The South Wales Star

THE WELSH NATIONAL MOVEMENT. & IMPORTANT POLITICAL MEETING AT CADOXTON, BARRY. SPEECHES BY MESSRS. D. LLOYD GEORGE, M.P., AND A. J. WILLIAMS, M.P. THE ALLEGED DISUNION IN THE WELSH PARTY. A VIGOROUS DENIAL. ——— i L BY OUR OWN REPORTERS.] At the Market-hall, Cadoxton, Barry, on Thurs- day evening last, a large, representative and enthusiastic meeting was held under the auspices of the Barry and Cadoxton Young Wales Society for the purpose of hearing addresses on the Welsh National movement from Messrs. D. Lloyd George, M.P., and Arthur J. Williams. M.P. In view of the current rumours alleging disunion to exist in the ranks of the Welsh Parliamentary Party, more especially upon Mr. Alfred Thomas' Welsh National Institutions' Bill, important utterances wero anticipated from the speakers, consequently keener and much additional interest was centred in the proceedings. The chair was taken by the president of the Young Wales Society, Mr. W. Llewelyn Williams, B.A., editor of the South Wales Star, and there were present in support of the chairman and the two hon. members (who were accorded a most appreciative reception on appearing on the platform) the following :— j Alderman J. C. Meggitt (Barry), Councillor W. Fpickett (Pontypridd). Mrs. W. LI. Williams, Dr. P. J. O'Donnell, Dr. W. Lloyd Edwards, Revs. J. W. Matthews (secretary of the Young Wales Society), W. Tibbott, W. Williams, G. LI. Williams, and L. Ton Evans, and Messrs. Rees Phillips (treasurer), F. W. Taylor (secretary of the Barry and Cadoxton Liberal Association), Lewis Lewis, D. W. Savours (Rhoose), J. D. Davies (lago Geler), J. Rees (secretary of the Barry Trades Council), Crilead Brock (treasurer, ditto), Tom Thomas (assistant secretary ditto). Daniel Evans. J. Meikle, H. Morgan. C. Howe, Inspector Rees, Love, J. R. Llewellyn. E. R. Evans (Pontypridd), D. Morgan, J. Jones. B. Davies.&c.. &c. The CHAIRMAN, who was heartily applauded on rising to open the proceedings, said that the meeting having been called more especially by the Young Wales Society of Barry and Cadoxton, they expected hearing some- thing from their respected member, Mr. Arthur J. Williams (Cheers), and Mr. Lloyd George (Cheers), with regard to the Welsh National movement. (Hear, hear). They heard, he was afraid, rather too little of that movement in political speeches in Wales to-day. He knew that Mr. Lloyd George was doing steady work, not only in the House of Commons and in his own constituency, but all over North Wales. (Cheers.) But his visits to that part were rather like angels' visits, few and far between. (Laughter.) He was afraid their near- ness to the cosmopolitan town of Cardiff had made people believe that their was not a strong Welsh feeling existing in Barry. That was his idea for a long time, and it was only when he came to know the people better that he came to know how earnestly they were in sympathy with the aspira- tions of the Young Wales party. (Applause.) At the same time he thought more ought to be known as to what the real object of the Young vVales movement was. Let him say first of all. that he did not consider it meant Wales for the Welsh. (Hear, hear). There was nothing that they scorned so inuch as that allegation which was made against them. (Hear, hear). They would not like for one moment for people to think that they hated England or Englishmen, or overlooked the many noble traits in the English character. They believed it was true that England had a noble mission in the world to perform. (Hear, hear). But they (the Welsh people) said the mission of England was not to Anglicise the world and to crush out every nation- ality but her own. but to give fair and free scope to every nation that it came in contact with. (Cheers). The old idea of a world-wide and uniform church system had disappeared for ever, and he thought the idea that had been growing through the great centralization in France and on the continent generally, and in England, that some time or other there would be one great world-wide uniform nationality would also disappear exactly as that old world idea of the church had disappeared. (Hear, hear.) Musicians told us that there was beauty and charm in unison. They said the same. But musicians would also tell us that there was more beauty and charm in harmony than in unison. (Applause.) They (the Welsh people) maintained that they could develope the national character- istics of Wales. Scotland, Ireland and England to- gether they did not need to clash in any way. Welshmen would be better subjects of the English Crown if their national characteristics were de- veloped. And he maintained this, that if they tried to manufacture Welshmen into Englishmen, they manufactured very bad Englishmen. Laugh- ter and hear, hear.) If, on the other hand, they allowed Welshmen to develope in their own way they would ba good subjects of the English Crown. (Cheers.) In conclusion, the speaker said that they had attended that night to hear speeches from two of the leading Welsh members, Mr. Arthur Williams, one of the whips—(applause)—and Mr. Lloyd George, who had been aptly termed by Mr. Stuart Rendel as the Benjamin of the Welsh party. (Applause.) He had now much pleasure in calling upon Mr. Lloyd George to address them, and he was sure they would accord him a hearty