The London Welshman

Notes of the Week. The Political Crisis.—It was almost laughable to watch the efforts of members of the Govern- ment all through last week to deny that any crisis existed on the one hand, and the articles in the Ministerial organs on the other declaring that the Prime Minister had finally decided to resign. If there was no crisis, why the inspired articles about resignation, and why did the Cabinet agree on Friday not to meet again. By Friday night it was understood that the end of the Unionist Government had come, and that Mr. Balfour was to see the King on Monday. Monday morning brought further confirmation of the news, when it became known that Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman had suddenly left Scotland for London on Sunday afternoon, and that several of his colleagues on the Front Opposition Bench had cancelled important engagements to speak in the early days of the week. Still, there was some uncertainty as to whether Mr. Balfour intended to resign or dissolve. There was a rumour in some quarters that he intended to take the latter course, but it was generally discredited. Then it was not certain whether the Liberals would take office before a dissolution, though the strong opinion expressed against them doing so had very considerably modified. Resignation.—All doubts were set at rest on Monday evening by the official announcement in the Court Circular that Mr. Balfour had waited upon the King that afternoon, that he had tendered his resignation which had been accepted. So came the end of a Government torn asunder and divided the apparent invincible party of five years ago has collapsed so entirely that its leader has not the courage to seek the verdict of the country, or even to hold on over the Christmas holidays. It is said that by persisting in resigning at the present moment, Mr. Balfour hopes to gain some tactical advan- tage. We very much doubt if he will, because from the moment his resignation was announced the General Election practically began, and the effects upon the Christmas trade will be just the same as if the dissolution came this week. C. B. Prime Minister.—On Tuesday morn- ing, Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman waited upon the King, and accepted His Majesty's request to form a Government. By doing this Sir Henry has placed the interests of the country before those of party. But a prolongation of the uncertainty would have done untold harm, and would, undoubtedly, have been resented by the nation when it came to declare its opinion. But the dissolution is to come early in January, probably about the end of the first week. This arrangement follows strictly the precedent laid down by Lord Salisbury in 1895. Lord Rose- bery resigned in consequence of the defeat of his party in the House of Commons on the 21st of June. Lord Salisbury undertook the reins of office, and in a little over a fortnight Parliament was dissolved. Owing to the holidays, matters will move a little less speedily on the present occasion, but things will be arranged in such a manner so as to have the election over by the end of January, and very early in February the new Parliament will meet for conducting busi- ness. The New Cabinet.-As is always the case under similar circumstances, there has been a great deal of speculation in the clubs and in the Press as to the constitution of the new Government, and it is very interesting to watch the experi- ments of Cabinet makers. It will be more inter- esting still to compare the published lists with the actual appointments. There is, however, great unanimity as far as several of the chief offices are concerned. It is considered almost certain that Sir Robert Reid will take the Wool- sack, Mr. Asquith the Exchequer, Sir Edward Grey the Foreign Office, that Mr. John Morley will become Secretary for India, and Mr. Bryce or Mr. Sydney Buxton Secretary for the Colonies. If Mr. Bryce does not go to the Colonial Office he will become Minister of Education, for which post he is eminently qualified. The War Office will probably be placed in charge of Mr. Haldane, and the