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FEDERATION v. SLIDING-SCALE.
FEDERATION v. SLIDING-SCALE. MEETING OF ANTHRACITE MINERS. The monthly meeting of the Anthracite Miners' Association was held at the Tregib Arms, Bryn- amican, on Saturday. There was present a goodly number cf delegates, Mr Rhys Hopkir, Crynant, occupying the chair, supported by Mr W. Abraham, M.P. (Mabon), and Mr Enoch Rees, the secretary. Speech by Mabon." Mr W. ABRAHAM, M.P. (Mabon), in the coosse of a vigorous address in Welsh, stated that he was under the necessity of calling attention to certain letters which had appeared in the Press, misrepresenting things he had said, and-containing accusations against him. It appeared that Mr Brace, in a letter which appeared a few days ago in Welsh, charged him with not replying to a question asked with reference to Mr Pickard. He (the speaker) at onco saw that Mr Brace had made a mistake, and inasmuch as he was very busy at the time in London, he wrote a letter to the same paper calling attention to his friend's mis- take, and explaining that Mr Pickard had never asked him to do what Mr Brace stated. This was that Mr Pickard had challenged him. (the hon. member) to prove that he (Mr Pickard) had, eitnsr by speech or document, stated that York- shire coal sold at an average of 18s per ton. Now he (the speaker) had never said so; what he did say was that Mr Pickard was represented m the Press as having made a statement to the effect that Yorkshire coal sold on an average of 18s per ton. Ho never said Mr Pickard hsCd said so to him. He remembered that at a meeting at Ton he referred to what Mr Pickard was in tho Press said to have stated, and, accord- ing to that statement in the Press, Yorkshire coal had been sold on an average of 4s per ton over and above the South Wales coal, aUhough they had 17% per cent, more than them. rrh", hon. member w2nt on to say that 2i.1.r Pickard had now sent him a challenge asking him to prove when and where he had stated, either in speech or docomsnt, that the Yorkshire coal had been sold for 4, per ton above the South Wales coal. Now, he never said thai, and did not say so he had only made a deduction from tho main statement that it was 18" a ton. (Cheers.) He knew that the South Wales coal was 13s 4-d per ton, and consequently, according to that statement, Yorkshire coal was bound to be sold at a price of over 4s a;){W8 theirs. (Ap- plause.) His hearers would sco, therefore, what_ his friends wero doing", for instead cf meeting him face to faco they challenged him on side issues instead of dealing with the truth. He had challenged Mr Braeo to again ask Mr Pickard whether ha didn't say that tho coal was sold at lfu. (Hear, hear.) Mr Pickard has also stated in his letter to the South Wales Daily News, "Now, sir, I only draw your readers' attention to ray lecter of .Angnst 6th to prevent any farther warping tbo original statement," but ho (Mr Pickard) was the man who had been "warping tho original statement" from the outset. (Cheers.) The original statement of Mr Pickard was that Yorkshire coal was 13s a ten, and the natural deduction ho had mado was that it-had been sold 43 above thftirs. (Hear, hear.) Ail he wanted his friends to do was to corns to the "kernel" of tho matter, and not play about the shells as they did now. (Applause.) Tha hon. member (proceeding) wanted his friends to do was to corns to the "kernel" of tho matter, and not play about the shells as they did now. (Applause.) Tha hon. member (proceeding) stated that misrepresentation was rampant these days—(cheers)—but ho bslieved they would find out before long that these misrepresentations* would bring the house down upon the heads of those who made them. (Hear, hear.) That was I his candid opinion. (Cheers.) The Federationists proposed to accomplish great things, oao of which was to regulate the wages on an entirely different scale to that of the Sliriing-jcalet Undor ¡ that scale the price of coal regulated the "age", but they held that the wages must govern the price of coal. That new principle had already been on its trial for four years, and its advocates said, "Clap on the 40 per cent., and keep it there!" Now he (tha hon. member) contended tha.t if such a principle was to be successful it should 00 capable of general application. (Applause.) As the advance would go upwards they would see that the principle would fail. It was true that in the Midland counties, where one tNode fed the other. and where the coal trade was an inland one, the Federation had boen able to do much, and had kept up their rate until now, but the moment they went outside and touched the fringe of Continental competition they failed every- where. The Forest of Dean, which was an in- I tegral part of the Federation, was an illustration of this, where they had only succeeded 111 c'ap- piag on 30 per cent., whilst Bristol had 3234 per cent., and Radstock 25 per cent. There were I also districts belonging to the Federation in Scotland whore a redaction of 20 per cent, had been made, and there was also a district in I Cumberland where a reduction had taken place. In the discussions now going en attempts ware being made to justify the Federation and to relieve it from the responsibility of supporting- theso small districts. Proceeding, the hon. member said that if the advocates of Federation went on for the next few weeks in South Wales as they did now, they would soon find out that they would not be wanted in South Wales it they would treat them similarly to Bristol and the Forest of Dean. {" \V e don't want them here," I and cheers.) Tho hon. member referred to the figures given by Mr Braoa in a contemporary as totoe-priceof coal ¡n Yorkshire and in South Wale?. He ignored the tact was tha price cf coal j free on board that regulated the wages in South Wales. Then nothing was said by Mr Braco as to the greater cant of producing Welsh coal, and I tneso two things atone—greater cost of prodaemg I it and placing it. on board—would at onco make a "difference cf 2s iu the ton. (Applause.) It was very convenient for the Federation advocates to hide things w.ih the object of alluring Welsh hide things ,v:h the object of alluring Welsh miners from too present satisfactory mode of regulating wages. In conclusion, the hon. I member regivttocl that he was compelled to call I attention toscfesethiags; but what e!se could he do? He must adhere to the u-uch. (Applause.) It was better to do fcisit, and his advice to the miners of the district and of South Wales generally was to look at t-hetrush straight in the face. (Applause.) Welsh miners had fought the battle of England once yes, ancf for live months, and a cr." at battio was again coming nearer if people went on as tr.y did now, but he promised that the battle would not be sought this time in Soufcii Wales if he could pcasiUy help it. (Cheers.) youth Wales would net be the Waterloo cr the coal trade in 1S63, if, by saying the truth, ho could pro vent it. (Applause.) Several ot the delegates then expressed much satisfaction with the address of the hon. member, one of them observing that tho manufacturers carried on the battle of the advocates of the bliding-seale &bru>st single-handed. (Cheers.) A most hearty vote of thanks was accorded the hon. member for his address. Mr Braoe in the Gsrw VaHey. f At the inv:uT.on of several locaJ miners but not from a. general meeting of any colliery, Mr Wm. Bvace attended at Pontyeymmsr on Saturday to expiam tile principles of the Miners' Federation. After some prelrmaary remarks, explaining these matters, and after staging that aw did not go anywhere except by invitation, Mr Brace said :— "J?.0 kave bad reductions by the action of the Siidiug-scale when we ought to have been having advances. The principle of a Sliding-scale is that when the price of eoai goes down so do ouv wages. In Mav, 1892, there was an increased market over iViay, 1891, of 200,000 to-as of coal. In August, 1882, an increase of 120,098 tons over Aucrust, 1891, and in October; iS32, an increased market over October, 1891, of 85,000 tons. In spite of this greatly increased market we have hau reouctions when we ought to have been I getting advances, for surely an increased market is a nealthy ma.icet and ought to carry with it not reductions but advances In wages; but though there has been an increased market in twelve months of SCO,COO tons we have had large reuiicoions in wages. I do not believe that the supply is greater than the demand. More coal Produced ought to give a higher rate of wages. If we were ail in 'me grand organisation thero would be no reductions. It is said that the °^e Federation, that we should command the selling price of coal, is not tenable, but I firmly believe it is. Iu is said by bur opponents that the laws of supply and demand govern the selling price of coal, ar-d that these laws are divine laws. My answer is. if these laws were divine they would not allow some to make for- tunes while others go to paupers' graves. The selling price of coai, according to my views, are governed by three parties—workmen, employers, and buyers. People require coal or they do cot. If they require it they buy it for their own con- venience and not to give you work. The Sliding- scale allows people to coxae in and say what they wiU give for it, but, we say we will fix the price of I oar Ittbour, and the employers must gdi; enough for the coal to esaabie us to get fair wages. It is satd this will drive trade from the coumtry. If '10, we will follow it wherever it goes. Mr Brace then referred to the low prices a.1" which reoeiiu coal contracts had been placed. If they agreed to a scale on this basis where wouid their wages be in 1393? He wis ad voeating a pr_\1Ciplc which would prevent any further redaction*m wages after this audit. Employers had nc. right to make contracts which would have the e £ J.*ct of lowering the wages of the men without theb^con- sent. Hew could they prevent it ? By afnSating all miners^with the Miners' Federation of Great Britain. Let them dQ so and there would be no I more reductions. There were about 200 men present at the meeting^ and Mr W. Davie. (checkwsigber) pre- sided. All- Morgan (checiweigher) proposed that a lodge be opened m Pontycymmer, and though there was an amendment to dfclay till after the conference, thero was a large majority for the resolution.—After the usual votes of thanks the meeting terminated. Cambrian Association of Miners. 0rV,Sajur:-ay evening a meeting of the Execu- tive Committee of tho Cambrian Association of „T"ne.r8 was kpid at t&e assembiy-room of the VVinosor Hotel, Ton. Before the ordinary business of the irjeetrng was proceeded with, Mr John Sheen and a workman named Bartlett ascended, appealing on bebalt or the worfcaasn of the Maritime colliery, who are members of the Miners3 Federa- tion of Great Britain, for pecuniary support.—The deputation stated, in reply to the committee, that they had received £ 73 from, various collieries be- longing to the Cambr.ian Association, and a col- lection was being madt» that evening among the workmen of tae Marciy Colliery belonging to the association.—The cocawrttet, "after a brief de- t liberation, observed that they spmpatbised very much wish the warlsnen and their families in their misfortune, and decided to contribute £25 immediately to them. The committee further remarked tjhat every facility would be afforded h*v the association to enable tho represei itatives of the unfortunate j workmen to maka ,i jpliqutions amonff the other collieries belonging to the assfceiation that had not yet subscribed. The deputation then retired, j cordially thanking the committee for thei- generosity and their kindness. Mr W. Abraham, M.P. (Mahon), spvke°a.tsom:3 length in Welsh and English to a very large audience on the advantages of the Slidmg-scale at the Maesteg Town-hall, on Friday evening. Mr W. Ress presided, and Mr W. Evans, Bub- agent, also spoke in favour of the Sliding-scale, giving important statistics as to the benefits de. rived.
CONFERENCE AT CARDIFF.
