Rhondda Leader Maesteg Garw and Ogmore Telegraph

To the Electors of East Glamorgan, GENTLEMEN, I Through the unconstitutional action of the House of Lords, in suspending the Budget, a General Election has been forced upon the country. Hitherto, it was the House of Commons as the elect of the nation decided the time and the occasion of an appeal to the constituencies. We have now to reckon with a revolu- tionary House of Lords, and the question whether the Peers or the People are to govern must be settled at this General Election. All other questions, however great, necessary, and urgent, must for the time being lie dormant, until the un- controlled veto of the House of Lords is abolished. While advocating as strongly as ever Religious Equality, a settlement of the Education question, Irish Home Rule, Land Law Reform, Temperance Reform, Extension of the Franchise, including Woman Suffrage Leasehold Enfranchise- ment, and other items on the Liberal programme, all our energies at this crisis must be bent to the removal of the greatest obstacle to political freedom. After 25 years' service, I again confi- dently seek your suffrages, and I appeal to you to return me with a large majo- rity, so that I may help our illustrious fellow-countryman, the Right Hon. D. Lloyd George, to pass the People's Budget, and to support our great leader, the Prime Minister, who so nobly cham- pions the rights of the people. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, ALFRED THOMAS. Bronwydd, Cardiff, January, 1910. 040

To the Electors of the Southern Division of the County of Glamorgan. GENTLSMEN, Four years ago you did me the great honour of electing me as your Representative in Parliament. I fought that Election as the nominee of the forces of Progress and Reform in the Con- CY, I stituency, but from the moment my posi- tion was changed from Candidate to Member, to the best of my ability and consistently with the principles I was elected to advocate, I have endeavoured to watch over and advance the general interest of the Constituency. My work on your behalf b.Ili inside and outside the House of Commons now comes up for review, and I hope when the time arrives for you to give your decision, that those friends who four years ago took me on trust will not feel they have had cause to regret the confidence they then reposed in me, and that many of those who opposed me on the last occasion will at this Election accord me their support. I again stand before you as the unani- mously selected Candidate of all the organised forces of Progress and Reform in the Constituency, and I appeal to you for your suffrage as a man of the People, having no other interest to serve than the advancement of the common-weal, and no other cause to defend than the People's rights and liberties. The battle we are now engaged in is no ordinary Party struggle. It is a contest z!1 between the Peers1 and the People, in which the forces of Reaction are opposed to those of Progress, and is a conflict in which the liberties and privileges so hardly won for us by our Forefathers are being assailed in no uncertain manner. Shall it then be said that with greater advantages and larger political powers, we, their children, have surrendered any portion of our precious heritage of free- dom, by again shackling the interest and welfare of the People to the chariot wheels of the Aristocracy. I have confi- dence that this shall not be said of the men of South Glamorgan. The present Election has been forced upon the country by the arrogant and insolent claim which the hereditary and non-elected House of Lords has made, not only to mangle and destroy the Legis- lative proposals of the People's duly elected representatives in the House of Commons, but to control and render im- potent the People's will, as expressed in the Commons xxouse of Parliament. By their contemptuous rejection of the Finance Bill, which took the House of Commons six months to create, the Lords arrogated to themselves powers which our Forefathers refused to Kings, and in a less enlightened age this usurpation by the Lords of the Constitutional rights of the People would have caused such a revolution as would have shaken this mighty Empire to its very foundations. Happily, however, there is no necessity for a revolution of blood to resist this attack upon the People by the Peers. All that the Electors need do is to en- throne conscience and reason, and under a full sense of the responsibility which they owe to the nation, so record their votes, as to free and not to further en- slave themselves. It has been said that this Election was necessary) in orideir to ascertain the People's