Admiralty in that of Lord Tweedmouth. Mr. Lloyd-George's name is mentioned in connection with the Home Office and the Local Government Board. We are inclined to think that if the matter is left to his own choice he will go to the Local Government Board, as being the office that will give him the greater opportunities to serve the cause of Wales. In that case the Home Department will be pre- sided over by either Mr. Herbert Gladstone or Mr. Robson. The House of Lords is likely to be represented also by Lord Carrington as Minister for Agriculture, Loid Ripon as Lord Privy Seal, Lord Aberdeen as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and we should not be surprised if Sir Henry Fowler be elevated to the Peerage and made Lord President of the Council. Mr. John Burns is a favourite nominee for the Office of Works, and Lord Elgin, Sir Walter Forster, Lord Crewe, and Mr. Edmund Robertson are also mentioned among those who will become Right Honourables. In the event of other appointments being given to Mr. Haldane and Mr. Robson, it is probable that Mr. Lawson Walton and Mr. J. T. Evans will become Attorney-General and Solicitor-General respectively. We give this

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draw oddiwrthi, ac y mae ei phorth mewn un ystyr yn rhy gyfyng, ac mewn ystyr arall yn llawer rhy eang. Dyna y sefyllfa yr oedd gan y Pwyllgor y dydd o'r blaen i'w gwynebu, ac y mae yn achos o lawenydd i bob llengarwr Cymreig ei fod wedi ei gwynebu yn onest a gwrol. Gallasai barhau pethau fel yr oeddynt o'r blaen, ethol Archdderwydd am ei oes, a pheri mwy o gynhwrf ac anfoddlon- rwydd na chynt. Yn lie hynny, dangosodd ysbryd cwbl wahanol. Cyn ethol Archdderwydd, cymerodd i ystyriaeth yr angen am ddiwygiadau, a phennododd is-bwyllgor o saith i ystyried yr holl gyfansoddiad a'r trefniadau, ac i ddwyn cyfansoddiad newydd gerbron yng Nghaernarfon ym mis Awst. Cytunodd i wneyd hynny gyda'r unfrydedd mwyaf. Penderfynwyd hefyd mai am dymhor yn unig yr etholid Archdderwydd, sef, hyd nes y bo y cyfansoddiad newydd wedi ei ffurfio a'i fabwysiadu. Nid oedd llawn cym- aint o unfrydedd ar hyn, ond yr oedd y mwyaf- -rif yn ddigamsyniol. Ar ol penderfynu y pethau yna nid oedd o lawn cymaint pwys pwy fyddai yr Archdder- wydd. Cafodd pump eu henwi, Dyfed, Cadfan, Gwynedd, Pedrog, ac Archddiacon Meirionydd. Ond dangosodd y bleidlais gyntaf mai rhwng y ddau flaenaf y safai, ac yn yr ail bleidlais cafodd Dyfed fwyafrif amlwg. Yna, ar gynygiad Cadfan, etholwyd Dyfed i'r swydd drwy bleidlais agored yn hollol unfrydol. Cariwyd yr holl weithrediadau ymlaen yn yr ysbryd goreu. Ni lefarwyd gairi friwio teimlad neb. Yr ydym yn llongyfarch yr Orsedd ar ddewisiad ei Phennaeth newydd, ac yn llongyfarch Dyfed ar ei ddyr- -chafiad i safle mor anrhydeddus. Mae ef yn ei gyflawn haeddu. Gwasanaethodd fel Bardd yr Orsedd, yr hwn yw y Dirprwy-Archdder- wydd, am ddeng mlynedd, ac y mae ei fuddug- oliaethau ar y maes eisteddfodol yn lliosocach ,a phwysicach na buddugoliaethau neb arall. Ac nid yr elfen leiaf o foddlonrwydd ynglyn a'r dewisiad yw ei fod yn Ddeheuwr, gan fod ei ddau ragflaenor o'r Gogledd. I gadw Cymru yn Gymru gyfan rhaid gwasgar swyddi o anrhydedd. Ond yr hyn sydd yn peri mwyaf o lawenydd i ni ydyw y ffaith fod yr Archdderwydd newydd mor fyw i'r angen am ddiwygiad. Pan awgrym- t) odd rhywun yng nghylch ei ethol yn barhaol dywedodd yn bendant fod hynny allan o'r cwestiwn, ac ar ol i ganlyniad y bleidlais olaf gael ei hysbysu, dadganodd yn groew mai er mwyn bod o ryw wasanaeth yn yr argyfwng y cydsyniai i gymeryd y swydd. Nis gallasai dim arwyddo yn well na hyn. Pe syrthiasai y coelbren ar un o ysbryd gwrth-ddiwygiadol gallasai beri llawer o rwystr, ond gydag Arch- dderwydd mor argyhoeddedig fod eisieu di- wygio pethau, a chydag awdurdod mor eang i weithredu, fe ddylai yr is-bwyllgor pennodedig wneyd gwaith gwir effeithiol. Mae ei gyfrifoldeb yn fawr, mae ei gyfleusdra yn fwy. Os medrant ddwyn yr Orsedd i fwy o gyd- nawsedd a chydgord ag ysbryd Cymru Fydd heb aberthu dim o'r hyn a dderbyniwyd oddi- wrth Gymru Fu sy'n werth ei gadw, cyd- nabyddir hwy yn seithwyr da eu gair."