The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

LIBERALISM IN WALES. THERE is no more need for an organisation In Wales to promote Liberalism than to Promote Nonconformity. We think that J\nyone who seriously suggested that a na- tional society should be established in Wales for the promotion of Nonconfor- mity would be in danger of finding his ^*ay into a lunatic asylum. The idea of Arming a national society for the promo- tion of Welsh Liberalism is equals in- sane. Wales is Liberal just as W ales is Nonconformist. We have never attempted to disguise or modify the utter contempt Z-1 e feel for the pretensions of the Welsh National Liberal Council, which was self- begotten and represents nothing and no- bOdy, and is neither fish, flesh, nor fowl nor yet good red herring-. The political Problem in Wales is not between Liberal- ism and Conservatism any more than the religious problem is between Conformity "Ild Nonconformitv. What we mean is, that the political struggle is not to win Liberal adherents from the Conservative ranks or to lure Nonconformist adherents from the Church, but rather to discover how Welsh Nonconformity on the one hand and Welsh Liberalism on the other s^al! most effectively co-ordinate their f°rces and express themselves as impor- tant elements in the national life. We know quite well, as everybody must know who has to do with political and religious organisation in Wales or elsewhere, how ^elf-seeking individuals are always to the °nt, and how two or three of these fussy Persons, most likely at a Llandrindod con- Vention impertinently presume to speak in tile name and on behalf of the Welsh na- tlQn. Wales does not lack men, or money, I courage, or intelligence. What Wales acks is unity—a national purpose—a general willingness to sink individual aims f;nd ambitions for the general good. We now the miserable creature who is for fYer hunting after opportunity to bring ^m.self before the public. Our readers • now him. Everybody knows him. He a rnere wind bag and would gleefully J~lc*e on the back of any craze to his own nd his country's utter destruction if the f ^?tched journey could only be taken in view of the public. It is notoriety he 0f s- In our opinion the very existence a the Welsh National Liberal Council is gross insult to Liberal and Nonconfor- lst Wales, seeing that it is the imperti- a Creation of one or two individuals sen ^°es n°t even pretend to be in any an ,Se representative. Wales realizes this Xv Pays no more attention to it than it an r to the incoherent jabberings of misI What would the Nonconfor- mo; c^L1rches of Wales say if two or three rriete °r less prominent Nonconformists antj °n.e day at Llandrindod, or elsewhere, -vvu ^'thout consulting anybody, formed a they called a Nonconformist Welsh National Council? This is what was done ¡ by the self-chosen founders of that he J less political bastard the Welsh National Liberal Council. The thing was brought into being without the consent of the Li- beral organisations of Wales, and it has never been of the least use from the first day of its existence until now. When the Nonconformist Churches of Wales hold a conference we do not ask whether every church is present that is a matter for them. They could be present if they pleased. When theNVelsl-i National Li- beral Council holds a conference nobody knows whether the thing means anything more than a meeting of two or three offi- cials, whose salaries are in arrear. Wales is Liberal as Wales is Nonconformist, and what Welsh Liberalism needs is the sort of national vocalism that Lord REXDEL once gave it, a vocalism which petty per- sonal jealousy destroyed to the in- jury of the Principality. Wales needs someone more as her spokes- man than a frothy parochial nation- alist, who is unknown beyond his village bounds. At the present moment Wales has spoken out emphatically in re- ference to the Education Act. What she now needs is someone who is recognized z, by the other side to put her case, as we be- lieve Lord RENDEL could put it, and as the Welsh National Liberal Council, or any- body connected with it, could not possi- bly put it. Up to the present time the sort of people who started the Welsh National Liberal Council have sought to manipu- late Welsh Liberalism for their own ends. This is just what cannot be done, any more than a society could be formed for the manipulation of Welsh Nonconformity. All that can be done, and all that ought to be attempted, is to provide WTelsh Li- beralism with the means of united utter- ance in national crises. This, we know, would not suit the individuals who want to pose as dictators and saviours, but Wales is not favourable to dictators and is in no danger of taking its orders from a few bombastic persons, who are more remark- able for vanity than ability, and have never been conspicuous for disinterested service.

