The Bruce Herald. TOKOMAIRIRO, OCTOBER 3, 1899.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3104, 3 October 1899, Page 4

The Bruce Herald. TOKOMAIRIRO, OCTOBER 3, 1899.

The debate in the House on Friday regarding the Transvaal, shows many things to fche student of the human nature. It proves, if anything was required to prove it, that the Right Hon R. J. Seddon is a master on playing on the great organ of publio opinion. He is master of every Btop, of every note, and never by any mischance plays anything but a top note or pulls out the wrong stop. This is how his strong personalty dominates the political world and makes him a Triton amongst our Now Zealand politicians. Nothing could be finer than the Jubilee Jingoistic display on Friday. It was the master piece of Mr Scddon's life, and the Houae, with a few exceptions, danced to his piping right merrily. New Zealand intends to let loose the dogs of war — 210 of them — at a cost of £50 a day — if Great Britain accepts their services. It says a good deal, amidst the Tft-Ra-Boom-de-ay of swelling Jingoism on Thursday night in the House, that six members had the courage of their opinions, and voted in accordance with them. It requires more courage than most men possess, to staud out for the right, or what you consider is right with two or three, than throw in your lot with the hosannaing multitude. The natural cowardice of man makes him shelter himself in the biggest crowd, and the few who dare to fight for what they think ia right are always the targets of public and private sco:n. .m> it has been with those in the House who dared to express opinions contrary to the Jingoistic majority. But we should hope for the common sense of the people of this colony, that deep down in the minds cf New Zealanders. there is the idea that after all there is a good deal of fudge in the whole business. We are told in lofty eloquence that the moral effect of cfferiug to send the troops will be great in Europe. If this is so, it does not take much to m ike a moral effect — if 210 New Zealand volunteers can do it. But allowing that the " mond effect " will be created in Europe — that it will show the world that the Home oountry and its colonies stand shoulder to shoulder — has this not been shown long ago by. Canada and New South Wales. Is it. therefore, necessary to show ou every occasion that the Empire and its colonies a c one. There is such a thing as protesting too much, and wearing a lofty sentiment threadbare about small matters. Where is lo be the end of this sort of socalled love of the Home country ? Lately the British and American Governments had a brush with a few unfortunate niggers who were engaged in a email tribal war in Samoa. What did New Zealand do ? Ifc promptly cabled Home that New Zealand would send troops, aud if this was not Jubilee Jingoism, we do not know what it was, for it certainly was not patriotism. The Transvaal incident is nearly as absurd. Hero are a few thousand Boers pitted against the might of the grandest empire tho world has ever seen. Yet Colonials have co little sense of the ridiculous that their government's cable to the Cabinet of this Empire, that bhey will send a few hundred troops to assist to fight the Boers. Is the Empire in danger because it has a Boer war on in South Africa? Where, we ask, is to be the end oi this Jubilee Jingoisim

which seenis to bave got into the blood of Colonial Premiers sines their visit Home? We offered to fight Samoa, now the Boers — what is to follow next ? When Britain goes to war is New Zealand to always follow suit. Is that the new creed of the latest Jingoism ? If so, we shall have our hands full, and our national exchequer will very soon be empty, for Britain is always fighting somewhere upon the face of •h c earth. The fact is, in our enthusiasm we mistake Jubilee Jingoism for a high-souled patriotism, and blinded by its gilded glitter, think that the Mother Country is in danger, when in reality she is engaged in a trifling incident in her career. To us it seems that patriotism to be true needs only to bo shown when the Mother Country is menaced by nations such as Russia or Germany ; when her prestige is at stake, and not when she is engaged in trifling encounters at Samoa, the Transvaal, or the Soudan, This is not tho popular view to take, bufc it is our honest opinion and deep down in the minds of many, it is to be hoped it will find an echo.