THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1906. FEDERAL POLITICS.

Otago Daily Times, 27 April 1906, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1906. FEDERAL POLITICS.

"Tiik existence of three parties in the Federal Parliament has thrown public affairs into confusion, makes parliamentary government on constitutional lines impossible, and calls for some immediate remedy." To this declaration Mr Deakin, the Prime Minister of the Common- j wealth, and Mr Reid, the Leader of the Opposition in the Federal Parliament, jointly subscribed about two years ago. The outcome was the application of the remedy which they regarded as imperatively necessary. By a coalition of the forces respectively led by them the defeat of the Watson Ministry was accomplished, and for the time being, as it seemed, the three-party system -was ended. With the accession to office of the Reid Ministry, which contained its proportion of the adherents of Mr Deakin, a chance was given for the first time in the political history of the Commonwealth to the system of government by a majority. But it was only for a year. Then, Mr Deakin, without whose co-operation Mr Reid would never have assumed the responsibilities of power in 1904, intrigued with the Labour party, the Reid Ministry gave place to the Deakin Ministry, and the three-party system was reinstated, the Government holding office merely on the

sufferance of Mr Watson and the Labour caucus, from which, in effect, it accepted dictation. The Ministers were the " hired mercenaries" of the Labour party: so a speaker at a picnic at Melbourne last week in connection with the annual Trades and Labour Conference franklj, if somewhat brutally, expressed it. Politics in the Commonwealth have consequently been for the past twelve months in the .unsatisfactory state from which they were temporarily rescued in 1904, and at the present, time, with the dissolution of the Parliament drawing near—for it is expected that the general election will take place in December,-—there does nob seem to be very much prospect of the re-establishment of the two-party system. Mr Keid has certainly been exceedingly active in his endeavour to secure a- fusion of moderate men of all ranks into a. party in opposition to the Socialistic policy which is advocated by the " caucus." Staunch Freetrader though he is, he is prepared to sink the fiscal issue in the presence of what ho conceives to be the grave menace of the Labour programme. Speaking at Partes on Easter Monday, he made a direct appeal to Freetraders and Protectionists to join hands in meeting and resisting a common foe. "He asked the Australian Protectionists to unite with him against a dangerous national enemy, which was seeking to set class against class in order to indulge in the wildest industrial project ever broached by responsible politicians in a civilised community. He asked those who believed in liberty and equality and in the free play of private enterprise and the right of every man to enjov the fruits of his own industry to rally round his standard in order to stamp out at once a fire which if allowed to spread might involve all the fair prospects and unequalled opportunities of their fair young land in a dismal and destructive conflagration." To this invitation, the foundation of which is the proclamation of fiscal peace, lie lias had no adequate response. Mr Dcakin had previously, at Ballarat, " challenged " Mr Eeid to assist him through with a Protectionist tariff in order that the ground might be cleared for future action. But the acceptance of this would have involved the abandonment by Mr Beid of the basis upon which his own endeavours to organise an effective opposition to the propagandists of Socialism rest. Moreover, Mr Deakin refrained from offering an alliance with Mr Beid even if the Leader of the Freetrade party agreed to assist him in securing for his supporters a further instalment of Protection. And, at the same time, Mr Deakin's friends, the members of the Victorian Chamber of Manufacturers, were negotiating on his behalf for an alliance with the Victorian Labour Council. For a variety of reasons the Prime Minister would probably have been gratified if a Protectionist - Labour combination could have been effected to assist him through the elections. He does not seem to be deeply sensible of the humiliation of the position he has occupied since he took office, in August last—a position in which he has had. Mr Watson told the. Labour Conference at Sydney, to do as he was told, with the result that the Labour ends were better served than they would be if a straight-out Labour Ministry was in power,—and, apparently, he is perfectly ready, with Mr Watson's assistance, to extend the duration of the arrangement that has obtained since his Ministry was formed. The effect of the existence of such a combination would be to give him the enormous benefit at the election of the assistance of the most complete organisation in the Commonwealth. Mr Watson, for his part, is willing enough to continue to act as the power behind the throne in the Federal Parliament, leaving office with its perquisites to those who are content to be his instruments. Consequently he appeared before the Victorian Labour Council last week to plead in effect that the party should refrair from opposing Mr Isaacs (Attorney-general) and some of the supporters of Mr Dcakin, whose own name he curiously refrained from mentioning. But the appeal was made in vain. The overtures of the Chamber of Manufacturers were likewise rejected. The Council determined almost unanimously that every seat should be contested at the general election where there was a chance of success for the Labour party. Nor can it be suggested that, from the point of view of this party itself, the course it has decided to adopt is not the most advantageous. Its decision has caused something like dismay among the Protectionists of Victoria, but the measure of the chagrin of the Deakin party is the measure of the perspicacity of the Labour Council. For, if there is to be no alliance such as Mr Keid has proposed, between Freetraders and Protectionists in opposition to the common political enemy, but if, on the other hand, the absurdity of a triangular fight is to be repeated, it will be a strange thing if the soli-

darity and the superior organisation of the- Labour party do not ensure its triumph.