The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

THE ABERYSTWYTH I ELECTION. v. the ordinary course of things Captain °^GHTON would be el ecfcecl to fill 0 C Yacancy on the Council caused by his & resignation of th» aldermanship but j ls So unpopular owing to the way he als with public ma ters that a largo ^hpr of ratepayers feel that he would ^Ve rendered rhe town a greater service y his retiring from the Council than s.?n by his retiring from the alderman- l'e lP- If he is elected it will be solely in ignition of his right acbion in llring from aldermanship, and not in»a-USe keeps up the shabbiest awn ts irons in the town week day and Sun- ]\^ all the year round. Mr ROBERT J ^GHTON is also a candidate His eat on the first was a severe blow. Wl dom his utmost to please every- 0^]^ and (he result was—defeat. The reason for electing him to fill the seak '8 that he never did any- t° offend anybody, and, as far as Co know, never did anything in the, ^Qcil for the good of anybody. He the streets with immunity as a Ouse for the unpacking of goods. lilt ic is al most a tie between the ing e OF Mr ROBERT DOUGHTON'S unpack- tthe streets and the disfigurement THOMAS DOUGHTON'S shabby irons. The two candidates who kree not yet occupied seats in the Council 11°^i supposed to stand much of a Q^ce, £ defeated old member of the tbnncll is far more likely to be returned » a candidate who has never occupied ^ere. In our opinion, the rate- ers> church and chapel, Liberal and Servative, would be wise to elect Mr The two old members would be a most valuable lesson if they berge a?ain rejected, and the present mem- ^ho retire next November would then Sl0JT what to expect. We know how ? re^°ftn is achieved and it is almost that either pity will return Mr DOUGHTON or recognition of a J}. principle will return Mr THOMAS ^^HTON. The only element of real (w we see in the contest is that the new candidates may be returned, W both the old ones certaialy can" be returned. If the two old Vj^dates are rejected Aberystwyth 8 have rendered itseif a most notable t, pyice. Why should men be put on Coancil who try to make tne town ^Pear like a badly-kept village 1

THE WELSH NATIONAL LIBERAL COUNCIL. self-el re,a<^ers know our opinion of th«a Calle e<I Useless body that imperrinemly 0OU the Welsh National Liberal circul°a ljave received the k>llowing C E Y CYNCHOR RHYDDFRYDIG nIl NIlE D L A E THO L C Y M REI G AE WELSH NATIONAL LIBERAL COUNCIL). Denbigh, 1) Nov. 22nd, 1901. SIR,—I am directed by the Liter- you °ub-Committee to ascertain whether to ;t^0uld be prepared to take and weekly a stereo column according to PIYV) Sed, you paying the cost of mechanical Ruction? °Ur early reply will oblige. Yours faithfully, GWILYM PARRY, Secretary. ''stf n°k yet reduced to publishing vTre° co^umns«" Stereo columnfc are *bl known way of delaying the inevit- OitConapse. There are several interesting 1 8 about this offer which we think Wi Liberals should be made acquainted Vpi', F^'st, there is the danger that the newspaper press may be "nobbled." ls Rot for the good of Welsh Liberalism C0 self-elected Welsh National Liberal should provide the newspapers of principality with "cooked" opinions W are to be published as if they Hj ^he direct outcome of the editorial hi.- For instance, OLe of the speci- 'ja Dr. -Para(yraphs sent out with the foregoing II ^Clov»s circular makes a point of the re&.d FYPADY wit" of Mr ELLIS GRIFFITH, '> and brings in Mr FRANK EDWARDS. paragraph gives the Welsh t3 4(jvl0^al Liberal Council itself a cheap rtisetuent. The unsuspecting reader, w ^0es n°t know how things are by ked," would naturally feel impressed to c e notic the newspapers were givin cc a promising" members of Parliament, Hhvj y the high opinion the newspapers Xij^eared to hold of the Welsh National t{ja^ra,l Council. They would not know °°rd' whole thing was worked ac- to the system of stereo columns out by the Welsh National Council. We decline abso- to have any part or lot in Ois. attemPt to create bogus Liberal 11101, e5 in Wales, and we do not think good will come of it. The tte^r^8 of Wales have a right to be £ *rt 6<^ °Penly> an(^ ought not to be ■^•sso duty of any Welsh Liberal Clatioa to have a system for giving °r that Welsh member of Parlia- praise or condemnation in the news- W"ejr^' The system devised by the National Liberal Council is cal- to to prostitute the Press of Wales, t0 Vuiate true public opinion, and ^oSQCreate a bastard reputation for Vh0 ^elsh members of Parliament Of 01.fre made the objects of laudatory ^egs er notices. As regards the busi- 0°^ 1 supplying newspapers with stereo it is clear that the average func^i Liberal does not include that ^ati00 £ l, in the ordinary work of a ev6rvb j Liberal Council. As long as Li\jet>a^y knows that the Welsh National ^°uncil supplies its own good great J,5 ,t8e^ to (he newspapers no cUlo,jg artn ^one) bufc 't not ridi- s°rt 0'c .S1y nothing worse, that this ^ish t ^ing should be necessary 1 We ^e'SH inform the SECRETARY of the <*o ational Liberal Council that we th&f; any "stereo columns" and oup pay people to advertise the co'umns. We firmly believe that Liberal thing the Welsh National 0l,ncil can do is to take its of Ser^e hfe and get itself buried has n 81^t* It represents nobody. Q0 ever done any good and never any good, and the stereo" business will noc pay either in casn or reputation. The Welsh Liberals through- out the Principality, we are sure, will appreciate th; s attempt to foist upos them ready-made opinion by the go-called Welsh National Liberal Council. Mr D. A. THOMAS, M.P., in a speech at Aber- dare on Saturday, spoke of this Council in terms of well deserved contempt. This attempt to "nobble" tho nOII- paprrs is a very shabby trick indeed, and had better be abandoned forthwith.