welcome. (Cheers). Mr. D. LLOYD GEORGE was received with loud and prolonged applause on rising to address the meeting. Commencing to speak in English, there were loud cries of Cymraeg," which led the hon. member to remark that inas- much as they all understood English, and there were several gentlemen present who did not understand Welsh, it would be manifestly unfair if he spoke in Welsh. (Hear, hear.) Con- tinuing the speaker said that it afforded him much pleasure to come down to that district to appear on the same platform as his friend, Mr. Arthur Williams, not that he thought there was the slightest necessity for his requiring the assistance of anyone else to support his candidature at the coming election. (Hear, hear.) He did not believe that anyone for a moment seriously doubted that Mr. Williams would be triumphantly returned when the time came. (Cheers.) He had read a very interesting article that day in the \Yextern Mail as he came down, upon the prospects of Mr. Williams's opponent. (Laughter.) Of course it was the duty of the Western Mail to crow. It was its function to crow about the prospects and the probable success of Conservatives candidates, and it was only natural that the writer talked about the undoubted prosperity of the Conservative cause in that constituency. But he (the speaker) thought if they got hold of the writer's private opinion about his article Mb would agree that it was the greatest bunkum that ever appeared in the (Laughter.) He also observed that the Western Mail, amongst other exaggera- tions, had made out Mr. Williams to be a very old man. (Laughter.) Well, up to that moment, he had certainly regarded him as a spruce young man, perhaps slightly on the shady side of thirty (laughter) — and with all the ardour and enthusiasm which pertained to youth about him. (Laughter, and hear, hear.) He noticed that Mr. Williams, in an excellent speech he delivered the other day, said he grew more Radical year by year. (Applause.) He (the speaker) really did not know where their member would land in if he went on in that way. (Laughter.) That accounted for the fact that he had not the proper reverence for ancient institutions in the country-the House of Lords for instance. (Laughter and groans.) He (the speaker) observed that Mr. Williams uttered most iconoclast sentiments about that institution, and he would not wonder that by and bye he would speak in a similar manner about deans and bishops—(laughter)—and when he did that he would be incorrigible. (Loud laughter.) To whatsver section of the Liberal party they as Welsh members belonged, he was always glad to feel that they believed heartily in co-operating with each'other in the House. They had heard rumours of dissension, of strifes and wrangling amongst them. He asked tham not to give the slightest heed to these statements. (Hear, hear.) When he entered the House of Commons he had seen innuendoes and winks that implied that the Welsh members were all at daggers. He expected to see them flying at each others' throats, and challenging each other to mortal combat. Now, that was not the case. (Hear, hear.) Of course they had dissensions and differences of opinion, as they always would have amo Igdt men of independent judgment who were able to think for themselves. Tories never dis- agread because judgment was not necessary with J e, them. (Laughter and cheers.) If they had simply sufficient intelligence to distinguish which lobby the whip was pointing in the direction of, that was about all they required to make admirable Tory members. (Laughter.) The less they knew over and above that, the better members they were from a party point of view. (Renewed laughter.) But in a party which required some independence of judgment, which had to consider the difficult problems which arose from time to time for settlement, and which had to arrive at a determination upon these problems, they neces- sarily would have some differences of opinion. But he had always discovered amongst the Welsh members that, notwithstanding differences of opinion, after the reasonable debate of these differences, they had generally arrived at the same conclusion with the utmost unanimity and cor- diality. (Cheers.) Then came the quesion, how had the rumours he had referred to arisen ? He would tell them. The chairman knew very well that there was such a thing as copy in journalism. He would tell them what it was, Copy was any good matter which was prepared for the columns of the newspaper. A good reporter and an efficient reporter had an eye for those things, and knew what would suit the palate of the readers, and what was the sort of stuff that was likely to take. Con- sequently, when he got a striking item, he put it in his copy. Well, now, the dwelling together of brethren in peace and unity might furnish matter for a beautiful psalm, but it made very poor copy. (Lauffhter.) Although in 99 cases out of 100 the Welsh members agreed, the public would never sea anything about that in the columns of the papers, for the reason that it was not exciting matter. They had very often discovered that a scene in the House of Commons, which, probably, did not take half an hour during the whole time it expired, occupied a larger share in the Parliamentary reports in the newspapers than the whole of the rest of the