The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1878-05-18 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

BIRTH. EDWA2.I)6OII the 7th of May (not th• 27th ult., as previously announowl), the wife of Mr. Thomas dwarda, was merchant, Merthyr, of a unghter.  acted unjustly, or whelks. the Bleendydach men on strike have sated foolishly In rasortipgto that course. vbat we are more hamschattily concemed with is their interforesee with those who differ in opinion and carry out that difference in practice. No one questioss the absolute right eta man to leave his work if he decline to accede to the terms under which the contract Ur made. But every man with a grain of. common sense lust, in his own interest, see that if he claim this right for himself he cannot in justiee refuse it to another. As soon as a man places himself parposely and wilfully in opposition to the law he loses that which is of the first moment to him in the attempt to assert his rights, and that is, public sympathy. It may be considered an act of daring to defy the law, but it will be useless, the law mast prevail and rightly so What earlhly object is pima by shouting" beat' and " turncoat " the proceeding is enoessand it is a snoiascit a most undigned and unernithy kind, since it is gained by terror, and terror means tyranny, and we who so of tea sing "Britene Meet never, shall be slaves," most certainly rapediet. tbat. Lotus look at • case. A collier has a wife and five or six little ems depeodegli utile him for their daily bread. He mirk, at Bilenelydach. He, in common with his fellow-workmen, is informed that a new arrangement, involving no redaction of !rages, but /imply altering the mode of payment, is about to be introduced. He objects to the proposed change, as his fellows do. Some are for striking to bring the masters to their senses. He, however, does not recognise any fundamental principle to be in danger, and, remembering his wife and little ones, declines to tall in with that extreme step. Is it right, is it fair, is it honourable, in those from whom he differs to dog him, annoy him, call him opprobrious names, make his life miser. able, and even threaten to murder him, because he is not of the same opinion as the majorit'jr Has he not the same right to go to work, if he think fit, as the majority have to stay out if they decide to do so It is a most miserable weapon to use is this system of childish persecution, and is most degrading to all honourable warkmen. It cannot be defended, for it admits of no defence ; it cannot be justified, for permeation Is not justice. We are simply anxious to deal with the question from the point of view of the recent prosecution at Pantie. What is wrong ought to be condemned, it matters not who the parties are who offend; we have to deal with measures, not men; with principlett, not parties. In connection with this unfortunate contention we understood that one great feature in favour of the nim on strike was the refusal on the part of the company to submit the matters in dispute to arbitration. We certahily are much astonished to hear that the company have never committed themselves to euch a refusal. Is this a fact P If ,this be tree, someone is responsible for a very grave blunder—a blunder almost in its proportions equal to a crime. We should certainly like to know whether Mr.