THE THREE PARTY EVIL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 505, 12 May 1909, Page 7

THE THREE PARTY EVIL.

FEDERAL COALITION.. MR. COOK AND MR. DEAKIN CONFER, (ui iKLEouiru—riiEss assik-mtion—roiTit'iaiiT.i .;'• Melbourne, May 11. Mr. J. Cook, Leader of tho Opposition in tho Federal Parliament, and Mr, A. Deakin, ex-Premier, have conferred as to the possibilities of a coalition against the Fisher Ministry. At the conclusion of tho conference, Mr. Deakin announced: "All I oan say is that the situation' is clearer after bur talk." Speaking at the Lord Mayor's banquet prior to the conference, Mr. Deakin declared that it was the. duty of every man to endeavour to;reduco the present unstable position in Federal politics to stability. Micro required to be two parties only: to ;givo; effect to , the Constitution. To organise 'and fairly establish two parties waa tho' great task before them at tho present moment. No effort would be wanting on his part, Mr. Deakin declared, to bring about a legitimate state of Parliamentary business. COALITION OR SOCIALISM? "The division between the party in offico nnd all other parties grows wider every day (writes the "Sydney Morning Herald"); and by the time Parliament meets, ami tho GovernorGoneral's speech comes to bo criticised, members must make up their minds under which flag they will. fight. Tho speeches made recently by Mr. Bruce Smith and Sir John Quick in Victoria from ono platform are a good omen for tho future, but what is wanted now is to see Mr. Dentin and Mr. Cook definitely hand in hand. Until thpro is a coalition we must faco tho possibility of a purely Socialistic polioy being forced upon us. It may be well in eoino respects that the country should understand from bitter experience what it is to be flogged with scorpions. There would'be moro chance of a definite combination; inatle solid fiud grown strong against nil hnlf-baked'pro-posals by engor shadow-hunters; nnd we should thon como to sound government and a progressive development: of our magnificent resources." ■•:■■ . . ..'". . . '...