proceedings, although they might occupy twelve hours. That was for the same reason exactly—that it made interesting copy. Peace was commonplace it was only strife that was sensational, and, therefore, the latter was more popular with the Reporters' Gallery. That was the pure explanation of all the rumours and reports which they had heard lately of strife and dissension and disagreement amongst Welsh members. (Hear, hear.) There was practically the greatest cordiality amongst them as a body. (Applause.) The greatest rumours had arisen about Mr. Alfred Thomas's Bill. (Hear, hear.) As long as he (the speaker) was at Barry, he must necessarily take his politics from the South Wales .Star-(applause)-especially as its very able editor was in the chair to keep him in order. (Laughter and applause.) He would like to be allowed to express his testimony to the high regard in which it was as a journal regarded by the Welsh members who had come in contact with it. (Cheers.) It was, undoubtedly, a journal of an exceedingly high order. It was just the very thing that they required down in South Wales— (hear, hear)-in order to raise the national banner in districts where it had been flagging for some time. (Hear, hear.) With regard to Mr. Thomas's Bill there had been some disagreement. Of course there had. It was a question of the utmost moment—the question of granting local self- government to Wales. (Hear. hear.) That was the first attempt to formulate the Welsh demands in anything like a Bill. They could not expect 25 members to agree upon detail of a measure of that importance, which had only been before the public for a year or two, and naturally therefore upon minutiae and details they had disagreements. But about the main principle-the desirability of extending local self-government to Wales, there had not been the slightest doubt cast upon that principle in any of the meetings of the party. (Cheers.) What was the demand which was made on behalf of Wales ? It was simply this. Of course, he need not assure them that it was nothing in the character of a desire for separation from any other parts of the Empire. Such a thoroughly preposterous scheme had never been advanced on behalf of any Welsh Nationalist. It was simply a demand that in matters pertaining exclusively to Wales that Welshmen should not only have a voice, but the dominating voice. (Cheers.) Any question, for instance, such as the deep sea fisheries, and the fresh water fisheries of Wales, the agriculture of Wales, the question of the management of crown lands in Wales, education in Wales, and matters of that description which pertained exclusively to the Welsh people, and the Welsh people alone, they simply demanded that they should have the control over those matters, at least in the first instance. (Hear, hear.) What were the objections which were raised to that demand. He daresay they had heard them. They came from a district where the objections had obtained greater prominence than in any other part of Wales. The first objection which was raised was this that, by a policy of isolation, they might, to a. certain extent, injure or tamper with the trade of large towns like Cardiff and Barry. There was a complete answer to that. In the first place, it was not proposed, in the national self- government scheme, to deal with trade. The second answer was this Did it not stand to reason that if the conferring upon Wales of national self- government would affect commerce at all, it would simply affect it in this way-that men would naturally place confidence in a people who were considered fit to govern themselves than in a people who did not consider themselves fit for such functions. Có Hear. hear," and cheers.) They had heard that long word" cosmopolitan," which was often used in regard to a town like Cardiff. It was cosmopolitan. They had men of all nationali- ties—they had men of most diverse interests, and interests of very wide and great importance but, after all, New York was much more cosmopolitan, and New York had a separate Legislature of her own. In New York they had powers which Welsh- men would be perfectly satisfied if they had them in Wales, and he had never heard that the Legis- lature in New York had interfered with the pros- perity of that great town. (Cheers.) Let them examine the question more closely in order to dis- cover what preposterous objections there were to the granting of autonomy to Wales They had power in that district to look after their own streets. He did not know whether they had similar power in regard to the gas supply. (" No.") Did the powers they already possessed interfere with their trade ? Had they ever heard of a foreign vessel which refused to turn into Barry because the people were allowed to look after the management of their own streets ? Of course not. (Hear, hear.) Then, suppose they had the audacity to ask for the power of controlling their own gas supply, and tramways, would that scare away commerce? Certainly not. They had simply ito .examine the question to see that there was nothing in the proposal of Welsh Home Rule which would for a moment, or in the slightest degree, damage the trade of great towns like Barry and Cardiff. There was another objection which was sometimes raised, and that was this if they placed the whole control of the