Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

20 articles on this Page

IIS IT "LIGHT" OR "NIGHT"…

News
Cite
Share

IS IT "LIGHT" OR "NIGHT" THAT COMETH? IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR "MASTER" AND "MAN." THE dominant interest of the day is not Religion and not Politics, but Industrialism. On every hand we find men arrayed against masters and masters arrayed against men. On both sides hard thoughts and hard words are being indulged in, and, alas! there is every likelihood of the real issues of the ques- tions in dispute being lost sight of, and other issues of a more dangerous nature being raised. The workmen are too apt to con- centrate their ill-feeling and their effort against the masters, and the masters are in el equal danger, in many cases, of directing their dislike against themen.. Whatisneededat the present time is a recognition of the truth that there is something more at stake in the conflicts of present-day Industrialism than the mere selfishness of the employers or the employed. If it were a mere battle between two selfish hosts, a rich host and a poor host, calm-minded people might be contented to look on quietly, and wait until the com- batants had learnt the lessons which fierce fighting inevitably brings in its train. But, unluckily, over and above the question of the mere assessment of how much wages ought to be paid to the men, and how much profit ought to be retained by the masters, there remains, looming darkly in front of us, the question whether such conflicts as these can be waged without inflicting serious and, indeed, irreparable injury upon the Industry of the British Empire. No doubt, there is a certain amount of comfort in the thought that the discontent with present conditions, and the determination of the wage earner to secure a larger proportion of the profits of industry, are not confined wholly to our own country, but are pretty general phenomena in the whole of the older nations of Europe. But still there are national jealousies as well as local, aI1: there is a danger of one nation out-bidding and under-selling another, just as there is of one tradesman under-selling another tradesman in the same street. England's greatness at the present moment admittedly depends, not so much upon the area and value of her lands, not so much upon the invincible strengh of her army or navy, but upon her ability to compete favourably with her staple trades in the markets of the world. And successful competition in the markets of the world implies good work and reasonable wages on the part of English working-men, as well as good supervision and reasonable profits on the part of English manufacturers and employers. The manufacturer who takes too large a profit out of his business, and the working man who demands too large a wages for his work, injure the trade which supports them. Their conduct tends as truly to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs as does the conduct of the manufacturer who sends out bad material, and of the workman who puts into the goods inferior or careless workmanship. In point of fact, the whole matter comes back to the individual question of fair-mindedness and moral considerativeness in both master and man. The demonstrations which take place all over the country in favour of the so-called Rights of Labour are dangerous, because leaders overlook, for the most part, the Re- sponsibilities of Labour. Swansea was visited last week by Labour Leaders, so-called, and the town was processionized in a very lively manner, and eventually addressed by Mr. Ben Tillett. Against Mr. Tillett, as a well-meaning man, as a man moved by the desire to improve the condition of his fellows, we have not a word to say; but against Mr. Ben Tillett, the promoter of discontent, the enthusiastic advocate of perilous schemes of social change, based upon selfishness, and to be carried out on the lines of a battle between contending hosts of selfish fighters, we do feel that something ought to be said by way of warning. Here is one of the songs of the demon- strators THE COMING OF THE LIGHT. Hark! the Bound of many voices proclaims the dawn of day, And in the glow of morninf the shadows fade away L. i the trumpet oall is ringing, and tke sky is clear and bright, And your masters flee in terror at the Coming of the Light! 0, the Coming of the Light! 0, the Coming of the Light! Lo your waster4 flee in terror at the Coming of the Light! March march! ye swarming myriads, from the alley and the slum See, the gods of this world tremble with a fear that strikes them dumb; Arm! arm! then, and make ready, for ye know that might is right, And the workers' strength shall prove it at the Coming of the Light! 0, the Coming of the Light! 0, the Coming of the Light! ALd the workers' strength shall prove it at the Coming of the Light! Rise again the blood-red banner, that your masters fear to see, With the Phrygian cap upon it that tells of liberty! Once more, then, raise that banner, short and brief shall be the fight, For the people march to battle at the Coming of the Light! 0, the Coming of the Light! 0, the Coming of the Light I When the people march to battle at the Coming of tie Light! Now, beneath the rule of robbers, the world grow* Had and old, The people bound and fettered by a chain of glit- tering gold; But when the trumpet aouqdetb, the world shall see a sight! The golden chain is broken at the Coming of the Light! 0, the Coming of the Light I 0, the Coming of the Light! The golden chain is broken at the Coming of the Light! And here, following it, is a Parody, written by a thoughtful local Manufacturer:- THE COMING OF THE NIGHT. Hark, the aound of Bolemn voices forewarns the close of day, And in the dusk of evening the light fades faat away. Lo the warning note is sounding, and the aky s no longer bright, And your masters gaze in sorrow on the Coming of the Night! O, that Coming of the Night! O, that Coming of the Night! Lo, your masters gaze in sorrow on the Coming of the Night! List, list, ye thoughtless myriads, from the alley and the slum; Earnest men would give you warning, but of warning ye'll have none. Arm, arm, then, and make ready, since ye sing that might is right; But the workers' want won't prove it on the Coming of the Night 3 O, that Coming of the Night! 0, that Coming of the N ignt! But the workers' want won't prove it on the Coming of the Night! Rise again the blood-red banner that will lead to Anarchy, With the cap and bells upon it that the jester loved to see; Once more, then, raise that banner, cruel and hard shall be the fight, For the people march to hunger on the Coming of the Night! 0, that Coming of the Night! 0, that Coming of the Night! For the people march to hunger on the Coming of the Night! Now, beneath the sway of leaders working men grow sad and old; And these talkers for the workers are but living on their gold. But when workers' thought reviveth, the world shall bless the sight, And a golden dawn shall rise upon the Closing of the Night! 0, that Closing of the Night! And that dawr: of morning bright! Heaven guard and keep us from another Coming Night ■

'--THE MUMBLES RAILWAY AND…

I-.0. A SWANSEA DOCTOR. HAVES…

-"■ THE CONDITION OF OUR STREETS…

+-THE SWANSEA PHOTOGRAPHIC…

OUR MUTUALLY ANATHEMATISING…

THE COPPER TRADE.

j ♦ OUR LOCAL TRADE, MANUFACTURES…

[No title]

I"THE CAMBRIAN" IN LONDON.

LOCAL FIXTURES OF FORTHCOMING…

Advertising

SWANSEA. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29,…

, THE QUEEN OF MUSICIANS AND…

THE PENLLERGARE FAMILY OFF…

-----------THE PUERILE PALAVER…

DEATH OF A BRISTOL CENTENARIAN.…

- IMPORTANT RATING CASE.I

---r THE PHYSICAL TRAINING…

JLocal intciitQtnu. j