UNPARDONABLE HERESY.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 23, 28 January 1904, Page 4

UNPARDONABLE HERESY.

Wo have received from Mr. A. W. Mitchell, of Middlelon, who describes himself as "Secretary, Progressive Liberal Association," a communication of a I very unsettling character. He writes, , under instructions from tho committee of I his association, to inform us that it has passed the following resolution: — "That this association expresses its strong disapproval of tho way tho business of Parliament has been conducted during the session just cl&sed. It considers the protracted sittings unnecessary and liariufsl. I and that the Government arc io bo con- ! demned for forcing througli important business when t'ho members were exhausted through want of rebt. Tho association considers it a public scandal that tho people's monej should be voted away in so hurried and careless a fashion, s and is of opinion that members of Parliament have no right to hurry away from their duties .in the way they have done. They are paid to give rite business thoir proper attention, and it considers that those members who left Wellington before the session closed are guilty of a gross neglect of their duty to their country." We do not complnin of this resolution as containing anything untruthful or violent or malicious. We have indulged in very similar criticisms ourselves from timo to time, and the chances are that ■wo shall have occasion to repeat them. But tho impropriety in the resolution, to our mind, is thnt the association which passes it and publishes it should have the audacity to call itself "Liberal." We havo characterised the revolution as unsettling, and what, indeed, is calculated to bo more mnsottling to the minds of tho faithful than that such criticisms should be put forward in the name of "Liberalism"? Wherein does a Liberalism whidi tells the truth in this uncompromising fashion differ from stark, , unregeneralo Toryism? If theso habits of candour aro once allotted to establish themselves within the Liberal fold, what possible stopping-pluce can there be short of confusion, chuos, and disruption? In all seriousness wo commend this vein of thought to the earnest consideration of the distinguished representatives of commerce und law who, by leave of t'ho Premier and under his able presidency, are Iho guiding spirits of the Liberal and Labour Federation of Now Zealand. We do not suggest that they should seek to prohibit altogether the utterance of unpalatable truths, but any victim of this painful habit might reasonably be forbidden to use tho honoured name' of Liberal, nor do # we see why any association adopting the title — unless, liko t'ho Liberal and Labour Federation, it c«n produco a charter authorised by Mr. Seddon and bearing his sign-manual — should not he suppressed *by law. When this step has been secured by the passing of p, Political Titles Copyright Bill oa the lines of the Dramatic Copyright Act of last session, a- further advance might bo heralded by a lecturette on "Cotn- ! pulsory Liberalism" to be delivered by l s tho accomplished advocate who ia so j self-denying in his endeavours to assiat tflie Premier in tho purification of our politics on American lines. So drastic a policy would no doubt require very careful consideration, but the suppression of the unauthorised uso of "Liberal" and "Liberalism" might bo made a. matter of practical at once. What is tho value of the Premier's charter if political heretics are to be allowed to usurp the title without one? A scandalised Liberal Parly cries nloud in the words of the poot : "Mo this unchartered freedom tires, I feel the tveight of chance desires ; I long for a repose which ever is tho same." Tho party can never attain to the reposo for which it longs until the chanco desires of unohartered Liborals aro deprived of their power to vex the souls of tho faithful by an authoritative official pronouncement with tho force of law behind it. Such an outrage as that perpetrated by Mr. Mitchell's association in passing the resolution 1 to which we have referred will then get its deserts in Court.

Is it not timo that the officml efforts of the Premier to protect the Transvaal from tho proposed invasion of Chinamen were backed up by some definite expression of public opinion? As we corn-plain that tho proposal emanated from syndicates and oilicials, and has not the populuv approval behind it, it would bo just as well \hat our own jirotcst should h$ safe from any similar imputation. Hitherto the only support thut t'lie Government has received has been from the lesolutions of various labour organisations, but public meetings would carry still greater tt eight. We suggest that a. deputation of our leading citizens should wait upon the Mayor at oticb and usk him to call a meeting to consider tho question. If ho decided to do so, an enthusiastic response is- ns&ured, for tho proposal to import Chinamen is regarded hero with general repugnance, and overybody knows that New Zealand would havo scut no Contingents to tho front if tho declared object had been to help (he mining syndicates in tho manner now approved by Lord Milner. It only needs ono man to recognise that what is everybody's business is his businoss in paiticulur, caul M\ effective protest coukl be secured from this city at onco.

Drifting towards war appears to be the position of affairs in relation to the dispute between Russia und Japan. In .regard to the pending negotiations, it is reported that Russia asks lor a guarantee that Japan will not fortify ports m SouthI em Korea, while Japan is equally cmi phatic in insisting on recognition of Chinese sovereignty in Manchuria. As neither Power is disI posed to give the assurances nbked I lor, a deadlock has arisen, which may bo j ended when Rusaitv responds to Japan's [ intimation that au early answer is expected to her last Note. Offers of mediation ara m\id to have originated in Pckin, on th» suggestion of Russia, but the idea was not Favoured by the Tokio Government, and there is no sign of a spttle» nient being como to througn outside iuterVontJou,, Ik« fact oi the hint of. media-

tion coming from St. Petersburg bears out the opiniuu entertained by the correspondents at the various centies that the tempoiisiug policy of tho Thar nnd his Ministeis was due to draid of the consequences ol wai- or. lht> internal condition of the Empiie, and to the seriuus state of unpreparedntßs of its military forces. Tho gravity of the crisis is said to be fully realised by tho Tsar, It does not seem, however, that His Majesty and his advisers can submit to forego all' the prestige and the material advantages resulting from the occupation of Manchuria, and as the attitude of Japan continues unyielding war appears to be sooner or later inevitable. As with the lapse of time the Russian naval forces in the Far East will be greatly strengthened, and the army put into a more efficient state, the Mikado's Government would natuially be anxious to avoid delay which would be so prejudicial to its interests. Hence the pressure for an early reply from the Russian Government to the Japanese demnnds.