Grey River Argus and Blackball News THURSDAY,JULY 24,1913.

Grey River Argus, 24 July 1913, Page 4

Grey River Argus and Blackball News

THURSDAY,JULY 24,1913.

Delivered every morning m Grejmoutb Ktmmra, Hokitika, Dobson, Wallsend, Taylor Nelson Creek, Ahaura, Ikamatna, Waiuta Eeofton, Crouoduu, Buaauga, Dunolhe, Cobden Baxters, Jokm, Pafcara, Kaimata, Aratika Kotuku, Mowia, Burn, Te Kmga EotomanS roarua, Inohbounie, Jacksons and Otira. I . ! ! 1 ! ;

THE leaduifi local Masscyite-,', and the Massej- Government itself, aic >havmg; a mobt anxious time' during the last few days, and arc moving- "heaven and earth," as the old phrase has ' it, to improve their chance of electingMr. Michel. The outlook is anything- but losy, and there is not much prospect that it will materially alter between this and the closing- of the poll this evening. Shrewd business man, ns Mr. Michel is, he probably realises the precarious ground on which he is standing- more than most of his supporters, and not altogether without good reason, if all that is said may be lclied upon. That,is, however, by the way. But there is a hu-! morous side of the matter that is very aptly set out in the old, very old, qua-! tram, which says. — '-\ The Devil was ill;-" j The Devil a Saint would be, The Devil got well; t The devil a saint was he. < That is precisely the position of the i Massey Government. They and their ! organs become tearfully pathetic in deploring, all descriptions of electioneering tactics of an illegal, unpatriotic nature. • They * appeal to the public spmt of the electors not to hand the destinies 1 of the country over to the Social Democrats and all the evil influence thajt such an abandon,men I implies. But the rcpresenta; tives of all the public virtues most con\cment]y forget how they contrived to obtain possession of the Treasury Benches We do not mean to insinuate that he Massey Government would not do useful work if allowed to remain in power. Even the worst of Governments generally effect some improvements on the old state of afr fan 5. No Government is ever all bad, and even s when a Government fails satisfy all and no Government can do that, the affairs of the country jog-on not so badly, after all. Even if such an alleged calamity should take place as the election to-morrow of Mr. Webb, does any save person really ' believe that it will have any effect on the affairs of the country? Or could such a result be- construed into handing over the control of the country to the Red Feds or the now United Federation of Labour? Though we would not repine at a slightly extended lease of power 15eng given to the Massey Government, we feel that they have no real reason to bemoan the piospect of a considerable section of Mr. Nannan's supporters now trans- j fen ing their allegiance to Mr. Webb. I f does not follow that because the Reformers have managed to get into our highest place, of public ."honour that the Liberals .have forgotten how the Reform party succeeded. It is contrary to the ordinary workings of human nature to allow themselves to be smitten on both' cheeks, , not even

though... they/ may be, professing Christians. Sir Joseph -^Vard- and his Gov-.: eminent were traduced in the most shameless way. Everybody knows that. Of course accusations of this" kind that must '(necessarily be more or less vague would Be difficult -to catefforkally sheet 'home. At ■ the same time we all know equally well that such tactics were as surely resorted to. at the last general election as sectarian bigotry put in its fine work against Mr. Hannan, at the recent election. It is sad to say, however, that such, a feeling should be so rife. After all, as Byron said, "There is nothing half so consoling as rum and tiue religion." The point. of the argument is that the perfervid Masseyites have no right to grumble if they are, now being paid back in a little of their own coin. It does not follpw that they are traduced or misrepresented, though they are constantly and pitifully pjeading for- what Mr.. Mashcy would call a square deal, a deal' more, the other side affirms, 'than they deserve. According to Mr. Michel and his friends it woufld be the veijy negation of -all public spirit to vote foi Mi. Webb. But why, oh why, did the Reform .party first set theTexample of casting all their, influence in the Otaki election to keep out the Liberal candidate and put in a Lobour Socialist? Why, also, did they act in so glaringly similar a manner o\er the election for Grey Lynn? For this reason, and this only, that the Hon. George Fowlds is an out-and-out Liberal, and one whose influence and ability would be detrimental to the Massey party and its policy. Sooner than see Mr. Fowlds in Jhe House they deliberately cast all the influence that the party could bring to bear" to elect «i respectable nonentity with the gift of a platform speaker. They would have done as much for one who was tongue-tied in order .to keep Fowlds out. Moially, we do not approve cf such tactics. But they are very, characteristic of weak human nature as it stands, and we must perforce make the. best of it. The. country will neither be made, marred, nor disgraced where Mr. Michel or Mr. Webb is elected. Neither the welfare of the country nor the fate of the Ministryis in so parlous a position as t0,., be dependent upon the .election or .defeat of an individual. It would be a pity if it was so. . We have tried to put the position as it appeals to our poinf of view, leaving the electors -to exercise their own judgment as^ they deem best in the circumstances. No incurable, evil is likely to arise whichever way the contest may "result, pxciing for the moment, the whole thing .•s ii vciy small matter, after all, *vhen scanned a-httlc closely jn the light of cold reason.^