Hawke's Bay Herald. WEDNESDAY, JDNE 24, 1885. RAISING THE BANNER.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7197, 24 June 1885, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. WEDNESDAY, JDNE 24, 1885. RAISING THE BANNER.

If present appearanceß be any indication of what is working beneath the surface of politics, the iugenious attempt of Sir Julius Vogol to foiat a Protective tariff on the country under Free Trade pretences will not succeed. The country has refused to be hoodwinked, and demands that Free Traders shall be true to their colors, and insists upcn Ministers casting off their disguise, and fighting under their true banner of Protection. They must either do that or abandon their present position, which is now utterly untenable. No doubt, before coming to a decision, noses will be carefully counted, doubtful members diligently canvassed, and every possible mean.3 taken to secure waverers, and upon the reault will the attitude of Ministers depend. But the consolidation of tho Protectionist forces will lead to the consolidation of the Freo Trade forces. Already a meeting of Freo Trade members has been held, and although it waa not largely attended it is a hopeful sign of united action by a considerable section of the House, irrespective of party lines. Of late years, indeed, ifc has been Very difficult to say where party divisions began and ended, the cry has been too much " Men — not measures," and surnu active amalgamating medium was sadly needed. The House wanted shaking up, and consolidating again into parties with lines of demarcation plainly marked, and the throwing down of the gauntlet of Protection will afford such an opportunity as has been wanted. Notwithstanding Sir Julius Vogel's attempt to prove that Protection and Freo Trade are all but synonymous terms, they are as far apart as the poles, and, when once the question of which shall be the future policy of the country is made a test of party, waverers must join one side or the other. The present weak party distinctions cannot last in the presence of such a disturbing element. j For instance, if public professions of faith mean anything, the Premier is an out-and-out Free Trader and he must either break with his colleagues or abjure all his previous declarations of priociplo. On the other side Major Atkinson has avowed himself in favor of Protection, and he cannot continue the leader of an Opposition devoted to ousting a Protectionist Ministry. The spectacle of a professed Free Trader at the head of a Ministry which proposes

to inaugurate a policy of Protection, and of a Protectionist leading the Opposition to that Ministry, is altogether anomalous, and cannot exist permanently. Many other Ministerial followers, like Mr W. 0, Smith, are avowed Free Traders, and must either prove false to the pledges on the faith of which they were elected, or break with their party; while many who have hitherto opposed Sir Julius Yogel are open Protectionists, and could not consistently oppose his policy. The consolidation of parties, involving as it does, the obliteration of so many of the lines now adopted aa party divisions, will doubtless be a work of time, but the forces at work are too great to be permanently opposed by artificial barriers of personal friendship or dislike, and must ultimately conquer.