The Press. THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1908.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13097, 23 April 1908, Page 6

The Press. THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1908.

FARMERS IN POLITICS

At tie approaching Provincial Conference of tie Auckland branch of the Farmers' Union, the quest-ion of the Union taking a more definite and aotiv« part in politics will bo raised ny a motion that will declare that the tnme has arrived when the Union should form a separate poEticwl party *nd run, its own candidates for such eeate as may be considered desirable. From what one heare, there is every .probaiility that *ho motion will l>e carried and a remit in tho same terms ""till Presumably be sen* forwaird to tho Colonial Conference in Wellington in July, backed by the whole strength of the AncHand branch. Wo are glad to see this increased interest in political affairs «a tfhe paxt of the farmers .in the. North, for it 'affords promise that there will be none of that degplorable ep*tky regarding the elec-

prosperous communities. We hare always urged that the farmers should bako a more active personal part in politics. They cannot expect tiieix friends to fight their battles for tlhem while they sit watching the combat with mild, detached interest, as if they were not vitally concerned in the refeult. They would not, of course, be the only sufferers if the Socialists secured tho upper ihand. The whole prosperity of New Zealand iv bound up with that of tho men on tho la.nd, and anything that affects thorn to their detriment is felt, more or loss, by everybody in the Dominion. ii u.t they are the class which would suffer most, and if they will not do something to help themselves, they will deserve all they get. They are tho largest section of the community, and the moet important, they hovo a giant's strength, and, epoaJcing gononilly, they make no better use of it than if it were a baby's. Numerous as they ere, thoy are united by common interests, yot they are the most divided body in the community, wasting their labour and strength by pulling different ways. We have always urged that the farmers should make themselves heard, and that they should take a more practical ,part in govorning the country than they do. But we did not contemplate their forming themselves into a separate political pa.rty, and running tiieir own candidates, and we fail to see the necessity for tiho one etop, or the wisdom of the other. Farmers can. achieve tlheir aims far batter by sinking minor differences of opinion, and concentra.ting their voting strength against the advocates of land nationalisation aaid Socialistic legislation, tiian by sotting up a Farmers' Party, and li-c-lpdng tihedr opponents by running candidates of their own. • To do ifchis would load to still further vote-splitting, and would thereby increase the risk of defeat. Tlie farmers will never secure the , recognition from the Governmomt tiha/t they deserve until they show that they are a political force to bo reckoned with. In the past the Farmers' Union lias been urgently advised, we might almost say implored, to keep out of politics. It will be just as well, now tfoait the advice is likeily to bo repeated, for the Union, to consider how far this attitude is disinterested, and why participation in politics, which is such an exoelien* tiling for trade unionists, should Ijo such a bad thing for the farmers.