Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1905 THE PREMIER ON THE STUMP. THE SULTAN'S OPPORTUNITY.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 50, 1 March 1905, Page 4

Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1905 THE PREMIER ON THE STUMP.

THE SULTAN'S OPPORTUNITY.

Mr. Scddon went to Stratford on Monday, and complained for about an hour a«d a half that the Opposition lmd no policy. Jle vrm, indeed, so bu.sy complaining that in his indignation he forgot to formulate 11 policy himself. ]{« speech may bo searched from end to end without discovering a single new idea, a single elevating thought, a single appeal to any high motive. Addressing what ho was pleased to call that "vast assembly," gathered under tho shadow of "their noblo and beautiful mountain," but with tho roof of tho Strxtford Town Hall intervening, it might have fcwn hoped that tho Premier would exhibit some trace of a higher inspiration. But all was as flat and aa unprofitable so could bo. There wa3 the name sUtJe grandiloquence which wo have heard so often, the same nauseating egotism, the same magnanimous disparagement of tho men of the past who are no longer hero to defend themselves, tho same pious denunciation of "tho selfi»li few" on tho part of tho man who ia as well quaKliod to expound the blessings of political uiMolflidiucss as Mr. Croker, of New York. It is fair to ;uld that a pleasing variation from tho habitual defuimition of the wicked Tories who ruled Iho land in tho bad old days was contained in tho reproof administered to Mr. Massey for his alleged misrepresentation «f Iho late Mr. Rolleston. Tho Loader of the Opposition was duly reminded that "tho memories or our best statesmen should bo kept «.icrcd, and public men snould be very careful before they did an injustice to the men /of tho post." This noblo platitudo wus dheered by tlto audienco, as it down-wed /to be, mid we hopo tlwt the Prcmiejfcginny learn to pay it ftwio better tribffjjthan lip (service. Yet it was somewhat .irciatl to protect Mr. Uolloßton'fi rffcna v "Horn a man who never attacked/* tyd at Uic same timo to denounce tljir. ttao man for a s-iries of political c/ity ih. practically every pne of whicli 1 jiadJ Mr. Rolleston's hei-rty mmpdrfy g ) ' The bulk, of ii& %ippcch was occupied with land polity; 't»uq with regard to the one- biiiniu| rfuCßtion ho attacked Mr. Mitßsoyaj views instead of uutliirc forward any of his own. Ho even had indignation to spare for views) which have not been advocated by Mr. Massey or anybody e'.so, and never will bo. Nobody proposes or desirce to abolish (ho leasehold tenure; even tho Farmers' Union only asks that every applicant shall have tho option of freehold or leasehold, and its ideal tenure is a leaso with a purchasing clause. But the Premier finds it casior to declaim «gain»l imaginary assailants of the leasehold than to tell ua whoro ho stando himself with regard to tho firrtlier alienation of tho freehold. To the question, "Do you favour the leasehold teniro puro and simple, or a leaso with a purchasing clause?" he answers, after tho Myle of (ho proverbial Irish candidate, iij he has »o often done before, "I do." Denunciations of "the selfish few" who would not let a poor man hnvo a bit of land at all complete tho vindication of his own position and tho diHcomfUuro of opponents who are as depraved ns they are imaginnry, This, no doubt, is high political art, but tho result can hardly be described as Informing or hopeful. Not till tho l,and Commission has reported and tho electoral cat has jumped will tho Premier bo able to prune tho luxuriance of his virtuous circumlocution. On somo subordinate features of the land question tho Premier had something moro practical to say, a good deal of which amounted to a censuro on his own administration. Tho settlers in tho back blocks, who have been unablo to accept the promise of telephones a« a complete euro for nil their troubles, will bo gratified indeed by tho admission of tho highest authority that, " ti3 far us roads or© concerned, there is room for improvement." The discovery in also announced tfiat " tho sooner roads iiro mado ajid metalled tho better." Tlio rapidity with which tho Premier's education is proceeding gives ground for hoping that something may soon bo dono to icinody a crying evil. On© of his proposals, however, is of vorj- doubtful propriety — viz., that hind should no longer be loaded with roads. It is not the loading with roads that is tho hardship, but the loading with unmade or unusable roads. If the Premier's ixJatcd discovery that the sooner roads aro made and metalled the better would induce him to urge that, the work should bo competed before tho lnnd is cut up and settJed, ho wonld bo on much Koundor lines. Ono of the Premier's ccnMiros upon the present administration we deeply regret. It was freely prophesied of the Advances to Sottlcrs scheme that it wonld fail through political interference, which would result in laxity of managoment. The strict administration of tho Board has fortunately reduced this ovil to a minimum, yet tho Premier now rounds upon tho officers and denounces them for the lidelity with which they htivo discharged their trust. " Settlers had applied to tlio Government Advances to Settlers Oflice for an ndvnnco of £400, and had got £150. Ho did not know why tins should be so, and ho would liko to know who was responsible. It was not fair to the leaseholder. The- Board was responsible for this." It is an impcrtinonco for tho Premier to attack the Board for tho prudent strictijess of its administration, and an indocency to suggest that ho will get the settlors better tcrins than they aro entitled to receive on business lines. Ho also proposes that the statutory limit for loans on leaseholds shall be advanced from one-hiilf to three-fifths of the value, and "tho settlors will sec who are their friends " when he introduces a. Bill for Una purpose. If the Opposition aro equally ready to play tho demagogue, they will amend his amending Bill by raising the limit, say, to two-thirds, or even 90 per cont. ; and who will bo the settlers' friends then t