A POLITICAL RETROSPECT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14856, 10 June 1910, Page 4

A POLITICAL RETROSPECT

This day being' the fourth anniversary of the death of Richard John Seddon, some reflection upon the influence of timo as 'affecting the impression of personality seems appropriate, The-unveiling'last month of the Hokitika memorial gave the present Prime Minister an opportunity, of which he took worthy advantage, of paying eloquent tribute to the. memory of one whose name is inscribsd among the Tecords of England's 'and the Empire's mightiest dead. But, as Horace reminds us, the memory of leaders does not really live by marbles with public inscriptions. To-day the people of New Zealand, with no -disregard of one of the most commendable of the laws of Solon, should be able to judge the.man Richard Seddon somewhat clearly in perspective, appraising dispassionately his strength and his weakness. It has been- well said that wo owe, regard to" the living but only truth to the dead. Probably for no reason will the name of Mi Seddon longer evoke the applause of posterity than because it recalls the, memory of one who was a great Imperialist and as such left an influence which will long survive him in this part of the Empire.' The offer.by New Zealand of a battleship to -the Imperial Navy has been a very recognisable echo of a policy which revealed the finestspirit of colonial loyalty. In New / Zealand we enjoy at the present time the benefits conferred on the country by Mr Seddon in the wide sphere of social legis-' lation and in a measure by the unsparing sacrifice of his prodigious energy. The mark of -tho hand that guided the destinies of the Dominion for so many years is etrll to be discerned in the institutions of the country. Mr Seddon is remembered as one of those Titan spirits that cannot pass unmarked. It has been stated that his impress is still strong on the .people of New Zealand, but for our own part we should say that to assert this is rather to overstate the case. The influence of what a leader.has dene must be more or less abiding, whereas the influence of his example and methods may rapidly pass away. " In the words of a modern poet —

Man and his littleness perish, erased like an error and cancelled; Man aiid his greatness survive.

In that in which. Mr ' Seddon could be called great his influence survives. Tho littleness which was associated too often with his methods perished, we hops, with the. methods themselves. We see comparatively little evidence of the survival of what was termed Seddoniam in New Zealand to-day, : and we hear no desire expressed for its revival. '■ Truth to tell, when we consider the force he was in the land during his long regime as Prime Minister, it is a rather curious commentary on his career that his place should have been so quickly filled and the ripple caused by, his losßrshould. have so quickly sub-.

sided. But the personality, that commands largely by its appeal to the imagination is not exerting the best means to create r lasting impression. And in justice we cannot but remember that there were many things associated with the Seddon administration of a nature that are perhaps best forgotten. The strength which enabled Mr Seddon to take the place he did in the history ot New Zealand politics had its drawbacks. Mon6poly of power had in this country the effect it may always be expected to have. Where there is despotism there can be individuality only for one. It was always a fair criticism of Sir Joseph Ward's eminent predecessor in office that in domestic politics he was no* always an influence ,for good. His personal ascendancy was such that'the individuality of both Parliament ind Cabinet was seriously affected, and precious privileges of what should always be the highest tribunal in the land were whittled away. The Ministry usurped what once belonged to Parliament, and Mr Seddon dominated the Ministry. In every quarter wa6 observable the weakening effect . upon other authorities consequent on the centralisation' of power in one individual. The discriminating exercise of political patronage, the doctrine that constituencies which do not favour the Government need not expect the Government to favour them, the use of public works distributed as favours-as- an argument 'in electoral contests-such manifestations may be looked for in every country where the rule of Parliament is to be found combined ■ with a highly Jentxalised administration. • In New Zealand since tho shadow of these things has more or less lifted there has been or. improvement in the political level, and this may still go on rising with advantage. All of this shows, if it shows-anything that while a man of masterful and ambitious personality may achieve much, as Mr Seddon did, and write his name 'on the records of his day and generation and in the pages of a nation's history, he . may none the less leave behind him a good deal that requires undoing. In New; Zealand we have had to turn back from despotism'to domociacy. . ■■ ■