THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1911. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14854, 4 December 1911, Page 6

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1911. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COUNTRY.

It is a fact worth pondering over that in the present appeal to. the country the Ministerialists are manifesting an eager desire to be judged —as a Partynot by what they have done or omitted to do during their long tenure of office, but by the lavish promises they are willing to make regarding their conduct in the future. There can be no doubt, we think, of what it means. The Ministerialists have discovered that the tide of public opinion is no longer flowing with them. They have found out that the country is growing dissatisfied with their meddlesome and muddlesome methods, with their increasing lack of efficiency as lawmakers and administrators, with their political ineptitude and partisan vagaries. They hear/ on all hands complaints of the huge piling up of the Public Debt, of the steady increase in taxation, of reckless and extravagant expenditure, . of the increased cost of living; and mutterings of general discontent with the prevailing conditions of life. Nor can it be doubted - that their eyes have at last been opened to the feeling of distrust and suspicion which, account for it how one may, is , rife everywhere. In these circumstances, the best tactics for the , Ministerialists are probably those they have adopted. They have discarded,.their usual boastfulnedi and have put on atpenitential air. >• If the country will only trust them again- they promise to turn over a new leaf , and to behave much better. Mr:' J Fowlds Has a, New 'Evangel, which though darkly nebulous at present will grow in beauty as it grows in light. Sir John Findlay holds in his- hand the golden orb of Opportunity with which to , charm ,< all those who : are weary and heavy laden, as the magic flute of the Pied Piper charmed the children of : Hamelin. Sir Joseph Ward,' standing Y on a magnificent pedestal of borrowed millions, catches a glimpse of a Promised Land into which he would fain lead the people. Even Sir James Carroll and Mr. Millar dream dreams and see visions. The country, however, shows no signs of eager disposition to fall under the - spell of the . charmers, charm they never so well. The plain truth of the matter is that the country is growing tired of the present Government. It wants a change. This feeling may not have gathered enough strength yet to bring about the desired end - at the present time, but no one,, can doubt that it must succeed in the long run. It is characteristic. of democracies to change frequently their political rulers. They do not take kindly to a continuous Ministry. It is on the whole a salutary instinct. In every country which enjoys constitutional government it is a good thing that the same politicians should not remain in office too long. The reasons are. obvious. A Ministry animated by something of the old Spartan virtues would voluntarily surrender power lest its too long enjoyment should corrupt its political morality. But we look in vain for Spartan virtues among the present occupants of the Ministerial benches in the Dominion. Far from being, disposed to lay down the seals of office they' cling to them with the tenacity of a miser to his gold. Power has become so , sweet to them . that they are prepared to make any .sacrifice to retain it—to abandon their principles and swallow their convictions. Provided they are only left in undisturbed possession of office they are willing to do whatever Parliament or the country wants. The intense solicitude which they betray to be allowed to sit in their high places is, in our opinion, one very good reason why the country should insist upon a sweeping change. Politicians whose sole purpose in public ■ life is apparently to cling to office with the , pertinacity of barnacles to a barge' are always to be distrusted. ■ This by itself would condemn the present Government, but there are other, sound grounds why it should be displaced. ' ' -Has the administration of the Government been in the • best interests of the country as a whole 1 Has its policy been calculated to 'promote

the happiness, contentment, arid prosperity'of the great majority of the people I---'-Wei do not think that any unbiassed mind / can honestly answer these questions in the affirmative. Its administration has been glaringly and admittedly bad.