opinion on the People's Budget. I recognise no such necessity, and I admit no right on the part of the House of Lords to control the purse of the nation, or to dissolve Parliament; but since we are challenged to accept the Budget as one of the grounds of battle in this Elec- tion, I unhesitatingly take up the chal- lenge and in the People's cause appeal for support to every Elector of this im- portant Constituency. I unreservedly stand by the Budget as a whole, as I am convinced that it is a Social Welfare Budget, and that it is wealth and not wages, monopolies not necessities, luxuries and not the food of the poor which it taxes. The underlying principles of the Budget demand that every citizen shall pay according to his capacity, and that the privileged in the nation shall bear a share of the nation's financial burdens propor- tionate to the privileges which they severally enjoy. To this end a tax is imposed, not on land, but upon the un- earned increment of land that is to say, on any increase in the value of land which has been brought about by the enterprise of the People, due to the expenditure of Capital and the exertions of Labour. Towards creating this increment value the Landowner in no way contributes, and it is therefore only fair that the People should have some share of what they themselves create, and the Budget proposes that for the future Landowners shall out of this increment value, hand over 4s. out of every £ for the purposes of and for the benefit of the State. The Budget also aims at opening up Land for the use of the People. Land is the basis of all human activity, and People must have land or they perish. Yet, notwithstanding this indisputable principle, it is a well-known fact that Landowners consistently pursue a policy of withholding land from the marke;t with a view to ultimately enhancing its price. Land kept in hand waiting for a prospec- tive rise in price is never assessed at its full value, either for Local or Imperial purposes. The Budget proposes to ask Landowners to pay an undeveloped Land Tax of 4/2 out of every £100 of annual value. It is, however, to be especially noted, that in the case of this Tax, as well as the other Land Taxes. Agricul- tural Land has been wisely exempted, and that one-half of the entire revenue to be received from the Land proposals of the Budget is to be remitted to the Local Authorities in relief of local rates. A Mineral Rights Duty of 1/- in the £ is also imposed by the Budget on all Mining Royalties, Dead Rents, and other rights to work, as well as on Mineral Wayleaves. Owners of minerals, notwith- standing that they do not risk their capital or their lives or limbs, and do i not give of their labour, at present alto- gether escape taxation for local purposes in respect of the large sums which they annually receive in respect of Royalties and Wayleaves. The Budget for the future intends to exact from these fortu- nate gentlemen the moderate tax of 1/- in the £ in respect of the amounts received by them. Again, the Budget in relation to Land imposes a further duty known as the Reversion duty. This consists of a duty of 2/- in the £ on the value of the benefit accruing to the Landowner by the falling into his hands of property on the expira- tion of a lease. I have personally always advocated, and will continue to advocate, the rights of Lessees of property to enfranchise their lease by buying out the ground Landlord, and thereby creating their holdings into Freehold, but as long as the law remains as it is, I contend that it is only just and equitable that the ground Landlord should pay a duty to the State on the value of the premises which he takes over from the Lessee on the expiration of the lease. So far, I have dealt with the principles of the Budget as they affect the Land. Space does not allow me to deal in detail with the other Taxes which the Budget proposes in the form of increased Licen- sing, Death, Stamp. Custom, Excise, and Motor Car duties, as well aa in a gradu- ated scale of Income Tax. Suffice it for me to say that each and every one of these imposts are justified, and are based on principles of equity and justice. In fine the whole scope and aim of the Budget is to tax, though lightly, the plea- sures of the few, in order to spare the sorrows of the many. It is upon this programme and my pledge to unreservedly pledge the Budget. and in the same full manner to resist the unfounded claims of the House of Lords, that I appeal to the Electors of this Division to give me their support, and to record their votes in my favour on the day of the Poll. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, 033 WILLIAM BRACE.