BARMOUTH AFFAIttS. BARMOUTH is still assiduously discussing its financial affairs in detail, but with what seem to us to be short-sighted views as to what makes for permanent municipal soundness. An additional twopenny or threepenny rate for a year or two would altogether get rid of the bank overdraft on which a considerable sum in interest is now spent annu- ally without any return whatever to the permanent inhabitants. If this additional rate were levied the per- manent inhabitants of the town would ultimately be benefited, but this is a fact that they do not seem to realize. Barmouth, like every other visitor resort in the district, is from time to time invaded by commercial adventurers. The regular inhabitants out of fear of high rates keep them down and go into debt, as is seen in the Barmouth overdraft. The result is that the adventurers go away and escape the payment of their share, which has to be paid by the per- manent residents in addition to their own. Let us put the case in an- other way. A rate, we will sup- pose, of four shillings in the pound is levied. This is too little to meet the current expenses, and results in adding to the debt at the bank. The commercial adventurer pays his four shilling rate and goes awyay, leav- ing the permanent residents not only to pay the four shilling rate, but also to pay the indebtedness at the bank, a portion of which ought to have been paid by the adventurers. During the past forty years Barmouth has lost thousands of pounds in this way and in the end the permanent residents have had to find the money. If a rate of four shillings in the pound is levied instead of five the adventurers gain while the permanent residents have ultimately not only to pay the shilling which they did not levy, but have also to pay the shilling which the adventurers escaped. The Barmouth Ratepayers' Union is far too much like an external Committee of the Council. It seems to us that what a Ratepayers' Union has I to do is not to worry over details i of Council action and finance, but < to deal with broad principles of municipal life. Barmouth is in fi- i nancial difficulties and has been in financial difficulties for many years. What the Ratepayers' Union should do is to discuss a broad policy of 1 extrication and to elect men to carry i it out. All the places in this dis- 1 trict from Pwllheli to Cardigan arc small and the tendency is towards a narrow personal bickering that drives 1 the better sort of men out of public life. Just now Barmouth, like other places, is not very prosperous. The inhabitants are eager to reduce the < rates to the lowest possible point. What they do not realize is that they are giving money to adven- < turcrs, which in a few years hence: they themselves will unquestionably have to pay!

THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF WALES. SIR DOXALD CURRIE has written to Lord ROSEBERY, chancellor of the University of London, and Lord REAY, president of the University College, offering to at once c give £100,000 in order that the proposed incorporation of the London University and the University College may be carried out. The foregoing is the sort of thing, not perhaps on so large a scale, that we think might happen occa- sionally to the University Coljlege of Wales if the authorities of that institution trusted to the public more, and let its needs and its work and its diffi- culties and its aspirations be widely known. For nearly forty years we have tried to help the University College of Wales by giving it a publicity which was its very life-blood whether it knew it or not, but at last we have had to give up the hopeless task and for some time have left the College to its own silly academic exclusiveness and reticence. What they who are on the spot do not know about a public institution it is not likely those at a distance are going to trouble themselves to get to know, and the result is that the University College of Wales is seldom heard of except on stated occasions. Our contention is that the public generally should be interested in the College, should I be encouraged to follow its aims and to sympathise with its efforts, and should, so to speak, be taken into Its confidence as regards its main aspirations and policy. It has been said that the man who looks at the world through green spectacles may know what he sees, but must not ex- pect anybody else to know—or care. We believe that the College could have hundreds more students than it has now, that it could have had more complete Government aid, and far more liberal j public support if it had not been cursed by I a sort of academic ineptitude and business feebleness, which we could easily illustrate by scores of irritating and ludicrous ex- amples. The ideal of the University Col- lege of Wales authorities appears to have been the most hopeless dead-as-Moses sort of Oxford or Cambridge incapacity, with- out its age, or reputation, or resources, or scholastic position or occasional genius. We feel that great opportunities are con- stantly being lost in many directions—we know they are being lost-and it is high time that the few non-academic friends it still possesses should bestir themselves and do something to again enlist the out- side public in its work and in its destiny. It is only at rare intervals that a rich donor like Sir DONALD CCRRIE can be found, but there are always men willing to help deserving institutions that do not hide their light under the opaque mask of their own insufferable conceit. The wise policy of the University College of Wales is to live and work in the open face of day, but instead of that there is a sort of subdued, cryptic, mysterious assumption, which really hides nothing but dust and shards and discarded scholastic rubbish, but is supposed to be a sort of intellectual veil. We do not think there is a single individual in the whole of this district, not a member of one of the governing bodies of the College, who has the remo- test notion of what its policy is, or what its requirements are, or to what goal it is moving, if it has a policy, or is conscious of requirements, or has any goal to which it is definitely and consciously moving. If the University College of Wales had a history of six or seven hundred years, if it possessed great wealth in consols or real estate, and if it had achieved wonder- ful things in the worlds of literature and science, then the authorities might assume with some show of reason that we-are- quite-sufficient-to-ourselves sort of atti- tude which now makes this academic fledgling appear ridiculous, although not more ridiculous than its younger rivals at Cardiff and Bangor. WTe know exactly how this sort of criticism will be received, and we do not expect anything in the shape of prompt intelligent action on the part of the authorities. Still it is necessary that the ugly truth should be plainly put before the Principality, so that outsiders who are interested in Welsh higher education may give the whole matter the careful thought which it needs. In our opinion the Uni- versity College of Wales is suffering from a sort of premature old age with all its consequent decrepitude and inelasticity. This ought not to be so, and it is high time that those in authority bestirred them- selves. The probabilities are that in- stead of seeing to their own ways they will waste time and energy in defending them- selves and the College from this sort of