question in the hands of a national council they would not appeal to an impartial tribunal. There was absolutely 'nothing whatever in the second objection. It was at the present moment a farce to say that they were dealing with an impartial tribunal. When there was any local question before the House which affected any one portion of the British com- munity. did they think that the whole of the 670 members remained in the House to listen to the arguments and talk upon them ? Nothing of the kind. If a Welsh question came before the House there were very few English, Scotch or Irish members present and practically the whole discussion would be carried on between the Welsh members, and the officials said they could see that they were not appealing to the British House of Commons, but to the officials of Parliament, and they were always the worst class they ever could appeal to. (Cheers.) They were not ia favour of decentrali- zation or Home Rule. Mr. G eorge then proceeded to give arguments in favour of the measure, and proceeded to prove that it would only be justice to the Welsh peoplo, and that it would not I affect the rest of the Empire. But the officials knew that if Home Rule was granted to one nation the others would ask for it, and they shelved the question with the excuse that they had not the time at their disposal to deal with the question. (Laughter.) At the present moment the Imperial Parliament had no time to attend to I the various interests of every part of the great community, and it was very rarely that the Welsh members obtained an opportunity to give vent to their grievances, although they got more now than they used to. They could not bring the special claims of Wales before Parliament because Wales after all was a very insignificant part of the Empire, and, in fact, Parliament had no time to attend to these things so he contended that the first thing to be done was to relieve Parliament of some of the duties it had at present to discharge. In that manner the passing of a Home Rule Bill would be a benefit to the Princi- pality and a corresponding benefit to the Empire for then the Imperial Parliament would have a proper time to matters Imperial in their character. (Applause.) Proceeding to deal with the matter of Nationality, the speaker said that Providence divided the inhabitants of the British Isles into four nationalities, and Providence understood its business better than the English Parliament. Wales was a nation when Englishmen were feed- is ing swine for their Norman conquerors. (Laughter and cheers.) There was a policy in this country known as unionism, which would decree that there should be but one Nationality in this country. Nations were neither made nor unmade by Acts of Parliament. (Cheers.) Bulgarians did not become Turks because Lord Salisbury happened to be Foreign Minister, and desired them to be so. (Hear, hear.) Irishmen did not become Hottentots because the same statesman's nephew had treated them as such. (Applause.) And Wales would not cease to be Wales because the same statesman had scorned her because she was small, and had contemptuously applied to her the maxim of ile minimis non. (Loud cheers.) Wales was a nation centuries and centuries ago. They were conquered seven or eight centuries ago, but still they were a nation. (Cheers.) Every attempt had been made to stamp out their Nationality, and yet their old language was as alive and as full of vitality in the hills and dells of Wales as it was in the days of Llewellyn. (Loud cheers.) For centuries the life of the nation had been going on with the same vigour, and with the same strength of pulse, and it was beating with the same vigour and vitality and life to-day as it ever had been. After all they coald not stamp out a nation; they could not stamp out j the life of a nation in the way in which English statesmen had attempted it in regard to Wales. He would like to point out that although they had practically been incorporated with England as far as laws and institutions were concerned in Wales, their aspirations to-day and demands were separate and distinctly national. There was a stream in the east of Europe which entered a huge lake. It pursued its course through that lake without mixing its waters, and it came out at the other end the same as it entered. That was the course of Welsh nationality through the great life of Britain. It entered it centuries ago it had never mingled with its waters, and it came out as pure and as undiluted to-day as when it entered it centuries ago. (Cheers.) A nation with such characteristics as Wales would never have been planned out in that country unless Providence destined some separate existence fori3, Wales had a separate mission of her own, and the only way in which she was to perform it was by allowing her the opportunity to attend to her own national business and duties. He would like to point out r to them that they were not going to get measures of that character, or measures such as the Dis- establishment of the Church in Wales, and the re- form of the land laws in Wales, by simply demand- ing them. Wales after all must exert herself. (Hear, hear.) She must organize and strive she must sacrifiice and she must suffer. (Hear, hear.) They were sometimes astonished when they re- called the incidents of the