The Northern Advocate THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1911. LIBERALISM AND ITS AIMS.

Northern Advocate, 23 February 1911, Page 4

The Northern Advocate THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1911. LIBERALISM AND ITS AIMS.

THE political campaign is starting early, and next week our representative in Parliament (Mr Mander) is to 'ake the platform in answer to the I iberal charter and the Liberal ideals enunciated by Dr. Findlay.- Mr Mander is to reply, and it is only just to v.-ait until that reply is delivered before we pronounce judgment. However, we have heard Mr Massey and we have heard the Attorney-General, and we are aware that the latter made a deep and permanent impression upon lhe electors. Mr Massey,' after long bUTbling about nothing in particular, committed himself to the statement "that tUe policy of the Opposition is one of honesty and the policy of the Government one of humbug." Such general and wide-of-the-mark criticism is all very well in its way, no doubt. It might satisfy Mr Massey and it might satisfy those of his supporters who are accustomed to such indefinite use of words; but it would hardly satisfy a thoughtful man. What the country demands from Mr Massey is that he has some definite idea of leadership, some definite :dea 01 statesmanship; that he has some idea of what would be good for the people as a whole, and some refutation of the charge that he stumps the country in the political interests of the wealthy and the landed gentry. If he chooses to allow the electors to judge him by his use of general terms, monotonous

; :,vective and labored jokes, that is his business, and not ours. If he fails to state what Liberal legislation he would repeal, his silence means concurrence, and he has himself to blame if the electors form the opinion that his opposition to the Government is only political jealousy. Just at present he is stereotyped in the public eye r.s a gloomy politician; very angry and very reckless, armed with a bowl of froth from which he blows fascinat*

ing bubbles into the air. Unlike Mr Massey, Dr. Findlay certainly gave the public something to think about. He I stated a case that must be answered by argument and not by a mere play I upon words. Dr. Findlay emphasised j the social and economic aims of Lib- . eralism, and we would like to hear Mr Massey dispute the soundness of those rims. Mr Massey asked the electors to dress in sack cloth and ashes, to bemourn their poor country, to look out on its starving poor, its depleted markets, to look forward to a future of ruination and depression. Dr. Findlay followed with an appeal that we should support, a policy of humanitarian effort and national advancement; that the electors should lr.ove national prosperity, reliance, and greatness, and eventually accomplish them. Those are the aims of Liberalism. In this respect there is need for a word of advice to the Liberals in our electorate, and they should at once drop their "hole-in-the-corner" method of doing things. Nothing is more repulsive than to see a set ofpolitical dabsters hanging on to the ear of a Minister when he comes to Whangarei. Liberal ideals are ideals to be proud of. They are not to cause tad friendship or ill-feeling, and in them there is not room for parochial and personal jealousies. There is no 1 need for the caucus or the secret chamber, no need to hide from opponents; but need for open minds, i open friendship, and organisation, although we may differ politically with our friends. In the hurly-burly of political life there must always be public criticism of men and measures. It presses on friend and foe alike, and those who wish to preserve their peace of mind must understand that

v/hen parties or policies are criticised or parodied the personal element should be entirely eliminated. A strict line should always be drawn between personal vilification and the criticism public men must expect to receive. Should Dr. Findlay decide to contest Marsden, Mr Mander will have an opponent worthy of battle, and a good, fight should result. Both are good friends, both are true gentlemen, and if such a campaign should take place it should prove a strenuous but a pleasant one to both. Mr Mander, by his good-nature, his genial smile, his open-heart, and his watchful eye on the interests of Marsden has won many hearts among his electors. The only question such a campaign woulc, decide would be whether our repre-t sentative should sit on the Opposition benches, and that could be decided at the ballot-box alone.