criticism. A GUEYT CONFLICT. ALL the indications point to a great and bitter conflict between Nonconformist Wales on the one side and the Church of England in Wales and the Govern- ment on the other as to the administra- tion of the Education Act in relation to non-provided schools. There is a good deal of irresponsible talk about possible compromise, and the usual sort of people are walking about with draft concordats in their pocket, but as far as we can judge the efforts at compromise made some weeks before the recent COUnJJT Council elections showed the leaders on both sides that compromise was impos- sible and that the concordat hawkers are mere cranks. The Government can always resign when it gets into a corner too tight and too hot to be com- fortable, and we need not, therefore, look with confidence to the Government for any genuine attempt at settlement. The Church of England in its heart feels so deep a contempt for Nonconformist religious opinion, and for Nonconfor- mist earnestness, that the need for con- cession and reasonableness and equity is not realized. On the other hand, Nonconformists feel that in justice they have so strong a case that the fighting section of the rank and file, and the active leaders, do not greatly trouble themselves about the mere law. They know that as soon as the Government fines or sends the first batch of County Councillors to prison-if a batch of them should be sent to prison-the issue before 1 the Principality wyll then not be the 1 narrow questions of public control, or "eligious tests and teachers, or of right )f entry to elementary schools to teach Church of England doctr;nes-issues -aised by the Education Act, but the J whole subject of the Disestablishment and Disendowment of the Church of England in Wales. This larger ques- tion will at once come to the front and n the end Nonconformity will win the wider battle which will necessarily include [ill that is wrapped up in the narrower ;trife. WTill the Government proceed to he point of fining or of imprisoning re- sisting County Councillors? If impri- sonment is the Government's line of ac- tion we believe it will go to the extent 3f imprisonment. The next question is, will the Liberal and Nonconforniis members of the Merioneth, or of any Dther County Council proceeded against, adhere to their determination and go to prison ? We believe they will go to ] prison. If the County Councillors of Merioneth are imprisoned will all the other County Councils give way in order to avoid a similar fate? No, we believe not only that they will stand out, but that the Liberals of England and Scot- land will join hands with the Liberals of Wales and there will be a campaign against the State Church such as these nations have not seen for more than three hundred years. Neither the Church nor the Government has the least idea of the devil it is raising, and if we tried to tell them they would think we were trying to frighten them. We do not want to frighten anybody, but if anybody should be frightened it is the individual members of County Councils who may lose all they possess by a spell of three or six months in prison. Like all wars, there is no substantial reason for this education war. The Church seized so many schools after the passing of the Act of 1870 that it could not pos- I "I sibly maintain them in efficiency owing to the growing demands for complete instruction. By the Act of 1902 the Church hoped to retain its religious hold of the schools it had grabbed while the whole cost of maintenance was thrown upon the rates and taxes. This hold the Act fully gives to the Church, and the strife we are now entering on is to be whether that hold shall be re- tained or not. In our opinion the hold in the long run will not be retained, and far more will be lost in the end than now appears to be at stake. W e believe that this is true of both sides, but neither side agrees with us. The Act gives plenty of power to deal with the rebelling County Councillors and victory will have to be won by Nonconformists on the wider issue and at personal loss and suf- fering. As in all cases of war there is nothing, apparently, that can be done to avert the strife. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY talks unctuous common- places and his example is followed by the lesser clerics. On the Nonconfor- mist side there is a general desire to make the most of the grievances which have united the whole of the Free Churches as they were never united be- fore. The cost to each individual is not counted and most likely when the Act is enforced there may be something akin to panic in individual cases. The situation is most pitiful. Here are all the Christian Churches of the land, with few exceptions, entering into a most bitter conflict against each other in direct contradiction to every principle of the religion they profess. The Church of England uses its political 00rtunity to violate well-known and generally- accepted principles of national govern- ment. Nonconformists, sore under long ecclesiastical dominance and prefer- ence, are eager for the godless fray. It is not a light thing for the sort of men who are Welsh County Councillors in Wales to go to prison. We deeply re- gret the occasion for the strife, not be- cause we have any particular objection to a fight, or that we care a great deal whether we lose or not, but because this sort of senseless fight all through the centuries has always been brutal and demoralising and in the end utterlv fruit- less. We would avoid the conflict if we could by any exercise of moderation. The Government talks mysteriously about