THE STUDY OF POLITICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5131, 29 July 1878, Page 7

THE STUDY OF POLITICS.

A popular lecture was delivered before the members of the Otago Institute in the Museum Bmlding last week, by the Hon. R. Stout (Attorney-General), entitled " A Plea for the Study of Politics." Mr W. N. Blair (the President) and upwards of thirty members were present. The Chaibmax briefly introduced the lecturer.

The Hon. B. Stout said the time when social science was believed to be impossible, and that political action was founded on gue33work, was now passed, and those who thought that politics were not to be studied as laboriously as, for example, the science of psychology, were not acquainted with the meaning of the term. It was the function of politics to deal with, men in society and societies —to lay down some practical rule 3 for their conduct as a society with each other, and also with societies beyond; or what might be teimed the home and the foreign policy. This was the function of politics, and if it could be said that in doing this no laws were to be observed, no rules followed, none being discoverable, then indeed they would have a chaos worse than was in ancient Israel when everyone did that which seemed right in his own eyes. To admit that there was such a thing as political science was to assert that there were laws discoverable in. the human world, which are as inflexible and carrying with them as ready sanction as the law of gravitation, and to discover thesa and to show how they were to bo obeyed was the function of political pci-iice. If such laws existed, and if guidance c^uld be found for the man as a social animal, iz was surely a matter of more importance than the discovery of the age of our coal, or from what hipparion our horse had descended, of the number of beetles in New Ze.vL.nd, the peculiarity of our lizards, how the winds blow, or ths number of inches of rain that fall —arid yet all these latter things were teimed scientific, whilst the former were only politics. Iv urging the study of poiitic3 it was weli to sea how that ofcudy should be approached. If botany or zoology were studied, certain scientific terms vrere employed, and the move uncouth, to English - speaking people they appeared, the more scientific they were reckoned by s->me. Iv politics there was not in oi;e sense the r, ; aa precision of statement. For instance, to ascertain, the meaning of the term '" property" tiey would have to find out what property wa3 spoken of, whence did it arise, and had ifc undergone any change, and to answer these questions would necessitate as much research, as much care, aud as much patience as any paleontologist would perform or display in determiniug the age of a formation. The lecturer then referred to numerous questions to be considered iv forming a judgment upon even one aspect of politics. There was also adifference between the importance of the results arrived at by the student of geology and the student of politics. If a mistake was made as to the age of Grey Ei^'er coal the coal would be still burned as formerly ; and though he did not wish to depreciate the study of geology, fctiil he thought if the age of the coal was accurately determined the Colony practically would nob be much the gaiuer. But if a wrong conclusion was come to regarding property, aud a wrong course followed, the results might be anarchy, war, the delay of needed reform, aud au ir.jury that it would take yeav» to repair. Politics implied action, and if a political idea got a footing it was not like the idea of the era when the moa dwelt in the land—it produced action. It might be said that this was looking afc things from a very practical point of view, and the question, asked, if speculation was to be crushed out? Certainly not. But on that ground he would ask where in all science wa= there a wider range for speculation than in political science ? The lecturer then reviewed the claims put forward on behalf of scientific studies, and maintained that they all applied with equal or iucreased force to the study cf political science—(1) on account of its practical value being an- end iv itself; (2) its value as a kind of mental gymnastics— enabling a finer edge to be put on the mind ; and (3) the good it would do to othe.-s— its altroistic side. These point? were dwelt upon at considerable length, and illustrated by reference to the great political questions of the day, to their complex character, and the many matters concerning their origin and development which required to be considered before they cmld be understood. But, for example, on the question of Socialism, ail say that the good o£ theraceis their object. Here, hesaid, is a science that has as its aim the happiness of the race- It alone can determine how far the study of. other sciences is necessary or useful, aud ou the right application of its rules really rests the existence of science at all; for unless there is some kiud of Government, neither the arts nor sc-ieiiC33 arise. Hence it is that political science produces all, aud is necessary to all; and if you grant this, I do not think it \\ iil be necessary for any other lecturer to deliver a> X>lea for the study of politics.

The President invited discussion on the lecture.