A MObT IMPORTANF MOVEMENT THERE is not a better farmer or a more intelligent public man in Cardiganshire th-An Mr JENKIN JENKINS, of Blaenplwyf. Talsarn, Cardigmshire, and we are sure, that everybody in the county will heartily do what lies in their power to assist him, and those who are acting with him, in improving the breed of Welsh ponies and cobs. We gladly publish a letter in another column by Mr JENKINS in reference to the first volume of the Stud Book, which is to be published. On Tuesday next, December 3rd, a meeting is to be held at Tregaron, when the inspecting judges will attend and pass the animals worthy of being inserted in the Stud Book. The judges are Mr LLOYD LRWIS, National and Provincial Bask, Aberystwyth, and Mr HUGH WILLIAMS, Derrigaron Farm, near Tregaron. The object in view is a good one, and will appeal to every farmer in the district, for if there is a true lover of a horse anywhere he is to be found in Cardiganshire, and if there is a rider anywhere who can get the very best out of a horse he is to he found at Tregaron, or nor, far on. We have no doubt that bo h landlords and tenants will give their help to this movement. Of course somebody will be disappointed, but the judges are good ones, and, no doubt, substantial justice will be done. We are very glad to see that action, in one way or another, is being taken by farmers, and although the difficulty of initiation is great there can be no doubt that with determina- tion and perseverance a great service can be rendered to the whole country, for he who breeds good horses renders more ihan a local service.

— Mil PWLLHELI SCHEME. IT is most as'onishing to find that there are some people at Pwllheli who object to the great scheme for improving the harbour, mainly at the cost of the Government and the Cambrian Railway Company. We, however, are not surprised. We are never surprised at anything of this sort. The opposition does not reason, but it make,; demands which are not easy to comply with. Alderman ANTHONY, who has worked with a disinterestedness and a zeal beyond all praise in this great scheme, may well be excused if be feels at. a loss to understand people who are unwilling to spend more than fifty thousand pounds, of which they are only asked to provide fifteen, on a great local improvement. Outside Pwllheli nobody will credit that any member of the Council can really be in earnest when he says he will oppose the scheme. But most likely the opponents, however mistaken, are thoroughly in earnest. It is most important that the town should be unanimous in the prosecu- tion of this undertaking. Unless we are greatly mistaken the ratepayers will declare enthusiastically for the scheme which offers to the town so many thing" that it requires—a more convenient, railway s'atior-, a marine lake, a greatly improved harbour, and the removal of a deadly nuisance. To oppose the scheme f ecause information is not given to the ratepayers before the meeting is held at which the information is to he given to them is one of those ingenious forms of opposition that completely baffles the ordinary human being, and makes him feel as if something had given way in his mental machinery. Alderman ANTHONY and the majority of the Council must be patient. The public are slow to do justice, but in the end the man who works for them will obtain their confi- dence, and they will stand by him through thick and thin. That there should be any doubt whatever as to the advisability of accepting a gift of nearly forty thousand pounds for a public im- provement is bewildering. This is an opportunity that only happens to one town in a thousand, and is not likely to happen twice to Pwllheli. The best thing the inhabitants can do is to close their ranks at once, and not to look the gift horse too closely in the mouth. The improvement which is to be carried out will only be the beginning of a new life that ought to be the making of the town in many ways. We do not wish to emphasise the opposition to the scheme, and yet it would not be wise to ignore it. Uannot the opponents see tneir way to support the undertaking so that there may be no divi- sion. What we would impress upon the ratepayers is the fact that their oppor- tunity has come, und if they throw it away, or play fast-and-loose with it, they may never have such another opportunity as long as the town exists. Alderman ANTHONY is a man that the ratepayers may well trust. He has worked for them without stint, and what he does not think it wise to say may reasonably he left unsaid until the time for utter- ance is ripe. There should be no half- heartedness in this matter, and no delay The project has been brought to a successful issue, and every effort should made to realize the advantage without hesitation or divided counsels.

UNWISE FUNERAL CUSTOMS. DURING the hearing of a case at Man- chester Assizes it transpired that a sum of .£30 had been spent on the funeral of a railway worker. The JUDGE made some strong comments on the practice of spending large sums on funerals. It is not only in Manchester that foolish, extravagant, and dangerous funeral cus- toms exist, nor are these customs limited to the poor. The funeral id a popular test of respectability, and is accepted as an indication of affection and regard. The bereaved are not always or mainly to blame for unnecessary ostenta- tion. The dressmaker, the coffin maker, the tailor, and everybody concerned are all willing to have a nice" funeral, and to show proper respect for the dead. In Wales it is the custom as soon as a member of a family dies for all the other members to cease work until after the funeral. Situations will be surrendered rather than break through this rule. The money cost of this custom alone is considerable, No extravagance in a funeral is deemed to be out of place, and debt is freely incurred as a sign of afletion for the deceased! There are prying, evil-tongued neighbours always ready to take note of what they consider to be defects in funeral arrangements, and the glib tongue of the gossip begins to wag on slight provocation. The poor know this and shrink from criticism that reflects upon the dead or questions the affection of the living. It is unreasonable to expect the poor to set the example of modera- tion in funerals. This is work for the well-to-do. The public nature of funerals in Wales is opposed to simplicity and economy. A funeral is a sort of social festival in which the bereavtd are looked npon as taking part in an honoured public function that will le discussed in detail all over the neighbour- hood. Every defect will be noted and critcised, and will havp to be answered for. It is no use trying to introduce funeral reform into a house after death has en'ered it. Funeral reform should begin outside, and should be started by the rich and the educated. It is the, extravagance, ostentation, and parade of the rich and exalted that impels the poor to spend more than they can afford on funerals and on memorial stones. The funeral of the late QUEEN, it is said, cost more than thirty thousand pounds. If royalty is guilty of this sort of ex- tiavag.ince we may be sure that every- body will imitate it to the full extent of the means at, their command. The burial of the dead is the last time whe thu bereaved can openly demonstrate itieir affection, and in every age and country the occasion has been used for dis- play. There are those who shrink instinct- ively from barbaric funeral rites and ceremonies. On the other hand, there are those who pinch and save in their lifetime in order that they may have a grand funeral. The headstoue in the graveyard is often the only visible, re- minder of the life that is sp;nt,. Some- thing might be done and ought to be done in Wales and elsewhere to 1 simplify funeral customs, aDd to make tnem less costly to the bereaved and less dangerous to the general public, but, reform in this matter cannot well begin among the pnor, as a modest, funeral would he put down fither to poverty or disrespect.