CONFERENCE AT CARDIFF. Speech by Mr Brace. On Monday an adjourned meeting of miners' representatives from Gla- morganshire and Monmouthshire was held in St John's Hall, Cardiff, for the pur- pose of discussing a resolution to the affect that the titpo had come when the miners of Mon- mouthshire and South Wales should connect themselvas with the Miners' Federation of Great Britain to consider tho advisability or otherwise of falling in with the ma- jority and to decide as to where and when the ann al council meeting should be held. Mr W. Brace, :günt of the Monmouth- ¡i shIre and South Wales Miners' Association (a branch of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain) presided, and Mr Ben Da vies (Pentre) I was called to the vice-chair. Mr Samuel Mills (Aberbseg), general secretary, was appointed secretary to the meeting Messrs James Magnus (Blaenavon) and George Darnall (Bodrmgallt) were elected tellers, and Messrs Howe!Is (Ogmore) and Jacob Williams (Blaenavon) credential committee. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, expressed satisfaction at tha largo atten- dance of delegates, who represented many thousands of men, and said it was very pleasing to him that, notwithstanding what had been said against them by leaders of the opposi- tion movement, the principles of the Federation had increased greatly in the neighbourhood, both numerically and financially, during the past six I months. (Hear, hear.) He complained of an agreement entered into between himself and Mabon not to discuss personali- ties having been broken by tho sub-ugent of the httpr, who had described him and others as foreigners coming in-like thieves in the night to split up the umty amongst the miners—(cries of "Shame")—and explained that so far from holding any hole-and-corner meetings he was always prepared to meet Mabon" and discuss and criticise matters with him. (Hear, hear.) He found that in a speech made at Femdale on Thursday Mr Abraham, M.P., said Yorkshire coal sold at 18s per ton. The words were, Mr Pickard had told him that Yorkshire coal had been selling for ISs per ton, and he (Mabon) argued that if this were so, then Yorkshire coal realised 4s per ton more than South Wales coal." Since then Mr Pickard had written to tha South Wales Daily tfcius and the Scuth Wales Echo, iu which a letter appeared, and the writer said, "I therefore desire once more, as I did last August, to ask Mr Aba-ham to prove when and where I publicly made the state- ment. because I have no need to say that Mr Abraham and I have not talked this matter over privately?" But what did he find? In that day's newspapers it was reported that in a speech at the Anthracite Association, on Saturday, Mr Abraham stated that he never said Mr Pickard had said so to him. (Loud laughter.) Now, he would like to know how the matter really stood as between Mv Abraham aud Mr Pickard. He would say no more than that the falsehood had been tied to the proper quarter. (Hear, hear.) The first resolution was practically the samo as I that submitted to the Aberdare Conference, and as a. put-off against it one of the friends at Aber- dare moved a resolution that there should be a ¡ joint meeting between repressntatives from Northumberland, South Wales, and tbt Miners' Federation of Great Britain, with plenary powers to draw up a scheme by which a national organi- sation might be formed upon practical lines. But it seemed a. strange thing to him that the man who went on the platform and got interviewed, and so forth, should tuv to make sure of getting a majority of miners outside the Federation of Great Britain. (Hear, hear.) The Federation would never agree to ba a party to a Con- ference where the minority could out-vote them on important questions. (Applause.) l If their friends wanted a Conference, if they were really in earnest a.nd their motives were pure, he challenged them to one where the repre- sentation should be by fifty thousands or frac- tiocal parts. Would their friends agree to a Conference on. these lines ? (A Member No I fear," and laughter.) If the South Wales miners were anxious for a Conference there would be one on the 9oh, 10th, and 11th of January next in Birmingham, when the whole of tho questions affecting South Wales and ifJonmouthshive would I be discussed with the view of ameliorating the sufferings and conditions cf the miners. That Conference would discuss the Eight Hours, Em- ployers'Liability, the Mines' Amendment Bill, and the general wages question. There was only one point there which they could not agree unon, and that was the general wages question. Now, he invited the South Wales leaders to corne I to the Conference, lay down their principles of the Sliding-scale, let the question be debated I in public, and have the question settled once for I' all. (Applause.) If his friends did not send representatives to the Conference ha was afraid be would have to come to the conclusion that there were mere reasons than one for not sending, and tfcht their motives r.ot 'so pure ac' the leaders would have people believe. (Hear, hear.) As to falling m wst-ii tho majority, the rumour leaders would have people believe. (Hear, hea.r.) As to falling m wita tho majority, the rumour had gone round that he had practically pledged II that branch of the Federation to fall in with the majority. That was not so. All he did was to I pledge the delegates to carry back au unbiassed report of the proceedings. Were they prepared to be ruled by the majority of the South Wales and Monmouthshire miners on an questions in future? (Cries of No, no.") Hecouidnotasree to be ruled by a majority of South Wales miners on these principles, and by thousands of other msfl who had never heard the principles declared as they should have been. Assuming that the voting went against then: at the coming ballot, were they to tie their hands and say that as Ion." as A majority of the miners cf South Wai-js fe't inclined they (tho promoters of this larger organisation) were never in future to aavocate the principles of a national organisation ? They were not prepared to tie their hands inore tl);,11 they had dope in the past from declaring in favour of a national organisation for the whole of the miners of this country. They might now be in a minority, but the time was coming when they would not Lo. in that positior, but would be m a majority. Their opponents did not discuss the question of wages according to the selling pric<> of coal, but made comparisons bstween the wages in South Wales and in the Forest of Bean. Taking the hours worked—for in the Forest of Dean they bad only eight hours from bank to bank—he maintained that the average wages paid in South Wales would bo found second best to those paid in tho Forest of Dean, although South Wales had the best coal in the world. It their opponents would not allow them to take part in the forthcoming ballot unless they pledged themselves to stand by the result whatever it might be, he recommended them to let thosa friends ballot by t themselves. There seemed a generat I agreement in favour of some sort of national organisation, but the principles of that organisation were in dispute. It was-known that where certain collieries in this district had been stopped owing to strikes the waggons had been loaded up at other adjacent collieries. If it was not possible to prevent that in the same district, how was it possible to prevent in distant and widely separated districts ? The principle of the Federation was to have all colliery districts united ia a common organisation, and in the event of a dispute in one neighbourhood to paralyze the trade throughout the country. The VicE-CiiAixiMAX, in opening the discussion, said they had heard the names of eight different organisations mentiom>d, aud he thought tha miners were worse oif than if they had none. District societies were only stumbling blocks in the way of one general organisation. And yet each district claimed to bo in favour of county organisation, and in favour of national organisa- tion and international organisation. Were they prepared to stand outside waiting for national organisation until there was a majority in favour of it? What febance had disorganised Uaoour standing against organised capital. (Applause.) Mir TEEHAU:VS (Aberfcillery) spoke in favour of joining the Miners' Federation of Great Britain. Mr McKAY (Abercr.rn) said if the men who had suggested that a national conference should be held, they would take advantage of the miners' national conference which would be held in Bir- mingham in January next. Ho lived in hopes of seeing a grand united organisation for the miners of this country, and in this hope he urged his friends to keep on pegging away at the principles they believed to he right and just. Mr JAMES (Pontypooi) thought it was time for practical men to stand up and face the complica- tions and difficulties which now beset the miners of South Wales. Ho would never advocate sec- tional strikes, and to him it seemed that sectional fighting had always proved a failure. A strike was unwise unless thero was solid and united sup- port behind them throughout the country. He moved the following resolution :— That the delegates attending this adjourned Con- ference nre of opin on that the time hxs cmuc when the miners of Monmouthshire and South Waies should connect themselves with the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, and hereby pledges itself to use every legitiill11.te means to secure sueh connection. Mr MORGANS (Garw) seconded the resolution, and in doing so observed that things were coming to such a pass in Scuth Wales that in'time the colliers wou!d almost have to ask for room on wmcfa to live. They had no voice whatever in the selling price of coal, and consequently the rate of theu- remuneration was determined upon a prin- cipie over which they exercised no control. Mr MORGAN (Porth) held that they had better and firmer ground to go upon than the opposite party. (Hear, hear.) If the Federatiomscs were looked upon as thieves in the night, that was not quite so bad as being thieves who went about thieving barc-faced in the day time, (Hear, hear, and-laughter.) If they formed and supported a National Association it would bo'a mighty blow towards knocking down tbo tyranny which was keeping them back and oppressed them ;o much to-day. (Applause.) A Blama delegate said ho was not empowered to vot'3, bus he had been sent thero to help in trying to bring the two parties together, and consider the question jointly. The men in the Nantyglo and Blaina district were not unanimous for Federation. The vote at the col- liery he represented was 164 for and 286 against joining the Federation, aud unless the national party teak" definite step to face the foe this tune, there would be no national organisation io Blaina. Mr MASKING (Blaina) supported the resolution. It aeamed, he said, tho resolution pledged them to overthrow the sliding-scale. and if so he, indivi. and as a ^P^^utRti ve of others, wouid do aH he could to ensure the, downfall of the system which was to him unjust in all its principles.; (Hear; hear) Mr JACOB WILLIAMS (Blaina) also supported the resolution. Mr D A.VIES (Galw) obserwd that one delegate had said they might have got" Mabon" there to givo tho other sido of tho question but there was no need for that, because during the greater parb of the 17 years the Sliding-scalu had been in. operation they had been kept under the standard of 1877, which was ample proof that asliding- '> scale was nothing but a rotten system. (Hear, hear.) He saw no ray of hope for miners but in a federation throughout Great Britain. (Hear, fcear.) Messrs Magnus (Blaenavon), Mr Lewis (Swan- sea District), Mr J. Thomas (Abersychan), and Mr Wilson (Porth) also spates Mr WILSON stated that the.mea.at tho colliery he represented had passed a resolution to break away from the Sliding-scale and support the Federation, believing that it was the best method by which they could secure a fair rate of wapes and he believed that if tht> ballot were taken throughout the country now as to whether the men would go in for the Sliding-scale err the Federation there would be a large majority in favour of the latter. (Hear, hear). Mr JONAH SAGE(Risca) having spoken in favour of the resolution, and mentioned a few incidents connoted with their work of organisation at Risca, said that representatives from South Walss could go over to Belgium and to France and shake hands with labour delegates there, favouring international Unionism, but when those delegates camo back from the Continent they were not pre- pared to shake hands with their own brethren ia the North of England. The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution to the meeting, no amendment having been moved. The motion was carried unanimously, and the meeting adjourned for luncheon. AFTERNOON PROCEEDINGS. The Conference was resumed at two o'clock, Mr Brace again presiding, when the second pro- position, the ad visibility, or otherwise, of falling in with the majority, as suggested at Aberdare, was discussed. The CHAIRMAN pointed out that as the Federa- tioniscs had principles and a distinct policy of their own, and as the principles of the Sliding- scale and those of the Federation were so far apart that they could not have a medium, the thing must he fought out, and one of the methods be recognised as that for regulating wages in South Wales. As the Shding-scalo had been tried and had failed, they asked that the principles of tho Federation be given a fair trial to see if it would work out better. If they agreed to fall in with the majority they would certainly be outvoted. Mr J A.CQB WILLIAMS (Blaenavon) argued tha.t thoy should not go in with the majority, for they had been long enough on the other side. Mr MAGNCS (Blaenavon) also spoke in a similar tone. Tha VICE-CHATRMAN submitted that unless they got time to make knuwn their viows and principles they should not submit to the majority, or in any ether way. Those who met at tho Aberdare conference had not fixed the date of tho ballot to bo taken at the collieries, and, perhaps, it would not be taken till 1895. (Laughter.) No doubt the other side knew all about it, and would have an opportunity of fully expressing their views, and