The Press. TUESDAY. MAY 10, 1898. WHAT IS LIBERLISM?

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10032, 10 May 1898, Page 4

The Press. TUESDAY. MAY 10, 1898. WHAT IS LIBERLISM?

One of the greatest philosophers that England ever produced said that, " Words are the counters of wise men, but the money of fools." And in his " Leviathan" he impresses on his readers the need of understanding the words we use. We cannot do better than quote one sentence as to the necessity of accurately ascertaining the meaning of the terms we employ. " Seeing then," he said, "that truth " consisteth in the right ordering of "names in our affirmations, a man " that seeketh precise truth had need " to remember what every name he " uses stands for, and to place it " accordingly, or else he will find him- " self entangled in words, as a bird in " lime twigs, the more he struggles " the more belimed." It is nearly 250 years since Thomas Hobbes wrote his " Leviathan," but it is as necesssary to remember his injunction in 1898 as it was in 1651 when it was first issued. How few who talk and write glibly about " Liberalism " appreciate the meaning of the word. We need not go back to its genesis and how it came to be applied to politics. It had up to quite lately a very definite meaning. In politics it meant the extension of personal liberty, the lessening of £he power of Governments, of organisations, of privileged persons or corporations, so that all might have the fullest personal liberty consistent with the same liberty to all. The Liberals in the past have aimed at the reform of our Parliaments, at the extension of the franchise, at lessening the power of the Ministry, at economy in. the administration, and the reduction of taxation, at giving the fullest opportunity to all to rise by education and ability to the highest social positions and distinctions, at individual freedom, in fact at liberty uncontrolled by king, minister, or leader, or church, at purity of Government, and seeing that no one was punished for his political opinions or his religious belief. This was Liberalism* Nor did the new Liberals in England, such as Toynbee, or Sedgwick, or Fawcetfc, vary much from that creed. They only said that the powerful organisation of the State might in certain instances be used where individual effort or voluntary co-operation were inefficient or insufficient to carry out reforms. Is the definition of Liberalism as understood by English thinkers and English statesmen that which is understood by " Liberalism " in New Zealand ? Unfortunately it is not. Liberalism now spells " Tammany " in New Zealand, Personal liberty and individual freedom are curtailed. If a politician insists on using his private judgment on political questions and dares to vote against the individual who may happen for the time to call himself the leader of the " Great Liberal Party," he is not applauded for his independence, but his right of private judgment is trampled on and he has to bow. before tyrannical officialdom go out of the Liberal camp covered with sheers and reproaches. The very fundamentals of Liberalism have been set aside. Every effort is made by those calling themselves Liberals to trample on personal freedom. No better example, even in the worst times of the Roman Empire, c&n be found of the abuse of power than the people of New Zealand now have to put up with. Liberty is derided and tyranny applauded. In the working of our Government administration there is no attempt made to promote efficiency or economy. These are considered unimportant if votes for the Ministry can be got. Reduction of taxation is never suggested, and any reform of procedure that would give members of Parliament more freedom and power is never attempted and if proposed would never be carried. The so-called Liberals determinedly resist any proposed reform of the Parliament or of State institutions that would give Ministers less power and the people more freedom. They are as conservative of their power as were the of their privileges hundreds of years ago. And following in the wake of all this tyranny and anti-Liberalism there comes Tammanyism—corruption in its various phases. Men are denied offices if their political opinions are not those of the Ministry. Personal fitness or ability counts for little in the making of appointments. Slavish support of the Ministry covers all sins. Freedom of thought or action in politics is punished. It is heretical, and being heretical deserves reprobation.

Wβ must use new words to define our political parties. People when they hear of " Liberalism " associate with the term the struggles and triumphs of the Reform party in England. But if things political continue in New Zealand for any time in the same condition as they are now we shall have to regard one word that used to have a good meaning, as now meaning something bad. The word will become degraded. This has often happened in the history of our language. Take, for example, the word "villain." It once meant nothing bad, nowadays it is a term of reprobation. 80 must the word "Liberalism" lose its good meaning if it is to continue to signify all that is contrary to liberty and to

honest government. For a time a name acts like a spell. That time must cease when the intelligence of the people is roused and they perforce see that it signifies something , the reverse of what it origin&y meant Liberalism in Nβ tv Zealand is the very antipodes of- what it was in England. It is tyranny and corruption writ large.