ANDREW FISHER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 81, 7 April 1910, Page 3

ANDREW FISHER.

LEADER OF AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY. AN INTERVIEW AND AN APPRECIATION. (Specially written for The Port, by A. O. Stephens.) Twenty years ago, in a very humble provincial fashion, I was th« youngest editor in Queensland. The- paper w&a "Tho Gympie Miner," appearing thrice a week on the good old Gympie goldfield. One of th* Gympie miners at that time wo* Andrew Fisher ; who has finco been Prime Minuter of the Commonwealth, and who may live to bo Prime Minister again. I ; i6her — it i» difficult to those who know him to rail him "Mr." Fi*her — had come to Gympie early in 1888 from the Burruii) eollierie* in the adjacent Wide Bay district, where he had been working for two year*. When I knew him fir*t he was employed an an ordinary miner in the North Phoenix, earning £2 10i a week. The underground reefing conditions on Gympie were then, «nd are now, generally good — much better than collieiy conditions. The labour was harder or lighter according to the nature of the ground ; it wm randy aevere. Usually two shifts were worked ; (sometimes three. The day nhif l went down at 8 o'clock, drilled their holes, exploded their chaiges, cleared away thoir stone — and it whu ertbtime. After crib they drilled their holes, exploded their charges, cleared away their stone — and it waA 4 o'clock. Time to go home. That was the normal course, subject to the variation of circumstances. MINER AND POLITICIAN. Juot enough labour, in fact, to keep a man physically fit. "Parliamentary life is much lew healthy, and much more exhausting," says Mr. Fuhir. "Kor four or five days a week, in reswon, I come down to the Hou/.c about 10 o'clock, And we are often there till 2 o'clock. There in always more to be done- than a man can do, and the nervous « train is continual. Out of session there m party business, platform work, and railway travelling till you wish never to see a railway again. In Parliament you have a fuller life, a bigger life, iiut as a miner I lived a much easier life — birring that I only had a humpy for v home, and the wife and four youngsters hadn't come along to make- things cheerful." Fifther in really a Scottish Radical ; he Li xtill under the sway of intellectual inipulxes received before ho wi« twenty. He has broadened his Radical principles to m«el Australian conditions; vet not more than John Burns, say, would have broadened if Juhn Burns had been launched in Australia. Ho is not a Socialist, in the European aonre : that is, he in not a collect ivirt. : be does not personally affirm that "all the means of production, diKtribJution, and oxchange" should be owned by the State. He think* it might be better if they were no owned ; tml ho does not know, and certainly lie do?* not work for nny mw!i end. Ho riof« not even work for State !Socinli«in an a direct object . ho in not particular about labels. He does nob wish to revolutionise society, H^e is no visionary : hi* politic* are practical. Fisher believes in taking the exiting structure of Australian society and working to niakp it bct.ter. Ho believes in using the power of Parliament, the force of law, to improve social conditions as far u» i» humanly possible under the existing Constitution, pie*eiviug the existing relation of Australia to the Empire. "That- is n job likely to last a lifetime. After th»t. we atuill'aac" "But what i* 'better' * ana what is 'improvement' ?" LABOURS IDEALS. "Well, the bobterment of the conditions of labourers," nays Fisher, "so that no child nhall labour; to that no men und women shall labour beyond their Miength, to the avoidable injury of their health. The payment to every labourer of h fair living wage, fixed by judicial authority ; the payment of the beat possible wages to the greatest possible number of labourers. '1 he healthiest conditions of labour that every occupation permit*. The eight hours' day of labour. The weekly day of rest and the weekly half -holiday. In some occupations, in some part* of Australia, wn have thew things. I want them to apply to every occupation, throughout all Australia.'* "And what else?" "Auwtrali.v for the white raco exclusively." "And what el^?" "Nothing else." "Nothing elae !" "Nothing. A fair field in Australia for all white labour — that includes everything. It includes defence ; because that is moMMry to make the field secure. It includes immigration ; becauso that w ncccusary to fill the field. It includes development of the Northern Territory ; for the name reasons. It includes finance; because- sound finance is necessary to ensure the best conditions of labour. It includes the land question ; because the abolition of land monopoly is essential for all schemes for permanent labour betterment. It includes the abolition of industrial and commercial monopolies. If you think, you will see that one man, the typical labourer, is the pivot of the State. Before you can givo the typical labourer perfect conditions of labour, you will nave to reform the whole State. 3d the bent for labour means the best all round." FISHER'S SOCIALISM. "And what about Socialism?" "That is Socialism— my notion of Socialism." "Is it <the Socialism of the Labour platform?" "It means tho «amo thing, it comes to the same thing." "But you spoke of one individual. 1 ' "The typical labourer— yes. Give him the fairest conditions of life ; Uie fullest opportunity to rise in life ; and everything else followv." "But why say tho typical labourer? Why not say the typical Australian?" "Isn't tho4.ypical labourer the typical Australian ? I think he is. The future of Australia depends on him. Whom else can you choose as Sypical ? Not the Idler." "But oth*r people labour beeidee your typical labourer." "Of course. But you bnild a house from the foundations. You start from the bottom of the ladder in order to climb up. When Labour stands a rung higher, ull Australia will stand a mug higher. Besides, the labourer is the neediest member of society. We want to put the first, patd- whet't* it is most needed." THE LABOUR PARTY DFyFENDED. I asked Mr. Fibher to instance cases in which the Common wealth Labour party had thought nationally—important Parliamentary a<tions> in" which it had taken the thief or a leading part, lie named five. "The legislation for a white .iustralu. The prevention of borrowing in 1903, when Sir George Turner wu« ready to establish a permanent Federal debt. Tho effort for an independent Australian navy, when .Mr. Deakiu was willing to perpetuate dependence on Great Britain. The -Federal Arbitration Law, to ensure faiv conditions of laboui and pr«v«nt t»« wait* of ctrik«i, And th» citatttetoeat p< Old,' Ago Peanut,

