A Farmer's Boy,on the Farmers' Union conference.

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 11

A Farmer's Boy, on the Farmers' Union conference.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — The following parngi iph appeared in the Auckland Herald of the 11th ult. : — "The following telegram received from 'A Farmer's Boy' was read amid laughter at Monday afternoon's sitting of the Farmers' Union Conference at Wellington : ' I respectfully suggest conference request every branch of the union immediately petition Parliament to abolish all protecthe dutip-s go oppressive to miners, gumdiggers, bushmen, and country settlers generally.' "

The laughter does not annoy me, but, unfortunately, there is much more behind that laughter than appears on tho surface; whother it came from the delegates or the audience does not matter, but the Government party in the iinion scored a big victory, and all by this derisive laughter.

To understand this, let us go back 12 months, when. Mr Seddon decided that the Farmers' Union had been formed to oppose the Government, and the " producers' Union " was formed to net as a counterblast. It was a premature birth, however, and died in a few days, much to the relief of its parents, who saw they would be in continual trouble if it lived, as it would likely have proved to be just as great an enemy to trades unionism as the Farmers' Union could possibly be; so it was decided their supporters should join the latter, and so asßist the Government in that way. Then came the Farmers' Union Conference at Palmerston North, 27th July, 1901, when, amongst the seven planks of their platform we find : Taxation : " That Customs taxation should be for the purpose of revenue, and not a= a protective tariff to unduly bolster up industries." And at the conference on 7th July -in Wellington it has not altered much, and is still

" That taxation through the Customs should be for the purpose of raising revenue and not for protective purposes." This is just tho same plank with the smoothing plane run over it, and well seasoned ; but when they are asked to use it, a certain party at the conference laughs & think it Yf'aa ever intended to be u^gd

just before an election. What a splendid opportunity was lost ! The l-Xecutive Committee could have drafted a petition, had a few hundred of them printed, ported them off to the secretaries of branch unions who, a? this is a slack season, could easily have got. scores of young men and women to obtain signatures ; and aa every voter in the country would have been delighted to c ign, the petition, could hate been «enfc bark to Wellington within three weeks. Of course, 1 would not have expected to get protecthe duties abolished this session; but not enly the Government, but every member of the House would ha\e required to declare themselves for or against, so that we would have had a very clear issue to ha\e gone to the country on.

Unfortunately, thi? now means a retention of power by Seddon, Ward, and Co. for arother three years, unless the country set tiers throughout the* colony wake up and realise that "protective duties" arc the keystone of the triumphal arch which I dreamt was erected by co-operative labour to tho order of the Trades and Labour Council and Seddon and Co. to commemorate the 10 years which" they had spent in maeh harmony ; and which made them prosperous at the expense of every man, woman, and child in the colony not connected with the Trades and Labour Council.

If we make a vigorous effort even now wo may 'be able to dielodge the key«tcne aril make tho arch a heap of ruins. Through getting these protective duties the trades unionist has not only plenty of money for himself, but also fuiuls to go either into tho Arbitration Court or fig Jit an election. It ib a great pity that all the resolutions passed at tho la^t Trades and Labour Conference held at Auckland were not grouped toge-tlipr and publi-hed in eveiy newspaper circulating in the country; ;t would surely bo an eye-opener to our country (settlers.

From the fepeeehe* made by Mr Seddon in the House la-st year ho still looks upon Protection as loiingly as e\er, as it is this that keeps him in touch with his devoted friends, the trades unionists But e\en Mr •Seddon, clever a 9 he is, would not attempt to make them and the country settlers work amicably together. You will never see that until you see the lion and the lamb lying down together Ju?t let me assure the Farmers' Union that they would have done more good for the country at large, and it would have beon the most popular thing they could have done, had they g-ot up that petition for the abolition of protective duties. Not only would far-