additional powers and all the rest of it. The simple truth is that the three points we have already named will sooner or later have to be conceded or much more will, in our opinion be lost by the Church of England before the end of the miserable business. There are, no doubt, many individual County Coun- cillors in Wales unprepared for the loss and trouble of trial and imprisonment. These should get out of the way at once so that their places may be taken by others who are ready to accept absolutely all that their illegal action entails. No greater mistake can ever be made than to g'o to war without counting all the cost. Welsh Nonconformists are going to be made to suffer individually if they suffer at all. They go to the strife with their eyes open. The Church is going to lose mainly and ultimately in its corporate capacity. We do not see any way by which the impending conflict can be avoided. The Government says that it must enforce the law. WTe think it must or repeal it. The Church says that it will not abandon privileges which the law gives it. We do not think it will abandon anything for the Church of England is a dead thing full of livings, and great care has been taken in the Act to secure the claims of the Church. Nonconformists appeal to the constitution of the country and to the ex- ample of generations of reformers and they refuse to obey a law that they say is unjust and a violation of the rights of citizenship. The only question is whe- ther all those who oppose the administra- tion of the law are individually prepared for all that the Opposition entails. The Government is too feeble to do anything to get rid of the difficulty. The Church is too stupid; and the Nonconformists says that for the sake of peace they have already offered terms which were more than generous and which will certainly not be offered again. Already the in- jury done to the public life of Wales by the expulsion of Conservatives and mem- bers of the Church of England from County Councils is very great and most regrettable. It is never well that one section of the people should rule exclu- sively. The social and administrative ill effects of the recent elections will not manifest themselves in full force until long after the trouble about the adminis- tration of the Education Act is closed, but the probabilities are that many of the Conservatives who have been rejected recently at the polls will never again take part in county work, and the whole of Wales will be poorer in consequence- much poorer than they who are rejoicing in victory can realize. What is now needed on the part of every County Coun- cil in Wales is to get fully ready for any actios that the Government may decide to take, so that there need be no re- action, no agitation, no regret. War is practically declared and as regards the first trial of strength success will pro- bably rest with the Government, as the Government is in the strong legal posi- tion. The Nonconformist contention is i that the law itself is bad and must be ( resisted let the cost of resistance be what ( it may. As long as all the cost of re- I sistance has been faced there is nothing ] more to say. We contend that any hu- «. man being has an absolute right to break Z, t!1 any law if he is willing to pay the pen- alty. The question is, are all the newly- 1 elected County Councillors prepared to ( pay the penalty? (

EDITORIAL NOTES. 1 ] i Farmers are busy on the land where it is not j too wet to work. There has been more rain, but taking the week altogether the weather has not been unfavourable to field operations. Many people besides farmers are glad for bright sunshine after the deep gloom of the past months. One of the marvels of the Post Office is that no matter in what department reform its asked for the answer is that that particular department is worked at a loss, and yet the country makes millions a year out of the Post Offices. Where do the millions come from seeing that every department is worked at a loss ? During the week there has been the usual daily crop of rumours in reference to the war between Russia and Japan, but as far as can be judged nothing has happened. It is said that Port Arthur has been once more bom- barded, but nobody believes it. Neither side is yet ready. All that is quite ready is the war correspondent and he sends imaginary news, unless the news is manufactured nearer home. The war will start in earnest one of these days. At the meeting of the North Wales English Congregational Union this week a resolution was carried suggesting to the ministers and churches within the union that all wise and prayerful occasions be sought to discourage the martial spirit and to promote the spirit of peace and concord. It seems to us that if the Churches possessed any religion, excessive armaments and war would be impossible. How often, alas, wars have religious origins. Dur- ing the South African war the churches were very silent. We believe that when Mr. CHAMBERLAIN promised working men higher wages if they would agree to pay protective taxes on food and other things, he knew quite well that wages would not be raised because food was dearer for the simple reason that wages rise or fall according to the number of people who require work and not according to the price of food or clothes. Working people have seen through the dodge. Does anybody think that at New- own, for instance, higher wages would be paid because food and clothes come dearer if there were plenty of people who wanted ii-ork F Certainly not. Mr. VAXJGHAN DAVIES, M.P., will to-night (Friday) bring before the House of Commons his Bill for the Private Bill Procedure in Wales. The Bill is to provide for improv- ing and extending the procedure for ob- "taining Parliamentary powers by way of Provisional Orders in matters relating to Wales." A similar measure has been en- acted for Scotland. *■ It is said that several members on both sides are working in the House of Commons quietly to obtain a settlement of the Educa- tion difficulty. It is probable that, in the course of a few weeks, a strong Committee will be formed for the purpose of carrying out this object. Every section seems to be bent on its own destruction, and yet a settlement is the only way we can see to avoid wide- spread disaster. AT Sion College, this week, a paper was read by Dr. ARTHUR SHADWELL on National Vitality." He pointed out that the. birth rates had declined, although the marriage rate had risen. He attributed this condition of things to the deliberate Rvoldince of