--=.J EDITORIAL NOTES. Mr E. H. GRIFFITHS (50), M.A. (Cantab), R.R.S., Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cam- bridge, now recognised lecturer in physics in the University of Cambridge, is the new Prin- cipal of the Cardiff University College. He is a native of Brecon. There were great demonstrations of welcome on Saturday at Corris when Lieutenant EDWARDS, D.S.O., returned home from the war in South Africa. He was presented with an address and congratulatory speeches were delivered. # One of the questions that might be put. in a spirit of absolute fairness, to the four candidates for the one vacant seat on the Aberystwyth Town Council is, on what principle Corporation work is sent to London, and who gave the order? Three boys were charged at Lampeter Petty Sessions on Friday with shocking cruelty to a cat. They ultimately killed the animal. Two were fined, and the youngest, only eight years of age, was let off without a fine. As the MAYOR said, the boys probably did not fully realize what they were doing. Last week several persons were proceeded against at'Festiniog for breaches of the Public Health Act and fines were imposed and orders made. It is extraordinary how negligent the people are of their own health. Nobody ever offencis the Public Health Act at Aberyst- wyth-at least prosecutions are rare-very rare. # The electric lights on the Marine-parade at Aberystwyth include the light which flares up occasionally the light without glass on one side which casts sharp shadows the light of the mottled pattern (small size), specially designed for shying horses and the mottled pattern (large size.) The Council appears to be helpless, but some of these days a horse will take fright, somebody will be hurt and then, of course, the lights will be seen too. ♦ # Month after month and year after year, ever since 1873, the local governing bodies of rural districts have been pottering over bad drainage and defective and polluted water supplies. At the meeting of the Aberystwyth Rural District Council on Monday there was the old, old story of a small water supply which was deemed to be pure, although only fifty yards away four or five privies emptied into itl What is to be said? What can be said in the face of this stolid ignorance? It is not wilfulness. It is pure ignorance, far purer, alas, than the water the people drink! Some of the papers are trying to make a point of the fact that when the two Penrhyn men were released on Saturday, after a month's imprisonment, some extra policemen went to Bethesda by the same train. This is called "strange action by the authorities." Everybody in the country had been told that there was to be a demonstration when the men were released, and what train was more fit for the policemen to travel by than the train which conveyed the men who were to be the occasion of the demonstration? The demonstration was quite orderly, however foolish some of the speeches may have been, and for the present it is peace I The poor we always have with us. The will of another of those humble creatures who walk in the footsteps of JESUS has been proved, this time the will of the late Bishop WESTCOTT, of Durham. His estate has been sworn at £ 51,640. This is not so bad for a follower of HBI who had nowhere to lay his head. What we specially like about the Church of England bishop is his meekness, and his sorrow for curates, and for the occupants of poor livings. The bishops drink their dry champagne, and salt it with their tears that the laity are not more generous, and then, steeped in luxury, they pray that they may be enabled to walk more closely in the footsteps of their pattern Master! 0, the humbug of the whole thing, and the shame of it. Men are brutes to women, even men who call themselves gentlemen. The Governors of Macclesfield Infirmary appointed a woman to be assistant house surgeon. Then the honorary members of the medical staff re- signed. On Tuesday there was a conference of the Governors and the six members of the medical staff who had resigned. The doctors insisted on the woman doctor's dismissal, but the Governors declined, and the doctors left the room. It is believed that the Governors will appoint a resident medical man. We are glad the Governors refused to give way. Women have some hard conflicts still before them. Lawyers will resist women as solicitors and advocates, but the hardest strife will come when women want to be curates and vicars. The battle is only beginning, but then, are no all the really great conflicts always only beginning ? « There is a general consensus of opinion that trade is becoming less brisk all over the country. The building trade is slack in many districts, and manufacturers are complaining that orders are falling off. It is unreasonable to expect that the enormous destruction entailed by war will not tell on trade. Taxation is increased, and markets are re- stricted. American and European competition is making itself seriously felt. Now is the time for the clever people, who talk rubbish about the profits of industry, to come in and save the country. Workers will be plentiful, and the Socialist will have nothing to do but just scoop up profits, for we all know by this time that profit is the sole product of labour. The workers have demanded such high rates of remuneration that people are doing without the products, and the result will be wide- spread suffering, unless the people who have so much to say about capital and labour come to put things right. There are local signs of stress. The Welsh University meetings at Aberyst- wyth passed off successfully. The KING ceases to be Chancellor of the University and becomes .its protector. The PRINCR ot WALES will almost certainly be the new chancellor. We publish a long and interesting report of the proceedings. The Mayor, Mr R. J. JONES, gave a luncheon to about eighty guests at the Hotel Cambria. ♦ • It was stated at the last meeting by the MEDICAL OFFICER of the Dolgelley Council that the town is absolutely"free from infectious diseases, and that the health of the town is very satisfactory. Everybody has confidence in what the MEDICAL OFFICRR of Dolgelley says. The inhabitants of the town should be careful to maintain the present condition of things by having careful regard to the laws of health. « The KING did not tell anybody that he was going to write to resign his position of Chan- cellor of the Welsh University and to express his willingness to become its Protector, The letter came as a surprise