The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1900.

Evening Star, Issue 11278, 27 June 1900, Page 4

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1900.

Tt seem to be clear, from the speech

of Captain Bussell yesterday. The I'ciiitlfal on tho Address-jn-Rpply to the Situation. Speech of His Excellency at the opening of Parliament, that there will not, for the present, at least, be wiy Opposition in the House as a political party, expecting to attain to power whenever they mecee& in overthrowing the

I Gwenunejtf, audj coMeqaesttly,' acting under a sense of gracw responsibility. The ! members who do not believe in Ministers and their policy propose, as may be gathered front what is reported to hare taken place at. the Caucus held yesterday, to act together in a general way, bnt without a recognised leader or established organisation. This is a new departure in parliamentary practice, and we are disposed to doubt whether the experiment will prove satisfactory. tf o doubt the now assured majority which Ministers command render any idea of their defeat hopeless under existing conditions, but political conditions are notoriously subject to sudden changes, and in a House constituted as is the present one no one can say what a day may bring forth. Twenty members all acting as free lances and under no party control may become a great nuisance, and seriously obstruct the business of the country, without being able materially to embarrass the Government or interfere with the carrying out of their policy. A constitutional Opposition, while they afford a valuable security against the misconduct of a Government, are liable to abuse, and may be perverted to factious and unpatriotic issues. They may be made the vehicles for personal acrimony and false accusation; they may pander to popular passions for selfish or sectional ends; but they are mainly kept in check by two considerations : FirsUy, that their own proceedings are subject to review and criticism by the people, enlightened by the iree comments of the public Press; secondly, iJbat, in the e,vent of success attending the en deavors of their leaders to replace the existing Government, they must, for the sake of consistency, .give practical effect in office to the policy they, advocated when in Opposition. The view of this contingency, says an eminent authority on parliamentary history, exercises a sobering effect on the character of an Opposition, and tends to keep them within the bounds of moderation. " Tints, as. the hope of acquiring office re- " duces the bitterness of opposition, so the " fear of compulsory acceptance limits its "extravagance." Individually and collectively, the honorable gentlemen opposed to the Government, who have decided to curry on what is somewhat analogous to a guerrilla warfare, are entirely free from these very necessary checks, and will be under no restrictions except those dictated by their own sense of right and propriety—a sense which, judging from the hist House, is invariably fully developed in the chosen of the people. An important consideration in the public interests would appear to have been overlooked by Captain Russell awl his friends in coming to the conclusion they did not to attempt to organise or to appoint a Leader. It has always been usual, hi view of the furtherance, of legislation, for the Leader of the House to communicate freely with tlie Opposition, in order to arrive at an understanding in regard to the conduct of business, so as to suit the convenience of members or to facilitate the settlement of mutters not essentially of a party character. Occasionally such communications assume a mora important aspect, and refer to difficult questions, political or otherwise, in the settlement of which the co-operation of both Nides of the House is desirable. In the absence of a recognised Leader and of an Opposition as an organised body much inconvenience is likely to ensue, and there may be great waste of valuable time in profitless or irrelevant discussion.

The debate on the Address does not proi mine to bo of an absorbing interest, its I adoption unanimously being a foregone conclusion. A number of new members will probably air their eloquence-—we sincerely trust without exuberance of verbosity—and the Government may come in for some hard knocks from Mr Pirani, Mr John Hutebeson, and other recalcitrant Liberals. Captain Russell, in opening the debate, has shown an example of studious moderation, and Mr James Allen is sure to follow on the same lines.. Trouble, however, may arise in unexpected quarters. Mr Atkinson (to use the language of the Ring) promises sport, but Fatea is for the present an absentee from the Chamber, nor, if report speaks truly, is he likely to be again a source of mischief. It is understood that Alio Machiavelli of our politics is about to transfer the exercise of bis talents to South Africa.