Evening Post. THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 1895. BAD TACTICS ON BOTH SIDES.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 40, 15 August 1895, Page 2

Evening Post. THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 1895.

BAD TACTICS ON BOTH SIDES.

• ♦ There seems to be a great want of taotioal skill in directing the policy of the Oppoai. tion. Captain Russell's amendment was a { palpable error of jndgment. It was ill-con-ceived, and given notice of moat inopportunely. Its only possible effect was to harden np the GoTornment Party. This effect it unfortunately has had. Captain Bussell conld not reasonably have supposed that Ministers would permit suoh an amendment to be carried, or that Ministerial supporters would vote for it, however boldly they might talk or act on the details of the Tariff. Only a few nights ago Captain Edsskll himself told the House how in 1888 he and other Freetraders of the Atkinson Party who objeoted to the . Protective Tariff proposals of the Ministry would rather have voted for them than have permitted the Opposition to gain office on that issue. How could he ezpeot thab the supporters of the present Ministry would prove less loyal to their Party on the present oooasion? What the Opposition should have done was to enoourage the dissatisfaction of the Government supporters with the details of the new Tariff, and endeavour to defeat the Ministerial proposals in Committee one by one. fcuoh a policy, if skilfully oar. ried out, might have proved successful. Captain Etjssill, however, was quite superior t* the lesson of the bundle of stioks fable, and the resnlt is that he has hardened the support of Ministers and done a. good deal towards enabling them to oarry many of their Tariff proposals. In one important respeot, however, Captain Eusskll undoubtedly soored last night, and the laurel of victory in the contest must be awarded to him. He forced the Government to interrupt the course of the Budget Debate to bring down a resolution abandoning one of the most important of the Tariff proposals. Suoh a oonrse is absolutely without precedent. That the Treasurer should, before the Debate wag even com. menced, hays backed down from his original proposals, was bad enough, but that he should, era its oonolusion, hare gone into Ways and Means to jettison one of the new duties, whioli wm oalonlated to yield nearly one-third of the total of the new taxation, is a thing unparalleled in Parliamentary history. What confldenoe

can anyone hnvo in bis financial proposals after an example of this kind? the readiness which tbe Treasurer has shown to throw over his own Tariff proposals, Bupposod to be tho rcßult of years of consideration, shows Ijhow very ill-considered and reckless those proposals wore, or cUe how roady Minißterß are to abandon principles in order to retain their seats. Their aotion in this matter cannot fail to injure their prestige in tho country, whatever it may do in the Houso. Captain Russell undoubtedly succeoded last night in forcing tho hand of the Govornmont on tho matter of thn flannolotte duty, aud for doing so ho in entitled to the thanks of the country. The Premier made himself and bis Party supremely ridiculous by the manner in whioh he olooted to aot in regard to Ciipfcam llubsbll'B amendment. He wastod the aftornoon by moving tbe adjournment, to hold a Party caucus. In the evening ho fonnd himself, like the toper who was drinking claret, " no forrarder." Captain Russell was noithor to be cajoled nor ooeroed. Ho had given notice of an amendmont on the second reading of tbe Tariff Bill, and until the Tariff Bill camo down ho refused to bring forward his amendment. He declined to accept any of tho opportunities tbe Premier so lavishly and generously nffored. Ho was determined to choose bis own battle ground, and ho declined to move forward to meet tho enemy. Ministers tried scolding, taunting, and entreaty, all without effect. They did not draw Captain Rubsell. Tbe majority of the Opposition actually voted to go into Committee of Ways and Means, in order to afford the Colonial Treasurer the opportunity ho desired to at once throw over one of his principal Tariff proposals. The division was really divested of all political significance. The honours of tho night were with tho Opposition. Having got rid of the 25 por cent, flannelette duty, Ministers were forced to go on with the regular Finanoial Dobate, with Captain Russell's amendment still on the Order Paper hanging over them. There it will remain until the Tariff Billoomes down. Then, if Captain Russkll is wise, he will abstain from moving it. The Premior plaoed himself and his Party in a very absurd and contemptible position last night.