child-bearing, and said that this avoidance of child-bearing was due to the fact that it no longer paid to have children. May it not also be due to the fact that mothers are treated wrongly by the State ? This subject is of more import- ance than some people think. Mr. SYDNEY BU-XTON, M.P., says with great truth, that there is need for a thorough revision of our railway and shipping freights, which often favour the foreigner as against the home producer." Not only do home railways favour foreigners, but by their high local rates they prevent the growth of indus- tries everywhere except in centres of large population, where there are competing rail- ways. Nobody can talk to a railway that has a monopoly of a district. It presumes that it is sure to get all the traffic there is and does its utmost to see that there is none! In a County Court case at Forth, last week, before Judge G. WILLIAMS, when a woman was under cross-examination she said that some goods in question were removed by road in- stead of by rail as she was in a hurry for them. The JUDGE observed that anyone might think that she lived on the Brecon and Merthyr Rail- way. The claimant had no intention of saying anything funny. There was the fact that when she wanted goods in a hurry she got them by road instead of by rail and she did not live oil the Brecon and Merthyr railway either. It is said that the KING has conveyed to the London correspondent of a Vienna newspaper an expression of his pleasure on reading a tele- gram which the correspondent had sent to his journal stating that it was the KING'S earne-st desire that the press of all countries should unite at the present time in promoting good- will among the nations. It is the Kings of the world who maintain ruinous armaments and who create war. The money spent on armaments every year would put an end to the poverty of the world. The chief New York speculator in cotton has failed in his attempt to corner that staple. He has failed for millions of dollars. Nobody appears to be sorry for tho gambler and we do not think it matters what happens to him or his sort. The cheerful feature in his downfall is that the trade of the world is becoming too big for individual manipula- tion. The cotton trade of this country has been greatly interfered with by speculators who hold hundreds of thousands of bales simply for gambling purposes. Mr. HUMPHREYS-OWEN has again been elected chairman of the Montgomeryshire County Council. This is the sort of mono- poly we do not understand. We do not understand how the mci-iibers of the Council stand this monopoly of first place, nor do we know on what principle Mr. HUMPHREYS- OWEN accepts the place year after year. Some men's lust of place and power is incol- ceivable. What agonies Mr. HUMPHREYS- OWEN would suffer if some other man was in his place and stuck to it as he sticks to it! East Dorset has returned a Liberal with a majority of 820 instead of a Conservative, as at the last election, with a majority of ninety-six. The story is the same almost every time. The people do not intend to have any Brummagem tariff reform. Dear food and scanty clothes are not desirablCi even if the number ot millionaires could be in- creased, and even that doubtful advantage could not be counted on. We are not sur- prised Mr. CHAMBERLAIN is coming home. If he is not here soon he will not find any Con- servatives in the House of Commons! Mr. J. D. REES, the Liberal candidate for the Montgomery Boroughs, is contesting the seat against Colonel PRYCE-JONES, who has gone over wholly to Mr. CHAMBERLAIN'S star- vation policy for the people. Mr. REES the other day frankly explained why he once thought of being a Conservative and his ex- planation ought to be accepted. The Mont- gomery Boroughs have a chance of speakingout for the Liberalism of all Wales and we sincerely hope they will not neglect their unique oppor- tunity. The Education Department are making it clear that at the enquiries to be held under the Education Act the only question to be enquired into will be the illegality or legality of the course pursued by the County Councils in reference to the non-provided schools. Clause 7 says:—" The local education au- thority shall maintain and keep efficient all public etamentary schools within their area "which are necessary." If the local educa- tion authority—now the County Councils- does not put Clause 7 in force then Clause 16 says:—"If the local education authority fail to fulfil any of their duties under the Elementary Education Acts 1870 to 1900, or this Act, the Board of Education may, after holding a public enquiry, make such order as they think necessary or proper for the purpose of compelling the authority to fulfil their duty, and any such order may be enforced by mandamus." The County Councils, it will be seen, are face to face with the Education Board. The issue is narrow. The remedy is simple, and a mandamus may be enforced against the failing person or his property. Nothing is gained by misstatements or ex- aggeration in the discussion of great public questions. The importation of Chinese labour into Africa is called slavery by its opponents. The advocates of Chinese la- bour say it is not slavery. There can be no doubt that the freedom of the Chinese labourers will be limited; that they will be bound for three years; and that they will be badly paid. The result is that this coun- try has sacrificed thirty thousand lives and two hundred and fifty millions of money in order to exclude British labour from Africa A very curious result of a glorious war! We have no doubt that the yellow labour means a form of slavery just as retaliation is a sort of nickname for protection. 