All these things arc of national beiicat." I asked Mr. Fisher why I should vote for a Labour candidate at the coming election. "Beauue the Labour party has put forward the best national programme, and is pledged to follow it. .My (Jympio speech covered the whole ground of Australian legislative effort, and that represents the party. The fusion programme 's less promising, and the fusion party is lens likely to perform its promises." r "That is a matter of opinion?" "True ; but. there are clear grounds for forming an opinion. The Fusion party intend* to create a national debt : we are opposed to borrowing. Borrowing is admittedly a costly and perhaps a dangerous policy if it can be avoided. I havo shown how it can be avoided by living within our income fiom taxation. "Defence? It should be kept in view, and pursued steadily. The Northern Territory must be developed with white labour. I am sure there arc large tracts suitable for white settlement. If white settlement in impiacticahle, then I would simply defend the coastline. lJut in no case coloured labour. Immigration? Certainly; as soon as there is a clear field for it. It is no uee bringing immigrants here and throwing them on the city labour markets. Open the laud, so that they can go straight ;to the land with a fair prospect of making homes on the land, and I urge continual immigration." THK FUSION PARTY ATTACKED. "Briefly put, the difference between the Fusion party and the Labour party is this. For defence, for railways, for immigration, and for development of the Northern Territory, they want to • borrow. We want to tax accumulated wealth. For the surplus of expenditure not provided by tho Customs on the present tariff or an approximate tariff, we desire to provide by a graduated land- [ tax, with the exemption of improvements and exemption of small holding?. You know that virtually nil the fertile coastal land clobo to a viver, or a railway, or a market, ie, locked up in comparatively fow hands. There in not even enough land for our farmers' sons, iii tho situation and at the price I which will enable them to farm it proj iitably. v \ "The only way to unlock the land is |to tax tho gTcat estates that aie not being put to the most productive uses. Therefore, to tax tho land, so that the poor oettlor will escapo, and tho rich proprietor will bear the burden, is to ntnove the greatest obstacle in tha path of Australian progress. It opens the way at one© for the tide of iminigra ■tion. It puts every available acre at tho disposal of the men who will cultivate it. It covers the country with homes. It provides the country with defenders against the time of need. "Customs taxation, as now applied, is tho taxation of the. many for the good of the few, of the poor so that the rich may escape. Of course, all the forces of tho privilege oppose a landtax. It is clenrly to their profit to tax mouths and backs rather than estates and landed incomes. So the borrowing policy of the Fusion party is designed to ev«do a land-tax and make the pcoplo keep on paying through the Customs, 'that mnkc* immigration on uny large scale impossible. Immigration on a large scale infans access to the land. The only land worth access is monopolised. Therefore, before- you can get a full tide of the right kind of immigrant*, you must tax the land so that monopoly becomes unprofitable. A LAND TAX OR LOANS. "The Fusion parly knows this as well as wo do. But tho Fusion party stands for wealth and privilrge, and every loan means moio power to wealth and privilege, paid fcr by the real people— tho workers, tho wage-earners — through tho Customs. That is tho vital difference between tho Lcbour party and the Fusion party. We say, open the land, and you will get population, and the population will pay for defence, for railways, And pay for the development of tho Northern Territory. .They say, Let the land monopoly continue j borrow for driblets of immigrants ; borrow for defence ; borrow for the railwaye ; bonow for the Not them Territory. j "Thus the wage-earners and small settlers will foot the bill tluough the Customs ; a flood of money will be brought into the country, and will pass ; into the hands of capitalists in the shape of rent on land and interest on investments. There will bo plenty of employment, but price** will ike proportionately with waftes, and the wageearners' possible savings will be no greater than before. After the flood i has passed, there will come the <?bb of dppresftion, and fresh loans will be demanded. Don't you see that the j whole rfsnlt of borrowing is to mako the wealthy wealthier, and leave the poor as poor ns ever, because rent and interest are continually draining the surplus earnings of labour; and. as far as a poor man's needs extend, he pays through the Customs just as much as the rich man. Wo want to put the heaviest taxation on the broadest back ; and by opening the land we want to make the country self-supporting, and to give the greatest possible number of individuals the greatest possible return for their labour on the land. Which policy do you think deserves the name of national .'" PRACTICAL LABOUR AIMS. "Then, if the Labour party should return to power, will graduated land taxation take precedence of everything?" "I wjsh it to take precedence of everything except formal measures and legislation already current." "That isn't Socialism, you know — the creation of a large number of small landed proprietors:' "It's my kind of Socialism." So one returns to the first statement \ that Fisher's Socialism is really Radicalism ; it goes no further than New Zealand has gone already. But to silence a lingering doubt: i "What about the Labour platform?" "Several of its planks represent ideals. Personally, I should be quite content, for the next three years, to get a graduated land-tax established; the New Protection made effective ; the powers of the Federal Arbitration Court consolidated and enlarged ; and Defence and Immigration commenced on a good footing." "Would you build the Perth -Adelaide railway? or the Transcontinental railway?" "As soon as tho money is available. To open Uie land to cultivators and immigrants is the first thing. That will fur- i nitrh. a steady source of increasing re- j venue. j "Mind you, I do not say that borrow- j ing will be unjustifiable at any time, un- 1 der any circumstances. There may be a ] time, and there may be circumstances, that will justify it. For example, if the revenue is insufficient,, for a great national work Much as the Transcontinental railway. Or a national irrigation Fcherne might conceivably justify borrowing. ' Not defence — certainly not. That is not a national investment ; it ia :v national necessity. It its a function, not ait enterprise. We should paj th« cost just . as we pay the oust of a (Government department. You would not borrow money in order to provide for the upkeep of Pui 1 in in en 1 1 "What I object to is tli<? creation of a tegular borrowing policy — the opening of a loan purse irrto which a Treasurer can dip hi." fingeis every time that wealth object* to pro\ide its share of levenue, and it if- inconvenient for a political «arty to ri»k offentfing wealth. I Im•ve mcb ik policy U nationally d«ai«r> oui, m sr«U «i aociatbhUAioiFc- w X

