The N.Z. Times (PUBLISHED DAILY). TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1905. THE NEW LIBERALS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5667, 15 August 1905, Page 4

The N.Z. Times

(PUBLISHED DAILY). TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1905. THE NEW LIBERALS.

W£TO WHICH IS INCORPORATED ;?fTIS " WXLLIHOIOD niOKriJIDJCMT.” ESTABLISHED lfe4s.

Tho good orden and decorum that marked tho political meeting in the Town Hall yesterday droning may not altogether be .set down as the result of better breeding or a superior sense of fair play on the part of the Wellington electors, as compared with those of tho southern cities, where the New Liberals had a somewhat stormy reception. It would, perhaps, be more correct to say that tho lack of feeling manifested last night, was duo to tho rapid waning of interest in tho charges brought by Messrs Taylor, Fisher and Co., and to a growing conviction that tho whole thing is destined to end in smoko. Tho public of tho capital city may also have been influenced to adopt a comparatively indifferent attitude towards tho New Liberals by the knowledge that- tho party is apparently a vanishing quantity. A few weeks ago itwas heralded as consisting of eight legislators, with more likely to be attracted to its ranks; last night it was spoken of by one of its members as “our party of four”—the four who faced a Wellington audience, and laboriously endeavoured to justify their separate existence and their collective policy’ and actions. It cannot bo doubted that a party which, on account of its own blundering and reckless tactics, has suffered a diminution of 50 per cent, within three short ’weeks requires some justification ia the eyes of the people. Hence wo find running through last night’s speeches a strain of apologetic shamefaced ness, mingled with not a little boastfulness—the latter palpably to keep up appearances. Mr Taylor struck the humble keynote of attempted justification. There was an absence of the former confident ring, when he spoke of tho payment of travelling allowance to the Premier as being “ if legal, yet improper.” The same tone was adopted by Mr Bedford, who contended that in the matter of the voucher there was evidence, he would not say of an improper payment, but of a “ suspicious payment ” ; and Mr Laurenson was even more lugubrious in tone and les« happy in his plea of justification. He had a word of commendation for the man who does something and blunders in the doing of it, as compared with him who does nothing and never makes a mistake; and his list of things that the party of four had done was composed of such items as suggesting an amend-

mcnt in the Old Ago Pensions Bill, v'hich was adopted in a modified form, I the imagined reform of the “ memo/’ system, tlio lidding of the rowdiest political meeting of the year, and the raising of four separate libel actions—a truly inspiring record. Fven Mr Fisher, whoso speech was the least apologetic of the four, was transparently paving the way for the breakdown of his “ vouchor ’’ charge, and merely postponing tlio tendering of the inevitable apology for his mistake. Apart from these features, there was nothing of outstanding interest in the utterances of the Xew Liberals, except tho promise of Mr Fisher that he would to-day, if possible, have tlio I affidavits in the scaled packet laid openly on tho table of tho House of Representatives. The meeting contained a large admixture of young men and women—a fact to which Mr Taylor directed attention ; and the great majority of those present were evidently in sympathy with tho aims and aspirations of the party of four. The political dishes placed before tho meeting were just of the kind to please tho palates of I the young and inexperienced. They | wore of tho kind that delight tho dc-batuig-class order of intellect, and were received with every symptom of enthusiasm by tho young Xew Zealanders in tho audience. Tho elective Itxecutivo, tho referendum and initiative, the independence of members, and the coming “death agony” of tho liquor trade—these were the topics that elicited tho warmest applause, and were apparently recognised as tho policy measures that are the peculiar property of the Xew Liberal party. For tho rest, the reforms advocated were identical with those that arc either contemplated by tho Government or are in process of being carried into effect. It is also to bo noted that even those four points of policy claimed by tho Xow Liberals are all endorsed by several supporters of the party in power, who have not seen fit on that account to break away from their allegiance. From all this it seems to he very doubtful whether the New Liberals have in any way justified their existence as a separate political party. Of tlio four speeches, Mr Fisher’s was by far tlio most defiant and bellicose in tone. It was the sxieech of a man with his back to the wall, hard pressed, but fighting gallantly to tho last, and as such it commanded a certain amount of admiration. H© said, if ho had followed tho advice of 1 tho “New Zealand Times,” he would have been on his knees last Wednesday, but ho was not there yet. Why, ho asked, should he apologise, when ho felt that ho was right ? Tho reply is that feeling ho is right does not make him right, lie was proved to bo in every particular entirely wrong in his accusation of a certain sum of money having been paid on a certain date to Captain Seddon, on a vouchor of which ho gave tlio number; and so far as that particular accusation was concerned,the proper and manly course was to make a full and unreserved apology, leaving tho way free for the formulation of any fresh charge ho had to bring. Yet ho professes not to see that this was his plain duty, and ho declares that if the same set of circumstances again arose ho would pursue the same course as he had followed on tho recent occasion, except that he would be careful not to call for “a Sneddon vouchor.” His attitude recalls downer's lines in reference to Voltaire's boast—

"Vain was the man, and false as vain 'Who said, were he ordained to run His lout' career of life again, He would do just as he had done.”

He is the wiser, humbler, and truer man who is ready to acknowledge his orroj’s of judgment or of conduct, and who is resolved, if opportunity is given, to steer a better course in the future. Mr Fisher has in effect confessed that he prefers “ono crowded hour of glorious life” to a long and honourable political career, made up of useful if humdrun service to the people. He is having his crowded hour; in the elegant phrase ho quoted, ho is “going it hald-headcd”; and presumably ho will not he disappointed though the electors should demand his scalp when the end of November arrives. The addresses last night were, generally speaking, and excepting Mr Taylor’s rakings in the muck-heaps of the past twelve years, excellent in tone and temper. They breathed a high spirit of patriotism, humanity, and enlightened progress; and the speakers deserve every credit for lofty aims and good intentions, though their methods of political warfare do not command our approval. )\’hilo we regret to differ from such a large gathering of citizens, w© arc distinctly of opinion that the four reformers have failed to justify their actions or their existence as a separate party. They would, w© believe, have done more good by allying themselves with the party in power and exerting their influence from within ; hut they have deliberately chosen their course, and must abide by the consequences of it, even should these entail political extinction for the four gallant leaders of a forlorn hone.