1 he China- man is brought up against the poor British emigrant and this country is expected to pay. As Lord COLERIDGE said in the House of Lords this week the people of this country were led to believe that the outcome of the war would be to throw open the Transvaal to British labour and British industry. On Monday night in the House of Commons a vote of censure was moved on the yellow labour question and the Government only escaped with a majority of fifty-seven. Carmarthen Borough Council refused on Wednesday to withhold rates from non-pro- vided schools by thirteen to nine. At Castlebar Assizes, on Friday, JAMES HOPKINS, aged eighty-nine, was found guilty of the murder of his son and sentenced to death. The evidence showed that after the marriage of the son, in 1900, there was a good deal of ill-feeling. Prisoner used a double- barrelled gun and fired twice. He threatened to shoot the dead man's wife if she did not run away. On Saturday evening the con- demned man died in Castlebar Prison, and so is closed one of the saddest tragedies it is pos- sible to conceive. In November, 1901, we received a letter from the Welsh National Liberal Council ask- ing us if we were prepared to take and weekly insert a stereo column of matter, we to pay the cost price of mechanical production." We did not want any stereo columns provided in this way, but we should like to know how the Council's scheme for educating Welsh pub- lic 'opinion has succeeded, and perhaps some of our readers would also like to know. There are wheels within wheels as a certain old book of great renown tells us. Street cadging is rapidly growing in dis- repute. The other day, a. Baptist minister was fined by the Liverpool magistrates for begging in the streets. It was alleged that the defendant was begging for Dr. BARNARDO'S Homes without authority, but he denied this and declared1 he was helping a. poor widow. If this street cadger will come to Aberyst- wyth, he can beg in the streets without in- terruption, but he must be respectably dressed! Mr. CHAMBERLAIN'S bogus Fiscal Commission is having a bad time. The Executive of the Northumberland Miners' Association has re- fused to supply information to it because the commission was, the Executive alleges, ap- pointed by an impossible person and is com- posed entirely of persons who have declared themselves in favour of Protection. The I whole thing is seen through. The masses of the people, do not want to buy dear food and clothes in order that somebody's fortunes may b3 greater and be made more quickly. On Saturday last another of those persons who travel on railways without paying their fares was fined thirty shillings, inclusive of costs. This magisterial encouragement of one of the meanest forms of fraud tells against honest people who travel by rail and who pestered at every turn by ticket examiners because of the number of persons who do not purchase tickets. If railways were managed by the State the penalty for travelling without paying would probably be twenty pounds or more. Every honest person should do his ut- most to discourage the system of not paying railway fares. We wonder if any women in this district imagine that the enfranchisement of women was advanced in the least degree by the vote in the House of Commons last week ia-lieii i motion declaring that the disabilities of women in respect of the parliamentary fran- chise ought to be removed by legislation was carried by 182 to 68 votes, a majority of 114. The women's opponents did not put in an ap- pearance. Not a third of the members were present. The vote meant nothing, and women know that it meant nothing. Merioneth County Council has received a threatening letter from the Education De- partment, but nobody seems to be afraid. It appears to us that the Government does not believe that Wales is in earnest and that Wales does not believe that the Government is in earnest. We think that Wales is in earnest, but there may, of course, be weak individuals. The Government can always re- sign when it has got into water too deep foi it. There is nothing to be done but tu await developments. The Merioneth Council will not retreat. The Government muse take its further measure, and the sooner the better. In another part of the paper, we publish a letter by Mr C. R. WILLIAMS, of Dolmelyn- llyn, on the need for restaurant cars on the railways between places in this district and London. We believe that at one time a ( former manager of the Cambrian Railways j had got this reform in an advanced stage. We do not now wish to mix up other subjects with that which our correspondent has in hand. There is a good deal to be said for the people who are forced1 by stress of life to travel j between Dolgelley and other places to Lon- don practically without food, unless the re- freshment room bun, buttered with the wait- ing maid's superciliousness can be called Iocd. The question has been asked by people who think Welsh barristers should' not ap- pear at licensing sessions for publicans, whether Welsh barristers would be justified in taking briefs to appear against county coun- cillors and to do their best to convict them. Certainly, Welsh barristers would be justified in appearing against Welsh councillors. What is required is that the law should be known and administered. Welsh councillors are prepared not to administer the law, but sureh, they are not going to prevent the law from being enforced even against themselves. Their strong case—their only case-is that the law is unjust and is to be resisted. The more clearly the law is shown to exist and to be unjust, the better the case of Wales. At the last meeting of the Bristol Health Committee it was stated by an authority that he considered it objectionable for lady inspectors to visit the Avonmouth Dock Slaughterhouse when killing was going on '"because the conditions then amounted to pandemonium, and the language of the men could not be controlled." What docs this sort of thing mean ? If it means that women are better than men then they should be allowed to take holy orders, and be made legislators, and be otherwise placed above men. If it means that they are lower than men why should they be saved from the world's rough and dirty work? Indeed, they ought to do it all so that. sacred and superior men may be wrapped in cotton wool and be put in glass cases! » The Board of Education have given notice that the appointed day in Cardiganshire for the coming into operation of the Education Act is to be the first of July. The object of fixing different days in various places is doubt- less to see if the course pursued in the earlier cases will not subdue the recalcitrants in the others. Will it? We think not. Neither the Church of England nor the Government will have the last word in this education matter. Once the members of a single County Council are imprisoned there will be trouble from end to end of the Principality. The County Councillors who are not prepareel to go to prison should resign at once. What they have to face before the Courts is that they have accepted positions which legally en- tail the discharge of certain duties imposed by Act of Parliament and there is no justifi- cation for their contumacy but willingness to go to prison. We would not have chosen this way of fighting the Education Act, but that is a matter we need not now discuss.

