The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1904. THE CAPE ELECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 38, 13 February 1904, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1904. THE CAPE ELECTIONS.

For tlie cause that lacks aasintance. For the icrong that needs resistance, For t)te future in the distance, And the good tfiat tee can do.

While the attention of the Empire is riveted upon the momentous crisis in the Far East, events have been taking plac-e in the Cape Colony which may ; have an important influence upon the Imperial destiny in South Africa. The returns for the Cape Colony elections are not yet completed, but so far as the results ore kno\yn the Progressive Opposition has gained a signal victory over the Government and the Bond. Out of some 95 members to be chosen for the House of Assembly, it appears that 34 Progressives and 27 Bondists- ■ have been elected. In the late As- > serubly the alliance between .Sir Gordon ' Sprigg and the Bondists had left the ' ! Progressives in a hopeless minority. \ Two-thirds of the it-turns are in, and ' they have now a majority of seven. It is, of course, possible that the balance of the returns may tell a different tale. But it is extremely significant j that the Progressives have actually j been able to defeat uot only the Pre- j mier but another prominent member I of his ministry and a recognised j leader of the Afrikander Bond. Sir Gordon Sprigg lias won anything but enviable repute for his vac-illation and his obstinate attachment to office; and his rejection was not altogether un- j expected. Dr. Smartt, who has de- I feated him at East London, was the leader of the Progressives who seceded i from the Spring party when the Premier first began to play into the hands of the Bond to keep himself in office. Mr Douglas, the ex-Minister for Rail- ■ ways, had rendered himself peculiarly obnoxious to the loyalists and the Progressives by truckling to the Bond; and Dr. Jameson, who is now practically the Progressive leader, and extremely popular at Grahamstown. was a very ! dangerous opponent. But it is more 1 difficult to explain the defeat of Mr i J. X. Merriman, the famous pro-Boer Bondist, who. with Mr Saver. went on an embassy to England on behalf of the Boers during the final stages of the war. As Wadehouse returns two members, Mr Merriman must have been beaten by both Mr Powrie and Mr Dugmore. the Progressive candidates; and this is a convincing proof of a reaction against the Bondists even in tfoeir own strongholds. Without Sir Gordon Sprigg to lead them, and Mr Merriman to keep the Bondists in line ' behind them, the party lately in power i —the Sprigg Progressives—will be hopelessly derelict—and for the first ' time since the close of the war the prospects of Imperialism in the Ca.pe 00l- : ony look hopeful and promising a-t last. There can be no doubt that the electors are tired of the "policy of plia- [ bility and pander" represented by Sir s Gordon Sprigg, and Dr. Jameson nas flung himself into the Progressive ' movement with a characteristic ener°*v : which has raised high hopes a-mon<* South African loyalists- It is impossible to avoid the conclusion that the policy of the Bond is as it has always been, anti-British and anti-Imperial. By \ getting rid of Sir Gordon Sprigg the Cape Colony disposes of a Governirimt t which has systematically sacrificed 1

Imperial interests to the demands of the Bond- At the same time there is ample scope in South Africa for the programme of "economy, efficiency and progress," which has been proclaimed by Dr. Jameson. It would be unsafe to predict the ultimate result of the elections, but the successes already gained by the Progressives show clearly that even without bhe redistribution of the electorates and the franchise which thej have so justly demanded, they have been able to rouse in the Cape Colony an enthusiasm for an Imperial policy which may go far to secure for England the results that the great war was fought to attain.