"I TRY TO FIND HIS EYE."

Northern Advocate, 22 September 1910, Page 3

"I TRY TO FIND HIS EYE."

DEMOCRACY AND IMPULSE.

The Anglican Bishcp of Tasmania (Dr. Mercer) stands at the top of the tree as a lecturer (says the Hobart "Daily Post" of September 6), and his address at the Mission Hall added to his great reputation. He spoke on Democracy, and held his laige audience for two hours. His art is to move from grave to gay with lightning rapidity. Speaking of impulse, he saLd that it was the oldest of inherited reactions, and was older than reason. "If a man," he said, "hits me in the eye like that (suiting the action to the word) I know that I should hand him the other to operate upon. (Laughter). But I don't. I hit out at him myseTf, and try to find his eye. (Laughter). And that's impulse, and its a great factor in the development of Democracy." (Hear, hear). Impulse, he said might be carried too far—as for instance, in the acquirement of property. The jackdaw—all people would remember the famous jackdaw of Rheims —had the impulse to acquire property j so had the dog which collared and buried the bone, and so had — well, lots of things. (Laughter). So there was nothing very laudable in "the mere impulse to acquire. The Bishon confessed that he had lost the belie/ that the mere accident of birth carried any inherent rights, and taking the Kaiser as typical of autocracy asked how thi? world could find that peace necessary for economical and social advancement when the "Divine Right of Kings" gave one man power to plunge a world in wariare. Generally, the Bishop lauded the Labour party for its Socialistic work, and, amidst storms of applause, sa : .d that while he would retain his political freedom, he would support social reform with heart and voice.