"LIBERALISM-SO-CALLED."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8883, 20 May 1892, Page 3

"LIBERALISM-SO-CALLED."

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Judging from Mr. Shera's telegram to Ministers, one begins to understand really what our so-called Liberalism is. Indeed, one has to look no further than to the utterances of Mr. Buick or the actions of Ministers to get an inkling into the matter, but Mr. Shera has let the cat completely out of the bag. Now, Mr. Shera is a modern Liberal of the purest type. He is classed A 1 at Kelly and Piatt's for a thousand years. So I presume he is a fair sample of the Labour candidate and working-man's general friend. Mr. Shera has unfurled the Liberal flag, and on it appear the terrible words, " Vce vie tin." The good government of the country can go to the devil, so long as Ministers and their friends are rewarded and their enemies punished. Ihis, then, is " Liberalism," according to Burke. I thought I was a Liberal myself once, but that thought has vanished for ever. According to Webster and Walker " liberalism " is defined as "freedom from narrowness or bigotry." A " Liberal" is one " who seeks to reform abuses in the body politic, and who favours democracy in opposition to aristocracy or despotism." Tried by this ordeal, I am afraid our so-called Liberals will be found sadly wanting. They certainly are not free from narrowness or bigotry, and as for seeking to reform abuses they simply multiply them wholesale, and as for

being In opposition to aristocrats or despots, they carry about books to set themselves right with the former, and do their best .to make their leaders and themselves the latter. Do they ever think about the unfortunate minority? No! They have but one thought, but one creed, but one speech : " There is but one God, and I am his prophet." . They have but one standard ; it has been unfurled; " woe to the vanquished." Every man must have but one vote, and that must be given to them. Anyone who opposes them is a " Tory," " Conservative, " plutocrat," or " robber." Under the once-hallowed name of Liberalism they openly advocate the spoliation of others, the destruction of individual liberty, the squandering of public funds, the abolition of all self-reliance, and a return to despotism. When they want leaders or representatives, they can get any number of first-class brandnew guaranteed ten-horse power agitators, warranted until returned, and made to order if required. I notice that, in Russia, Liberals are called "Nihilists;" in Germany,_ "Socialists," and in France, " Anarchists." We clearly want something more distinctive cut here to designate them by, and I would suggest to Mr. Shera the advisability of calling himself in future a " Pompholugopaphlasmist."—l am, &c., Iconoclast.