inclined as she is, but who have not yet been found out. It is terrible to think that this horrible case should have occurred amongst those upper classes who, from the mere fact of their elevation, are morally bound to set a good example, and who have not the same temptations which a poor woman may have, inasmuch as the care and burden of looking after their own children generally devolves, or at any rate, is partially borne by others. We should then expect to find that clergy of all denominations would be peculiarly out- spoken in cases like Mrs Montagu's and smother whatever private feelings they might have in the discharge of their public duty. But the Roman Catholic Bishop of Down- her bishop, for she is a Roman Catholic—is of a different way of thinking, and this ecclesiastic who professes to preach the Gospel of Love, is most indignant because the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has published an account of her case in their annual report. He was one of its three vice- presidents. Will it be believed that he has written requesting that his name may be taken off, and has withdrawn from the society. This is what he writes to the local secretary "In the annual report of your society there is a special reference to the Montagu case. In issuing such a report your society, whose proposed object is the prevention of cruelty, has, in my opinion, lacerated the character of the wife and mother, and manifested a cruel dis- regard for the feelings of the husband and children, on tohom your society has inflicted gratuitous and unmerited painWe hope our readers will note the expression- lacerating the character of the wife and mother, and inflicting gratuitous and unmerited pain on the husband who coldly allowed her to continue her course of discipline for their good We could not have conceived it possible that any one who professed to found their religion on the Bible could have written in this strain, and consider that any man who does so is a disgrace to his cloth. But the question arises Why should this Roman Catholic Bishop wish to hide the cruelty of Mrs Montagu I Alas! the reason is not far to seek, and is terribly illustrative of the way in which Roman Catholics stick together and support and condone each other at any cost. This is also the reason why no words of condemnation have been passed on the horrible brutalities in Ireland. They were all fellow- religionists, brother Catholics, and this woman is not only a Roman Catholic, but a Protes- tant turned Catholic. It is not only possible, but tolerably probable, that she may some day be Duchess of Manchester. Hence the Bishop's courtly solicitude for the character of the wife and mother

GLADSTONIAN TRUTHFULNESS. The morality of the Gladstonians is some- thing to weep over—Mr Bright, the Liberal of Liberals, in 1887 deplored the demoralisa- tion of the party, whose moral sense had in his judgment become depraved. The last letter written by that great man in 1888 con- tains a sentence, which we commend to the really conscientious Liberals of the country. To what depths of degradation and of igno- miny can the Liberal party descend under the alliance now existing between the revolu- tionary party by which Ireland is afflicted." The moral demoralisation which Mr Briglrt so much lamented is making itself apparent in the speeches and actions of Mr Gladstone and his followers. The old Parliamentary hand is now appealing to his constituents, but as a Parnellite paper tells us, his speech is 11 re- markable most of all for its omissions," of policy there is none, while misrepresentation is shamelessly employed, and the opinions of adversaries are distorted and travestied in the most barefaced manner. As an example in point On the 30th June in Edinburgh, Mr Gladstone alluding to Lord Salisbury and the election of 1885, stated "He (Lord Salisbury) made a speech in which he pointed to the remarkable case of Austria and Hungary—a case of Home Rule and Dual Government, the most extreme that could be conceived and recommended that course as one that would be useful in guiding the policy of Eng- land towards Ireland." When the responsible leader of a party addresses the public, we expect the matter which he lays before us to be entitled to some credence, but the poison of moral depravity, so regretted by Mr Bright, has apparently pervaded every rank of the Gladstonian party. The actual words used by Lord Salisbury are as follows Having men- tioned a speech of Mr Parnell's, when that gentleman alluded to the position of Austria and Hungary in connection with Imperial Federation, Lord Salisbury continued, "I am bound to say that in regard to Ireland I have never seen any plan or any suggestion that will give me the slightest grounds for anticipating that it is in that direction that we shall find any satisfactory solution of the Irish problem." If anyone will compare these two statements they can only arrive at one conclusion, viz., that Mr Gladstone who, of course, had the above speech under his eye, deliberately