ho contended the Federationists ought to hare the sanis advantage. Mr LEWIS (Swansea district), in the course of a lengthy speech, complained that hitherto the claims of the Federation had been placed before the workmen entirely in English, and it was tiine someone should speak to the miners in their own language. (Hear, hear.) Tho advocates of tho Scale were all Welsh-speaking Welshmen, and although Mr Brace had done great work, it was high time that both side3 should be advocated in YV elsb. Mr MANNING (Biaina) said that last year tho Federation declined to fan in with tho majority at Aberdar?, and he suggested that they should follow a similar course this year. They must, as Federationists, tako an independent part, and if they were forced to bend they could still claim that they did not believe in it. Mr TBEHAENE (Abertillery) said if they took part in another conference at Aberdare, they would fall in with the majority. But there was an "if" in Jt, which they should consider. If they passed a resolution not to go in with the majority, that meant that they should stand out- side.the door. And what did that mean ? Thi6 VICS-CHAHUIAX A wa'k-over for our opponents. Mr TEEHABNE asked if they were prepared to go on tois year, led by the nose, with a thing they had not a voice in, and were they going to have their wages regtriated in a way in which they had no say ? Stopping outside the door meant, he thought, giving their opponents an opportunity of making another sea la and still keeping them down. He had previous]}' said he would fall in with the majority, but the men he was with were not of that opinion, and, as Federationists, they must stand their ground and not go in. Mr McKAY. Abercarn, pointed out that it would be impossible for them to abide by the majority, for if trs majority went against the Federation, Mr Brate would be pledged to advocate the Sliding- scale. (Laughter.) The only way they could secure a national organisation in Wales was by sticking to the principle they believed in. It was said tuafe if thoy kept away from the next Aberdare Conference they would be bound to submit to the next scale. Let them not believe it-tuere wa not going to ba another scale for soiao time. (Hear, hear.) And even if they had another scale .it would bo the best thing that could happen for the Federa- tion, for tha next scale would be a great deal worse than the present 6»NBJ; ^%e present?seals had driven thousands cf workmen into the Federa- tion ranks, and if thero v/as to bo H. now scale that scale would sweep tho remainder to their side. The majority of the miners of thi's country were Federatiomstj now, so why not fall in with tho majority in that respect ? (Hear, hear.) Ths Onnorø Vala representative said the lodga;ha represented were against gi v, ng way to the majority, but that they should peg away with tho Federation. I liepiymg to Mr Lewis, Swansea district, the Cn-iiiiMAJ." said tuat any colliery, 110 matter I whether ;t now belonged to a district or not, was ab perfect liberty to join with the Federation. Mr SAMUEL MILLS, Aberbeeg, said that by attending the Aberdare conference they wer,1 merely bolstering np the rotten system which now p.evaded in South Wales. He believed in taking anindependent view as well as an independent action apart from the Shding-scale altogether. They looked forward to the day when they and Swansea would join hands, and wh»n there was an association for the whole country. lie did not think it was very wise to take up much time in discussing the question, because thoy were dl dead against the scale, which, if it had been wrong in the past, cannot be right now. The* scale had brought them from tho lofty point of 57'/a per cent. down very nearly to the standard, and he thought they should give their interest and their zeal for the Federation. (Hear, hear,) Mt" WALTEJSS (Abertillery) characterise.! tho Sliding-scale as nothing but a rotten, sweating, tyrannical system, and argued that they should not go in with the majority. Mr MORGANS (Garw) pointed out that the Federation bid taken their stand, and it would be ridiculous for them to give in to the majority on the jwiui. Mr GKOSGC IIOWKLLS (Nantymosl) suggested that they should resolve not "to snuinitto the majority, and that they should toll the Aberdare Conference that they had no right to ask such a question. (Applause.) Proceeding, tho speaker declared that however little the mon of South Wales knew about tha Federation, they knew very much less about the Sliding-scale. (Hear, hear.) Indeed, not one-tenth of the men knewimy- thiiig about the scale. The scale had never been pat on a fa.ir and proper basis. He was now a strong believer in the Federation and would do all he could to further its claims. He denied the statement made by Mr Abraham that the stan- dard under the first scale was 12s per ton, for there was no advance of wages under that >crde until the coal had reached a ne-s average of 138 per 6on. The CHAIRMAN then put the following resolu- tion :— Tha.t this meeting, after carefully considering the question of the minority being ruled by the majority, cannot see their way clear to do so if it means tuat. they bir-d themselves not to advocate the principles of tbe Federation of Great Britain as against the prin- ciples of the Sliding-scale. (Hear, hear.) This was unanimously agreed to. The CHAI&JIAN said the time had come when they as Federationists must take a stand upon their principles. (Hear, hear.) It was of.:io use going to the Aberdare meetings, there to be out-voted and causing unpleasantness. He there- fore suggested this resolution :— Tiiat as wo cannot, as an OTganisatieri, sec our way clear to be ruled by the majority, and thereby bind ourselves not to advocate the principles o; ouv federa- tion a3 against the SUuing-scals, we advise all coll ieries connected with th<- Federation, cr favour- aMetotbe Federation, not to 3end delegates 13 any conference called by the Sliding-scale Committee. This resolution was formally propos-xl by Mr TKEHABNE, and carried unanimously. The CHAIRMAN said he had discovered that the coal trade (exports and coastwise) had, during the year up to November, increased by 600,000 tons yet they were asked to believe there was bad trade. And only last month (Novem- ber) there was an increase in the mirkeb of over 200,000 tons. Taking those things into consideration, he thought the time had arrived when they should do something to free themselves from a system which subjected them to a reduction of wages in the face of au increasing market. It was subsequently resolved that the Feder- ation should make Cardiff its centre, and that the next annual conferencc bo held in Cardiff on Thursday, December 29th. Votes of thanks to thaehairman, vice-chairman, and other officers concluded the proceedings. Mr Mills reported that there were 51 delegates, representing 20,550 miners, present, and that number of men were pledged by the vote of the meeting. Mr D. A. Thomas, fytp., on the Crisis. Mr D. A. Thomas, M.P., delivered an inl- portant address on Tuesday night in the Temperanee-hal), Aberdare, a considerable portion of wnich was devoted to a consideration of the existing crisis in the coal trade. The chair was taken by MrsD. A. Thomas, the president of the Aberdare Women's Liberal Association, the occasion being a gathering promoted tinder the joint auspices of the Women's Liberal Association and the Aberdare Liberal Association. The large hall was crowded. After Mrs E. WILLIAMS (Mertbyr), in a charac- teristic Welsh speech, had advocated Homo Rule tor Ireland, the Disestablishment and Disendow- ment of the Welsh Church, and the complete Enfranchisement of Women and Local Option, and after Mrs GWILíM JAJDSS had spoken a few words, Mr D. A. THOMAS, M.P., who was received wita much cheering, at the start congratulated the LiOeral electors of Aberdare upon their magni- iicaut vietoup at the-last election-victosv with" out a parallel in the annals of its political history. (Cheers.) A Liberal Cabinet had been formed, and although the pointed exclusion of South Wales representatives from the Government was, per- haps, not altogether satisfactory, they were deter- mined to stand loyally by their leader, to see that Mr Gladstone Lad fair play, and to do nothing to embarrass him so long as he carried out the New- castle programme and did justice to the Welsh people. (Cheers). After touching upon the biseatablisbmeat question, and upon agricultural depression, the hon. gentleman went on to say he had been asked to speak upon the grave crisis which was now taking placp in the South Wales coal trade. This was to his mind the most serious crisis that they had experienced for 17 years. (Hear, hear.): He was<glad to number among his warm personal friends upholders of the Shding-scale as well as advocates of the English Federation. He was not going to take sides in the discussion, nor would he presume to tell them how they should act. He was satisfied of the honesty of the leaders on both sides. (Hear, hear.) There was one thing he would impress upon them at the outset, aud that was not to move hastily or take any step without considering the conse. quences, or that might lead to a strike. (Cheers.) It was possible that, in the event of a general stoppage, Clydach Vale might go on working but he would go almost any length to prevent a general strike, especially one that would involve his constituents. (Cheers.) He hoped there would be no general cessation of work, though the clouds looked rather dark at the moment. He would ask them to bear this in mind—that a strike on a falling market had seldom been successful; that the organisation of the employers was now powerful—perhaps stronger than it had ever been beforehand that the effect of a strike, however it might result, would, as it had in 1875, drive trade away for years. (Hear, hear.) Let them remember it wasnot enough to have justice or right upon their side to secure victory for the time being. (Hear, hear.) He would like to tell them why, in his opinion, prices bad fallen. They saw that the shipments of coal at Cardiff had increased, and that therefore the demand must be greater than it was a year ago, when prices were several shillings a ton higher. Well, no doubt the fall in prices had to some extent stimulated the demand; but the reason, he thought, why the drop had taken place was that, although the demand had increased the potential supply had increased in an even greater ratio. What he meant was this When wages were going up and money earned easily, colliers worked less and the output per man diminished. That was what he called a natural restriction of the output in the good tunes. Then, when wages fell men worked harder, aud the individual output increased. (Applause.) The strength of the Sliding-scale was said to be that it gave stability to trader and enabled employers to secure forward business with a minimum risk, but that very strength also constituted its weakness. The Shding-scale enabled sellers to make contracts with full knowledge that if prices generally fell wages must also follow, and recoup them by reducing their cost of produption. (Hear, hear.) That led to underselling. (Hear, hear.) If the workmen determined to re-enter upon negotia- tions with the employers with a view to the renewal of the scale^ he hoped, having regard to the e-normous red actions, on the standard which had taken place during the last twelve months, that the employers would seotheIf way to undertake that no further reductions should take place for some time to come, and that they would agree to some minimum—say one corres- ponding to wages at 9s under the Sliding-scale— however low prices might fall, and that if they fell below 9s the employers would bear the loss. (Applause.) Before ho sat down he should like to say a word or two upon the princi- ples of the English Federation. He did not believe it was possible to permanently regu- late prices by wages, nor did he think it would ever bo practicable-sin their time. Further, ho did not believe in the feasibility of the celebrated 20 th rule, calling out the work- men of South Wales because the employers in Lancashire demanded a reduction in wages. Whether the scale was doomed or not it was worth while their considering whether they had not better have a Federation of their own for South Wales. (Applause.) If the scale was doomed, let them go in for Home Rule. (Hear, hear.) There was 110 closo identity of interests between them and tho mmers of the Midlands. In proposing a vote of thanks to the member for the borough, Mr D. LEWIS EDMUNDS, speak- ing in Welsh, referred to the critical state of the relations between the employers and workmen in the South Wales coal trade. He said he was afraid that many of the colliers did not properly understand and appreciate tbe gravity of the situation. Englishmen were anxious to get them over to their side, but, sneakingvfrom over 50 years' experience, he said they had had enough of the policy of the Englishmen. (Cries of dissent.) 1 he vote of thanks to Mr D. A. Thomas was very heartily accorded, and that gentleman humorously responded. Mass Meeting of Ocean Colliers. On Tuesday evening a crowded meeting of workmen employed at Ton, Ystrad, and the adjacent neighbourhood was held at the Ton Schools, under the presidency of Mr John Lewis, checkweigher, to hear addresses hy Mr W. Abraham tMahon;, M.P., and Mr David Morgan, Aberdare, Councillor T. I)aro!r.vy Isaac, and others, upon the subject of The Federation v. the Slidiug-scale. The building, accommodating about 1,500 per- son", was packed 1.6 tho" entrahefe quite half-an- hour before the proceedings commenccd.—The Chairman, on appealing for fair pi Ay to the speakers who were to address tht3 meeting, was vehemently hissed. Mf W. Abraham, M.P.. also appealed to the hostile section of the audience for fair play.— Mr David Morgan haviug been called upon by the Chairman, was received with a storm of opposition. He proceeded to reply to Mr Brace's statements, but was continually inter- rupted.—Mr W. Abraham and Councillor T. Daronwy Isaac then addressed the meeting, and were listened to without much interruption.— Several questions were put to Mr Morgan at the close of the meeting, aud effectually answered.
