FUTURE OF LIBERALISM

Evening Star, Issue 14532, 7 December 1910, Page 6

FUTURE OF LIBERALISM

In the course of an address at the Trades Hall on Sunday\on ' The Premier and Eis Troubles,' Mr A.\R. Barclay made lengthy reference to receifc discussions in Parliament in regard to'an infamous publication. He said that his personal opinion was that the pamphlet in question ought never to have been written, for it contained passages that were very vulgar, that grated on. the nerves of fair-minded people, and that wero exceedingly offensive. Nevertheless, more'cant and humbug had been talked and written than was ever thought to be possible. The real offence of the pamphlet was that it raked up and revived matters that ought not to luivo been raked up or revived. There was a skeleton in most cupboards, but whin ono got through his troubles and had lddden away Ins skeleton there should be an end of tho matter. Sir Joseph Ward had had very disagreeable troubles, bnt had managed to get through them somehow. Ho had re-established his commercial position, and had regained his political status. It should have remained at that, and tho past should have been allowed to bury its dead. Why rake the channel house to bury the dead" corpses oi long ago? Sir Joseph had suffered at tha time by the loss of his property and business, as well as by the loss of his commercial and political positions, which should have been enough. If he had taken up that position he would have done the rhzbt thing, and would have been frankJy sympathised with by everyone who possessed a clean and healthy mind. Three courses were open to the Prims Minister. Fiitt, to ignore tho objectionable pamphlet altogether, which iu all probability would have been the wisest thing to have done. Second, to prosecute the author for libel, which would have been tho most satisfactory; but apparently the Prime Minister could not do so, because the writer had managed to avoid writing anything that ho could bo prosecuted for. " Third, to make a speech in Parliament on the lines of tho cruelty and impropriety of raking up the past which ho had lived down. But he did none of these tilings. He certainly made a speech, which was unconvincing and had a hollow ring about it. Moreover, it contained arguments that were ludicrous and assertions that wore absolutely incorrect.

After analysing the statements contained in the Prime Minister's speech on November 50, Mr Barclay proceeded : After all, what does this bitter speech amount to? There is apparently no attempt to deny seriatim the statements in the pamphlet, but there is a most violent and strenuous effort to cover other people with obloquy. All who ore-opposed to him are (axe are to be) the victime of punishment at the hands of Providence, Tho Opposition party are loaded with ebsir-c ; Sir Joseph alone is the virtuoas man. All others, if not absolutely wicked^are merelv frauds and imitaiions. Now, what £o : t of stuff is that for a Prim© Minister ti utter from his seat of honor in the Council of the Nation? Thoy resemble the woTds, and his attitude resembleß the a'.-

titude, of merely an angry child. Of course, tho members cheered, bet they little troubled at the time about are;mente or reason or anything of that kiixAll they thought of was to «how cympailiy with a man who was suffering from the raking tip of past history which fihonW not have been raked up. Tho Prime. Minister's troubles ju respect to slander and libel are but *• smad matter compared to his political difficulties. He says that ho does not inteed to take- the High ComaiiasioneTßhip. It is a thousand pities if ho does not. It would be a graceful and suitable way of making his exit from New Zealand polities, for assuredly his career of in this country in the field of politics ic over. Undoubtedly the' present condition of affairs cannot continue. The curse, of Reuben is upon the, Ward Cabinet Unstable as water, they cannot cScel. Thera is no fiUiteKiini'iiFhip—only a trimming of sails to overy breeze that blows. As far as political principles are concerned, we know that Sir Joseph Ward fit) none, and apparently has never had any. He is quite piep.ued to vote Leasehold today and Freehold to -.no now, or to-night. He is an hotd man one day and No license the next. Carta:n Knvvett's case, is finally and absolutely i/Wcd when the cession commences ; abort- hnlt-iimo is to be opened uj) again and retried. Auckland, it i& ]'■•- T'-.v.;iably decided, is to have Government T.on-c abolished, but in no time it is r.li taken back, and CovcinnK-nt Ilouse is ' r : teniain. The Roxburgh Hail way has been dei hivelv and finally ended, we we retold ; and on ihr, Iv-iimai'e* is a sum of 515,000 to carry it on. Cabinet decides to have the vote for local Xo liceise and National Prohibition on i!;e one ticket, a.nd tho Premier brine;* in a ]>i]l to that effect; in ;i. week or two it is all reversed. There a.ro to be two voting papers and two separate, issue--, erne day the. Premier makes a. speech denouncing violently conscription ; last pension he passid a Bill to which conscription is almost, a. necessary corollary. .And so it Loo-'; on and on, over and over again, till nn one can rely on anything th-i Minis! it say, or know what they will do five minnt-es together. . . . It, seoms

