OUR PREMIER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 9761, 25 June 1892, Page 6

OUR PREMIER.

TO THE EDITOB, Sib,— Democrats, in their manner of putting things, are accused of coarseness, vulgarity, and a decided tendency to ignore the finer feelings of civilised (Tory) man.: It could not he expected that our “ blatant demagogues ” could at once drop into the pleasant and happy manner of leading their “ragged and unwashed” followers,; such as our Tory Liberal leaders possessed' when they led the ragged ones. (It is as well to own that we ware led, and by the nose at that.) 1 know that many of the. democratic rank and file yet have ai hankering belief in the superiority of the' high-class, educated man as a leader. No : doubt, while there was profit in the, leading he showed tact in* handling his] trustful Democrats aud in making them 1 believe his and their interests were; identical. But now the change has come] about, and Conservatism is dying. The* high-class newspaper shows us what educa-] tion has done for it. I refer to a para-, graph in the last Weekly Press, which, as i a specimen of good manners and good! taste, would he hard to beat by any “ blatant demagogue,” The paragraph’ seems to be between the Otago Witness and' the Press, but which part can be Maimed by either paper I am not clever enough to state. But it matters little; both these papers run on the same high-class lines. 1 Democrats, read the following:— < “Mr Ballance has explained, or some-' body has explained on his behalf, that) this year’s birthday knighthood might] have been his had he so chosen.” * * * 1 “ And why did he not choose ? The answer is very pathetic. Mr Ballance would! have liked this cheap patent of nobility] well enough, but daren’t for hisi life accept it. He exists ‘by suffer--auce of the ‘ Great Liberal Party,* I alias the Labour Unions aud their dele- i gates in the House, who don’t believe 1 too much in him as it is. With a handle] to hia name how should they believe; in him at all ? Mr Ballance, therefore, has j sacrificed himself to the principles of i Democracy, and the prejudices of the i labour members. Sublime example! How ] greatly the labour members will appreciate' it ? ‘ He’d a gone and got himself knighted | just like Stout, eo he would; only he was | afraid we’d kick him out?’ Thera is thus] a painful possibility that Mr Ballsnoe’a { great renunciation may have bean all in! vain. These ‘birthday honours’ are sj subtle device of the enemy, and it doesn’t] matter much whether the democratic] patriot accepts or rejects; he is done for ml either case, since his own side will always! believe thac he would if he dared l,” i

The italics are nob mine. I would say. Democrats, if you have any real grit hasten to acknowledge that at last yen have a man to lead, one whom the Conservatives own has “sacrificed himself to the principles of Democracy.” I will freely admit that the heart of the average Democrat is cold. He has been so often sold by the bait-hunter that it will perhaps take a little time before he grasps the fact of the “renunciation/’ Again, I would say, Unionists, show that yon appreciate principles. Do not miss the ouaace to< admit that you have a leader who acta upi to his professions, do not let the Tory Press laugh at you for your apathy. You have the fact to work upon that the Premier has refused that subtle device oI the enemy, the K.C.M.G. ship. I think it] was the Bulletin interpreted the mystic letters as “ Kolonial Convict Made Gentleman.”—l am, &c., WAKA.