BRAINS versus CASH.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 7, 10 December 1877, Page 2

BRAINS versus CASH.

[From Hansard.] , Mr Wliitaker— l want to know where is this governing class, this landed aristocracy, this spurious aristocracy — where is it in this country ? I do not know of any but one class in this country. We are all on an equality as far as I under* . stand, and as far as I know. The lion the Premier talks about a spurious a! istocracy and its power. Is land going to govern this country ? No. What does govern the country now ? Why sir, brains govern the country. When I look around this House— l am very sorry to see that the hon the Native Minister is not in his place. I am very sorry to hear Hint he is unwell— but I ask when I look around this House, do I see that land or wealth governs the country ? Look at the hon the Native Minister, lo»k at the Ik n member for Dunedin City (Mr Stcut), look at myself, look at the lion member for the Thames (Sir G. Grey). If you could got a gentleman who owned half of the land in the colony, would he on that ac count exercise noon this House and this Country as much influence as the hon. the Native Minister can ? Certainly not. Vat he is not a member of an aristocracy —he has no land, but he lins got brains. Brains wiil govern this country and not land. Look at the hon member for Dunedin City (Mr Stout). I do not know so much about him as I do about the Native Minister, but I do know that he has not raised himself to his present position by the possession of lars>e tracts of land Does he possess sheep in thousands of cattle in hundreds ? No ; but he possesses brains. Of course he does; and brains will make their way. Land, wealth, houses, cattle, shpep, aristocracy cannot hold their own against brains here. The country is perfectly democratic. Look at myself. The people of this country have been pleased to place me in different positions from time to time. Wlia*had I to recommend me? I had no aristrocratic patrons at different times to aid me, no lands to aid me, yet I hare held nearly every Ministerial office under the Government, simply because the people of this country have been pleased 'o suppose I had brains. Look at the hon member for the Thames (Sir G. Grey) What has put him forward in this House ? Has it been a grand aristocratic parentage, or has it been large accessions of pro* | pprty p No. The hon gentleman has brains. He wou'd ris in any country When therefore I hear that hon member bilking about an aristocracy — a sputioul iirxtocracy — governing this country, I think he is talking nonsense. The people n i landed aristocrats, are governing and w II govern this country, Lx>k at fie c mposition of this House. Do gentle* in mi obtain positions in this House been us'O they possess land and money ? Is the hon member for the Thames Premier because he is wealthy ? Dons the hon member for Dunedin City (Mr Larnach) occupy the position of Treasurer because he has a large saw«mill and thousands of acres of hud ? Out upon such nousense f It is pure " bunkum " — very good perhaps to catch the ears of a mob. Does any member of this House take a promU nent position because he has money or land? JNotat all. The sooner we drop that kind of talk the better it will be; and the better will it be when we come to < acknowledge that in New Zealand the road to fortune and position is open alike to all. Mr Swanson — The hon member has said that brains would always rule and always succeed. I wish to God, sir, it was true. I ask every member of.Uh.is House if he has not known instances where brains, and brains of the very first I class, have done their very best, and failed; instances where men of brains could not get a chance, and therefore could not get bread ; instances of men being driven to despair and suicide because they could not find an opening for their talent. Is

this not true of every walk in life ? If we had f . any guarantee that brains would succeed I would say that we were npproaching the millennium. Ido not run. down wealth. Every man should strim* " gle to advance himself in life, for the sake* of his wife and children, and to make ihe path of his children smoother than his own. But as to the power of wealth deny it as you like, it telis in every direction. It sends ships abroad, it builds churches, it establishes factories, and the only thine it cannot do is to command health and happiness, but even to these it will always do something, mul at times everything. It is all twaddle to despi c its influence. Go out into the worU an.i find a place where wealth ha« not an it fluence to prevail against it ? Not at all. It is not the respectable Mr A B C that is considered ; it is the tangible £ s, d. Wealth has not been without its weight either in the elections or in this House. But as to brains, we have one very favorable in--stance on the Ministerial benches. I knew Mr Sheelian when he was in his mother's arms, end I am proud to see him where he is, and the share I had in bringing it about. I should be very glad to see many more sons of the soil here. This House will not be what it should be until we see men here who do not talk about Scotland, England, or Ireland as their home. We must hare men here who will speak of this as their couo« try. Brains should hnre an equal chance with wealth. Where the chances are equal, brains will succeed, but nowhere else. Given brains and opportunity, and wealth and opportunity I should certainly back the brains. We all know how great is the competition and how large is the number of implications for situations in this colony. Do brains always succeed ? Why everybody knows that it is invariably the man who has most friends who gets the situation. Did brains plan this very building ? For heaven's sake, let ns look at our public works. Did brains lay out our railways ? Did brains run them ? Have brims made the rules and regulations ? Bah ! If it were not so serious a matter it would bo absolutely comic 'o stote to this House that brains must succeed. I am one of tnose that believe that a man with " the gift of tho gab.'' a pl.-nnible address, and with g.ioil friends ai his back, can get iilon'jr fiir be't'3r than a man w«th brains, '\s|«*cirtlly if he hipiiftns to have a lar^e quantity of what, is c Ued " cheek."