A SWANSEA niGHT OF WAY CASE.
A SWANSEA niGHT OF WAY CASE. The case which has been pending for nearly six months in the Swansea policc-court, was tried at length on Tuesday morning before Messrs J. C. louder and W. ilossfr. Mr Robinson Smith, who appeared in court for the first time since his illness, placed the railway company's case before the magistrates, and Mr David Randell defended. Twenty-nvemeu from the neighbourhood of Llan- saratet were summoned for trespass on tho Great Western Railway lino on March 30th last. On the advice of Mr RandeU, the defendants waived the question of tho jurisdiction of the present court, and acknowledged having been on the lino at the times stated by Inspector Ruoiford and railway guards also called as witnesses. Tho effect ot ths summonses was to pre- vent workmen of tha district fr^m utilising what had, for very many years, been considered by them a right of W;.y across the joint Great Western Railway and Midland Rail- way lines, between Six Pit junction and tho Swansea Valley junction, near Pwll Mawr, Llan- samlùt. The prosecution described the place as a particularly dangerous portion of the line to trespassers, and declared there could be no public right of way there, although men had been in the habit of walking on the line near the place. Me Randell, addressing tha Bench for the defendants, asked that under the circumstances a nominal line at most be imposed. It was originally proposed to erect a foot bridge for tho convenience of the district at this point, but owing to a difficulty about the adjoining ground for the buttresses th'i3 fell through. As late as July this year, Mr Jenkins, Earl Jersey's brother- in-law and agent, wrote a letter to the Rev Thomas Walters, D.D., who had interested him- self in the matter, in which the following passage occurred :— RIGHT OF WAY OVER THE GREAT WESTERN AND MIDLAND RAILWAY NEAR PWLf. MAWR, LLAKSAMLET. I now beg to state that provided the Swansea Corporation and the two Kailway Companies will aftrae to buikl a footbridge at the place in question. I am prepared on behalf of Lord Jersey to allow the buttresses for the same to be erected on his lordship's land adjoining. Mr Randell, continuing, said hebad endeavoured to extract a promise from the Railway Companies to build this bridge, but hitherto without success. He asked the Bench to give some expression of opinion upon the matter. The Stipendiary, in giving judgment, said the defendant had been admirably and wisely advised by Mr Randell not to raise the question, which would have taken away the jurisdiction of the court, and coming to the arrangements they had. Ho would gladly take this opportunity to say that he thought it advisable and necessary to construct the bridge which would enable the industrious working men of the district to get to and from their employment without running the risk of crossing the line. He advised the defendants not to run those risks by trespassing any longer, but to look forward to the erection of the bridge. He would impose one nominal penalty of Is, with 10s 6d costs.
CARMARTHEN TOWN COUNCIL.
CARMARTHEN TOWN COUNCIL. A half-quarterly meeting of the Carmarthen Town Council was held, under the presidency of the Mayor (Mr James Davies). on Tuesday. The most important question discussed was the contract for the public lighting for next year. The Corporation had been paying 4s 6d per 1.000 feet net to the Carmarthen Gas Company, and it was wondered whether that body would not reduce that amount to 43 3d, if not less, seeing that the price of coal now showed a downward tendency. As yet no schedule had been sub- mitted by the company's manager, but it was expected shortly.—U1 timately the Council agreed to enter into a contract for another twelve months, the price not to exceed 4s 6d per 1,000, and the town clerk (Mr R. M. Thomas) and the borough surveyor (Mv J. Morgan) were em- powered to approve or reject tho schedule that will eventually be submitted by the compahy. It was understood that thpro will be very little difference in the terms of agreement.—The lessee of the markets (Mr Pcrtnell) made an application for a lease of the markets for three years. It transpired that £1,835, £1,700, and £1,700 had been paid for the past three years respectively.— It was thought that it would be a distinct advantage both to the lessee and to the Couucil to make such a lease, but the matter was deferred for further consideration.
[No title]
Lord Roberts is expected to arrive in England about the middle or end of April on vacating his command in India, and is looking forward to enjoying a period of rest before taktnf up any acttvs employment again.
RECEPTION OF HiS LETTER IN…
RECEPTION OF HiS LETTER IN | CARDIFF. STRONG CENSURE BY IRISHMEN. The Hon. Gentleman Repudiated by Junior Liberals. Sir Edward Reed, M.P. for Cardiff, has-ad-< dressed a long letter to Mr Rees Jones, the President of the Cardiff Liberal Association, on the questiou of Home Rule. He couimenctis by saying that so much has been said and written since the general election in Cardiff and else- where about his intentions concerning the Irish question that be feels constrained to put his views into definite form. The Home Rule Bill for Ireland which he supported in 1836 was a measure which went, he thinks, as far as it was possible to go in the way of relieving the people of Ireland from harsh and capricious interference by Great Britain with their domestic affairs, or without breakmg in upon the unity and authority of the Imperial Government. Sir Edward then goes on to describe at length the statements made since that time concerning Home Rule, the modifica- tions which have been made in the original pro- posals by Mr Gladstone and others, the numerical position of the Liberal party at tho last General Election, its dependence on the Irish vote, and the statement of Mr W. Redmond that if the Liberals did not come up to their expectations it certainly would be their duty to vote against them. This, he says, bring3 him to the main purpose of his letter, which is to make it plain to Mr Rees Jones, to the Government, and to all whom it may concern, that he and other members of the Liberal party are under no obligation whatever to see Home Rule for Ireland carried the length of giving to Ireland control over any- thing more than purely domestic and local aSairs that he has no intention whatever of assisting in any separation of Ireland from Great Britain; that he intends to hold himself absolutely free to vote as ho finds just and right when the time comes for voting on any scheme for restoring tenants to their holdings, aDd in making up his mind he will give fair consideration to all parties concerned. Finally, he wiU not be prepared to take part m any process for so deal- ing with cruel and murderous men as to encourage people to believe, either in Ireland or m England, that foul crimes will go unpunished or be con- doned because the perpetrators have committed them under "political excitement." Sir Edward cannot imagine anything more deplorable, more unworthy of cur country, more calculated to revolt every noble sentiment of the British people than it would be to find a body of men composing a Government and charged with the present and future of our vast empire, accepting dictation from one-eighth of the home popula- tion, in any matters whatever, except what are most strictly their internal concerns, and not only accepting that dictation but accompanying its acceptance with proceedings which would violate the good sense and justice of our people. He does not suggest that they intend going wrong on either of theso points, yet hu cannot but recog- nise that they are under great pressure to do so, and that they have accepted oiucc with the full knowledge of the temptations that await thero. His correspondent well knows that thero is nothing in this letter which in any way alters his attitude respecting tho Home Rule question during tha last six years. His Iri^h supporters in Cardiff have been toldpluinly that with him Irish Home Rule was always essentially and solely a question of the internal management of affairs in Ireland, ?.r:d not a question of separating Ireland from our Empire <n any degree. None of his constituents have been nioro cordial than his I Irish friends in accepting this view. They have given no countenance to tho extreme views of Messieurs Redmond. He can sso no harm likely to result to our Empire or to the world from Ire- land being allowed (with all the forms of Parlia- ment and of Executive Government in miniature, it it so pleases) to take the charge of its own internal legislation and administration. On the contrary, he thinks good all round might result from extending to our Irish subjects resi- dent in Ireland this measure of satisfac- tion but he sees great harm likely to result from subjecting any Imperial questions whatever to the operations of a Dublin Parliament and Exe- cutive—notwithstanding the fact that these Imperial questions involve Irish interests in common with our own. Of one thing he is per- fectly satisfied, and he thinks the Irish members may well take note of it, and the Government too, if that be necessary, namely, that Great Britain will never bo drawn—no, not even by sympathy and the desire to please—into any sacrifice whatever of our Imperial Unity or of out- sense of justice as between man and man, tenant or landlord, or whosoever he be, cr of our deter- mination to defend the peaceable people of this kingdom against the men who, under any guise whatever, shed or endeavour to shed innocent blood. Assuredly he cannot be drawn into any of these things, and he is confident that he will have the very general approbation of his con- stituents in thus disclaiming them.
MEETING OF NATIONALISTS.