haul to believe that. Sir Joseph's, "nrtecip!".s." such as they are, ran crop ]),-••■< trivet' much offonce. to (lie Opposition, f, v as far as one can see there seisms to hi» little or no diiTere'.ice between the Premier and Mr Miifwv- in that respect. In fae-, the ]>oli t of the Government seero* really to be dictated by the Loader of the Opnorition. who. indeed, mirrht almost, as

well ooci'pv the Government 1 tenches a? i ! 'e. present Administration. Few can honestly deny that the Ward Ministry havo been an titter failure. For more than four years now this country ha; borne, tho bin-den of a weak and spinel-rs Cabinet—a body of men incapable of lea.ii'i'_', fit for tiolhinsr but to jump from otcside to the otlior as the ra.fef.-y of their skies seems to require. Sir Joseph will lte known in history a.s the Indiarubber Premier, for he can be seineeved in any direction. He can Tie extended or compressed at pleas lire. The slightest T.ressure makes an immediate impression. 'The resisting power is nil. His shajK; can be altered in an instant at will, lie can b- stretched m a.n~ direction, lie is tillable in the hidns-'t decree,; in fact, like indiambbor, he i.s almost tho must easily changeable, tho most unreUarre IbiiiL' in NV.tjiv! And in these rcspeci.s i'ldjarebi'if r exactly resembles the WatJ Government. One wrmdens continually liow there nominally Libera] members of Parliament continue, tet tolerate the Govoinment. They must see- for themse!vr;s the truth of all the.se rtatem-ente; they must know by this time exactly bow matters stand. " Perhaps they find if a.v.kward. They feel that their leader is a, failure, but)'l.lkv do not like to liave to admit it—to say so openly. Perhaps that is a. natural feeling: yet, sooner or biter, they will have ta do so. It i- nonsa-i?-" trvjntr to ploa> over the facte. Hitter »c the music and bedoncwith it. P>ut to l'iv<; iiioiul-ers their due, it mtist 1-e £aid tii.it j;j'.<sfc of them are in indpioTil n-voU. Thai, of POiirse, is plain, because Government defeat- on important questions are now as pb-ntiful as pebbles. The wlwile partv ;>to disorraniwd, .and well away fioni fho lash of the'whijs—the sure, and certain siL'n of the failure of the Government the ni'.ver-failing prelude of difimtee.rai.iori and the f.-Jl of the Ministry. Why, indeed, tho Cabinet has not already resigned, it is somawbat difficult to say. Defeat afl-r defeat thes- gentlemen have swallowed, meekly smiling a' their sha,nie.._ Ixxst to all so'nso of decency, hmniliation aflcv iiemiJi'aUon i.s iieaped upon them, yet there, tIK'V ealmlv sit. Hotßot, pood n.-une, self-re-i'i'-ct. to"thf-ce men are nothuip. They will bear any insult, they will suffer any degradation,'thev will endure any ipr.ominy if th'-v only pe.t their ]oaye«_ and fishes, if thev keep th"ir offices, aJid if thev continue in 'power. But the end ie. surely r-ominir. Bv this time next year, if not soon-c-1% it v ill be near at hand. Every wotker in New Zealand —men, women, and children —mu«' aed will put their hands to the plou-'b. They must determine to end their They will follow the e-.-.naij'e of their brothers in Australia.