s , ▁Burn ie ▁was ▁building ▁a ▁political ▁reputation ▁beyond ▁his ▁adopted ▁town . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁he ▁was ▁nominated ▁to ▁be ▁Liberal ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁vac ancy ▁in ▁East ▁Car mar th ens hire ▁following ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁David ▁P ugh ▁but ▁he ▁with d rew ▁before ▁the ▁selection ▁conference . ▁He ▁became ▁tre as urer ▁of ▁the ▁Wel sh ▁Far mer ' s ▁Def ence ▁Fund , ▁which ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁light ▁of ▁tit he ▁ag itation , ▁and ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁he ▁made ▁a ▁tour ▁through ▁the ▁count ies ▁of ▁South ▁Wales ▁where ▁protest s ▁had ▁taken ▁place . ▁He ▁came ▁close ▁to ▁winning ▁the ▁Liberal ▁nom ination ▁at ▁Ch else a ▁and ▁also ▁at ▁Mid ▁G lam organ ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁narrow ly ▁defeated ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁by ▁Samuel ▁Thomas ▁Evans ▁largely . ▁it ▁was ▁stated , ▁due ▁to ▁Evans ▁being ▁a ▁Wel sh - spe aking ▁Wel sh man . ▁ ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁Sw anse a ▁The ▁death ▁of ▁the ▁sit ing ▁member ▁of ▁Sw anse a ▁Town , ▁Lewis ▁L le w ely n ▁D ill w yn , ▁shortly ▁before ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁General ▁E lection ▁led ▁to ▁Burn ie ▁being ▁selected ▁as ▁candidate . ▁ ▁Burn ie ▁launched ▁his ▁campaign ▁at ▁a ▁public ▁meeting ▁at ▁the ▁Albert ▁Hall , ▁Sw anse a , ▁where ▁Sir ▁Hus sey ▁Viv ian ▁pres ided ▁and ▁end ors ed ▁Burn ie ' s ▁campaign