to even the most knowing, and the contents of it were so unex- pected that the clever people could not even pretend that they expected as much. The Prince of WALES is to be the new Chancellor. At Cardiff Police Court on Tuesday, a woman named HACKETTS was fined Xloo for selling beer by retail without a licence. There are millions of gallons of beer sold all over the country by persons who do not take out licences. We make this statement, but we cannot prove it. Almost every gentle- man's house in the country is an unlicensed drink shop, and almost every gentleman knows it, but nobody can prevent it. It is said that the CHANCELLOR of the EX- CHEQUER intends to tax organ grinders. We wish he would tax house dogs more heavily. If he does not tax them more heavily he might do something to, see that people who pay for one dog do not Keep two or ùHree. There really are cases of this kind. There will be some additional taxation. A really high-class glorious war cannot be carried on without money. i/- The Parish Council of Borth might very wisely interest itself in the common land with a view of making it a source of profit. At present the ground is practically worthless. If it were enclosed and let, the rent might go a long way towards paying for lighting the place. Machynlleth has a large area of com- mon ground. If this were wisely dealt with the rates could be reduced, or some other ad- vantage could be obtained. At present the land brings in little or no revenue. During the week there has been no news of consequence from South Africa. The war is going on and is likely to go on. Dissatisfaction is deepening and widening, but the Liberals are powerless. They are divided among them- selves and nowhere are they more divided than in Wales. There is nothing for it but natience That the war should go on month after month and year after year is staggering humanity. The Conservatives are as helpless „ children. The only sure thing about the war is its cost in life and money and reputa- tion. The South Wttles Daily News has now set up of the KING'S private intentions. u thif a caf« of thought reading or has the KING sent our not very robust contemporary some private information? We expect it is neither^ We have good reasons for believing that when the KING has anything important to tell Wales he will send us a post card or a sixpenny telegram. Our readers may be sure when they see that the papers have good reasons for knowing the KING IS going to do something that they know nothing what- ever about his intentions. We publish in another column a very strong letter Fn reference to the fever cases in Aber- vstwvth The Council unwisely is keeping the Shifts ignorant Not a word has been sa.d C°^F ER-S the fever cases and tne mn.nii.Ax- reports are not published. Something ought to be doL- and nOW that K 7 condition is known something may be done. Sen who will hide facts of this sort are un- worthy of puolic confidence. After all, life and health are worth more than a little commercial profit. Why should this odious work be forced upon us1 The better class of workmen are beginning to see that they are used by Trades Unions, as low conducted, to keep down wages. A good X is said about a minimum wage, tat nobody has yet shown why a man who cannot do as much work as he is paid J>r f"uld be, <="»' ployed. Men are encouraged not to work as wen as they are able to work for fear of business becoming too proflteble. The "suit is that tmde is being lost to this country. There is trade g fl.nrip should be retained in no reason why trade »UUUiU this country. Coal and slates and iron and lead can be obtained from other countries In the old days the superior workman could find a way out, but in these days there are more superior men than should not men work on piece* At present it r" t nossible to give men higher wages who is not p every botcher would de- deserve them for fear evmy » rr,. a mand the same rate of remuneration. The Trades Unions have taken upon themselves i IL v Untrp nn richfc to t&lvG, find powers which they na\e nu n* » the individual workman is detailed from selling his skill in the best market The new tyranny is the tyranny of the Tiades Union bosses. + At a conference of Conservatives held on Tuesday at Wolverhampton a resolution was adopted in favour of the Government intro- ducing a measure to abolish the present inequalities of parliamentary representation. If the Government brought in a Redistribution Bill some members would be taken from Ireland and some from Wales and some from Scotland, and they would be given to the large towns. The Government could not do better than go to the country on a drastic Redistribution Bill. They would be defeated, and the Liberals would then have to take over all the war muddlement. A Redistri- bution Bill is the only possible way out that we can see for the Government. What a wind up for a war that was to bring honour and glory to the nationl We dealt with the subject of redistribution some weeks ago. It seems to us monstrous to contend that all the representation should be given to the same class of people in the same sort of community all through the country. There will be a great deal said on the subject before the Bill is passed. The object of the Bill is to get the Government out of office and not to rearrange the parliamentary con- stituencies. Mr LLOYD-GEORGE is threatened with a breakdown in health. We are not surprised. How he has borne up so long is marvellous. We have frequent opportunities of gettinsr to know the opinions of our readers about Mr LLOYD-GEORGE. He is now one of the best known politicians in England. The Welsh members who have been chewing the dry bones of ancient patriotism, and drinking the thin broth of parochial nationalism, may say what they please about Mr LLOYD-GEORGE, but we hold that he has done more for Wales by the stand he has made for high place in imperial politics than all the little patriots put together. No more can be gained by denouncing the blunders of the Govern- ment. The war in South Africa now stinks in the national nostrils. What has next to be done is to frame a policy, not on the ASQUITH-ROSEBERY lines, but on the lines of giving first place to the needs of the people of these islands. A new Liberal party has to be formed in the country. We want a common-sense Government selected on business lines. This is the next great work of Mr LLOYD-GEORGE. The people are indifferent. They need to be roused, and they will be roused. The war is