THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12909, 4 July 1905, Page 7

THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

Sir,—lt is '.becoming' abundantly oVident that eleotor? of all shades of opinion ~aro waking up to the fact .that a crisis: is impending in the political history of the colony. When matters ' political or otherwise have reached the 'worst stage they often begin to mend. ; As a rule a great deal of culpable apathy is displayed at election times, and a laissez faire attitude adopted by many well-meaning people. Like people, like representatives. The character of ii State is • reflected for better or for worse in its representatives. Has the one-man-ono-voto - concession, . combined with payment of members, improved the status and morale of our representatives? No doubt the one-man-one-vote system or principle, advocated and introduced by. that gifted tribune of the people, Sir George Grey, dealt a dentil blow to ultra-conserva-tism. The trend of political thought, and action the wide world over is In the direction of democracy, the government ?f the people by the _ people and for the people— the vox populi, vox Dei sentiment personified., And it is undoubtedly \ a progressive step and in accord with the principles of equity arid fairness that manhood suffrage should' prevail, and that the majority should rule. As a counterpoise ,to this progressive' departure there exists . a r substratum "of. strong ..common.-- sense among .the. : so-called working classes in all British communities which preserves, thorn ' from going .to 'extremes, and in the long run carries them to right conclusions and beneficial ends. Reforms are of gradual growth, and when the proper time arrives the people grasp tho position, and generally act in a way conducive to tho maintenance of rigli principles and fair and equitable dealing in matters political. That such a crucial period has arrived thoro can be- no room to doubt. The hour for action has come, and with the hour an able and trusted leader. Tlio. self-abnegation, of the Leader of the Opposition at the present juncture is beyond all praise, and Contrasts favourably with the. touting tactics of tho " junketing" party in power. Tie is fighting the battle of the people almost single-handed, in the face of calumny and misrepresentation— sacrificing time and means in their interests. It is all very well for the Premier to try and draw a rod herring across the scent by sonorously declaiming that Mr. Massey holds a brief for the Conservatives, for tho Premier and everyone else knows full well that the .so-called Conservative party is politically dead as Julius Ciesar, and can never bo resuscitated, at, any rate on the old lines. Spurious, pseudo-liberalism is the bane of the country, and it comes as a godsend that a champion of'the. people has arisen, able and bold enough to expose the glaring abuse of the power and patronage so shingly exhibited by the autocratic dictator of this highly favoured and progressive colony—progressive in spite of untold blundering. The Premier's ill-advised denunciation of a magistrate' who' dared to express a candid opinion oil a political, question is an instance of wanton and over- ' bearing_ intimidation, quite in keeping with the ethics of the chief (loverment exponent \ of ultra-liberalism- in New Zealand. He may even go the length of. disfranchising tho whole Civil Service, at any rate those , of them who daw to exercise the universal privilege of all British subjects—free speech. The Premier's best " friends are those 'who lament and deplore the prostration of .his undoubted ability _ by such hasty, ill-ad-vised, and undignified-actions. •' "Let him fight fairly, squarely, arid honourably, and thereafter gracefully retire. ' We pass; the path that each man trod Is dim, or will be dim with weeds: What fame is left, for human deeds In endless age? It rests with God. • Wit- B. Tait. Auckland, June 21,