tlrimk it inadvisable to borrow until the State loans ar© merged in a tiuglo Coinmomvealth stock." ll\ must be remembered that throughout Mr. Fisher \>as (-"peaking peit-onaliy. ] His word binds himself only. He believes it exprossea the policy of the party ho leads in Ptiiliameut, but it is not formally approved by the party, und he wo«»lt\ not necessarily recign leadership if tl\e paity failed, for example, to put a graduated land-tax in the front of its Parliamentary programme. A SCOTTISH ENTHUSIAST. Mr. Fisher's sincerity is not to be questioned ; sincerity and simplicity are his shining characteristics. He is singleminded and /s ingle-hearted. Those qualities brought Jjim to the front in Gynvpie twenty year* .ago ; with his intelligence and energy tluiy keep him in the front today. Ineyitalbly bin fellows tiust him. His nature is vrarm and kindly ; he is au enthusiast ivell controlled. Political preferment has jiot spoiled him. "I like political life; I like controversy; I like lighting for the jdeas 1 believe in ; but if it were nece*sn,'y I could go back to the mine to-morrow, and without veiy much /egret." There are many kinds of Scots. There is the Highlander, passionate, vain glorious, and very human, who Eeems to the canny Lovrlander to-day almost as wild an animal at> ho seemed to Baillie Nicol Jarvie. Among tlu» canny Lowlandere thero are rugged anil smooth, generous and mean, bound togather by their common instinct of self-presctvation, their capacity to do a day"*, work every day if necessary, and' to get on at the expense of less cautious amd less persistent neighbours. They avail large virtues and large vices, und arv always found on the safe side of the bfMge until it is a little past time to crow* over. Fisher belongs to the iiot very rare species of Lowland Scot t'Jiat is compounded of a liUle warmer clay than the genus. It is £Pnerafty n small | rouncl-bodied breed, with a (bright, wellopened brown eye and a winning man- } ncr ; <md in its spare time— -.wily in its I upare time, as a mle — it dreaim instead of taking the books home, or improving its property, or pursuing actave recreation. Fisher is of that breed, though muscular labour has enlarged his 'frame so that he stands sft lOin, ami Parliamentary life has increased his weight to 13st. He does not look his height or his weight; he looks iniddVeifized and compact. He is so absolutely and i naturally frank that people calf him "Andy" after five minutes' acquaintance : it is so clear that he has no taint ot malice in his composition. Withal iV is certain that he knows exactly what he wants, and has a good comprehension of the means to reach it. And though his temper is warm, not tepid, Ins warmth is rather au irradiation than a heat, and it takes a good deal to malui hhn boil over. WALKING IN FRONT OF THE PARTY. A* the runk and file of the Labour. \ Party is similarly manly and sincere, such a man is its predestined head. Tho party is turbulent and suspicious, and ' will not endure a dominating autocrat — or no autocrat has yet ait-en with a. peisonality strong enough and magnetic 1 enough to lead the party where it does not vvioh to go. Fi«her is lees a leader than a. man who walks at tho head of the party — an intelligent cnthusiart, a. | true par Usan, Ho "leads" formally tho Parliamentary party, but only as a chief among equals. Every union and league | and federation of Labour throughout the States of Australia has each its petty head, jealous of his own authority; and the State Parliamentary parties, with their petty heads, proceed by the side of the Federal Party, but on their own lines, and wmetimes on lines which are not parallel with those of tho Federal Party. So that Fisher is only the most important of many consorts of Demos : he doee not rule ; he exercises influence and tenders advice. ! He is one-sided, as an enthusiast inu?t be. lie puts labour first, not Australia fir*t, and escapes the accusation of placing party before country by the sophism that the party is the- country, or tho mo*t important part of the country. It is a sophism, because the efforts of the Federal Labour Party have been, and \ must be, directed first to gaining greater benefith and* advantages for laboureis as a class — that is the object for which ! they are elected to Parliament. No national measure, for example, seems *o important to tho average shearer as i

