The London Welshman

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not for these importations there would be very little crime indeed to record in Wales. Merioneth to be Coerced. There is something exceedingly cowardly in the threats of Lord Londonderry and Sir W. Anson to coerce Merioneth into adopting the so-called Education Act." Ninety-six per cent. of the Merioneth people object to this Act. We don't want it," they say. "It is opposed to our principles. And we never asked for it." Then Messrs. Londonderry and Anson state You are bound to have it. And if you refuse, we will get the police to shove it down your throats." The very shame of it! Suppose somebody told this supercilious Lord: "Here, you must pay for such and such a thing." But I don't want it; my conscience will not allow me to take it," Lord Londonderry might say. Then we will make you take it;" would be the rejoinder. And what would be Lord Londonderry's reply? He would undoubtedly fight. And so will Merioneth. Where, then, is the "inconsistency" of the Merioneth County Council ? Taxation must be accompanied with popular control. That is a cardinal point in every form of good government. Rural Labourers' Pay. A report published the other day by the Board of Trade, giving the wages, yearly earnings, and conditions of employment of the agricultural labourers of the United Kingdom, is interesting reading. The figures show that the average earnings per week of the Welsh rural labourer is higher than that paid to the rural labourers in either England or Ireland, but slightly less than the amount paid to those in Scotland. Here is a summary Increase compared 1902. with 1898. s. d. s. d. England 17 5 o 8 Wales 17 7 I x Scotland 19 5 1 3 Ireland. 10 9 o 7 I may add that the above weekly averages include cash wages and the value of all allow- ances in kind. Enterprising Barry. The other day I was in Barry-the scene of an interesting educational fight just now-and could not help being struck with the spirit of enter- prise that seemed to be everywhere abroad in this enterprising Welsh town. At present, Barry forms part of the Customs port of Cardiff, but there is a movement on foot for separation, and if that is brought about, Barry will become the largest coal exporting centre in the world. At present, the Barry exports are included with those of Cardiff, although the amount of coal actually shipped at Barry Dock annually, is larger than that shipped at Cardiff Docks in the same period. This summer, Barry is to in- augurate a Channel pleasure steamer service, and, on Saturday, the first of the two new boats was launched at Clydebank. She was, Welsh- men will be pleased to learn, christened "Gwalia," and is certified to carry about 1,400 passengers. The magnificent new flour mills of Messrs. Rank are also nearing completion. They will give an important impetus to, the trade of the port. Welshmen for English Constituencies. Never, probably, in the history of the country have there been so many Welshmen standing as Parliamentary Candidates for English con- stituencies. Mr. Williams, the Liberal Candidate for Chorley, and Mr. C. Cory, Liberal Candidate for St. Ives, are both South Walians, whilst Alderman John Jenkins, of Cardiff, the Labour Candidate for Chatham, is also a Welshman. By the way, Alderman Jenkins delivered a particularly interesting address to the Chatham electors the other evening, in the course of which he expressed his hearty sympathy with Old Age Pensions, and his determination to support a measure for dealing with the question in the House of Commons. Carmarthen Boroughs. Mr. Herbert Gladstone has written to Mr. Llewelyn Williams: "I have followed very closely the events which have occurred in the Carmarthen Boroughs. I noted that after full discussion and consideration you were chosen by the Liberal Association as the Liberal candi- date at the General Election. I need scarcely point out that my invariable practice is to give local support so far as it lies in my power to the candidate who is selected by a responsible Liberal Association. This being so, I need not say that I shall make no exception to the rule in the case of the Carmarthen Boroughs.-H. GLADSTONE." A Carmarthen friend tells me that there is a growing inclination amongst the local Liberal electors to support the candidature of Mr. Llewelyn Williams, who is admitted, even by the strongest supporters of Mr. Alfred Davies, to be a particularly able man. We want men to represent us in the House of Commons these days who can fight on behalf of our national, interests, and not figure-heads. The important fact cannot be too often emphasised that what progress Wales has made during the last thirty or forty years is entirely due to her Nationalist M.P.'s, and the election of Mr. Llewelyn Williams would further solidify those interests. No country can hope to get any reforms unless she has representatives who can advocate those reforms with no uncertain sound. Silent members and namby-pamby "Imperialists" are worse than useless. Swansea Director of Education. There is a very keen competition for this- important post, no less than 161 candidates having applied. I have been favoured with a. printed list of the same, and notice amongst them the names of some really first class men,. hailing from all parts of the Kingdom. It is. gratifying to find Wales well represented in the list. The commencing salary is ^350 per annum, rising by yearly increases of £ 10 to £45°.. The Battle of the Sites. Public interest as to the location of the Welsh National Library and Museum continues to grow. It is a pity that local prejudices are allowed to enter into the question which should be discussed from a broad point of view, and, for the benefit of the Welsh nation at large. Aberystwyth is fairly entitled to the National Library, being the most centrally situated town in Wales, and genuinely Cymric in aspirations and sentiment. Moreover, students of Welsh, literature would, I am sure, be more prepared to prosecute their studies in a healthy and bracing town, rather than in a town which is as relaxing as the South Coast. A good deal of capital is made of the circumstance that Cardiff is the centre of a big population, but from my own personal knowledge of this thickly popu- lated district, figures are not always a true- criterion of the people's enthusiasm for a National Library, and it is a fact that the Cardiff district is the most Anglicised portion of the Principality. The basis of population, is. in this instance, particularly misleading. The Welsh Capital. There is no doubt that the town which. secures the National Library will be ultimately looked upon as the capital of Wales. "The largest town" is not necessarily the capital. Pretoria was the capital of the Transvaal Republic, but Johannesburg was the biggest town. Washington is the capital of the United States, but New York is the largest place. A capital of a country is more often selected from the standpoint of its geographical position, its, national characteristics, and the part it has- played in the past history of the country rather than from any other.