PUBLIC NOTICES. TO THE OVERSEERS of the POOR of the PARISH of YSTRADYFODWG, in the County of Glamorgan, to the SUPERINTENDENT of the POLICE for the Division of Pontypridd, and to I all others whom it may concern. I MARGARET JONES, of Number 95, Tylacelyn Road, Penygraig, in the County of Glamorgan, Married Woman, do hereby give you and each of you Notice that it is my intention to apply at the ANNUAL LICENSING SESSIONS to be holden in the Town of Pontypridd, in the said County, on the Second day of February, 1910, for a, license to sell Wines and Spirits (to be consumed off the pre- mises) at a certain messuage and premises situate at and being Number 9K Tyla- celyn Road, Penygraig, in the said County of Glamorgan. And I Further Give You Notice that the owner of the premises is John Thomas, 2, Pisgah Terrace, Peiiy-, graig, aforesaid. Dated this Ilth day of January, 1910. 042 MARGARET JONES. RESULT of Edward Thomas, Clydach Vale, Prize Drawing. Winning numbers as follows-638,2159,1091, 3074, 644, 658, 521, 2560, 1246, 454, 554, 1774, 2747. 1230, 3090, 3317, 1332, 2060, 461, 1726, 2615, 1163, 1-222, 2928, 2676, 446. 1166, 2267, 1715, 390, 387, 941. 408, 1068,3310, 950, 2074, 3110, 1300, 397,1474, 3047. Prizes not claimed by Feb. 2nd. will be forfeited. John Llewellyn. Sec. DRAWING for Jones, Bush Houses, Blean clydach.—Winning Numbers—303, 433, 411, 446,' 1179, 398, 531, 1202, 1204, 1536, 1167, 258, 1634, 560, 524, 1206, 1463, 565, 245, 536, 19 1225, 1175, 1532, 1417. 338, 1601, 488, 460, 262, 1210, 1181, 454, 484, 1717, 1381, 310, 1637, 461, 517, 13S5, 1186, 420, 561, 1442, 414, 267, 1208, 419, 1272, 558, 1C62, 387, 1722. T. PARRY EDWARDS, (CERT.). (Late Income Tax Department), Accountant and Auditor, 46, Hannah Street, PORTH. Tradesmen's Accounts written up, Monthly or Quarterly Balance Sheets prepared, Secretarial and Auditing Duties undertaken, Income Tax Returns prepared. House and Estate Agent, Rents and Book Debts colleeted- Applications shall receive prompt attention. 038 Terry's Avecta, Necktie Adjuster This article is fast growing in popularity with all users, it ^avos time, and temper* too, and adds to the comfort of the wearer. ■* Iv ö II ?J M- ''lJ Q) .-<IC" <:> -—— Cf) HI 3 S' Obtained Locally— The Saddlery, Pentre. EMIGRATION. '■"■■■HI" rrglKINC "WCSTCHN CANADA CANADIAN PACIFIC DIRECT SERVICE FROM GREAT BRITAIN TO &. THROUGH CANADA BY MAGNIFICENT "EMPRESS" STEAMERS AND COMFORTABLE EXPRESS TRAINS. SPECIAL CARE TAKEN OF WOMEN to CHILDREN EMIGRANTS FOR FURTHER PARTICULARS APPLY Canadian Pacific Railway, 18, St. Augustine's Parade, Biistol. or local agents everywhere. 014 "Treoh Gwlad nalf Argtwydd. • V •* Srj EXCELSIOR BUILDINGS, DE WINTON STREET, TONYPANDY Telephone No. 77 P.O. Tonypandy.