past few years, at the wonderful strides which had been made by Irish- men. Such results, however, had not been obtained ty the mere asking. There had been great strain- ing in Ireland. There had been great sacrifices, and it was because of those sacrifices, and after enormous exertion, that they had come within reach of the boon which for centuries they had been struggling for in vain. They were patriotic enough in Wales. There was no doubt that the Welshman's love of his country was as intense as any man on God's earth for his own country. (Applause.) But he did not know that Welshmen had ever organised in the manner that they ought to have done. They had a Young Wales Society at Barry, but he had no doubt that its membership was not as numerous as it ought to be. Welshmen ought to be prepared to sacrifice something for the sake of attaining the great measure they needed. After all. it was perfectly true in politics, as in everything else, that success was simply the reward of toil, of exertion, and of sacrifice. Until they organised, and until they strived and strained and exerted themselves, they might rest assured that they would not succeed in bringing about the legislative success which they otherwise deserved. He did not know whether they took any interest in the question of Disestab- lishment there. (Loud cheers.) He was glad to see that they were of the same opinion as the Welsh people in the north upon that particular question. (Renewed cheers.) Of course it was no use arguing the question, for everyone had made up his mind about it. The only thing to be done was to see by means of organization that men were returned to the House of Commons who were prepared to go the length of voting against any party who would refuse to concede that measure. (Loud applause.) They were bound to move that question out of the way before they could go on with the other great questions which were awaiting settlement, such as, for instance, the question of national self-government. Did they consider that Sir Morgan Morgan—(hisses)— was the man who was going to assist them to get Disestablishment ? Another great argument in favour of Disestablishment had been mentioned to him by the chairman in the course of an interest- ing conversation that he had with him before the meeting. The Establishment was a barrier to the unity of Welshmen with regard to other matters. (Loud applause.) They would find excellent Nationalists in theJEstablished Church. At the present moment these men con- sidered themselves bound by reason of their Ecclesiastical connection to oppose the party which was at the present moment promoting the national aspirations and ideals of the country. But the moment they disestablished the Church and re- moved the barrier, they would find those excellent church nationalist co-operating in the most hearty degree with Nonconformists. (Applause.) It was undoubtedly the best thing for the Church itself. (Hear, hear.) No church could hope to succeed which was not in sympathy with the race amongst whom its work was carried on. No church could hope to succeed which was simply an offshoot of another national church. It must be a church which was in conformity with the idiosyncrasies and characteristics of the nation in which it dwelt. Churchmen claimed that their church was the successor of the ancient British Church. The ancient British Church was the one which refused to acknowledge the hardship of Canterbury or the domination Englishmen in regard to'spiritual matters at all. (Hear, hear.) He could tell them another important distinction. Bishops and arch- bishops were elected by the people at their great popular assemblies. (Hear, hear.) One result of the Disestablishment would be that the Church in Wales was certain to repudiate the present alien supremacy herself, and then she would be in more thorough spmpathy with Welshmen, and it was from that day that her success and prosperity in this country would commence. After all when that would come about they might depend upon it that the national love of its church instead of floating from the floods of Canterbury, and becoming stagnant in pool and morass and poisoning the pure atmosphere of our country, would emanate straight from the hills in deepening torrent, which would purify its waters and fertilise and beautify the valleys throughout which its course ran. (Loud cheers.) Mr. ARTHUR J. WILLIAMS, M.P., congratulated the meeting upon the treat they had just enjoyed by listening to Mr. Lloyd George. He did not think they could get a better specimen of Young Wales. (Cheers.) He was one of the Welshmen who were going to carry out the Welsh programme. (Hear, hear.) It was to such men as he they must look to in the future, and he was almost certain that Mr. George and his able colleagues had the support of the people of Wales (Applause.) He echoed every word which the hon. member had said with reference to the Welsh party. It was a united party—united by a feeling, not merely of common duty and common interest, but by a hearty and harmonious desire by consultation, by conference, and discussion, to find oue-first, what were the needs of Wales and, secondly, how best they could get what was wanted, and how to get it done most speedily and effectively. That was the duty of the members for Wales. (Cheers.) There