misrepresented it, and applied Lord Salisbury words in their exact contrary sense. In the Dopping incident we had a speci- men of the inventive genius of the G.O.M., but he has fairly outdone himself on the pre- sent occasion, and the worst is that such political immorality is contagious, and the disease has already broken out though in a mild form at Aberayron in the person of Mr J. M. Howell. We are sorry for Mr Howell, and had thought his constitution sufficiently strong to resist such ailments, and as there is no disinfectant equal as to the light of day, we draw attention to the matter. Mr Howell apparently laboured under the impression that the grants to the three Welsli Colleges had been given by the Gladstonian government, but a letter from Lord Aberdare corrected this wrong impression. In humble imitation of his great chief, Mr Howell then set himself to make the best of a bad case, and informed his audience that "of the112,000 now enjoyed by AVales for their higher educa- tion, £10,500 were given by the Liberal government. There was just enough truth in this statement to save Mr Howell, and to gain his end, viz., the disparagement of the Unionists. Had Mr Howell entered into a fuller explanation the facts would have told against him in his own county, where he is now engaged in supporting the candidature of an alien in blood and language, against Mr William Jones, who is a true Cardi in every characteristic, and to whose denomination we owe the fact that Cardiganshire led the van of Welsh Collegiate Education. Now let us see how much Cardiganshire has to thank Mr Gladstone for. At great personal sacrifice private individuals supplied the crying wants of Wales by establishing the Aberystwyth 0 y College, which got into working order in 1872. Mr Howell alluded to a Departmental com- mittee enquiry," and was quite right in say- ing that it was granted by the Liberal govern- ment. What did it report? It recom- mended grants to be made to two Welsh Colleges only (Cardiff and Bangor). It n t5 ignored the county and college that pioneered ZD the great work nay, worse, it insulted Cardi- 0 ganshire and its College by the offer of grant of X2,000, afterwards raised to Y,2,500, 5 given under onerous conditions and to be held until the other colleges got into working order. No wonder that the college annals record an outburst of indignation amongst its friends. As Lord A berdare stated July 17th, 1888, when the colleges of Bangor and Cardiff were decided on the Government intimated the in- tention of withdrawing this allowance. While Lord Cranbrook and Mr Stanhope were at the head of the Education Depart- ment, the Unionist Government placed Aberystwyth College on the same footing as the other Colleges, by giving a Charter and a permanent grant of £ 4,000 a year. Since that date the Unionist Government have given additional grants towards Agricultural Education, and the formation of a Normal Teachers Department. Why did not Mr Howell go further and tell us what the Gladstonians have done for Intermediate and Free Education 7 Free Education is now making itself felt in the country not only are parents the richer by abolition of fees, but the ratepayers in most parishes are the gainers of considerable sums under this Act. Who passed it ? The Unionists. As to Intermediate Education, of course, Welsh members may claim some credit for moving in the matter, but had it not been foi- tile sympathy and assistance of the Unionist Government the Bill could never have become Law. What could a handful of Welsh members have done against a Government with a majority of 100 ? Now, which party has done the most for the educational advantages of the poor district of Cardiganshire and central Wales ? Glad- stonians or Unionists ? Judge for yourselves electors, and vote accordingly.

FREEHOLDERS—BEFORE VOTING PAUSE AWHILE. It is an open secret that a laige number of Welsli yeomen have raised money on mortgage for the purchase of land, in some instances almost to its full value. You are now being asked to vote for Gladstonian candidates with the first object of granting Home Rule to 1 C5 Ireland. In hopes of gaining votes all these candidates also advocate a reform of the present land tenure in England on the lines of the Irish system. Such a measure could only lead to one result-a sharp fall in the value of land. Your mortgagees would immediately question the value of their security, they would find it depreciated, they would call up their money, and you would have to sell at a ruinous loss. The mortgagees, who are mostly your own countrymen, would also be sufferers. Again, Gladstonian candidates seek to catch m votes in the manufacturing districts by com- C5 miserating the electors upon the price of articles of consumption—meat, butter, bread, cheese and other products of your labour. Both of these classes of candidates have the impudence to come before you as the farmers' friends, while they really are seeking to cut down your profits, to lessen your incomes, and to deprive you of your capital.