preparing the ground. The next budget will almost complete the case against the present Government. Mr CHAM- BERLAIN is discredited. The next step will reveal itself. Mr LLOYD-GEORGE must take la little recreation at a Pwllheli meeting on the harbour scheme and get himself ready for the next campaign. He need not worry him- self about his local rivals. They will find plenty to occupy them in the sort of nationalism Mr D. A. THOMAS has so appro- priately ridiculed. An important decision has been given in reference to the supply of water to boarding house keepers. A public body refused to supply a boarding house, except by meter, on the ground that the water was required for business purposes. The boarding-house keeper appealed and the Court held that the water was used for domestic purposes in spite of the fact that the appellant kept a boarding-house, and they thought he was entitled to a supply on the ordinary terms. «• The South Wales colliers stopped work again on Wednesday. Here is a question. Suppose a colliery proprietor said that he would only employ men who would work six days a week and gave the stop-work men notice to leave f There are three things which we hold in refer- ence to this supposed case: (1) that the men who only want to work five days a week have a right to only work five days a week if any- body will take them (2) that the colliery pro- prietor who wants to run his pit six days a week has a right to run it six days a week if he can get men to work six days; (3) that the men who are willing to work six days have a right to work without molestation from anybody. It is not, in short, within anybody s power to force men either to work or to abstain from work-if they are colliers but if they are Penrhyn quarrymen it is different, we suppose. The outcome of the temperance meetings held at Aberystwyth this week is that Mr FOSSETT ROBERTS, who was returned at the head of the poll on the first of November, has, under provocation by the LECTURER, who went down to the Brewery to see the register of shareholders, offered to resign his seat and to contest it with any candidate the tem- perance party may bring forward. The sum of 920 has been raised, and it is expected the seat will be contested. We think the issue raised is a false one. If Mr ROBERTS wins, it will only prove that he is a member of a highly-respected family, and if the temperance representative wins it will only prove what we know already, that there are a good many people in the town for and against teetotalism. The electors will see behind the son his father, who is an honest-hearted, kindly, up- right Christian gentleman, respected and trusted by those who meet him in public life, and beloved by those who know him in his social and friendly relations. The tem- perance people cannot ignore the personal element in a contest of this kind and may find themselves overweighted by it. The re- presentative of the family will get many votes from people who are averse to the per- I sonal element which has been made far too much of this week in dealing with the subject of temperance. The temperance leaders would do well to consider the wisdom or otherwise of submitting what will be mainly a personal question to a municipal vote. We have been asked if we really mean that because Nature is cruel we are justified in being cruel?" What we say is, that the mystery of pain is very great and that the anti-viviseccionists tend to obscure some very great issues by what seems to us shallow reasoning. The word "cruelty" to us means the purposeless infliction of pain: the infliction of unnecessary pain. There is throughout the whole realm of Nature an apparent indifference to pain. We can see that in many depart- ments of life-of human life-pain is inevitable. We also see a total disregard for the individual life in Nature. It is impossible for the corres- pondent who asks us the question at the beginning of this note to live without causing INN M TTT„ 1 J I !*«"«. VV C nave tnougbt a great deal about cruelty and vivisection, and we confess that we are unable to fathom the mystery of pain. We see that the eagle, the lion, the shark, the hawk, and every other living thing has a right to use the powers it possesses, and does use them, and that the world teems with life although creature devours creature regard- less of inflicted pain. We have no sympathy with the infliction of pain, but there is the fact that pain is as universal as pleasure, and may be the other side of it. Has man, like other creatures, a right to use all the powers he possesses to their full extent regardless of his fellow-man! Or has he been endowed with powers which he has no right to exercise? The anti-vivisectionists write as if no object what- ever could justify the infliction of pain upon animals. It seems to us that the end sought settles whether the vivisection is cruel or not. The ends obtained or not obtained would settle whether the pain inflicted was justifiable or not., unless it is contended that no mitigation of pain would justify the infliction of pain. We are not seeking to convince our corres- pondent, but we know that almost all children are indifferent to the infliction of pain upon others. That there are abuses in hospitals is probably as true as that there are abuses in shambles and elsewhere. We have never attempted to justify cruelty either by the fact that we see and shudder at the cruelties of Nature," or by any other fact. We point to the universal apparent cruelty of Nature and ask whether we know enough to make us so very cocksure that pain is not beneficent? We mean by cruelty the infliction of pain that is not intended to be beneficial.

DEATH OF MR J. P. DAVIES. His many friends in Liverpool and elsewhere will regret to hear of the death at the age of thirty- three of Mr J. f. Davies, who was the editor of the Shipping Telegraph before its transfer to the Journal of Commerce. After relinquishing the m%np.ge,Ti-nt of that old established shipping news. paper, Mr Davies proceeded to West Africa for the í' a ¡ k of British West Africa, first relieving the nm nag meat of Lagos and afterwards inauguriting a new branch of the bank at Sekondi. It was shortly after reachiug the lattwr place that he was attacked by dysentfory, to which disease, despite every attention, he succumbed in the trcpical ward of the Royal Southern Hospital last Saturday. Mr Davies was married some time ago to Miss Dora James, eldest daughter of the late Mr Richard Jam's and Mrs James, Broncastell.

