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ABERDARE VALLEY NOTES.

[No title]

MARRIED LADIES.

ABERDARE.

Aberdare District Council…

Aberdare Valley Baptists.

Aberdare Chamber of Trade.

HEALTH AND STRENGTH.

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--Present Political Problems.

ABERDARE POLICE COURT.

Aberdare Bachelors' Club,

CWMAMAN.

ABERCWMBOI.

Deafness Cured.¡

---.---ABERAMAN.

CWMDARE.

Nine Hours Under a Fall,

TRECYNON.

GODREAMAN.

-------PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

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PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. BY EDGAR R. JONES. M.P. A CROMWELLIAN PARALLEL. This week has been one of unique interest and importance. It has witnessed the commence- ment of one of the great struggles of history" I had occasion, last week, to glance at old notes of mine dealing with the life of Cromwell, and I was astonished to observe the similarity between the early stages of the struggle of tha people against the tyranny of a king and the opening stages of the present struggle-the people against the tyranny of the House of Lords. The former affair began in a very humdrum fashion. It was at first a case of objections raised by lawyers against certain proceedings connected with the raising of taxation. Tha points were argued out, very much as we ara arguing in the House of Commons to-day, and the debates were" barren," as Mr. Balfour described our present debate. A quiet respec- table farmer struck against paying the principal tax in dispute. The case went before the courts of law and the farmer lost the day, but the trial of that farmer, John Hampden, gava a new enthusiasm to tho advocates of thfa people's cause, and brought prominently before the public the issues involved. Those issues. were many in detail, but one in principle-the principle that the Government had no right to dccide what taxes the people would pay for the services of the State. My readers have probably seen recently in the papers the famous resoIu- toins which the House of Commons in those daya passed, claiming the sole right of determining taxation. We arc merely asserting the same, right now, in the twentieth century only the right has not been usurped by a king, but by a hereditary chamber. What happond in the earlier struggle was that the King and his favourites and his backers in the House of Commons and House of Lords refused to believe in the seriousness of the matter* In both Houses of Parliament supporters of the King talked and wasted time, and pursued tactics very similar to the supporters of thf present usurpers. The cause of the people wllllt not too strong in those days there were various sections that had to be guided into commoa action. There were delays, disappointmentsJ loss of faith, and shiftings of leaders. Tha principle, however, was vital to free government, as it is to-day and some men grew so determined to protect their liberties that the Speaker waft forcibly held in the chair, swords were drawn in the Chamber and supplies were stopped* The King, not realising the power of free me sought to crush them with a blow. Then blow followed blow. The headstrong monarch tried to set party against party. He played with serious, grim leaders until he lost his head. The Lords do not realise to-day what 13 involved in the joint decision of the Irish Party, the Labour Party, and the Liberal Party—that they will never again accept the responsibility of government until a system of free represen* tative government has been restored to us. The Opposition in the House of Commons split hairs, manufacture delays and divisions. But there can be no turning back. Whatever the cost, the cause must triumph. Will it be necessary before the end to appeal to some form of violence ? The Cromwellian parallel fills me with apprehension. Nevertheless, while always for peaceful settlements, I shall not feel disposed to shrink from drastic action at tha proper time and in the proper way. Meanwhile, we have to trust our leaders, and extend to them every sympathy and support, in the hope that where Eliot and Pym failed Asquith and George may succeed. The failure of Eliot and Pym brought out a Cromwell, and Revolution* But there, we are to debate the matter fo< another fortnight; we are to have the Budget,. and well, nobody knows what ii around the next corner, perhaps a clear roadj, it is a strange road, never travelled over before Let us watch closely, and hope for the best.

CWMBACH.

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