LAWYERS AND CANDIDATES. There are only 30 seats in Wales, and no less than 14 lawyers (of sorts) are talking themselves hoarse in an endeavour to gain their full share of them. Many of these men have no connection whatever with the constituencies they aspire to represent, and they cannot pretend to have any interest in the electors, unless a selfish one. Lawyers are proverbially careful of their own interests, and their desire for Parliamentary honours is in most instances part of a plan for personal advancement. Stipendiary magistrates, County Court Judgeships, the Bench, and even the crowning ambition of the profession, the Lord Chancellorship, are all, unfortunately, con- nected with political influence. If these gentle- men would subscribe to a self-denying ordinance' and pledge themselves to accept none of the above mentioned offices, we should have more faith in their political purity. It is rather dread- ful for peaceful people to reflect that one-fifth of the late Parliament was composed of lawyers. Cardiganshire is a peculiarly Conservative county, in one sense of the word; its people cling together and pride themselves on being Cardies in distinction to the rest of the Princi- pality. During the last six years they have been represented by Mr Bowen Rowlands, a native of Pembrokeshire, and a successful London lawyer. Mr Rowlands has no connection with Cardigan- shire he does not speak the language, and cannot with decency pretend that 0 he understand the wants of her agricultural population he is bound to form his opinions by those of a small knot of Aberystwyth politicians who have stuffed him down the throats of the electors. Mr Rowlands lives in great style in the most fashionable suburb of London. Cardiganshire, to which he owes everything, never sees his face except when on election bent. His interest,even politically, is strikingly shewn by the fact that although living permanently in London, he or.ly troubled to attend 168 out of 415 divisions during 1891. Opposed to Mr Rowlands is a man who, as the Rev Thomas Levi tells us, is a credit to the country, a bright example to be followed. Mr W Jones is not only a thorough-bred Cardi, but he is a man of the people. He has gone through the hard struggle of life, and by the law of Natural selection" has made a name and a position. His wealth he spends wisely, and not in luxurious living and personal pleasure. Though business attracted him to the land of the Saxon, his heart remained in his native country, with which he never lost his connection, and which has benefitted largely by his successful labour, :and benefitted at a time when, on Mr Levi's testimony, he had no thought of entering Parliament. A conscientious dread of Mr Glad- stone's Irish policy has driven Mr Jones into the political field, and Cardiganshire may well be proud that she can boast of a candidate who is truly actuated by conscientious motives in seek- ing election. If Cardiganshire electors are in any way guided by tneir professed princi- ples or by their cherished traditions, they must vote for Mr W. Jones who, in heart and soul, is. one of themselves. One with them in blood and sympathy one with them in their struggles and trials, hopes and aspirations. The motives of Mr Jones in seeking election are pure aud honest, unlike those Gladstonians who, according to the South Wales Daily News, are now supplying large sums in hopes of ad- vancement-iii plain language, buying peerages.

THE REY. THOMAS LEVI AND MR WILLIAM JONES. The Rev. Thomas Levi, of Aberystwyth, is too well-known in the Principality to need eulogism. His name is a bye-word in the Methodist con- nection and justly so his ability and many good qualities have won him a position that may well be envied. To be the leader of thought in so im- portant a denomination is no small consideration. In Cardiganshire he wields a power which cannot be exaggerated. Perhaps the work which has contributed the most to gain Mr Levi his popu- larity is the interest which he takes in the nsiuflf generation, and the service which he has rendered to them by his writings in the Trysorfa y Plant, "the children's treasury." A most appropriate title, ilie good tone of this publica- tion and the principles inculcated by it, and the opinions expressed are worthy of serious con- sideration by persons of all ages. Mr Levi, in his publication, gives good portraits of noted Welshmen, of course, selecting the most pro- minent and useful men to hold up as examples to his readers. In the February issue of the 1 reasury, there appeared a biography of Mr Wro. Jones, of Tregaron. Mr Levi drew special attention to the advantages to be gained by a study of Mr Jones's character, and as Mr Levi is of all men the best fitted to discern the good qualities of the present Unionist candidate for ^rdiganshire, we think it advisable to give as wide a circulation as possible to his testimony. We, therefore, publish the biography in another column.