MEETING OF NATIONALISTS. Severe Criticisms of the Hon. Member. Oh Sunday afternoon a crowded niseiin; of Irish Isationahst.3 was held in the Gladstone Hali, Cardiff, when consideration was given to the recent pronouncement made by Sir Edward Reecl on the political situation. De Muliiti, a prominent leader of the Irish Homo Rule party, presided, beiug supported on the platform by the Rev Father Matthew, Mr Alien Upward, Mr Lloyd Meyrick, Mr H. Jones, MrJ. Macarthy, and others, Mr ATLEN UPWARD moved the following resolution:— That in the opinion of thif1 meeting, the lctt3r from Silo Eùw.l1'd Iteed proves rimt he is 110 longer a Gbd. "to11ian Homo liuie:, and therefore lias to represent the views of the Liberal Home Ituisrs of Cardiff. He said: I am here at the invitation of your chairman, one of the truest Irishmen and one of the soundest Liberals iu all Cardiff, to addrsss you on what is probably the most; important occasion m the history of tho borough. For 60 yeara Cardiff has been represented by a Liberal member in the House of Commons. For the five months which have elapsed smco the last general election the people of Cardiff thought they were represented by a staunch (lladstonian Liberal. Yesterday moaring we awoke to find ourselves represented by a Liberal Unionist. (Hear, hear.) In reviewing Sir Edward Reed's letter, Mr Upward said — Wo arc compelled to seek sonio reason for this change. \Ve are entitled to ask our member why he has favoured us with this startling de- claration of llis viows ? What i" the explanation we IIrid. in titc letter itself lie writes it because, he says, So much has been said and written since the general election, in Cardiff and else- where, about my intentions concerning the Irish question that I fec.1 constrained to put IOV views into definite form." It is true that a good deal hnsbeen said and written about Sir Edward's views but by whom has it been said and written ? By Sir Edward himsolf. Eveiy line that has appeared-ami it has appeared for the most part in the local Tory Press—has been uttered or, apparently, inspired by Sir'Elward. He is right. This manifesto does not come, as has been said. like r. bolt from the bin-. It '8 the outcome of a long series of feelers put forth to try tho patience and loyalty of his constituents. (Hear, hear.) If you remember at the time that Sir E. Reed refused tho post offered to him, he made a statement in which he expressed his in- tention to devote himself more particularly to Labour questions, and on the faith of that state- ment I myself wrote him a letter, which appeared in the public Press, to express the sympathy which I believe we all felt with his attitude. (Hear, hear.) But the Labour party is a weak party. There is neither honour nor reward to be gained by taking up the cause of Labour. (Laugh ter.) And the next thing we got was a pronouncement on behalf of Welsh Disestablishment. Well, many of us feel very strongly on the question of Welsh Disestablishmsnt. But the Welsh party did not take kindly to Sir Edward's leadership on that question. That was an unprofit- able field, too. But on the question of Imperial Unity there is the whole Unionist party, with all its prospects in the future, ready to welcome any ally out of the Gladstonian ranks. (Cheers.) And, finally, the Irish ques- tion is chosen as tho pretext, and we get this interminable declarationof independence, with not a syllable about Labour, not a word about Dis- establishment, from beginning to end. (Hear, hear.) Surely, this is the worst ground he could have chosen. Many of us are discontented with the position of Labour. Many of us would like to see a firmer stand for Disestablishment. But if there is one question on which tho country gave a blank cheque to Mr Gladstone at the general election it was this of Ireland. And it is on this question that he raises the standard of revolt, and throws himself into tha arms of the enemy. (Cheers.) This is the TRUE GRAVITY OF THIS MANIFESTO, the reactiona.ry spirit that breathes through all its long-winded and specious paragraphs. We can all r&spect independence. We can all sympathtse with the Radical who feels impatient with tho slow progress of reform. But— and this is what I want the people of Cardiff to take a uoto of—Sir Edward Reed has not quarrelled with this Government because it is not Radical enough. Ha has quarrelled with it because it threatens to be too Radical. That is the whole position in a nutshell. And that is why this latter has aroused indignation ia tho breast. of every true Liberal, and has drawn forth the condemna- tion of the Liberal Press throughout the land. (Loud cheers.) Why have we received this precious communication, with its clap-trap peroration ? Is it only since the election, or since the formation of the Ministry—(laughter)—that Sir Edward has discovered that Ireland is anchored, as he says, by Providence at our doors ? Has he only just realised that Great Britain is destined to play a great part in the progress of the world ?" (Renewed laughter.) Is it the discovery that the great principles of civil and religious liberty operate in all places for the good of mankind that has suddenly convinced him that they will not operate for the good of Irishmen ? Has the nobleness of our rough island story" burst upon his dazzled view—(loud laughter)—for the first timo, in connection with our treatment of Ire- land ? Have the shades of Shakespeare and Bacon and Newton appeared to him in the visions of his head upon his bed, to demand justice for Lord Clanricarde ?—•(renewed laughter)—or 18 THERE SOMETHING NOT DISCLOSED in this idiotic rhodomontade, which lies at the not of it all ? I wish it were not necessary to put this question. (Laughter.) I make it my rule to attribute honourable motives for poiitiaal action where it ia possible. But others have not been so charitable. Already the Press throughout England has been discussing the situation in very plain terms indeed. They have assigned motives for the action of the member for Cardiff, and the motives they have' assigned are not hiS attachment to civil and' religious liberty, nor his respect for the memory of Shakespeare and Newton. (Laughter). They have appealed from him to us und they have asked us, whether we will submit to Wrepre- sented by an unscruplous place-hunter. (Cheers). What are we to do ? There aro waverers in our midst. Already attempts are being made to whittle away the meaning of this defiance. Already apologies are being coined. There are some who say that Sir Edward Reed will write another letter and explain this one away; Sir Edward is always writing letters to explain other letters away. (Hear, hear.) He onco wrote an attack on a great Labour leader, ncuv a Liberal member and a staunch Homo Ruler, when he was in prison; and afterwards ho wrote l,nd explained away that attack. Ho wrote repudiating tho views of the Temperance party, and then with- drew that. lie threw cold water on the claims of Wel3ti nationality, and thon gave in on that point. Ho has assailed almost nvery article of the Liberal Cfed in turn, and then recoilcd before the. breath of popular indignation. (Hear, hear.) Now h0 assaults tho last stronghold of Horn:« Rule, and again we arc told that hensav b0 conx. d or bullied into the path. But how long is this to go on ? Bow long are we to be tha victims of theso shifting and shuffling manoeuvres ? 1 venture to think that the Liberals of Cardiff havo had enough of it. They arc tired of a representative who has to be perpetually driven to go straight, like an unruly animal. Wo have made every allowance for Sir Edward Reed. We are face to face with a grave crisis. This is the first cleavage in the ranks. It may be in our power to make it the last, or, by tolerating this, to pave tho way for the dis- ruption of the whole party. Let us do nothing rashly. Let us show those solid and sterling qualities which Sir Edward reminds us in his letter are ours as a people; but let us not forgot, if ho has forgotten, that among those sterling qualities are those of manliness, truthfulness, and honour. (Cheers.) Thero may be troubles ahead, but we are prepared to face thorn. Let the ranks ba drawn up fairly, and let us fight in tho light of day, and wo know that tho good cause will triumph in the end. (Loud applause.) The Rev Father MATTHEWS, in seconding the resolution, pointed out the identity of interests between the Roman Catholics and the English and Welsh Nonconformists. His personal rela- tions with Sir Edward Reed had always been most satisfactory, indeed that gentleman had extended many acts of kindness and courtesy to Ins people, but ho could not forget that Sir Edward had been returned to represent them as a Gladstonian, and that ho had now thought fit to modify hiavinws. He had no doubt it thermal moment of this sudden change were known, that it was the moment Mr Gladstone's Ministry was formed. (Cheers.) He had every confidence in Mr Gladstone, and seconded the resolution with much heartiness. (Cheers.) Mr LLOYD MEYBICK, speaking in support of the resolution, pointed out that no new circumstance whatever had arisen since Sir Edward Rood's election to justify tho letter ho had sent. lie could not but regard it as as attempt to under- mine the Liberalism and democracy of Cardiff. (Hear, hear.) He was one who had had a feeling of admiration for thoir member. He thought there was a certain amount of "grit" and vinhty in Sir Eaward, that there was a dash of the "old Arhm "in hnn-- (laughter)— but now that the member for Cardiff had attained to sucli a seraphic state of virtue as to issue solemn warnings, not only to individuals but to constitu- encies and to Governments, he (Mr Meyrick) sacily confessed he had been disillusioned. (Cheers.) What did Sir Edward Ileed mean? He practically suggested that; tho present Government was a corrupt and an immoral Government, who would stop at nothmg in order to retain office. Was not that an infamous suggestion ? Were such man as Mr Gladstone, tha grandest personality in politics—(loud cheers)—honest John Morley, (cheers)—and the magnificent Rosebery to be bullied and hectored by such an insignificant factor in politics its Sir E. J. Rood (Loud cries of "No! No.") Mr Gladstone had suffered much and endured much for the good cans. and were they in Cardiff to stand idiyby whilst disappointed place-hunters hampered and embarrassed the Grand Oid Man in this snpreme hour, whsn he was about to achieve the crowning triumph of his illustrious career ? (" No.") They must teach Sir Edward Reed that he conld not do as ho liked with the sturdy Liberals of Cardiff. St was :<- sad spectacle to see a man turning bis back on his couvtctions but infinitely more melancholy was the spectacle of a grert constituency becoming a traitor to itself. The eyes of the kingdom were fastened upon them in Cardilf. Let them nobly vindicate themselves from suspicion that they, the Liberals and Radicals of Cardiff, were false to their tradi tions. Ho ventured to say that they were not likely to agree with that worthy Town Councillor who protested to have" lIninnnded confidence" in Sir Edward. Sir E. Reed was fond of writing letters, but he had at last written one letter too many. (Loud cheers.) He WHS a voluble correspondent, but there was a danger in over-volubility. (Cheers.) There was talk that all this would blow over. Hot they would not pormit it to blow over. (Cheers.) Let them determine to have no further expl;ination«j"bo.t, as Sir Edward Reed had written hi-iietter after calm and cool consideration, make him stand by it—(checrs)—and when hti•'i«e«arut!d to Cardiff-to light the constituency, if he ever did, he would find the fight an impossible and a hopeless one. (Cheers.) The resolution was then put to the meeting and carriod Unanimously. The CHAIIVJHthen addressing the meeting, said :—There is another point I should like to bring before the meeting. A few weeks ago cur secretary wrote a letter to Sir Edward Reed l'questing bun to become a member of this branch. After a good deal of beating about the bush, he consented and sent a two-guinea sub- scription to the branch. I would suggest that a resolution be passed expunging his name from the role of nvmb-rs, and that the two guineas be returned. (Prolonged cheering.) Mr J. MACAKTHY proposed a resolution to that effect, and in the course of a- lengthened declama- tory speech compared Sir Edward Reed to Mr Chamberlain. Mr W. O'NEAL seconded tho proposition, which, on being put to the meeting, was' carried unanimously.