another shilling a hundred for shearing sheep : he is accustomed to look after himself first. But Fisher makes the retort that the Fusion Party is no less a class party, and is at lea.-t equally devoted to securing its own interests first, whatever its label. As long as the wealthy go untaxed in proportion to theii wealth, and a flood of loan-money is poured into the country for the benefit of the landowner, then the Fusion Party can afford to think nationally — at tho -expense of the labourer. That is Fisher's argument. FROM COLLIER TO PRIME ■ MINISTER. Fislipr worked in an Ayrshire coal-pit from the age of thirteen : his fathers and brothers were colliers : he comes from a collier's family in a colliers' village of Crohshoufce, near Kilmarnock. The pit is one of many pmall pits in the. neighbourhood, worked on «-v limited scale for 'generations. At twenty-two he came to Australia^ — to Queensland. "Why did you come to Australia?" "1 came for freedom. I had read about tho country, and I thought there was a better chance for me here," So there was, it seems. A man's wages in the Crosshouse colliery were 4s to 5s a day of eight hours. Fisher wanted more. There was a strike, and he struck with the dozen or twenty others that the pit employed. The pitowners were objstinate, and Fisher took passage at London for Brisbane. Arrived, h& looked round the Ipswich collieries, then got work in pits at Wide Bay — always striving for more freedom and bettex wages. At Gympie he lost his miner's job in another strike. He qualified as mining engine-dpivcr at £3 a week, and became- president of the Engine-drivers' Association. Then he was elected, senior of two Labour representatives, to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in 1893. In 1896 he was defeated, and went back to mining. In 1899 he was again elected, and held office in a short-lived Labour Ministry. In 1901 ho was elected to the Commonwealth Parliament, as representative for Wide Bay, and again in 1903 and 1906. He held office for four months as Minister for Works in the Watson Cabinet, 1904, and as Prime Miuister for sii months, 1908-9. Fisher now lecides m Melbourne. He does not "drink" ; does not feel that he needs to "drink'" ; and prefers not to "drink." Noi does he smoke. He likes to play chess. He says that he remembers beating me at chess at Gympie. I do not remember! that. I remember cutting down to reasonable proportions )iis letters to the editor of the Gympie ! Miner, on the subject of moi c freedom and more wages. MORE FREEDOM; MORE WAGES. Tho.«e ideas of more freedom and more wages may be, taken, as tht, essence of Fisher's ideal ; all his life he has followed them consistently ; they really include all the Socialism he cares about. It is true that, as he say.*, they may be • extended to cover everything "else. As "the Socialist Stale of theory would be a pure tyranny, with the. least possible iireedom and arbitrary wages, I hold •that Fisher is no Socialist, whatever iic calls himself. He is just one of those q uiet obslinatp men who nourish the JUtme of a dream, and make trouble •wlierevei they go, s-etting fire to the lm use our fathers have- builded, in order to rebuild it according to the plan of Ihoir dream. From one point of view, Such men are a source. of public danger. From another point of view they may be ia means of social, salvation. Everythiwg 1 , depends on the point of view.

