THE PREMIER AND THE OPPOSITION.

Evening Post, Volume LVIII, Issue 140, 11 December 1899, Page 4

THE PREMIER AND THE OPPOSITION.

One of the highest tributes paid by Sedonism to the fighting power of the remnant of the Left Wing that has survived the general election is to-day to bo found in the leading, columns of our morning contemporary. Notwithstanding U's overwhelming majority, we are led to believe that the Premier aspires to d»aw to the Treasury Benches as colleagues and supporters the loading members oi the

Opposition (excepting Mr. George Hut chison, who is specially excluded), and llnii enable the leader of the House to roi'uce the rank and file ot his Party to U.c old fear of the ".stockwhip" that played so large a part m his methods of command aftei the elections of 1893. If there be anj among the "mob" that break away, thej are to be driven out to the Opposition camp, which is to be oalled Socialist, while the Party of the suggested coalition is, oJ course, to retain the much smirched name of Liberal. Thus would the Premier seej to rehabilitate himself in the opinion 01 the propertied classes of the community by being joined with Captain Russell and his colleagues, keep the progressive democrats of his following, who may have aspirations, under the whip, and hold the dreaded Left Wingers with Mr. Pirani at their head in effective check. It is an ambitious scheme, but it is one, un'ess th« Opposition are to be called the "stupid Party" indeed, that is foredoomed to failure. It is true that in politics the whirligig of time often brings the strangest transformations, but it is a heavy strain upon the imagination to conceive of Captain Russell and say, Mr. James Allen, as Cabinet colleagues of a leader who is determined to inflict a vital blow upon the cause of National education, and an associate who in the nature of things must nurse the same desire, besides being the author of the two million guarantee. It will of course be argued that such a coalition would be an effectual curb upon the "sins of Seddonism," that it would give confidence to capital, and thut it would make for settled and stable irovernment. But would it make fox honest government ard,. honest. administration? ,Let the record of the many wrongs the Premier has heaped upon this country as recited in the leading columns of this journal during the past three weeks make answer. But will the Opposition consider such a pioposition? The Party that failed so utterly as a fighting power during the late campaign, and was guilty of the supreme folly of defeating Messrs. Taylor and Smith for Christchurch, might bs weak enough to submit to capture by the Premier were it not for its honest desire to, keep' upon the high plane of public life, to not only abjure Tammany, but to bring nome to the public conscience full appreciation of all the ills that term implies. But it will be said that Mr. Seddon will change his methods under such altered conditions. Can the leopard change his spots? No; we cannot at first sight delude ourselves with hope for good to the country by such alternative. Better far to realise ( he fact that Mr. Seddon- is master 1 of the s'.'uation for the next three years, and for those opposed to him to-begin at once to reorganise, consolidate, and augment their scattered forces, until when next they offer battle it will be with the consciousness that the country, convinced of the righteous 'less of their cause, is with them. If, .however, that battle is to be Won by those who stand for democratic rule upon the only lines upon which it can endure, preparations for the coming struggle must be begun at once. The plan of what will certainly prove a long and arduous campaign should be devised without a day's delay. It Is true that the old Party lines are practically effaced ; then why not a young New Zealand 'Party of true Liberals as distinguished from those who have so smirched the once honoured nama? Let its aims and platform be formulated in terms mat cannot admit of misrepresentation, acd let its exponents and supporters be heard in every corner of the country upon r. 1 possible occasions. Let there be a, League throughout New Zealand that will stand above all things for a pure Democracy, pledged to hold secure the bulwark of national education, to lighten the burden oJ taxation to the people, to curb tne waste of public moneys, and be always on the side of honest government. Whatever the ultimate success of such a movement, it is certain that in no long time it would act as a healthy check upon abuse of powei by the Government of the oay. A leader is not yet apparent, but --vhon the Party of reform arrives there will come the man. The business now is to create the Party.