BLAEXAU Fi STINIOG. The Vacant Living.—The Rev. A. 0. Evans. the Bangor diocesan inspector, has been p pointed to take charge of the vacant living of St. David's, pending the filling of tKe vacancy created by the death of the Rev. Dd«, Richards, M.A. The living is the gift of Archdeacon Williams, of Merioneth, Mr. W« E. Oakeley and his son, Mr. Edward Oakeley,, The Late Duke of Cambridge.—The Duke of Cambridge, who died last week. was amongst the distinguished visitors who afc-< tended the Blaenau Festiniog National Eis* teddfod in 1898. URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. Friday night, March 18th. (Special Meeting.)—Present: Mr. Andreas Roberts, chairman, presiding; Mr. Cadwaladr Roberts, vice-chairman 3 Messrs. Owen Jones, Rd. Jones. Francis Evans, Lewis Richards, E. T. Prichard, J. J. Jones, Dd. Lewis. W. J. Rowlands, H. H. Roberts, E. Lloyd Powell, M. R. Jones, Lewis Thomas. E. M. Owen. Humphrey Ro- berts, J. Lloyd Jones, R. 0. Davies, clerk; E. Roberts, assistant clerk; and W. E„ Alltwen Williams, surveyor, inspector, and engineer. Sympathy. e The Chairman proposed a vote of sympathy; with Dr. R. D. Evans in his unfortunate ac- cident.—Mr. Owen Jones seconded and it was carried unanimously. Electric Lighting. The meeting was convened more especially, to consider the various reports of the Light- ing Committee upon the electric lighting ar- rangements.—The Chairman asked whether the Council would discuss the reports in pub- lic?—The Clerk: I feel that the members of the Council are now entitled to hear all these reports, but I very much doubt the wisdom of publishing them at this stage. To my mind the difficulty with Mr. Yale has already been settled amicably, whilst the difficulty with the Company is in a. fair way to be settled. If these reports were published, however, it might create a sense of irritation harmful to an amicable settlement.—Mr. Owen Jones concurred in the views expressed by the- Clerk and proposed that the repoits should be read in private. He felt that the public disclosure of the negotiations might have a most undesir- able effect; at the same time it was very desirable that the Council should know what the Committee had done.—Mr. E. T. Prichard said considerable darkness hung over the elec- tric lighting arrangements and the ratepayers were anxious to penetrate the darkness. He had been cross-examined a lot lately about the matter—(laughter)—and he should like to have an adequate explanation to give. However, he had nothing to say if the Committee were afraid of publishing the reports.-1Ir. Lewis Thomas, who seconded Mr. Owen Jones' pro- posal, said it was not a case of fear at all. The Committee were not afraid of having the re- ports published; but in the interests of an. amicable settlement. it was most desirable that they should not be published broadcast.—The discussion was continued by Mr. H. Roberts, Mr. C. Roberts, and Mr. Rd. Jones, the latter arguing that if it was advisable not to publish the details just now tl'ey should be published after the settlement had been arrived at He had been catechised a lot during the past fcrt- night about these arrangements and he felt that the Council should now or later take the ratepayers into their confidence. He proposed that a statement explanatory of all the nego- tiations should be published by the Council in the Press after the settlement had been ar- rived at.—The Chairman But the election will be over by then. (Laughter.)—Mr. Rd. Jones It is not a case of election at all. I feel that the ratepayers should know all about it.—Mr. Owen Jones: hen Mr. Richard Jones is made aware of the details as all the Council v.iil be made aware of them in the course of to-night's deliberations. I do not think he will press his proposal. It is possible in such cases as these to injure the ratepayers' interests in an honest attempt to do the reverse.—Mr. Lewis Thomas Cozieuri-c,d.Tlie proposal to resolve into Com- mittee was then passed. Mr. Humphrey Ro- berts describing the coming deliberations as a seiat." (Laughter.) Our representative was given to understand at the end of the meeting, that after the voluminous minutes of the Light ing Commit- tee had been read it was generally admitted by all the other councillors that the Commit- tee had discharged their duties most satisfac- torily and that the members deserved the spe- cial thanks of the Council for the labour they had CAponaed. It was made perfectly clear from the terms of the negotiations with Mr. lale that the dispute with him as regards his own contract is practically settled; whilst in the matter of the dispute between the Council and the. Company a sub-committee have been entrusted with powers which it is hoped will lead to an amicable settlement. Appointment. Applications were received from the follow- ing for the post of electric arc lamp trimmer, f i" :^Henry Richard Griffith. 