MEETING OF CARDIFF JUNIOR…
MEETING OF CARDIFF JUNIOR LIBERALS, SiR EDWARD REED'S MANIFESTO. On Monday evening a well-attended meeting of the members of the Cardiff Junior Liberal Association was held at the Hotel Metropole, the meeting having been specially convened to con- sider what action should be taken in viaw of the letter recently addressed to Mr Rees Jones by Sir Eiward ICced. Mr T. E. Jones presided, and amongst those present were Messrs Lloyd Meyrick, E. Gronow, J. Thou as, E. Williams, C. E. Thomas, J. Rogers, Thomas Griffiths, C. Burgess, T. Harry, F. L. Short, Edward Thomas, H. J. Russell, and others. The CIIAIUHAK referred to the object of the meeting, and explained that it had been called to discuss Sir Edward Reed's letter. He (the speaker) thought the: enthusiasm had been fired ul! the more in their determination to repu- diate that Jetter in its entirety 'by the trenchant- article which appeared that morning in the South Wales Daily News. Ho was sure everyone of them was delighted with it its tone had exceeded their most sanguine execrations. He earnestly trusted the editor of the South Wales Daily New*, having nailed his colours to tho mast, would stand by them, and that, too, in spite of whatever might be said in sympathy of Sir Edward Reed by weak-kneed Liberals. They had at the very bottom to consider but one principle—that Sir Edward Reed was returned to support Home Rule in the forthcoming Session, and they fully expected him to have done so. The hon. member had said he advocated an united Empire, but no one could have done more than he had done dur- ing the last few days to break up the integrity of the Empire. He had told them that Groat Britain had returned a majority against Mr Gladstone's proposals. He (the chairman) asked I what right had any man, and particularly Sir Edward Reed, to say such a thing? It was Great Britain and Ireland which gave Mr Glad- stono his majority, and it was Great Britain and Ireland which would have to deal with the ques- tion of Homo Rule. He wanted to ask Sir Edward Reed whether he was prepared to adopt the same line of reasoning with regard to Disestablishment and Disendowment of tho Church in Wales. They had 26 repre- sentatives in favour of Disestablishment and Disendowment in Wales, but the bulk of the English members were opposed tc. it; and because they were opposed to it, if Sir Edward Reed was consistent on the one point, he was bound to be on the other, and to oppose Dis- establishment and Disendowment in Wales. (Applause.) Mr LLOYD MKYMCK then moved tho following resolution:— That, this meeting of the Cardiff Junior Liberal Association is stronsrly of opinion that the letter of Kir I'/K'ard Reed displays a feeling of bitter and unjustifi- able antagonism to the Libaral Government, and that it believes him to be unworthy of ever representing a Radical constituency like Cardiff. In speaking to the resolution, Mr Meyrick said Sir Edward Reed had added msult to injury by his letter to the Times. That letter, instead of disproving, had shown that the one moving cause of his action was disappoiuted ambition. He had obtained his seat in Parliament under false pretences, and if his election address had contained the sentiments expressed in his letter, he would have been hounded out of the town by every true Radical. The Liberal Thousand had but one course open to them but whether they roso to the emergency or not, it would noc have tho slightest effect upon the future representation ot Cardiff. Liberal Cardiff had made up its mind. (Applause.) Mr MOKECHNIK seconded the resolution. Mr BURGESS, speaking in support of tho resolu- tion, produced copies of the South Wales Daily News Containing speeches delivered by Sir Edward Reed at the Park Hall just priorto tho last election. No debater in the county, he con- tended, could rebut the sentiments expressed by Sir Edward Reed in his manifesto more effec- tively than did those speeches. On one occasion he said:— Well, looking at it in the broad light of time, I say that you cannot match that for grand old Torvism (that was the Bill of 1386) in auy Parliamentary assembly in the world. I am inclined to think that although we shall be as wise as is necessary in all these matters, I do hope that we havo made progress since that time, and what I am afraid of is not of going too far in connection with Ireland but In our not going far enough (Cheers.) How, continued the speaker, did these words correspond with the sentiments of Sir Edward Reed now ? (Hear, hear.) Again, in the saint) sptx-ch, speaking of Mr Gladstone, Sir Edwafd had said, Will any of vis desert him in his last struggle No one." These words taken ^1 m conjunction with Sir Edward's lcttfer of Satur- day last proved to bo one of the most remarkable ut-teranct-suver made by a public man, and, added tho speaker, they all of them would remember Sir Edward Reed's admirable perora- tion respecting Mr Gladstone with which he wound up bis speech on that memorable occasion. (Cheers.) The very next day Sir Edward attended a meeting of tho Irish electors, when he mado use of the words- Irishmen must be sick and tired of the accusations that the Irish Nationalists desiro separation. Ireland is not rich enough. She cannot make herself, big enough to take a separate existence, and does not want to attempt such a thing. He (tho speaker) thought it would bo interest- ing to the peoplo of Cardiff if the South Wales Daily News could find room to reprint some of Sir Edward's speeches, and especially his Park Hall speech, on the questions of dealing with ^Ireland. (Cheers.) Mr GRONOW said Radicalism in Cardiff had not been blotted out by Sir Edward Reed's letter. He had tho people yet to deal with, and they were prepared to tell him the next time he came to Cardiff he had better seek another constituency. (Cheers.) Mr C. E. THOMAS, in support of the resolution, said he was glad tho Junior Liberal Association of Cardiff had taken the matter up, and had taken the opportunity of sending their opinion direct to their illustrious leader, Mr Gladstone. (Cheers.) The resolution was then put to the meeting aud carried unanimously, it being further decided that copies of it should bo forwardod to Sir Edward Reed aud also to Mr Gladstone. Mr G. E. WILLIAMS next moved— That Sir Edward Reed's rction has rendered it im- possible for him to cominne to occupy the position of president of this Association, and that the fact be notified to tiira without delay. Mr JOHN THOMAS, in seconding the resolution, said it had boon a painful matter to him to read Sir Edward Reed's letter, nnd had he sus- pected something was wrong when the letter that gentleman had sent to those present at the banquet to Mr R. N. Hall, the Liberal Agent at the Cardiff Reform Club was read Out, That letter, he said, contained some most un- worthy sneers at the Welsh nation, and had grieved him considerably. In his last letterSir Edward bad said he reserved to himself tho light to vote as he thought proper upon any particular question. In nine cases out of every ten languago like that was the language of a renegade, wtid simply means that he reserved to himself the right to go over to the enemy. (Cheers.) It Mr Gladstone had had a majority of 120 at his back that letter would nevsr have appeared, but knowing Mr Gladstone bad only a majority of 40, Sir Edward thought it was his opportunity to stab tho Grand Old Man in the back. (Shame.) Sir Edward was evi- dently of opinion that the Government wouid not hold out very ion!?, but he would ruo his action, and ho was glad to find that the Cardiff Junior Liberal Association were the first Liberal Association to condemn Sir Edward's action in nomaasured terms. (Cheers.) The resolution was then put to tho meeting, and carried unanimously. Mr GRONOW then moved :— That this meeting has absolute and entire con. fidence in Mr Gladstone, and pledge* itself on the tirst opportunity to return a member for Cardiff to support him fully and absolutely in his Irish policy, It would, he said, be a sad day for Liberalism, aud a sadder day for Radicalism, when Mr Glad- stone left them. (Cheers.) Mr HAKKY supported the resolution. Mr Gladstone, he said, must have known something of the character of Sir Edward liecd, which account id for that gentleman not having been given a post in the Cabinet, and he (the speaker) btlieved that Sir-Edward would not have objected to a Crowned King ia Dublin had he been mado First Lord of the Admiralty. (Cheers.) The resolutions having been unanimously car- ried, arrangements were made for the calling together of a large public meeting to be held on Monday ovening next; after which the usual votes of thanks termmated the proceedings.
PROTEST BY AUBERAL MEMBER.
PROTEST BY AUBERAL MEMBER. Mr R. W. Perks, M.P. for the Louth Division of Lincolnshire, speaking on Monday night at Louth, said he much regretted to see Sir Edward Reed lisping the language of Dissentient Liberalism. Surely it would be tune enough to express such fears when the dangers became more imminent than at piesent. No fair and intelli- gent observer of public events would deny that in the administrative departments, both in London and Dublin, the Ministers of the Crown had shown that they were not only observant and accomplished business men, but that they were actuated by an intense sympathy with the popular cause. (Cheers.) The Ministry would unquestionably have been more acceptable to Radical members like himself had it contained a larger proportion of men drawn from the middle and working classes, and fewer aristocrats, but ;be leaven of democracy spreads slowly, and there would be an end or all political progress if every member who felt aggrieved because he had not been included in the Ministry threatened to revolt. The country had had quite enough of cabals and caves, and would very properly visit any new attempt in this direction with condign punishment.- (Cheers.) 'llm dcxtarqu8 p&rt £ intriguer would be hard at work next session, and weak-kneed politicians would require to be on their guard, Flattery of their judgment, condo- lence on their exclusion from office, promises of favours to come, and the charms of social inter- course would all in turn be dangled before tho eyes of timid and susceptible legislators. Some, weak cnes without any deep convictions would, doubtless, go to the wall, but the majority of 40, assuming the Irish party stocd firm to the Liberal alliance and resisted the bribery of the Tory blandishments to which they would be exposed, would suffice not only to carry the Homo Rule Bill, but make very substantial progress with rural, London, and Labour questions. (Applause.)
SIR E. J. REED AND "THE TIMES."