was not the slightest ground for the suggestion that they were to-day less animated by that cordial feeling which bound them together, (Hear, hear.) If they looked back upon the history of Wales for the past few years—and there was no harm in that-they would, find that more had been done by the Welsh members during the past ten years than had been done during the previous century and a half. (Hear, hear.) Even the Welsh members could not claim all the credit for what had been done. The progress they had made was due to the fact that by the united efforts of the Liberal party throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, the people had obtained the right to elect representatives of their own for Parliament. This was the first fundamental step which helped them to give expression to their aspirations, and to disenthral themselves from the ascendancy of the landlords. (Cheers.) From the moment they were able to give expression to the feeling and desires which had been crushed by Tory ascendancy, from that moment they were free and began to give voice to the wants of Wales. (Hear, hear.) Then came the happy time when they found a united band of Welsh members in the House of Commons. (Cheers.) It was a curious fact, of which his friend, Mr. Lloyd George, was not aware, that a relation of his (Mr. Arthur Williams) in the borough of Cardiff was the first Noncon- formist Liberal who ever sat in the House of Commons. (Cheers.) The Welsh members had been taught an object lesson by their Irish col- leagues, and they began to see that the first step towards doing their work properly was to be united, and it was by concerted action and friendly (conferences and discussion that each step had been gained during the past ten years. (Hear, hear.) They had obtained for themselves a system of educatioa#which was claimed by the Tory Party of to-day as the work they had done for Wales. Did they think that the Welsh Intermediate Education Bill would be theirs had it not been for the united action of the Welsh members. (Cries of No," and hear, hear.) When the Bill was introduced it was not worth the paper on which it was printed. The Bill was brought into Committee, and there they sat day after day carefully considering its clauses, and bringing all their intelligence to bear on the details. (Cheers.) This was the only way in which Wales could carry OR the great work it had to do, and the results far exceed even the sanguine expectations of many ardent Welshmen. (Hear, hear.) Referring to the question of Local Self- Government, Mr. Williams said that the House of Commons as at present constituted would never be able to fulfil its duties until a large measure of self-government had been given to the country. The measure which had been passed by the Tories was a skeleton which had been taken from the Radical pigeon hole", and as far back as 1888 before the second reading of the Bill he gave expression to his views on the matter in the columns of a Cardiff paper, and pointed out the mischief caused by withholding from Wales the duty and responsibility of dealing with important local affairs, which could only be properly dealt with locally by representative local councils of such authority and importance that it would be an object of natural and just ambition to take part in the work. Wales especially needed such a body, for it had special and peculiar wants which could only be adequately dealt with within her own borders, and by her own people. Men who posed as statesmen had recently ridiculed these wants as sentimental grievances. They had yet to learn what national sentiment meant, and what forces it could exert when it under-liad the natural and wholesome instinct for self-Govern- ment in intelligent and educated communities. (Cheers.) He was afraid he had been guilty of some indiscretion himself when he made that assertion. (Laughter.) Deeply impressed with this convicHon he ventured at the end of the last Parliament to put forward shortly what. in his judgment, should satisfy Wales in the following propositions :— That no measure of self-government for Wales would be acceptable which did not provide there should not be any established religion or any endow- ment of religion by the State within the Principality; that a representative provincial government for Wales should have complete control over all educational and public religious endowments within the Principality that it should be invested with full power to establish systems of intermediate and free education; that, sub- ject to conditions which might be imposed by the principal Act (constituting this provincial govern- ment) it should be invested with the requisite powers for enabling tenants of lands and houses to acquire the interest of the landlord at such prices as would be asked by a willing vendor for tin acquisition, on the like terms, of the purchase of any land required for allotments, small holdings, workmen's cottages, or for works of public utility; for the regulation and control of all existing railways, canals, docks, harbours, and works of public utility throughout the Principality; of the acquisition of all or any such railways, canals, docks, harbours, and works on the terms prescribed by Mr. Gladstone in the 25th Section of the Railways Regulation Act 1844, or on such