Twet anglers, while the other day engaged' fifhing in the Makavfewa River, about a mile above th.s jionck, came ocross what is Mipposed to be a relic of early limea in the bhupc of a boat which was si nek fa?t in the mud. Out of curiosity they raised the craft, and found that she was made of bluogum, with, a flat bofitom, 15ft in length and 3ft 6in across at the centre. An old resident of Makarew.i says he remembers the time when the boat^wrs used for conveying timber from Grove Bush, and ho considers thiit' she ha* been s-unk for fully 25 years. The boat is .«upposecl to have broken fnom her moorings at time of flood, and t<? have filled and gone down. The timlx-r in in a remarkably good state of pr.ef«rvalion. For Bronchial Coughs take Woodi' Great Peppermint Cure. Is 6cl and 2s 6d. — Advt.

llr. Nicholas Muir. who has ju^fc returned from Whak&tane, tell an Bldiam Argu-j reporter that tho swamp laitd, much of which still rwjuirea draining, oa.rrio> maize which, without exaggera* tion, grows to v height of 12 t<j 15 feet, 'flipro i> something between 70,000 and 80,030 acres of this land, which is crossod by tho East Coast railway. The clim--ate is magnificent, and there is « r ery sel^ <iom late frosts in the spring. The dairy ing industry has taken hold very strongly, thero boing both butter and cheese factori^, and Hie farmers are getting, good returns antj making big profits. Mr. Muir is highly impressed with the capa« bilitips of the district generally.

INDIGESTION REMOVED. IT has been eaid that almost every ill tho flosli is heir to, arises from tha stomach, and tiiis io quite true. Now, take Indigestion. It is quito a rare thing 1 nowadays to meet a normal man or noinuu who can truthfully eav they, i have never suffered with this ailment,, to some extent, at all events, and it'a eeetain that this trouble of '.Indigestion, arises solely from the stomach, and' equally cortain that the effects do nob ."top there, but fepread throughout tha body, poisoning the niiud, the nature, and tho life of only too many unfortunate men nnd women. When such symptom* aa Constipation, Furred Tongue, Head-, aches, Oppression after Eating, etc.,,, make themselves folt, you will 'find Dr., Crossland's NOXOL is the only remedy; 'to permanently cure Indigestion, for ife goes straight to tho root of the trouble,-, cleanses tho system, and assist* the digestiv'o organs. NOXOL is a purely) herbal remedy, and cures to stay cured, in Nature's own. way. Let every sufferer from Indigestion givo NOXOL a trial — it cannot fail to cure. 2s per bottle froril all Chemists and Stores. Get a bottle, and you've taken your first step back to tho road to 'health and happiness.

HEALTH HINTS FOR RHEUMATICS, DIET plays an important part in Rheu« mati*in, Gout, Sciatica, Lumbago, and kindred complaints. Those troubled with the^o diseases should bo careful, for some food encourages the formation of urio acid. Avoid rod meats, beer, vinegar, spices : use lea and coffee eparingly, and— • • mont important of all— tako RHEUMO. It is the one medicine that will quicklji and effectually cure Rheumatism, Gout, Sciatica, Lumbago, and their attendant) evils. The first doso of RHEUMO give* relief, and its use v.-ill be found to effect a complete cure. Your chemist or storekeeper tells it. 2s 6d and 4s 6d a bottle. Give it a trial.