31it TENNYSON SMITH AT ABERYSTWYTH. On Saturday evening, Mr Tennyson Smith, tem- perance lecturer, arrived at Aberystwyth and was met by a brass band. A procession was formed at t e .Assembly Rooms and marched to the Station to await Mr Smith's arrival. The pro- oeaan.ii, on his arrival, took the following order: -Excelsior Band, Rechabites, Lodgs of Good Tunphrs, Mr Wm. Wright, Little D«rkgate-street, and Mr Isaac Jones, Bridge street, in uniform riding on horseback, torch bearerf, and general public. On his arrival, Mr Smith took his seat in the conveyance and the procession then marched through Terrace-road and Great Darkg,%te-street to the Assembly Rooms, where a reception was held. The R vT. Williams, B.A., presided, and Mrs Griffith, Professor Morgan Lewis, the Rev T. E. Roberts, M.A., and Messrs Hugh Hughes, S. a View-place, and Ðnid Owen, Great Darkgate- street, delivered addresses of welcome. "THE CURTAIN LIFTED." At half-past even o'clock a meeting was held at the Assembly Room, when Mr Tennyson Smith delivered an address entitled, The Curtain Lifted," to a large assembly. The Rev T. Wil- liams, B.A., presided, and was supported on the platform by Prof. D. Morgan Lewis, the Revs T. h. Roberts. M.A., Shiloh; and D. Morgan, St. Paul's Messrs Peter Williams, postmaster and C. M, Williams. Mr J. E. Leah, A.R.CO., was the accompanist, and Mr David Jenkins, Mus. Bac., led the singing. The Rev T. E. ROBERTS, M.A., opened with prayer, and after the singing of a hymn, the CHAIRMAN related the incident which led to Pr Guthrie becoming a great temperance advocate, after which he called upon Mr Tennyson Smith to deliver his address. Mr TENNYSON SMITH said that whenever he came into Wales he always felt sorry that he could not speak Welsh. The publicans ought to be glad of that for if he was able to speak Welsh, he (the speaker) would turn the publicans' hair white in a eek, (Lnughtrr) Severa of the audience wre pr- bably aware that he was known as an EXTREMIST. aud ..e had not to Aberystwyth to deny it. He read a verse from the Bible which denounced a moderate teetotaler, adding that he was glad to knoy, ha was called a white-hot extremist. The object of that mission was not to save the drunkard, hut to make temperance advocates more consistent on that question than they were. In many cases he would prefer brewers to some of the temperance people. If only the people who upheld temperance could be transferred into red-hot teetotalers the crusade against the drink traffic would very soon prove victorious. If only the people of the country saw the diink traffic as it was, they would rise in one huge mass and drive it out of the country. If there were any members of the Town Council who were brewers or hotel proprietors he would go for them individually. (Cheers and hear, hear.) He had only been in Aberystwyth a very short time, but before he left, if the town possessed a, limited brewery company he would find out the names of each shareholder and read them out from the platform. He was not making the platform a coward's castle, for he was prepared to prove every statementhe made. It wasbt causethere wassomuch that was humorous about drink that the people did not realise its awfulness. The people s*w the comedy, but behind lay the tragedy, and a person would not have to go far to see the tragedy. feople laughed at drunkenDEso. Man was the only creature that could laugh, and he thought it only right that he should enjoy his privilege. Mr Smith then related some amusing s-ories of drunkards' pranks whilst under the influence of alcohol, which he described as the comedy, after- wards giving a dramatic idea of the sufferings which drink entailed. He ws confident there H AS not a man in the room who would not rather see his ehild struck dead than that he should become a victim to the drink fiend. Mr Smith conclu(led with a narrative relative to his conversion, after which several persons signed the pledge. ADDRESS TO YOUNG PEOPLE. On Sunday afternoon, at a quarter past three, Mr Tennyson Smith delivered an address at the Bethel Welsh Baptist Chapel to an united meeting of Sunday Rchooic, specialty for young people and children, entitled A Deadly Serpent." After an opening prayer by the Rev T. Wiiliairs, II.A Principal T. F. ROBERTA, who presided, said they were assembled that afternoon in order to listen to the message of a stdwwt defender of temperanc and one who had shown that he feared God but did not fear man. He thought they were prepared to trust themselves in the hauds of a man like that, and he believed that the counsel and advice which Mr Smith would give would help them, esp cially the risiug generation in the town, to do what in them lay as individuals and citizens to cope with that great and terrible evil, drink. Mr TENNYSON SMITH then addressed the children and young p -ople, basing his remarks upon the words, At last it biteth like a serpent and stiiigeth like an adder." Some medical men, he said, upheld the beneficial properties of drink, but let them first consider the words of Sir Andrew Clarkc. the late Queen Victoria's physician, who said, "Alcohol is a poison health is always in some way injured by it bsmfit- d by it never." He read a letter he had received that day from a man who had heard him speaking and told of his son who was a confirmed drunkard. He also related several instances which showed the awful results of alcohoiic drink, in conclusion calling upon persona to sign the pledge. Several signed after the meet- ing concluded. Mr Smith surprised his audience by reading several Welsh hymns. MR SMITH AT TABERNACLE CHAPEL. On Sunday night at eight o'clock Mr Tennyson Smith addressed a meeting at the Tabernacle, which was crowded. Prof D. Morgan Lewis pr. sided. The Rev J. Morgan, Penllwyn, opened the meeting with prayer and after the singing of Welsh hymns, one of which was read by Mr Smith, whose reading of the Welsh words was amusing, but very correct for an Englishman, the latter delivered his address on Darkest Di iokdom and the Way Out." The lecture was illustrated by means of stories and experiences of the evils of drink, and appealed to the ministers and the churches to take sides on the drink question. At the conclusion several persons signed the pledge. OTHER MEETINGS. On Monday evening the Rev D. Morgan presided over a meeting held at the St. Paul's Wrsleyan Chapel, when Mr Smith addressed a large audience on "The Drink Demon," concluding with the lecturer's representation of "An Interview with the Drii-k Friend," for which he was vociferously applauded. Un luesaay evening the Kev Job Miles presided over a crowded meeeting held at the Independent Chapel, Baker-street. Mr Tennyson Smith de- livered his address entitled "The Great Struggle," giving a representation of a tug-of-war