terms as should be prescribed by the principal Act, and for authorising with all necessary powers, the con- struction, either by private corporations or public bodies, of my railways, canals, docks, harbours, or works of public utility. As far as his experience went he could see that the decentralisation of government was needed, not only in the interest of Wales, but in the interest of the whole kingdom., for it would be expedient to relieve Parliament of this local work which now occupied so much of its time, and which they knew could be done infinitely better for them- selves if they had the power to deal with these questions themselves. In order to obtain these re- sults the first thing- they had to do would be to turn out the present Government. (Cheers.) The late Richard Cobden had said that in order to attain great things they had to do, or try to do, one thing at a time, and to that one thing, particu- larly if it was a matter of supreme importance, they would have to direct all their energy, ability and resources. (Cheers.) He considered that the first thing he had to do was to increase his own majority as an expression of opinion of the Welsh people in favour of a Liberal administra- tion. The next thing to be done was to win every Tory seat in Wales. These would only be initial steps, and then they could expect their wants to be put not only on the Liberal programme, but on the Statute Book as well. (Hear, hear.) Then they could expect the State Church which separated the Welsh people into one great voluntary majority, and into another not unimportant minority, and the two sections become one great co-operative force if they could only strike away the shackles which bound down the Church. (Hear, hear.) The next great question about which there must be a difference in the details would be the grea.t question of de- centralization but when they had touched upon it critically, he had no doubt that, after friendly conferences, with the main object and desire of carrying out the wishes of their electors, they would find the great question settled in the near future, and their representatives would be as true to them as they were true to themselves and to each other. (Applause.) Dr. W. LLOYD-EDWARDS, in an able speech, moved the following resolution That this meeting wishes to express its conviction that the time has arrived when a measure of self- government should be conceded to Wales, empowering Welshmen to deal with interests exclusively affecting their country. (Applause.) The Rev. W. WILLIAMS seconded, and said they had been well paid for coming there that evening, and he believed that all present were of one mind as to the need for Home Rule for Wales. (Cheers.) Alderman J. C. MEGGITT supported the resolu- tion. and said that although he did not belong to the Young Wales Party yet he was in thorough sympathy with their aspirations. He believed that there should be Home Rule in each country over all purely local affairs but matters which appertained to the general interest of the Empire should be dealt with by the Imperial Parliament. (Hear, hear.) Looking upon the question from a business point of view, it would be better for Parlia- ment to be relieved from these local affairs. (Cheers.) In conclusion he hoped that all sections of the Liberal party in the district would be thoroughly united, and would return their hon. member with a very much larger majority than in 1886. (Loud cheers.) Councillor W. SPICKETT, Pontypridd, also supported the resolution, and said that as a true Welshman he was a supporter of a certain measure of Home Rule for Wales. (Hear, hear.) The resolution was then put to the meeting and carried with acclammation. Rev. J. W. MATTHEWS then moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Arthur J. Williams and Mr. Lloyd George for their attendance and for their able speeches that evening. They would all agree with him that they had had a rare treat. and they had been told that they needed organisation, such organisations, he believed, as the Barry and Cadoxton Young Wales Party. (Hear, hear.) That party was only an infant, but he hoped that it would soon assume immense proportions for duriag the past two months they had enrolled 50 new members. (Applause.) Dr. O'DONNELL seconded this motion, and said he was proud to think that the Irish members had taught a lesson to their Welsh brethren. He also was in hearty sympathy with the aspirations of Young Wales, andi would do his best to support the party in that district. (Loud applause.) The resolution was then carried amid loud cheering. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE responded in Welsh, and moved a vote of thanks to the chairman, who, he said, had done good work for Wales already. (Hear. hear.) He had made a mark for himself already in journalism, and ranked amongst the foremost journalists in the Principality. (Cheers.) The South Wales Star already sent its rays to North Wales, and its brilliant light had illuminated the dark windows of St. Stephen's. (Loud applause.) Mr. ARTHUR J. WILLIAMS seconded, and ex- plained that, although he had been called the Whip of the Welsh party," this he believed to be a misnomer, for all he had to do was to call the party together to discuss political questions apper- taining to Wales. (Hear, hear.)