SIR E. J. REED AND "THE TIMES." The following letter appeared in the Timet of Monday :— Sir,—I observe, not unexpectedly I admit, that in your editorial comments upon my letter on Home Rule you encourage "the distinguished conclave at Ha warden to ascribe that letter partly to disappointed ambition, and you suggest that the world at large" will not regard them as seriously inaccurate in doing so. ] can only say that tho Ilawarden conclave, your- self, and the world at large will make a very great mistake—if a great mistake be possible upon so small a question as my political action—in imput- ing to ma either the disappointment of politic A! ambition or political ambition itsolf. As the point mty be of some little consequence, either now or hereafter, permit mo to state a persona] fact or two which may tend to sweep away what I admit to b6:1, not unnatural conjecture even 111 these days when men who aspire most havo to grovel most in political affairs, and I have not been accustomed to grovel. I sat in the House of Commons for the Pem- broke district from 1374-80. and then resigned the seat-from want of political ambition, I pre- sume. Scarcely had I decided upon retirement beforo I was urged to stand for the Cardiff Boroughs, and only yielded because I was assured that the contest was almost a forlorn hope, and because it was uf little consr-quenco tome whether I won or lost. In 1885, while sitting for Cardiff. I was called to account there for giving a notice hostile to Mr Gladstone's Admiralty cfthat day for grossly bad administration, and my reply was a refusal to offer myself again as a candidate at the general election, then drawing near. This refusa.11 maintained for many weeks, and it was only at length overcome by tho Liberal Associa- tion of Cardiff refusing to select another candi- date, and putting their desire to retain my ser- vices beyond all possible doubt. Eu'Iy in 3836, at a late hour on the night before Mr Gladstone's list of his Ministry had to be in her Majesty's hands at Osborne, I was offered a Lordship of the Treasury, which I at first re- fused, and was only prevailed upon to accept lest I should put the Prime Minister to inconvenience at the last moment—that last moment having come because, when the offer was sent me some time previously, I was out of the way and could not be found, so little was I desirous or looking for office. This year a Lordship of the Treasury was again offered mo by Mr Gladstone in person, and I declined it on the ground that I had not asked for office, had little or no desira for it, and cortamly could not accept a post in which I could merely draw a salary, perform little or no public service, and nevertheless should forfeit freedom of speech and action as the representative of Cardiff. My namo was connected with offios at the Admiralty—not in The Times, if I remember rightly, but in many newspapers. In a few in. stances it was said that I was to be First Lord. Soma of my own constituents had dreamed of this during tlio previous election, but wheu they men- tioned the matter I told them they wero dreaming. I preciictedthat in aGladstonian Administration the Admiralty would still be regarded as a highly- aristocratic service, and a service of patronage, and that some peer, or other aristocrat, would almost certainly be appointed First Lord. I was afterwards named by some papers, by many, as Secretary to the Admiralty. They did not know that the Secretaryship of the Admiralty is an office involving an immense amount of continuous work, and that its acceptance by me would m. volve an immediate less of professional income greatly exceeding its own remuneration. This was an office that, I frankly admit I looked for, years ago, and oven once asked for but no man can assert that when theLiberal Government was about to be constructed this year I asked either for this or for any office whatever. The Conservative Government, it i s true, appointed practical men of business, like Mr Ritchie and Mr Forwood, to the Secretaryship of the Admiralty, and reaped good results. But I was pretty suro that no such compliment would be paid to the Liberal party, and none such has been paid. Had the position been offered to me, however, I should have been placed in a very serious difficulty. Now, may I mako bold to say one egotistical word? It was not from mo that any suggestion of my holding office at tho Admiralty reached the newspapers; it was doubtless from men who thought that I could do good there, and ought to go there. The time for my desiring to return to the Admiralty is past-long past. Besides, it would never be possible except under a democratic and practical Liberal Government, and we are much too far away from that for men over 60 to expect to see It ? No, air; let me disclaim once for all the political ambition with which you credit or dis- credit me. I have none that either is or can be disappointed. Aud surely, as one of the very few who declined office, and an office which I could have accepted without loss of either time or in- come, I am entitled to have it presumed in my favour that I have acted with independence and candour, and am entitled to have accepted with" cut serious discount such political opinions as I may deem it right to express and maintain. If i!S denied me—well, no matter a man is what he is, and not what others may please to think he is or say he is. I am, sir, yours obediently, .r- E- J- REED. Hotel Metropole, Brighton, Dec. 10.
CARDIFF BANKRUPTCY COURT.
CARDIFF BANKRUPTCY COURT. n Bankruptcy Court, held in the Crown Court, Town Hall, on Tuesday, several bankrupts were publicly examined before Mr Registrar Langley. RK EICHABD MULLOCK.—-Bankrupt was a printer and stationer at the docks, CardIH and the deficiency was about £2,010. He stated, in answer to the Official Receiver (Mr T. H. Stephen), that he started business in Cardiff on 14th March, 1892, previous to which time he had bf en in partnership with his brother at Newport and Cardiff. He imagined he had money when the partnership was dissolved, but th3 balance-sheet turned out as showing that he owed money to creditors, and alotcf mon^y tohis brcthor. Ho had no money in his pocket or in the bank. One of the causes of failure was private libilities. i He started business because th„ balance sheet seemedtobcinhisfavour. Whenhestartedheowed the firm £1,610, and the balance of his private debts amounted to :£800.-Do you think you acted rightly in starting business with theso debts lon, your shoulders 1—I started on this balance sheet. I 1 should not have started if I had thouerht it was II w rong. If I had been presscdin. arch, 1592,1 could nave paid my creditors. I carried on in the hopo that I would bo able to pay. When I found tho balance sheet wrong r did not take any steps to, and my position.—The Official Receiver asked for an adjournment to mako further investigation, and that the bank- rupt be ordered to furnish an amended deficiency account.—The Registrar adjourned the examination till January 6th, and ordered the bankrupt to furnish an amended account within a week. RE M. HINDE.—Bankrupt was a builder at Cadoxton; deficiency, £1,162 19s 2d. — The examination was postponed till January 6th. RE RICHAKD SHOBT.—Bankrupt was a ship- owner and marine auctioneer; deficiency, £603 lis.—Mr C. Downing, for the trustee, applied that the examination be postponed, as the cash account submitted by the bankrupt was not in compliance with the order.—The Official Re- ceiver had no objection, and Mr Ingledew con- sented on behalf of the debtor.—Adjourned till January 6th. HE BICN.JAIFR.V PEAKSON.—Bankrupt, landlord of the Dowlais Hotel, states that there would be no deficiency if the land he owned were realised.— In reply to the Official Receiver, he said he had been in the Dowlais Hotel since June 29th, 1891, and it was only in the month of December of that year that he made a profit.—In reply to Mr Morgan Rees, for the trustee, debtor said he had drawn his share under the will of his aunt, Mrs Pynan, in 1883-84-85, and had no further claim.— Tho examination was closed. Mr Kenshole appeared for the debtor. RE A. R. NICHOLAS.—Bankrupt was a coal merchant at Cardiff; deficiency, J3505 Os 5d. Bankrupt, in reply to Mr Cook, for the trustee, said in the account for bad debts were entries of £2,000 losses on coal contracts, and B200 for legal expenses.—The Registrar remarked that they had only been put iu the wrong account. —Bankrupt, m reply to further questions by Mr Cook, said he did not know if the Central YV aggon Company took possession through his I father of certain waggons.—By the Official Re- ceiver He did not remember sayingat a private meeting of creditors that he had about £70 in hand. He had the book debts. He traded at a loss every six months.—By Mr George David, who appeared for the debtor Under the agree- ment with the Itudry Colliery Company, tho representation made to him was that he would receive a comtm-iion of between £600 and £700 a year, but he got only about £250. He had ex- pended about :£2,04-0 on the colliery. The books were regularly kept and regularly audited.—Tho examination was closed. RE MESSRS W. AND R. H. STRONG.—Bankrupts wero shipowners. and the deficiency is put at £3,099 3i 8d.—Mr Vaughan. on behalf of the trustee, said he had no questions to ask, the trustee having examined the debtors at length in chambers.—Mr Ingledew, for the debtors, said ha consented to the examination being closed.— R. H. Strong, one of tho partners, denied, in reply to Mr Vaughan, that he had in September last tendered at the Tyneside Company's office transfer of snares, in favour of his wife, for regis- tration. The only shares he had left were delivered to Mr Dovey, the trustee. He could not account for such a communication having been made to the directors. — By the Official Receiver: He was managing director at the lyneside Works, and his brother had the sole management of their own affairs. He had learned that his brother bad given Mr Cuvilje an acceptance for j6750 a dav or two before the failure. He did not know why it had been given.—In reply to Mr Downing, for Mr Cuvilje, he said ho did not dispute that a considerable sum was due to 1ft- Cuviije for work done in connoc- tiod with a Chancery suit.—By Mrlngledew He thought Mr Cuviije claimed about £ 1,000.— William Strong, examined on his own private affairs, said the Chancery suit lasted five years, and was about the winding-up of his uncle's affairs. RE JOHN MCKAT.—Bankrupt was a tailor at Planet-street, Cardiff; deficiency £22J 18,3 7d. The examination was postponed till January 6th. Rrc DAVID EVANS.—Bankrupt was a grocer's ^sistant at Bany Dock deficiency £149 19b 6d. Tho Official Receiver said proceedings were likely to be taken in this case; and the examination was postponed till January 6'h.
CHARGE OF LARCENY AT ABERDARE.
CHARGE OF LARCENY AT ABERDARE. Mary Anne Thomas, a respectably-dressed young lady residing at Harriet-street, Trecynob, was charged on Tuesday, at Aberdare, with stealing Is, the property of Mr W. T. Griffiths, grocer, TreCynon. She was defended by Mr P. T. Rhys. The evidence of Margaret Richards, Sarah Ann Scorn field, and Edith Jane Rees, three young women employed in the workshop of Manchester House, a draper's shop exactly opposite the prosecutor's, was to the effect that i thevdefeudant was seen to go into the prosecutor's shop, which was empty at the time. She leant over the counter and was seen, it was sworn, to opsna drawer aud put horhand into it. Edith Jane Rees ran into prosecutor's other shop, which j adjoined the one defendant was m, and told what she had seen. F. Neale, an assistant in prosecu- tor's employ, then went in and charged her with j it. She denied the theft, butgave tho young man a shilling until she cauie back to save a bother. In a couple of hours she came back, and was con- fronted with one of. the previous witnesses, and was ultimately given in charge.—P.C. Evans and Sergt. Llewellyn gave evidence as to the height of the counter, which was 2rt. 9in. It was also 2ft. across, and they swore the handle was only I 21/ in. from the top of tho counter. When the drawer was produced, however, it was seen that '.he handle was T'/om. below the top of the counter.—The Bench ultimately dismissed the. charge.
CONCEALMENT OF BIRTH AT TREDEGAR.
CONCEALMENT OF BIRTH AT TREDEGAR. The adjourned inquest on the body of a newly- born child found at Troedyrhiwgwair on Friday, December 2nd, was resumed at the police- court, Tredegar, on Tuesday afternoon, before Mr J. B. Walford, coroner, and the same jury.— The girl, Sarah Jane Ellway, mother of the child, was again in attendance, and seemed to be in great distress.Mrs Ellway, mother of the girl, was examined, and denied all know- ledge of het daughter's condition, fully relying upon her daughter's statement. From evidence given by the mother and father of the girl they both seem to be in absolute ignorance of the facts of the case. Tlie girl gave a lucid and unhesitating explanation of the whole affair, both as to its birth, her concealment of the body of the child in the house, and of her burial of the same, emphasising her declaration, that not a living soul but her- self knew of the birth or burial of the child." No fresh evidence was produced save a letter written by the girl and hidden in the outhouse the day prior to the birth of the child, which lamented the shame she had brought upon herself and parents, also giving the name of the father of the child. —The Coroner, in reviewing the evidence, stated that it was the most remarkable case he had ever sat over," and observed that the duty of the jury was to decide upon either a vetdict of "Wilful murder," "Manslaughter," or "Found dead." In the former the evidence was not very clear, but with regard to the latter two it would require their most careful discrimination and judgment.—After adjourning for consultation for a few minutes, the jury returned, and the fore- man informed the coroner that the jury were unanimous in the verdict of Found Dead." Immediately after the verdict of the coroner had been received, the girl, Sarah Ellway, was charged, upon her own confession, with the con- cealment of the birth of her child, before Dr G. A. Brown, and upon formal evidence being given, was committed to take her trial upon the charge at the next Monmouth Assizes, bail being ac- cepted in two sureties of B20 each.