between teetotalers and supporters of the drink traffic, in which he introduced the leading temperance re- formers as pulling on one side and the brewers and those who have dealings with the liquor traffic on the other side. ADDRESS AT SHILOH ON WEDNESDAY. On Wednesday evening Mr Tennyson Smith addressed a large assembly at the Shiloh C.M. Chapel. Half-an-hour before the advertised time' for commencement of the meeting, almost every seat was occupied and by half-past seven even all the standing room had been filled up. Mr Smith on the previous evening announced that he would on that (Wednesday) evening read the names of the shareholders of the Aberystwyth Brewery Company and now stated his reasons for not doing so. He related how he went to MeRsTa David Roberts and Co's offices a little late in the evening and asked a clerk there if he could oblige him by aHowing him (the speaker) to see the share- holders list. The clerk entered an adjoining room andreturned with Mr Roberts, who asked Mr Smith if he was a shareholder. On his replying that he was not, Mr Roberts said he should not see the shareholders' list, whereupon he (Mr Smith) pro- duced a ahdhng, saying that he was entitled to se.- tne list. Mr Roberta then said that he should have produced the shilling before asking to see the list. During their conversation, Mr Roberts said he would resign his office on the Town Council and fight the seat again in a bye-election on condition that the Aberystwyth Temperance Association gave him £10. A clerk in the office remarked to Mr Roberts that he ought to ask more than £10, whereupon Mr Roberts increased his challenge to C20. Professor T. A. LEVI here interrupted and asked, Is it right to repeat private conversations ?" Mr Smixii replied that it was and that Mr Roberts had made the request that he should -1-1 T"'II 1 repeat the conversation and if Mr Koberts s short- hand clerk, who was in the room at the time, was present he could interrupt him if he made any errors. He again said—Turnout Roberts, the father; turn out Mr Salmon turn out Mr Palmer itnd turn out Mr Roberts, junior. He (the speaker) was not a rich man as he had devoted the whole of his money to the temperance cause, but he would contribute jE2 towards the jE20 to accept that challenge. He appealed te the Christian temper- ance people of the town not to pass by an opportunity of putting a brewer out when they had the chance. Mr Roberts had accused him of making attacks on his personal character. Had he ever said a word against the personal cnaracter of any maa in th* Kie90f "No.") Mr Roberts further said that he had gone about the whole business in a sneakish manner. Had he ever done so ? (Cries °L J 7 threate«ed to put him out of 'he office, and as he left he was hooted by those o-i th^ STHTN J"- RV'1"6-"1 HO ™ »'»id of the Captain of the Aberystwyth Volunteers He again appealed to them to accept the challenge aim asked for subscriptions. A sum of £ 35 was raised before the meeting separated. INTERVIEW WITH MR G. FOSSETT ROBERTS. Mr itZ U h" b~n J• Tin, nn' wl1 is not enough. The conditions I laid down u £ 20 to cover theRe' 1 was to hav« U ? ,cove^ my, expenses. If thev amounted to le88, th/ („ffereDC(! tc) be giv(D too any charitable institutio" the Tow P? t haVG <0 pr0vid<- ™ 'o cover ru,d ■ot ?ee I ht T I I/?"6 the matter, and I don't diUon Vas thll P l° a"y Anothtr con" was thai my opponent was to h* a man holding the same extremist views as himself no half-and half<>r. I gave Mr Smith another challenge. He said that ffter he left^he said he was leaving at the end of the week-I should be hooted in the streets of Aberystwyth I offered to put him up at my own expense Vt ft best hotel at Aberystwyth until Monday r Ttt! ( lock'to Shiloh f■r°Uld V d0WD f™» Town W" A„'?h"" b'"ur receP«»n th«o h..» And have yau heard anything ince with re gard to the challenge ?" No, not a word." nhthT C0nditi0D,8, are complied with Uri, X am game. Mr Roberts adder) 44 T u- what I thought of 'him He atTa^^ 8traigl?t or,er to create a section nnTnot nST'0" principles As he Say8 himself, L Ces^foJ- brewers and publicans individually. He said wl sot on rhe Council in order to get at the police Members of the Town Council, who knew that that is not true, as far as Aberystwyth is concerned at any rate, sat listening and never said a word."

ABKRDOVEY. TABERNACLE. — At the Christian Endeavour meeting held on Monday evening two interesting papers were read, one by Mr Owen Davies on "William Salusbury," the other by Mr W. J. Hughes on Dr Richard DavifS, his co-worker." *Fnrthir remarks were made hy the Rev J. D. Jones, Messrs J. W. Morgan, and H. Rowlands. EBATE. An interesting discussion took place at a meeting of the United Debating Society held last Friday evening in the lower room of the Insti- tute The subject of debate was "Should Bicycles be Taxed. Mr E. L. Rowlands opened the de- bate in the affirmative and Mr W. Jones Hughes lu the negative. The fol!owing spoke on the sub- Jr an TZ R Williams, R. J. Davies Hugh Griffiths, John Evans (postman), Evan Roberts, Cnas Eurgess, Owen J. Davies, Edward Davies, and Hugh Lewis Ten voted for taxing and four- teen against. Several members did not express opinion either side. r TEMPERANCE.—Last Sunday being Temperance Sunday, references were mado i„ an p]aoes of worship to the great evil of intemperance and the duty or the community to do all possible to restrain the drink traffic. In the Assembly Rooms addresses were delivered by Revs W. D. Evans, D. Roberts (Trawfynydd). and Mr E. L. Rowlands. Tne singing was very good, especially that of the new tnne Eb^zer" which, according to one report, was recently tound in a bottle on the C.rnarvonshire shore.. At the close,arrangements were made for the distribution of papers at every house in furtherance of the million pledge move- ment. r 6 LITERARY INSTITUTE.-In aid of this Institute a lecture on "Wi; Bryan wa., given by the Rev W. Caenog Jones in the Assembly Room on Thurs- day evening last. The chair was taken by the Rev J. D Jones (C.M). The Chairman, in his opening remarks, suggested to the Committee cf the Insti- tute that they should spend more money on good standard works and that the librarians should, in their annual report, give the number and descrip- tion of the books taken out. The Rev W. Caenog Jonf-s gave an instructive and amusing account of 11 Wit Bryan." The lecture nas listened to at- tentively for over an hour by a large audience. The Chairman at the close remarked that it would not do to have too many Wil Bryan's. Mr W, Jones- Hughes, D.C., proposed a vote of thanks to the Lecturer, which was seconded by tne R-JV W. D. Evans and carried. The Rev \V. Caenog Jones, after returning thanke, proposed a vote of thanks to the Cnairman, which concluded the proceedings.