EDITORIAL NOTES. "We are not down-hearted." The majority in 1906 was unprecedented. Wever sincethe great Reform Act of 1832 have we seen such a majority. Further, Land Lords and Liquor Lords and all the millionaire aspirants by the hook or crook type are arrayed against the people in this great political "Waterloo." And again, the people have still a drag in the careless classes of the democratic army, who are still in a natural servitude in personality and force of character. But we are -etting on. The industrial districts, and particularly the miners and cotton spinners, are not mixing up the issues. They stand undismayed in the face of all the cajolery of the Yellow Press and Tory agencies. Never again shall we bow the knee to the House of Lords. Despite the democratic renegades, the power of the House of Commons will emerge supreme in the end. If other- wise, it would he a, scandal and an eternal disgrace to the people. The House of Commons must control finance. Those that pay the piper must order the tune, 1

I ^UR EYES ARE Valuable to You. Don't let your sight suffer for want of proper glasses. I We can give you skilled attention and supply you with Spectacles I adapted to your special requirements at a moderate price., *i \Ai O A S>8 CCM fl tin The Qualified Sight- ) WW* P"\ UMnlL., r,O.IV|.u T«i»U testing Specialist, I 16, High Street, Arcade, CARDIFF. I (Between High Street and fit. John's Square.) Roller Olympia Skating Rink, Pentre. JL The Rhondda Rink De Luxe. ) 3 SESSIONS DAILY The Management have the honour to announce their First Graud ROllex* Skabtingf GYMKHANA On Thursday, January 27, From 6 30 to 11, Exciting and Novel Events. VALUABLE PRIZES Will be awarded for the following events :— 1-Four-Lap Handicap (Girls under 14] 2 ditto ditto (Boys under 14) 3- ditto ditto (Ladies) 4—Ladies'Balloon Race 5—Gents' Quick Lunch Race 6—Gents' Handicap, 10 Laps 7-Gents' Obstacle Race, 3 Laps 8-Gentl' Backword Race, 3 Laps 9—Couples' Race (Lady and Gent), 3 Laps 10—Bladder Fight. Reds v. Blues Last day for Entries, Monday, January 24th. Entry Forms and all information from Manager. Sports commence at 7-45. General Skating 6-30 and after Distribution of Prizes. GRAND HOCKEY MATCH ON WHEELS Pentre v, Pontypridd, 8-30 to. 9 Mark well the date THURSDAY. Jan. 27th Admission, Is. Skating, Is. No extra charge to Competitors. Balcony Seats Reserved 6d. extra. PLAN AT RINK. Look out for Grand Masked Carnival and Confetti Battle, February Sth. 039

words, If our forefathers two hundred years ago refused to be bondmen of a King, shall we be the born thralls of an aristocracy like ours? Shall we who struck the lion down, shall we pay the wolf homage? Tire wolf is the House of Lords, and it symbolises in every way the greed and rapacity of that hungry and ferocious animal." Tariff Reform would suit the great Tory landlords to a nicety. The land would exact its in- creased rent when the farmer got his in- creased price for products, and no matter about the consumers. The House of Lords has to be dealt with as a branch of the Legislature, and the people as a whole must take the matter in hand. Indeed, the House of Lords is so rotten that even the South Glamorgan Tory can- didate publicly declares himself dissatis- fied with its present state and power. The people will not make thorough progress until this has been done. We hope the people realise the rights of government and dare maintain them. Every man in this crisis should carry out William Penn's precept that a man should make it part of his religion to see that his country is well governed." On Friday, in the Rhondda, every man who can vote, and does not perform the duty, is a malingerer and should be disfranchised for ever afterwards. "AH should be impressed," as the Grand Old Man. Gladstone, once said. with the belief that life is a great and noble calling, not a, mean grovelling thing that we are to shuffle through as we can, but. an elevated and lofty destiny." We sincerely trust therefore that on Friday every man will see to it that he records his vote, and thickens that cross well which will register the fact that it is meant as a special emphasis of dis- approval of the action of the Lords in meanly refusing to pay up, out of their surplus wealth, for the maintenance of a great Navy and a .generous. pension for the aged and infirm soldiers of industry. Let the greatest good to the greatest number be the way youi measure the ques- tions of right and wrong in the govern- ment of the country. Once again let us repeat Trech Gwlad nac Arglwydd." Mr. Harold Lloyd has enclosed us his election papers, and as a little extra he has given us a. copy of Mr. Balfour's last word on Cheap Food. Mr. Balfour says: In my judgment the burdeii of taxation to the working