The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28. 1911. THE TIDE OF REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1297, 28 November 1911, Page 6

The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28. 1911. THE TIDE OF REFORM.

Although the closing of the nomination of candidates for clcct.ion docs not mark any cud or beginning, or any new stage, in the political battle, it makes a convenient point at which to consider the great change in the political situation since 1008. The tremendous victory of Mn. Beddon in 1905 struck an almost paralysing blow at the growing body of Reform sentiment, and although Sir Joseph, iYabd very quickly began, bv nis tollies and weaknesses, to ruin tho majority left to his care, the Ejects of the 1905 election remained, nth the result that the Reform pa-rt-v did not feel strong enough to contest more than 47 of the *76 European L l Second Ballot Act, tt'nich the Government had introcluc--3d with the object of saving itself at the expense of Labour, then threatenj"'iuP a number of candidates, the Reform party won 25 at the 47 seats it challenged. Had * untested more seats, its trcngth in the House would probably layc been proportionately increased; '1D the ra P ks of the army 3i Reform has any disposition to resret tost opportunities, The shrewder imcngst the Government's following uust have realised then that 1911 was i year to -be dreaded, but we doubt /hethcr many even of these foresaw ; 'i° full ganger into which the Governments want of principle, adminstrative recklessness, and political would lead tho degenerate Liberal" party. This year the ■Msiorm. sentiment that is bursting ■he rivets of the corrupt system of joveenment fastened upon the counI'.V' by twenty years of unchecked ivibcralism ' has shown itself in the presentation of candidates for nearly 0 of the 76 European seats. This is n itself a fact stimulating in a high legree. It means that the anxiety or reform goes deep and is spread •cry widely through the nation; it neans that the Reform sentiment has iroken the bonds of apathy, of cusom, and of unwillingness publicly to .ssaiLa Government with the morals fa "Boss" Tweed, the unscrupulousiess of a Kruger, and a resourcefulicss in spying and proscription that j ny .past despotism might regard i'ith respect. A fact that is not generally known, •r that is at any rate generally for:otten, is that in the 47 electorates n which Reform candidates stood in POB, the Reform voters outnumbered he voters for the Government. The otes cast for Reform numbered 19,652, as against 115,601 votes cast fir the supporters of the Ministry. Compared with the votes cast in the jimc electorates in 1905, these figures b-ow an increase of 25,185 in the Re)rm vote, and only 2484 in the vote or tho continuance of the "Liberal" egime; or, reduced, to percentages, n increase of over 25 per cent, in lie Reform vote and fess than 2! per | ■>nt. in tho anti-Reform vote. "The eddon triumph in 1905, obviously, ad damaged the organisation of the !cform party without impairing the rowing feeling of tho country in ivour of throwing out the Governicnt. And since 190S, what'have wo ;en ? Nothing but a hcaping-up of ood reasons tor ending the life of n Administration gone hopelessly to >0 bad, and a corresponding intenincation of the desire of the public 51'_ a changc of Government. This esire has grown beyond the power f the Administration to soften or ipress.it-.;'it has grown without any rganisation, and it hardly requires ny organisation _ other' than the armony with which honest men's unds must, at last turn towards at-reel of a system that makes their 3untry the spoil of a self-seeking arty in power and the country's Liture a cipher in that party's oportunist calculations. Inside the government party there are divitho more astute members of ic party.arc tempering their appeals 3 the _ electors with independence nd criticism. Whatever the final relit may be—and that the result will c a further large increase in the reresentation of Reform opinion in ic House is doubted by nobody— ie figures will show that half the opulation, at the least, is wearv of to Ward Administration, and will ot tolerate a continuance of the buses that have disfigured the name L Liberalism. What the more sanuine of the Government's friends :em to be unable to realise is that ie people arc feeling, as individuals; le hurtful pressure of the conditions roduced by twenty years of "Liberlism. Twenty years!—a period >ng enough, one would suppose, for ny political party to build a solid iructure of peace, plenty, liberty nd honour in this country. And ;hat has the "Liberal" Administralon to show for its labours? Unest, dearer living, and a growing lsgust at the seen and unseen scanals of the party in power.