BERTH, NEAR TREGARON. SUCCESS.—The numerous friends of Miss Mary Davies, Eegermaen, Berth, Tregaron, will be glad to hear of her success last Friday uight at Pen- rhyncoch. A prize of a gold medal was awarded for the best recitation. Eight competed for the prize, and they were allowed to choose their own piece. The audience watched with eagerness for the adjudication, and when it was informed that Mies Davies was the best, the place rang with loud cheers, and again when she was invested. OBITUARY. -On Monday last the remains of Mr James Edwards, of Lancaster-street, London, and brother of Mrs Anne Davits, Tynreithyn Shop, near Tregaron, were interred at the Llangeithio Church Bur al Ground. The body was brought to Tregiron Station by the 9.45 a.m train (which was half-an-hour late), and was met by a large gather- ing of relatives and friends of the family. The body was taken in a hearse to Llangeithio. Among those present were Messrs Richard Jones, Cefngaer; Jonn Jones, Berwyn Villa; Thomas Thomas, Old Abbey, Strata Florida; David Davies, Derlwyn Wiiliam Lloyd, Penforial John Evans, Cefnbanadl; Thomas Davies, J.P., Panty- beudy Hall; Stephen Jones, Miesglas; John James, Tyncornel John Jones, smith, Tynreithin John Williams, Poutargamddwr Benjamin D.vies, Llwyngwynen David Davies, Pen.lain David Jones, Tynswydd; William Williams, Tslyryn Morgan Morris, Tynant; John Thomas, Tanygarn; &c. Mrs Edwards and the family and relatives have the greatest sympathy of the public in their sad bereavement.

NEW QUAY. THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.-In response to the advertisements issued as many as thirty.four applications have been received for the post of master to the proposed grammar school. Most of the applicants held university degrees, and several possess very high qualifications. The Committee will recommend that one of the applicants be asked to attend, so as to have an interview with the Committee prior to his being engaged. THE HEARSE.—Great difficulty is being ex- perienced by the Hearse Committee in obtaining a site for a house in which to keep it. It is now kept in the coach house of the Sailors' Home, that building being kindly lent for the purpose by Mr Jones, the landlord, until April next. The Com- mittee appointed last week to examine and report upon the site offered by Mr John Evans of Maesy- pwll carried out the work entrusted to it, and at a public meeting heU on Monday night reported that, owing to the steep gradient, a suitable build- ing thereon would cost at least f25 more to build than if the ground had been level.—Mr Thomas, Brynarfor, said that he did not think they would be justified in erecting a costly building anywhere, as very soon a public cemetery would have to be provided for the place and then the hearse would naturally be kept in a building within that en- closure. He was prepared to offer the meeting two sites on nearly level ground 0,1 the tide of the road leading to Brong" yn-street and he thought the erection of a cheap temporary structure on either of these sites would be the proper course to pursue.—Mr John O. Davies was of (pinion tbat Mr Thomas's offer should not be accepted as the road leading to the sites was in such a poor condi- tion and the probability was that, owing to the subsidence of the land caused by the incursions of the sea, the road would very soon disappear altogether. He also thought that a wooden structure, such as con. templated, would cost very nearly as much as a substantial stone building would. Various suggestions were made with a view of avoiding the ntc ssivy of building on the site promised on the outside the urban district, but a difficulty was experienced in coming f0 anv decision. According to the report of Mr E Lewis (Soar), a member of the Building Committee several sites had been fixed 'opon bntT habitants of the houses in the imm din* 8 • bourhood had fa e.gh case « .t™ j effectively objected that the Committee h.d t0 seek other spots to build on.—Finally a again appointed to seek another site'it poMib" E&SSii SETt0 *puWi0

BEDDGELBRT. EATH OF A LOCAL CHARACTER,—On Saturday fre*uaSthe Bedgfclert Parish Cburch the of the late Mrs Margaret Evans who for many years was well-known to a host of visitors frequenting this romantic village as a vendor of Welsh dolls. When her m.,riiing labour as postman in the rural district of Nantmor was done she used to take up her station opposite the Royal Goat Hotel dressed in Welsh costume with a basket full of her wares for sale. The picturesaue appearance of the old dame, her pleasing smile and her affable ways made more than L mom ntarv impression upon those who came in contact with her, and locally her death will bo sincer* mourned. She died after a brief illness at the age of seventy-three. &

OLD FALSE TEETH BOUGHT Many people have old or disused false teeth. Send your teetb to R. D. and J. B, FRASKR, Ltd., Priucess-street, Ipswich (estab. 1833), and they will remit the utmost value by return, or make you best offer. Largest and oldest buyers to fttlqa tWh

sen blocked by the Council before to- and we should like to know what ere was to refer to a committee. The atepayers are befooled by their repre- ntatives, not only at Aberystwyth but ^sewhere. We intend to see what app^ns to the matters referred to cora- itteee at the last meetiug of the Aber- i ')^h Council meetings. Experience °Ws that they are as a rule buried 11 they come up again,' often in ^bgfavated form?. Barmouth is not yet 8 far gone as Aberystwyth, either in dread of publicity or in its unwilling- to deal with matters that c me ore it, hut Mr ALLSOP will find that h** ds Undertaken a task of considerable acuity. The fear of settling things is ery great, and the desire to act in e°ret i8 intense.