THE SEDDOM STATUS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 223, 13 June 1908, Page 9

THE SEDDOM STATUS

Sir,—lt is now two years sincethe lata Mr. 1 Sedden passed away, and one would naturally havo thought that the dead should have boon allowed to rest in peaco. But "Agricola"—whoever he may be —says no, and' uncharitably comes to the charge again— as though su&cient disgrace had not already been heaped upon the "Opposition" by tlioso who vented their spleen in' such ill-chosen language immediately after, the sad' event which necessitated a statuo. I, sir, happen to 60-000 iho' varfi majority who admired tho late I'rcmier, and appreciated his work; but had I been ever so strong an opponent I would still havo rosentcd the mean spirit shown towards tho dead by "Agricola, for I rccognise, as most .people do, that tho* time is now long since past for adverso or uncharitablo criticism of the deceased statesman. Tha Christian' religion (which "Agricola I '' • probably professes) and common decency demand this, recognition. 1 Eurther than this, I'am a "democrat," and I recognise the right of the majority to rule in such matters. And who. can doubt tho feeling of, the majority? seeing that .the: late'statesman at. the last election swept the country from end to end, and secured tho largest majority ever recorded in colonial history! It matters not what "Agricola". thinks. "The people" havo expressed their opinion most plainly, and the verdict will stand for'all time.

. The fact thatT the late Sir Harry Atkinson and Sir John Hall—sterling men of whom tho country lias every reason to,ba proud—did not receive the , public recognition duo to . them, has , nothing whatever ,to do with the question at issue. They both had the,misfortune to dio.'.when their: power as public men was pn tho-wane; (if 1 not practically dead), and at a time when they represented a minority of the people;-and it is a melancholy fact that when a man is dead, or disabled, politically or physically, his services to his. country, however valuable, aro mostly—forgotten 1 There is not a mark or sign on earth to perpetuate tho names of thousands of good and noble men who lived, faithfully served, and died in the service of. their country. Indeed,, paradoxical, as it may seem, many a great man has "returned to dust" long ere lis . claims to distinction have even been dreamt of. Take tho great genius, Shakespeare, for instance. Ho was counted a "man of common degree" in his own day, and was practically an outcast! Yet |where does ho stand to-day! On the throne of the brightest ■star in the world's literature! So, .after all, both Sir Harry and Sir John are in most excellent, company. .

But, sir, is there any valid reason -why Mr. Seddon's name, revered as it is by. hundreds of thousands of people living tcM&iy, should not ■be perpetuated by a suitable national ■ emblem or statue as proposed? It must be reruombered that,- unlike most other great men, thq late Premier passed raway at tho zenith of his fame; and it'is only natural that "tha people" should decide to suitably mark tho nation's acknowledgments of his worth and work. A man who represented the same seat continuously for' over 27 years, arid hold the roius of government' and successfully guided the affairs' of tha nation for over 13 consecutive years—-even till the, moment of. his death—a record which no other Colonial statesman ever approached —certainly • needs no recommendation from "Agricola" or anyone else. In fact, ifffeero is one thing in this lifo more certain than -another it is that.when shorn of the entanglements' of party feeling and strife, and viewed in the light of calmer days, ' Mr. Seddon's lifo and work will shine out mora brilliantly in the future than even they, do now ; and I make , bold to say that the history of. tho last fifteen years will so appeal to the democratic hearts of the coming generations that monuments in honour of the departed statesman will spring 'np' on every hand, and his honoured name will be as familiar a thousand years .hence as it is to-day. Certainly a finer example of tho reward of industry and pcrsoveranco could not bo placed before tho school children, of tho Doni'iiion as an Tnconfivo to. tho cultivation of thoso virtues, and no' doubt this will bo recognised in tho future. A solfmado man Vlio rises from obscurity to t!ra highest and most honourable position in the. State, _and holds it by tho will and voto of "the people" for so many years—even till death—is certainly a mucli more striking and honourable figure in life than a king who inherits his throuo and rules in spito of "tho people." , "Agricola" only shows his ignorance when he' about a "really important event in which all are equally interested, and for, which all have due respect!" History certainly reveals no such strange phenomenon Did Wor such a personago dwell upon this earth? What'happened to Jesus Christ?, And why was he crucified? Was it becauso "all" wero "equally ■ interested" in Him, and because. "all" had "due respect" for Him? Or was it because some were jealous of His power and others, through no fault of His, locked faith in Him?

Thori, again, who is to bo the judge as to ."the purest, noblest, wisest, and best Premier the world has ever soon?" ' This is rather a big ordor, is it not? seeing that the people could not agree as to tho merits of even Jesus Christ Himself I If "Agricok" will only carry his investigntions far enough ho will soon discover that tho affairs' of this' mundane sphere, are besot with no end of knotty quostions, and that a unanimous verdict on any national question can never bo reached.—Yours, etc., ALF. C, MORTON. Feilding, Juno 9, 1903.. ... , P.S.—lf "Agricola" is sincere, and will take steps to have justice done to tho memories of'tho lato Sir Harry' Atkinson and Sir John Hall, I will cheerfully give n ly mile towards tho project, for, though I did not thoir politics, in- many' roSpccts, I appreciated tho men themselves and rocognise their, claims on ' tho country ,i S pioneers and patriots. Thoy each did thoir best according to their lights. No .-man can-do more.—A.C.M.