COOK SUCCEEDS DEAKIN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 19, 21 January 1913, Page 6

COOK SUCCEEDS DEAKIN.

IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FEDERAL OPPOSITION.

(Received 9.30 a.in.) Melbourne, January 21

It is reported that Mr. Joseph Cook, deputy-leader of the Federal Opposition, at a meeting of the Party, received twenty votes and Sir John hoirest nineteen. Mr. Irvine declined to be a candidate. Mr. Cook announces a Liberal policy, including the maintenance of the present Commonwealth tariff, the constitution of a permanent non-politi-cal body, an authorised report from Parliament regarding industries and commerce; and the effect of the taiiff upon capital anijl labour, and will make recommendations for the adjustment of the tariff.

When the party meets to choose another leader, it will have the choice between three men at least, and, perhaps, more (wrote the Daily lelegraph of the 9th instant). But three men stand out pre-eminently as those who will have to be seriously reckoned with. It may be easy enough to reduce them to two—Mr Cook, the present deputy lebder, and Mr W. HIrvine, the member for Flinders. Mr Cook has been the head and front ot the fighting strength of the Opposition in the House of Representatives; it has been he who, while Mr Deakm has not been well enough to engage in the more hazardous work, has kept the Opposition flag flying- For he has in a remarkable extent the parliamentary instinct. There is not member on the Opposition side who can compare with him in recognising the importance of apparently small things and in seeing through the motives behind the political movements of his opponents. a Some members of the party are inclined to think that Sir John Forrest should be regarded as having more than a sporting chance for the leadership. Sir John Forrest has a compact little following, which would stand by him in any emergency. But he is too exquisitely indiscreet to be lifted into a responsible post or that sort. Yet there is no man more popular in the House, and the few months that he once acted- for Mr Dealun, whilst Mr Deakin was away in England at the Imperial Conference led to a high opinion being formed ol his administrative ability, and of his sense of the obligations of leadership. It is not, however, in the department that Sir John Forrest gives food tor the enemy to feed upon. It is in the Parliament itself, where the most serious mistakes are liable to be made,' and where aft indiscreet ntteiance on the spur of the moment may plunge the whole organisation at the back of him in, an inextricable tangle.