ABERDARE LIBERAL WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION.…
ABERDARE LIBERAL WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION. A very successful conversazione, under the auspicts of the Women's Liberal Association, took place in the Temperance-hall, Aberdare, on Tuesday afternoon. After a numerously-attended tea meeting, Mrs D. A. Thomas, who was accompanied by Mr D. A. Thomas, M.P., and Mr Alfred Daviea, Hampstead, opened a library at the Liberal Club, which is a flourishing institution, well housed, and having a membership of over 600. Mr J. W. Harris, on I behalf of the Eisteddfod Committee, presented Mrs Thomas with a silver key with which to formally open the Library. The ceremony was gracefully performed by Mrs D. A. Thomas. Mr G. George announced that there were some 840 books on the shelves A gift of £5 worth of books was made to the library by Mr Alfred Davies.
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WEEK BY WEEK. ----'---
WEEK BY WEEK. A great number of petitions have reached thfc United States Congress praying for the repeal of the Act of last session dosing the World's Fair on Sundays. The petitions are strongly supported by leading men in Boston, New York, Washington, and Philadelphia. Mr Gladstone's stay at Biarritz will be brief. Mr and Mrs Gladstone will leave Hawarden for London onFriday.and remain in town until Tues- day next, when they proceed direct to Biarritz. According to present arrangements they will return to England about the 1st of January. Commenting on Mr Gladstone's recent de- nunciation of drunkenness in Liverpool, Arch- deacon Farrar says it seems possible that Mr Gladstone may add to his splendid services a crown of lustre such as even he has not yet achieved, and leave his name as a stardard of all that is good and righteous, by helping to deliver England from her deadliest enemy, her most intolerable curse. A hundred Irish golfers" are about to present Mr Balfour with a very handsome and highly- finished set of clubs, which tiave been made ex- pressly for him by Mr Aitken, of Edinburgh, who has a branch establishment at Portrush, the famous Ulster ground. The shaft of each club bears a silver hand, on which Mr Balfour's mono- gram is engraved, and the set is enclosed in a case with three sides of glass, and on the front a silver plate with an inscription. Lake Tchad has been visited by Europeans on three previous occasions, Denham reached it in 1833, after his two companions, Pudney and Hill- man, had died en route. Darth and Overway were equally successful in 1851, but the latter was carried off by fever while still on the borders of the lake. Two subsequent attempts were made by Vogel and Beurniana, but both were assas- sinated by the natives before they attained their object. Finally, in 1871, Nachtigal almost com- pleted the circle of the lake. A Russian review publishes some interesting correspondence of Dr Botkine, who was attached to the late Czar during the war of 1877-78. He is full of praise for soldiers and regimental officers, but severe on the staff. Sometimes there were as 5,000 wounded lying on the frozen earth and left without food. Dr Botkine accuses the Generals of haying wantonly sacrificed the lives of their men in order to cam distinctions. The existence of their soldiers counted for very little against the prospect of an etftra ribbon. Hungary has not been behaving particularly well to the House of Hapsburg lately, and is to be punished. The Emperor Francis Joseph has intimated to the authorities of Pesth county that he will not again take part in the hunts on the Rakos Plain, near Pesth, and has directed that his pack of hounds at Pesth and Godollo shall bo sold. The step is interpreted as marking his Majesty's irritation at the recent course of events in Hungary. The snub will be felt by a nation of horsemen and sportsmen like the Magyars. An express at Mandalay was nearly wrecked recently by a huge elephant—probably about fout tons in weight. Frightened by tho noise and tho sparks escaping from the locomotive, the elephant turned and charged with fury at its novel antag- tnist. Had the engine not been travelling at a high rate of speed the result would, doubtless, have been disastrous for the passengers. But the attacker was swept away with such force that the carcase was hurled down an embankment, and the skull of the huge brute completely smashed. Ladybirds are known at home as great wheat pest destroyers. In America and the colonies also they are numbered among "friendty insects." The Australian ladybird (Vedalia cardinal is) has cleared the Californian orange orchards of their most deadly enemy, and one of the field agents of the Entomological Division of the United States Department of Agriculture has lately visited the Australian colonies in search of other friendly ladybirds and other insects which feed upon the scales and aphides that so greatly trouble the American fruit growers. Among the many letters received by the Daily Graphic with reference to its articles on the cotton crisis is one from a gentleman who states :—" Though now in the medical profession, at nine years of age I commenced to work in the factory,and worked full time, being put upthrough a hole in the ceiling when the inspector was about. I educated myself walking to and from the factory and during meal times, and graduated a Durham University at 23 years of age, not having had £5 spent on my education, my father's wagei being not more than 15s a week." The arrangements for the meeting of tho National Union of Conservative Associations, which is to be held at Sheffield this week, are now complete, and a large gathering from all parts of the country is expected. The Dulse of Norfolk has invited a number of guests to The Farm, in' eluding Sir F. D. Dixou-Hartland, Sir F. Seager Hunt, Sir E. Ashmead-Bartlett, Colonel Howard Vincent, Captain Bowles, Mr G. W, Loder, and Mr C. T. Murdoch. Lord Wharncliffe's party at Wortley House comprises Mr A. J. Balfour, Lord Scarborough, Sir Algernon Borthwick, Sir Stafford Northcote, Mr Akers Douglas, and Mr Stuart Wortley. Students of natural history have pointed out numerous instances of animals and birds adapting themselves to changed conditions of life. A somewhat interesting example of this is asserted, to be taking place at tho' present time in Australia. The fieaces of the strains of English sheep imported into that continent are said to be growing decidedly lighter, owing to the fact that tho heavy fleece needed for protection in our climate is not necessary under a warmer sky. The change is doubtless pleasant for, and duiy appreciated by, the sheep, but not so pleasant to their owners, who look to the 'fleece for their profits.—The Hospital. Captain Grade, of the Belgian Army, when walking after a. heavy shower over the battle-field of Fonteney, discovered a small season which the effigy of the Duke of Cumberland was engraved. Captain Grade had the relic placed ill A case and ser>t to the Belgian Consul-General in London, in order that it might be offered to the Queen, who has accepted the interesting gift. Tho battle was fought in 1745, and the seal had con- sequently been hidden in the ground for nearly 150 years. A bronze statue cf Charles Dickens, executed by lVIt, EhveH, an American sculptor, has been offered to the London County Council, but de- clined by that body en the ground that In his will Dickens expressed an earnest hone that 1.0 statue of him would be erected. He wrote :— I conjure my friends en no account to make me the subject of any monument, memorial, cr testi- monial whatever. I rest my claims to the re- membraneo of my country upon my published wcrks, and to the remembrance of my friends upon theirexpenunee of mo." A testimonial to Monsieur Legros—who has recently resigned the post of Slade Professor at University College—will probably find among its contributors many beyond the pale of students and the Academic body. The influence of Monsieur Legros upon the younger masters of English draughtsmanship and design has been for years most marked, and it has invariably been exercised on behalf cf the dignified and austere, the robust, yet often deeply imaginative, Art with winch M. Legros' own name is associated. Mr Fritz W. Read, the fortunate winner of the Heathcote-Long Prize at the Royal Academy cf Music, was born in Romsey, the little Hampshire town, in 1270, and educated at a private school there. At seventeen years of age he began to study the piano under Mr A. C. Rowland, A.R.C.M., of Southampton, but two year* In1;r took up the study of the organ and composition under Dr Arnold, of Winchester Cathedra). In September of 1890 he entered the Royal Academy of Music, and has since then studied under Mr Fred Wcstlakc for piano, and Mr Eaton Fannig and Mr G. G. Bennett for composition. Among eccentricities of journalism to which no parallel can be found In this country, must be reckoned the Journal des Mendicants. Thirf sheet, which is issued daily in manuscript, ac- quaints its subscribers with all the likely bap- tisms, marriages, and funerals in high life for the day, and records the return to town of wealthy and charitable persons, with details as to the best time to call, &c. After all, allowing for tho difference in the social scale, there is nothing worse in this than in the type-written circular of the young financde, recently mentioned, sent round by her to all possible givers of wedding presents. The letters of Carlyle to Edward Irving possess sufficient interest to give distinction to th* numbers of Scnbner's Magazine in which they will appear daring next year. Though estranged from Irving some years before his death, Carlyle, at the same time, never ceased to entertain for his "old best friend" a sincere appreciation. In one of his early letters he characteristically alludes to his distinguished contemporary's return from Edinburgh University to the secluded Annandale village where he Was born, "after having travelled through a whole wonderland of knowledge, with college prizes, high character and promise, nothing but joy, health, hopefulness without end, looking out from the blooming young man." The yacht about which Mr Charles Wells evinced so much concern when before the court at Havre is a vessel of 2,000 tons, and, before hIS bought it, it ran as a packet boat between Liver- pool and La Plata. It was superbly fitted out, and the ball-room, which certain visitors to Nice last year will remember, was approached by a magnificent staircase. The music was supplied by a grand piano and a lino organ. Font maitres d'hotd looked after the comforts of Mr Wells's guest", who w*ro housed in 12 irre- proachable cabins. Previously to purchasing the Palais Royal, Mr Wells had owned tha Kettledrum, a 26-ton yacht, and the Kathlinda, a steam yacht of 69 tons. Mr Wells was known on the Riviera as Le Plunger." A singular royal relic is about to be disposed of by public auction in Paris. This is the heart of the boy who is believed to have been the son of Louis XVI., and the then Dauphin of France. He was imprisoned in the Temple with the King and Mary Antoinette at the outbreak of tho Revolution; was detained there after his father's execution, and is said to have been so viciously treated by his Jacobin gaoler that he was meta- morphosed from a clever, promising lad into » veritable imbecile. There is a theory still enter- tained that tho real Dauphin was conveyed out cf the prison in a. laundress's basket at the instigation of Tallien and Barras, to be repro- duced in case it might suit their interests. Be that as it may, on the death of the youth, who- ever he was, m 1795, thero were suspicions of poison, which could only bo cleared away by a post mortem examination of the body. One of the physicians who assisted on the occasion sur- reptitiously carried off the heart, preserved it, and it is this singular relic which is now to be sold in Paris,