Welsh Journals

plished members of parliament themselves would be obliged to study important issues, and we could thus ensure that members would then at least be men of some knowledge and ability. Platitudes and sophistry would be of little use in the winning of elections, and consequently would be little used. Voting would be exercised with prudence, and the system would be free from those scandals which now disgrace it, when elements in the electorate which know nothing and care less of the question and program at issue, vote blindly either by impulse or by prejudice for any insinuat- ing talker, who has just enough intelligence, and no more, to lead them the way he desires. Psychology teaches us that the leader must only be a little way ahead of the crowd, and thus the type of man who can and does influence and lead these elements is very little better than these elements themselves. Since the securing of every vote would be the result of individual effort, we might expect that it would be esteemed as such, and would be used to place government on a sounder, firmer, and "Dai Dolcarreg." By Gwyneth M. Mills. IT was a pleasant Sunday afternoon in Mid- September, and the little village of Llanypwll in Carmarthenshire was wrapt in an atmos- phere of peace and quiet. The godly vil- lagers were distributed equally in the respective Sunday Schools-Methodist and Anglican-of the neighbourhood. No child especially was to be seen, for one battalion of village children was gnashing butterscotch in the Church Sunday School, while the other was sucking peppermints within the sacred precincts of the Methodist Chapel. This state of affairs was due to the presence of two old anglers at the Red Lion Hotel, one of whom was a zealous Methodist and the other a keen Churchman. The former would give half-a- dozen peppermints to every child who attended three times the services of the Hen Gorff," while the other would dispense six pieces of butterscotch on condition that the recipients went to Church three times. Great was the enjoyment which the two old gentlemen derived from this pastime, as they counted their respective adher- ents each Sabbath. But on this particular Sunday there was a party of bovs led by one, Dai, who were followers neither of the Peppermint nor of the Butterscotch Standard. The sweets, no doubt, had sickened them, for it was evident that they showed a distinct preference for fresh fruit, otherwise why should Dai be imperilling his life high up there amongst the branches of the most fruitful of Mrs. Tomos' apple trees in the orchard of the more secure footing than has of recent years been the case. One often hears the cynicism, Whether we vote for one party or for another or not at all, we shall be just as badly off in the end," and one can sympathise with although not encourage that point of view, but surely there is no reason for, the franchise always to be susceptible to this cynicism. In the system advanced above for reflection there would be no room for such a criticism, because every vote would have its true weight and would not be liable to be swamped under a wave of careless and irresponsible votes. If, therefore, we examine the definition of Democracy again and add to it a few words, perhaps we shall get as near the truth, and, by putting the definition into operation, as perfect an electoral system as is possible in this im- perfect and illogical world of men and women. The definition of Democracy then, it is sug- gested, should be: A Constitution under which sovereign power is possessed by the numerical majority of the sober, honest, rational and in- telligent male and female citizens." Red Lion, shaking down dozens of rosy-cheeked apples to his confederates below? And so thought the Methodist angler, Isaac Lewis, who was sunning himself on the verandah of the hotel, and who had happened to catch sight of the daring thief. What are you doing there, my boy ?" he shouted, wagging a threatening finger at Dai, but before the words were out of his mouth Dai had descended the tree as nimbly as a monkey, and had disappeared like a streak of lightning. His comrades skulked off in like manner, their pockets bulging with the spoil. That evening Dai made his way to chapel as usual, but in passing the Red Lion he was spotted by Isaac Lewis, who pointed him out to Mrs. Tomos as the boy who had stolen her apples. Allright, Dai Dolcarreg," she cried, Wil- liams Bontddu will be after you to-morrow." That was too much for Dai. To be caught, and to be bereft of the booty was a misfortune indeed. but to fall into the hands of the policeman was the worst fate of all. This was a time when the horrors of hell-fire were preached from the majority of pulpits in Wales, and when the people stood in the greatest fear of God. Likewise they obeyed the law of the land only because their fear of the policeman was almost as great as their fear of God. Thus it can be imagined what the feelings of Dai were as he proceeded on his way to chapel. Orestes pursued bv the Furies was not more conscience- smitten. Whichever way he turned, Dai saw Williams Bontddu confronting him. His own shadow following him to chapel had now become a substantial policeman. During the service he