Professor HOTTOS said that he had listened with very great pleasure indeed to the lecture, but was sorry to say that he did not agree with, hardly a word in it. He thought 2>lr Stout had mixed up several subjects which ought to have been kept quite distinct, if any clear idea on the subject was desired. He was not a politician, as they were aware, but as Mr Stout had s 'ivea his ideas on science, he hoped they would exCU33 him (the speaker) when he gave them his ideas on politics. He considered polities as an art, ar.d that the art of politics consisted in carrying into practice the suggestions of others, and nothing more. For instance, the Local Option Bill was founded nob upon politics afc all,, but on the opinions of scientific men. Physiologists had. first to come to the cone-Union that alcohol vvas, or was not, bad for the human, race, and the politicians had simply to try to get into practice the conclusion which scientific physiologists had arrived at. Then the question of Free trade v. Protection was considered by political economists and the politician according to the side he took to endeavour to carry the principle into practice. They knew pretty well that the p'-liti-ciuus who advocated protection were th"se who would benefit by protection, and that th-se advocated free trade were those who would !>snefit by free trade. Indeed, the politician's object was to try and persuade everybody e';so That what was good and nsef.il for him would be and useful for them; and, in t-ha first place to persuade people to vote f-.i.1 him. Social science stood upon another footing, and the importance of the question of y:;lLica.l economy was admitted, and recently th-re had been a proposition for founding a Chair for political economy in "Dur.edin, so that Mr Stout could hardly g-ft ouo of it by s;.yi;:g he meant political econeiiiy. A matter o'i study could not be a science until laws wero found to govern is.

The Hon. Mr Stout iv reply said : I ::ever experienced the need <•( :■, lecture such as mine until I heard Professor Huston's?^remarks. He is entirely at sea, both iv politics a:rl the other things to which he has referred. I cannot understand how any art can be p::.oLisecl without laws. It is simply impossible. jSTo person, tries to practise any art that Las no laws or rules to guide him. Even in wh;-t we call art itself—painting, or in the pert' chance of any \vo--k you call an art —take teathiiic. for example, cr s-uything else, you must fir/'-, stars with some rules or 3;i-v.- ; .. Then we have political science, those who think politics •.'an be carried on without sear-;uii>g tor some—lies or laws, must be two ,•>;■ iLivo <.::>:: mries bo- :::d— they are amongst the fossil* altog?thei\ I can" or.ly say this further about P.v f-.-ssor Huiton," he gave a \ory good initiation in the Local ();.ik;i. JSill, and 1 .like that for this reason: that the Local Option Bill is not founded on the opinions of physiologies at all.—(Ohee-iv.) It is founded ■ri the influence it exerts, iv. t mo-dy on ths luun physierdly, but on the whole cumrnurutv, vii" the questi"n of wealth, <>:; tae question <,'■' crime, on education, and iv.any otiu-r quest-on-, an! on this further ira;-:si .:i does the pss.-ir.r of a law ever have any in^'-al or b->^. -zielal effect on a community. Ail 'hose thlr..-.; hare to be decided betm-o y<>u come to dobato -r.ch a question, and before you can decide t'.".\ you have to get in from history facts with as :cuch labour almost asy.m would have in -«eu firing a science. Then, it you t ;ke jviHiieal ..v.-.^oiav, it is only a trifling bi\>!:elu)f political sd.-i:;:3. It only denl-j with the u.;es-tio:i of wea- :h ;t-i applied to the State: .-nt before you L-r.n that doctrine by the art of politics y-■:! - ■■-■••. go further, because you must have !a«-"-'o •= aide you. "What 1 loneeive to i>e r ra-H.\>~ <!- '~;'ct is this, that people c>iae to imagine that t'-r-r-i are lawsthat regulate c ••eryihiug bill■ th'"- r. '.ions of men among themselves :>.rul it; «•-■<■" ■■iv.-5, :in.l if one starts with thai i-.it'..>:i, then, i" ;■ ; i"=o, they will look U;m>:i p.-litics as an ;'.f ; but otice they see that theio are laws, t'u-y will see that tlieir notion of an art of polities is exploded, and they will be^in to a:i:'erst;u:d \v!/.»!• rjulitical science is. The liioctin^' thn" clc-01.

It is said that a German named S-.;':\ living in the neighbouthi.od of Cherry "\" b .i;./v, has placed himself in a rather reui:u kabl;; v-ivlica-meat. Hid wife L.Vi long been an i;.v'':], and a few days ago, thinking thatsV.;. w;^ i'.'intr she insisted that her husband sho.ll ,■ >iupfy with her oft repeated rcoiust touii-.ko L;--sister his second wife. Nothrng would suit }"":■.--. Suitz but to have the marriage occur i. of or.> •;■.•■> .'o£-\l her eyes in death. The ceremony wr,; recorlnigly performed, a neighboring Ju-jV- •->{ the Peace officiating, and strange fee su-. M--5 Suitz iNo. 1 has rallied and is rapiUv >>vo.ving stronger and will probably get well." Mr Suitz is aaxiou-5 to know how to rend his lliio clear,