MR. MACDONALD'S SPEECH. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1888.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1888, Page 2

MR. MACDONALD'S SPEECH.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1888.

The attendance at Mr. T. K. Macdonald's mooting last night was large and representative. He delivered a carefully prepared and evidently, ,well thought out speeoh, in which he dealt at considerable length with several questions of municipal interest ; but a very considerable portion of his speeoh was devoted to personal matters. This was soaroely to be wondered at, considering the manner in whioh Mr. Macdonald has himself been assailed from various quarters since he reoently re-entered the munioipal arena. Probably most people will be rather surprised to find him quite so thin-skinned as he showed himself last night. Mr. Macdonald is himsolf a hard hitter, and he must, if he engages in political Bingle-stick, expect to be hard hit in return. He is a bowler, and should appreciate the truth of the proverb which avers that those who play bowls should be prepared for rubs. He appeared last night rather unduly sensitive on the question of anonymity on the part of his oritios in the press, but a little reflection will, we think, convince most people that the system which permits of the criticism of public acts and publio men without disclosing the identity of the critic has many advantages, and is, in fact, almost a necessity nnder the present conditions of social and pnblio life. It is always a dangerous thing for a man to seek to identify his nameless oritics and then to go on to attribute unworthy motives to the persons he chooses to believe are the writers. Ihe possibilities of mistaken identity are very great, and notwithstanding Mr. Macdonald's boost that he oontrols a seoret intelligence department, whioh enables him to " spot " those who criticise him, we have some reason to think that he is in error in assnming that the opposition recently displayed towards him arose from his opposition to the Leaseholds Bill, or was instigated by persons interested in that measure. As to the introduction to the legal opinions which recently appeared in our advertising columns, it of course afforded Mr. Macdonald a fairly legitimate text for some strong speaking j but really the thing was scarcely worth serious notice. Its animus was too apparent for it to carry any weight, and nothing contained in it was capable of really doing Mr. Macdonald any harm. It may have amused the public, but it would not convince or prejudioe them. In this connection we may bo allowed to correot an error into which Mr. Macdonald fell in regard to our action regarding the publication of the opinions of Moßsrs. Stafford, Edwards, and Jellicoe. They were offered to us for publication, but as we did not oonsider the question with whioh they dealt was, under the circumstances, of such public interest as to bring the legal opinions thereon within the category of legitimate news, we declined to insert them exoept in our advertising columns. We never asked for the name of the person who obtained the opinions, nor would their being vouohed for by him have in the least affected our decision. The names attached to the several opinions were quite suffioien^ to guarantee their bona fides, and we would not have wanted anything more had the opinions been worth publishing as news interesting to the public. Of course, with the introduction which afterwards appeared, the oase would have been different, but this was never offered to us, until sent in as a part of the advertisement. So much for our own connection with the matter. Now as to Mr. Macdonald's position and withdrawal as a candidate for the Mayoralty. We entirely fail to see why, if his committee were satisfied with the reasons he gave, anyone else had any cause to feel aggrieved. While, as Mr. Macdonald Baid last night, every good citizen owes a duty to the community in which ho dwells, we do not think that duty extends to requiring him to make heavy personal or pecuniary sacrifices in fighting for the attainment of a position whioh the public are far from unanimous in desiring him to oconpy, especially whore no great principle is at stake. That the ratepayers were not unanimous in the desire to foroe Mr. Macdonald into the Mayoralty was shown by Mr. Duthie's appearance in the field as a candidate, with at least a fairly numerous following. Under these circumstances, and the others whioh Mr. Macdonald fully and frankly explained last night, he was certainly entirely justified in reconsidering his determination and retiring from the contest. No one had any right to complain of his doing so, and we venture to think that had Mr. Macdonald taken the public fully into his confidence at first, placed before it the excellent reasons for his action which he did last night, and refrained from laying such stress on the disqualification point, which at best is a doubtful one and which Mr. Macdonald himself now admits was only one reason out of many, no one would have complained of or publicly impugned his oonduot. Mr. Macdonald, like all men of energy, independence, and ability, who mix in publio affairs, has his enemies, and he gave them an opening when he publicly advanced as his first and prinoipal reason for withdrawal the very doubtful question of his being disqualified by being a Harbour Board leaseholder. They were not slow to take advantage of the weak spot thus disclosed. The other reasons for his retirement were amply sufficient to have justified the step he took. We are very muoh surprised, however, to find that Mr. Macdonald does not recognise any incompatibility between the positions of an aotive politician and a pro-perty-tax assessor. The Government, we think, acted quite rightly in insisting that the person appointed property - tax assessor should not take a prominent part in munioipaLjpolitics. This was not, as Mr. MacDONald put it, interference with a man's private business or his rights as a citizen in the exeroise of his political and munioipal

privileges. It was Mr. Macdonald who wanted the assessorship, not the Government who wanted Mr. MAcboNAtD, and the Government had not only a right, but it was their bonnden duty to see, that the person they appointed assessor, did not occupy any position whioh would interfere— or might reasonably be supposed to interfere — with the proper discharge of the very important duties which an assessor ha'o to perform. It Would have been nothing short of a scandal to have appointed as assessor a gentleman who was simul^anepusly carrying on the valuation for taxation purposes of the property within the city, and a contest for the Mayoralty. Had they done bo, Mr. Macdonald would have beon placed in a moat uncomfortable position, for his duty and his interests must have been in constant conflict, and the publio would have had good reason to feel dissatisfied. As to Mr. Macdonald's opinion that the Mayor of the city should bo elected by acclamation, and that contests for the position are to be deprecated, we entirely differ from him. Such a state of things Would indicate a state of unhealthy stagnation in public opinion. We prefer to see the Mayoralty regarded as a position of honour worthy of being aspired to and fought hard for by our best citiaens. We have now dealt with most of the personal issues raised by Mr. MacdonAlD last night, and our remarks have extended to such a length that we must withold till a future occasion comment on and criticism of the Viowß whioh he expressed on munioipal affairß generally. Many of these were very valuable and well deserve the Consideration of the citizens. Before Concluding, however, we feel bound to express bur regret that when dealing with the question of reorganisation Mr. MAcdona)-^ should havti taken advantage of the opportunity to make a bitter personal atta6k on one of the Corporation oraoets, who was a competitor with him, for the position of Property Tax assessor. It was not generous, or in good taste, under the circumstances, and wo are confident that, on reflection, Mr. Macdonald will regret that he made such serious and damaging imputations against an officer who ia precluded from dof ending himself. Tho manner in which his speech gonerally was received must have boen very gratifying to Mr. Macdonald.