THE CHANGING SCENE

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 180, 25 April 1908, Page 6

THE CHANGING SCENE

A BIRD'S EYE VIEW.

[Bv a Casual CnnoNiw,En.]

t "I 'will.-; not have Jived -my life -in':vain," - declared Mr. Millar the other night, "if I, havo converted ovon one man to democracy."; This: is a very . high ideal' of the .Minister.'^: ■ : but'thoro, is-good reason to believe'that, he' will-succeed, in his desire. He will then piifc • up-tho bar an inch, so to speak, 1 and try-.and, . ! break his record by bringing oven ono striker to book. . \.- ' ■ Mr. Eurrows says that he-will not have , lived in vain if ho.can swing.his clubs as, long as it will, .take f'Constant .Reader'* to .day'p ■ speeches, by tho.Premier. . Mr. that he > hopes ono, day to - engage in' a' contest with the .Premier, arid he will .be satisfied -if ho can swing clubs' longer/than Sir Joseph.can speak. '; : - - Mr.:Hislop says, that'ho will nbt have lived' in vain if he can > persuade even subscriber of a certain Teptile journal-'to. give- lip. . taking the paper.; ■ ■: -. , • - of-Turkey says he'will die happy if .he can insult even .one'country, without - having to baok down;- , -. \ ,: The dcclaros:that ho will . Be content to rfetire.with'his laurels if ho can persuade anybody to give up tho erroneaus idea that red is not a kind of, grey. Mr. H — B — says that he will havo fulfilled his mission in life if, ho can get a letter into the evening ipaper. ■~ • . A/resolution was.passed."That.steps be takon to establish classes !for the.-purpose ,of educating the' youth/ of Npw: Zealand in Socialistic principles."—News item. -,-.Tar-too long tho education of tho children,of ". -. ' the.'nation has. been stagnant in a station- !'•';; ary state; • v : .-y''v : .v-'-".v : v V ; -'' But the tide of time is turning, and, , the old - . conventfons: spurmns, • we, shall bring • the state of learning up to : date. • . 1 - 1 ■ ; - I can -hear - a noise' like' thunder -as the aiicient, :' ; ; ;rules go .imder: Spencer's folly/ Newton's, • blunder are disclosed; -i:, -... ■ • Plato; Kant,, and Aristotle—they have got 'em 1 i. .by the throttle, and their deleterious rot'll be exposed. .- , -- . Now, •at .last, the influence -passes from these- » philosophic asses to the Socialistic classes, 1 ■-'/ which appeal ' Through a . haze of-nebulosity :■ and deafening -. - J-verbosity.'to' Man's innate'ferdcity;and zeal v : ; : They will give-you for a tafiner thirty lectures , . on the,manner of your.matching with:the" ' banner red as blood; rpgids'the proper ''-patter "^w4U, : 'the- mat-, 1 niattor.if you-don't' omit'tb'.'scat-.- ; 1 ter plenty rrnld. - , ! ■■ ,' .■ , . "Socialism p','-said ■ the -• -barber, ■as" he ] stropped his razor. ■ .•» I know • what' - Socialism is. , Customer- of mine is a friend j )f Tom Mann, and he,is. organising the ( text- j book, for the use- of the Socialist. classes.' '.. ■ IWhat really; is Socialism ?'■ ' I' ;iaid; f tbjhinv; : ' 'Socialism,' he . says,. : / ideal condition in which there will bo tho most perfect..economic equality- and. undifferentiated care for • all, > tho ' condition in - which the tyrannical superstructure of op--p.ressive oligarchies will not "extormmato the . meritorious aspirations-of the victim of the' ] , diseased social . organisation of- ' to-day '' -i i.'Yes,M.,says, ,'I see that, but what is- it?' - -If is the recognition of the: truo'' rights •of ; man,' ho - says; 'the inalienablo privilege^of tne'individual to I 'feecuro his happiness, and 1 that/of:all.? 'And how will you get it?' I e -bays., 'It will como through an awakening, 1 of. the : world,' ho "says, 'to tho truth that c paralysing and destructive' .inequalities s.'aro * antagonistic to tho predestined glories - of v ..mankind, r: In short, /it is perfection. 1 To I put it briefly, il - would say Socialism is the ? ideal state.' ,- 'But,' I says, 'how will it como 1 about?,' 'By the enactment,' ho says",''of,, - laws .which . will recognise the basic principles f -•jf wisdom.' That's what Socialism is, Sir.' i: Same, you see, as Esoteric -Transcendental- 1: ism, Buddhism, Liberalism, Conservatism, -,Trades Unionism, Imperialism, Freethou'ght ti ■ arid 'Christianity. Thank .you. You're v next, Sir. Who do you think will beelocted -f Mayor?" fc - , c , ' ,' ■ . . "No. wonder that tho- Squatters' ,Minion v is aghast., ■ It- is not used to seeing tho £ fowler spreading his cliafE in full,sight of the j: .bird in this fashion.. And so ,it naturaUj' expresses horror of such tactics, and calls in I stcrturous semibreves .to the general public J . to vote .early, and ' often r for—-Aitkeii!"—Tho' • Ministerial organ. '. : . , : t! ./Twas .midnight, and, the pondig, scribe ■■ ? i ; JJid squirl and -fure within his den,- ", , yAirscrangled:\was ; ,.the..friled''retribe. r That gluttered from his pen. ' '" p "Beware tho gredly Dom,'' ho wrote, ■ q , "Bewaro'the .ugsoine;'things'it says, : ? Its .vipish knife, its Nausilo Gloat j On Mr. Hislop's ways. ' 1 • .'Beware its,Sinual, Argument/,- - 11 ; Its Nebulorious 'Asymptote;. s;~v .. . : n Let not .its.-Semitone;prevent. . . .. '.> ' , ■ Your good pro-Hislop vote. v ' s ; "Gredly.these are, but have no care; -'- - 11 • Such gibberlous fulmings can't deceive; , i j--3ut. one;great fear, remains—BewaTe 0 , Its'Sterturous Semibrcve."