The Dominion. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1912. THE COMING POLITICAL CHANGES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1362, 13 February 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1912. THE COMING POLITICAL CHANGES.

• The possibilities of the political situation have been so fully discussed during the past few weeks that now on the eve of the meeting of Parliament little that is' new remains to be said. Most people are agreed that during the next fortnight the fate of the Ward Administration will be sealed. Attempts have been made to spread the impression that members who pledged themselves at the hustings to vote against the Government have been won over to Wardism and will break their pledges. Of course the position is not stated quite so bluntly as this, but the effect is the same. It is so much nonsense. Even if the members in question were prepared to break faith with their constituents they would hardly be foolish enough to do so in order to throw in their lot with what is obviously a dying cause. In fact t-herr can be no room for doubt that Sir Joseph Ward will be defeated on i no-confidence motion; and Sir Joseph Ward probably is fully aware of this,. We shall not be in the least surprised to learn that the Prime Minister will not only relinquish the reins of office, but also his place in Parliament as well; although this latter step may not be taken immediately. The really important question of the moment, however, is the attitude likely to be taken by Mr. Massey when the Government is defeated. The Leader of the Reform party has preserved ; baffling silence as to his views in the Cabinet-making lino. He has not dropped even the slightest hint as to the men likely to be associated with him in the practically certain event of his being called on to for' a Ministry. Everybody naturally anticipates that such members of the party as Messrs. James Allen, Hekries, and Eerdman will be offered portfolios, but thereafter speculation becomes doubtful, not because of any lack of excellent material, but c account of the difficulty of making a choice where so many who would (ill requirements are available. Mr. Massey, though he has been silent J on the subject, has no doubt given i the question a good deal of thought; and especially must he have considered the claims of the different sectional interests which have contributed to the downfall of the Warp i Administration and the promotion of the, cause of Reform. What he li;;to bear closely in mind is that the TJefnrm party is pledged to certain legislative nnd administrative re forms: that those reforms, if properly carried out, are in the iniorO3t of all classes of the community: and that it is expected of him am' his followers that they will stand or I fall by tho progressive nolic.v they hnvc advocated. "What is wanted above all things by all classes in n j reversion to straightforward methods and the administration of the country's affairs in tho people's, as distinct from party, irileri'sls. Then , is to be a caucus of the lirform mi'tnliors to-day, when Mr,. Massey will presumably oulline his views of the situation and indicate the contingencies to be faced. Tin' party has every reason to view llv comi np slruggle villi confidence and ivill d< veil to pay small lined to those timid people who 'ire bo prone to m-ike sacrifices on tho altar of expediency.