75. High-street r u°T^e-' T'10 Avol'k for 25s. a week) • IJ. H. Davies. Sun-street. Llan (28s.); H r' Parry, Wenallt, Festiniog. (35s.); Charles J. Dempscv, 8. Benar View (40s.); and W. G. Owen, 150. High-street (40s.).—One of the can- elidates did not send testimonials, but referred the Council to Mr. Alltwen Williams and the Gas Manager.—Mr. Cadwaladr Roberts thought in fairness to the other applicants wno had sent testimonials he should he placed out of the running—Mr. Rd. Jones failed to see any force in this argument and a spirited exchange of words occurred between him and Mr. Roberts 011 the point.—The five applica- tions were eventually treated as regular but only two of the candidates were nominator? -.1 Mr. Parry, proposed by Mr. Humphrey Koberts and seconded bv Mr Francis Evans tnd Mr. W. G. Owen, 'proposed bv Mr Rd! Jones and seconded by Mr. Lewis Thomas.— On a division, Mr. W. G. Owen was elected by nine votes to seven. A ftcnrards all the mem- bers put up their hands for _All.. ONi-eii.-A Di-otracted discussion took place on the duties at the new officer and the terms governing his appointment.—It- was arranged that in addi- tion to superintending the electric lighting he should assist the Engineer in the superintend- ence of the gas and water mains; and that the Council should have the proceeds from anv pri- vate work he might do.—The Council sat two and a half hours.

T,U.U.AU (HER). A Gamekeeper's Extraordinary Experience. -Last Saturday, the Glyn underkeeper found a collie dog belonging to one of the farms caught in a trap set in a cover. The dog was fast by one of its hind legs. The under- keeper walked forward with the intention of releasing the dog. He was close to the trap when he slipped and fell, and the dog mis- taking his good intention,, attacked him in a most ferocious manner, ripping open his right clieeiv right across and also ripping open the lips. After some difficultv. the man was able to free himself. He proceeded forth- with to Harlech and was attended by Dr. Jones. C.E.i.S.— the Clr.uoh c» l-'nuhuid J\ mner- ance Society's at '1 ai.;arnau held their last meeting 01 tik .version j1 Lj.'d Harioch's School last Saturday evening. 1)J).. David Evans, Gefail-grwn, was in the chair, sup- ported by Mr. R. Jones Morris. J.P.. Tycerrig^ hon. sec. The Rector was unavoidably ab- sent. Songs, addresses, and recitations were given by the members, and a very pleasant evening was spent. Religious Knowledge.—Lord Harlech's School and Llandecwyn National School were examined last Tuesday by the Rev. A. O. Evans, diocesan inspector of schools for the diocese of Bangor. the Rector (the Rev. D. T. Hughes) was present at the examination. The children at both schools gave a creditable account of themselves. The singing of hymns and chants was very sweet and correct.

lÇoral anb District A grant of JB250 has been made by Govern- ment towards a school of forestry in connec- tion with Bangor University College. The Dowager Lady Londonderry has left London says M.A.P." She was Miss Mary Edwards, daughter of Sir John Edwards of Garth, and one of the richest heiresses in Wales. She married in 1846, and became a widow in 1884. This now aged lady is a clever woman, and a masterful one. and has done much good in her day and generation. She takes. deep interest in her tenants and the Montgomery property and she shares with the Dowager Lady Hindlip the unusual dis- tinction—for a woman—of having held the office of churchwarden. Her affections seem greatly centred in her only living daughter Lady Aline Beaumont; and her sons are the present Lord Londonderry, Lord Henry, and Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest. It is curious that only daughters seem to be the rule in this family; Lady Aline was practically the only girl of the last generation, as Lady Helen Stavordale is of the present. And the Lon- donderrys have a knack of marrying heiresses at least, such was their custom in past days. TIle< reigning Marchioness is beautiful, but 1!t wealthy; and the future one—Lady Cas- tlereagh—has many charms but not much for- tune. However, the dowager peeress is a well-dowered widow; and further back in the past was the fimous 'Frincis Anne," daugh- ter and sole heiress of Sir Harry Vane-Tem- pest. from whom have been inherited land, money, collieries, and Wynyard Park itself. I .11