classes will not be aug- mented by the policy of Tariff Reform. Indeed, I trust will be diminished, and that employment will be increased." The Tory record in respect to Old Age Pen- sions should be a warning. He promised Old Age Pensions and for ten years he was in power, but Old Age Pensions never came. And 'when Old Age Pensions were actually proposed in the House of Commons he did not vote for it although at the time he was in the House. After placing Old Age Pensions on his Man- chester card in 1895, and though virtually the head of the Tory Party and could do what he liked, he never put his promise to practice. His judgment is not good enough, and even if his judgment had' hitherto been infallible, the judgment that the price of food would not be augmented by putting a tax on bread is contrary to every exiperience in every other country. Does Mr. Balfour, too, forget what happened. under his Premier- ship in 1903? In 1902 they imposed a duty of only one shilling per quarter on imported corn. In the following year the duty was repealed, and no less a sum than t-390,000 was repaid by the Govern- ment to holders of imported corn in this country on which duty had been paid-a r.iji as. John Bright once said in stirring conclusive recognition that the duty had not been paid by the foreigner, Even Mr. Ritchie, the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1903, when the corn duty was repealed, said that even this small. duty had raised the price of bread, and Mr. Balfour, also then Prime Minister, justified the repeal of the duty on the ground, among others, that it had raised the price to farmers of feeding stuffs for their cattle by no less than £ 500,000, the amount of dutv paid on maize, &c., used for this purpose. In Mr. Balfour's in 1902 the same prophecy of no more burden to the work- ing classes was made. Lord St. Aldwyn was the Chancellor when the duty was put on, and he thought that a small duty of a shilling a quarter would not raise the price of bread to consumers. After the repeal of the duty, he admitted that he had made a mistake, "I found," he said, that in not a few cases the duty had the effect of giving an excuse to the bakers to raise the price of bread, and, therefore ,I must confess that I believe doubling that duty, and also adding new duties upon meat and dairy produce, must increase the cost of living to the working classes." Tariff Reform, in the same way, is this duty-mongering carried out in a moreexteiisive way. Protection, Fair Trade, andgnll the other aliases are the same. Taxing bread and not wealth. Lloyd George's Budget taxes wealth and not bread. The people will not again be trapped by theft promises, Vote for Mabon, boys. South Glamotgan and East Glamorgan contests will be over before our next issue. In South Glamorgan the Tories are making a desperate attempt to oust Mr. Brace, one of the most brilliant of our Labour representatives. Mr. Lewis Morgan is, too, the strongest candidate that the rotten case of the Tories could have to unhold. Even Mr. Morgan has given up bolstering the House of Lords. He thinks that it should be reformed. It cannot. Lord Rosebery has tried it; but even the House of Lords cannot be ex- pected to commit self-destruction, and, therefore, the best solution is to destroy the institution altogether. Mr. Brace is an abolitionist, and in that he reflects the mind of the people with greater corres- pondence than Mr. Morgan. We are strongly for Labour, particularly in a constituency like South Glamorgan, where industry is so widely spread. The workers should have no hesitation. Mr. Morgan stands for taxing food, and bringing into the country the devastating person of Protection. The workers of foreign coun- tries groan in the clutches of Protection which they cannot shake off. They are completely trapped. They have passed on the word to this country to their fellow- workers to beware of the net of the Tariff Reformer. Mr. Brace responds to that call. If we send him to the work, he will think and act like a worker, and his opponent, who stands for wealth and privilege, will act for the continuance of a system which will put the power of the purse in the House of Lords, and all that wealth, riches and its arrogant claims mean. The Dukes refuse to pay up accord- ing to Mr. Lloyd George's Budget, which does not put a penny more on the necessi- ties of the people, but on the surpluses of the rich. This will be backed by Mr. Brace and rejected bv Mr. Morgan. Surely, the question at issue is easy to decide. Certainly, whether it is Mr. Brace for People or infr, Morgan for the Lords, should give South Glamorgan electors hurt- little trouble. This is easy thinking, and because it is, William Brace must go a second time to the House of Commons.