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Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9789, 27 July 1897, Page 6

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRTSS,

Sir,—Re "Buster's" letter in io-day's paper, " Onlooker" will doubtless defend himself, but a word or two from another roan may not be out of place. What the League has to do, it appears to mc, is to bury and forget the "wretched past," except so far as it acts as a warning for the future. The League is the professed cham : pion of personal liberty; irrespective of party politics, and is supposed to support whichever party is most inaccord with the liberty of the subject or the freedom of the individual. Ifc can he shown beyond dispute that present-day New Zealand Liberalism is the party of coercion, and of interference with personal freedom in every direction. It is the same with modern. Li beralism all the world over. This being so the League should not be misled by a party title, but bury the hatchet and support the so-called Conservatives. If the position has changed the League is amply justified in "turning its coat." But I do not apprehend that this phrase applies to the League. It is Liberalism that has turned its coat. Not very long ago it battled for the liberty it now is trying to stifle. Modern Liberalism is in deadly antagonism with liberty, and these is no escape from this conclusion. It is amazing how people are misled by the misnomer "Liberal," which now chiefly means liberal only with the interests and possessions of other people. Those who fail to see this will not be without startling object lessons ere long. The League appears to mc to be somewhat backward in finding this out. It is not nice to-be accused of turning your back on your party, but in this case it is modern Liberalism that has deliberately turned its back on liberty. lam of course aware that ma»y so-called Liberals five strongly opposed to prohibition, but the}* must not try to blow hot and cold with the same breath. A man cither-belongs to the party who supports liberty on a broad basis, or he does not. If he does not, he may rest assured that his own particular cause will go to the wall sooner or later, especially sooner. To use a sporting phrase, tho League has been backing the wrong horse.—Yours, &c, J. W.

July 26tb. -