WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

Evening Star, Issue 13092, 27 October 1908, Page 1

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

AX ARROGANT CLIQUE. The supreme teste of political capacity are ability to work along the lines of least resistance; to be satisfied with one step , where two are not possible; to be satisfied (vide Mr Seddon) with what is practical. Now, the trades unionists are being asked to go in direct opposition to this, to call into array against them the whole force l of the Conservative, liberal, and. .ißVetf;?: Radical camps, to fight a losing battle for all time, and to 1 ,iv„. by; throwing away their votes. J- :•. 'fie between Socialism and Liberaiiuin is absolute. There can be no,*" fusion at that point. Against the missionaries of a propaganda having for its objective the creation of chaos there : is a firm and overwhelming body of normalmanhood, and the wage-earuang trades unionist who is deluded into belief that there is anything but disaster ahead of " Socialism in our day" will have an unpleasant awakening if he marches under a banner with that strange device.—Welline-' ton 'Times.' » DRUNKENNESS IN NEW ZEALAND. Our own opinion is that the increased consumption of alcohol, which inevitably means more drunkenness,, is largely due to the decadence of the "moral suasion" movement. In their anxiety to 6ettle the liquor question by shutting up the bars many of the reformers have forgotten to inculcate Uie advantages of total abstinence. We shall be reminded that there are still bands of hope and temperance societies, but so far asiwe have been able to observe these organisations are. now more concerned in imposing. Prohibition on the community than in persuading the individual to prohibit himself.—'Lyttelton Times.' » OF SUPREME IMPORTANCE. The importance of the freehold tenure to the prosperity of the Dominion cannot be over-estimated. The farmers of one class and another constitute the" backbone" of the country, and the nature of the tenure upon wnich they hold their lands is essential to progress. The farmers --and, indeed, the people of the whole country—are dependent for their prosperity upon the prices realised on the Home markets for the Dominion's products, and the electors who cast their votes with a genuine desire to develop the country will no doubt not fail to see that their support is given to those who advocate the freehold tenure.—Wairarapa 'Age.' * DOMINION DEFENCE. We are quite certain that if Sir Joseph \\ awl would take counsel with the leading volunteer officers of the colony he would find that there is a consensus of opinion in favor of some form of compulsory training, and also that if his finger were really on • the pulse of the country he would be aware that the people of the Dominion are ripe for the introduction of some such system. Sir Joseph Waird admits that the "Dominion must be defended ; he admits that the voluntary system does not. afford adequate defence. If he rejects compulsory training, what alternative docs he submit to the country?—' Southland Times.' » A REST IN LEGISLATION. Of late years the tendency has been to fence everyone about with'so nian'y restrictive laws as to discourage and even cripple enterprise and energy, and unless •Sir Joseph Ward applies the brake it it to be feared that industry will be still further tied up and penalised. Let him mark time, call a halt in the making of new laws, p,nd devote the time of Parliament to remedying the errors of the past, and of himself and his fellow-Ministers to the better administration of' the country and to the greater encouragement of settlement on the land. There 16 no very great difference^between the policy of the Government and that which the Opposition advocates The latter desire less class legislation, less experimental laws., and better administration, and we venture to .say that if the Premier would set himself to carry on the government of the country on the hues sketched by.him he would find no more whole-hearted supportere than the members of the Opposition.—' Tavtinaki Herald.' — : —» THE ELECTIONS. Where is Sir .1. G. Ward's Liberalism? Who can point to it? Look at the land settlement! Is it the landless poor that are being settled on the land? Is it a continuance of the land jwlkv of the late Sir John M'Kenzie? Look at Quinn's Island. Look at Epworth. Where can you 6eo poor men settled on the land now'as they were then? Nowhere. Land settlement now means swamping the country into debt to settle capitalists thereon." The poor man now has no chance of getting on the land, because the Government favor the wealthy classes, and want to keep the poorer classes hewers of wood and drawers of water.—' Temuka Leader.' PARTY GOVERNMENT. Mr Major declares that he thinks the stronger the Government is the better. We do not think that is good or 6ound politics. No doubt a weak Government is bad, but experience teaches that the best management and the best legislation is obtained when there is in Parliament an effective Opposition which can, if the need arise, offer the country an alternative policy and administration. That is the meaning and justification of the party system.—Hawera 'Star.' » OPPOSITION FICTIONS. , ■ ' Mr Massey and Mr Allen are not endowed with special financial gifts, and if there is anything wrong with the finances of the Dominion we shall not have to wait for the Opposition leaders to discover the defect. There are far shrewder men watching our affairs, and no with anv political party would keep them silent i'f wrong were being done.—' Lj Vtelton Times *