THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1893. MR GLADSTONE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2468, 23 February 1893, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1893. MR GLADSTONE.

The meanest and most ungenerous article which we haue seen for a long time was that which appeared in the leading columns of the Timaru Herald last Tuesday morning. That article depicted Mr Gladstone as one who always makes a great parade of principles while acting on expediency, and suggests that the interest he feels in Home Rule is prompted by his desires to secure the votes of the Irish members, so as to retain office. The tenor of the whole article will be gathered from the following sentence : "To speak plainly: We firmly believe that Mr Gladstone would give Ireland complete autonomy to-morrow, with no hampering limitations, if by so doing he could securely entrench his positiou in Great Britain ; and that for the same end he would joyfully leave the Home Rulers to fight their own battle." 'Practically that is as much as to say that, office is the first consideration with Mr Gladstone, and that for the sake of office he would either give or withhold Home Rule as it suited him. This is most outrageously false, unfair, and unjust, and it is very easy to prove that it is so. The vote of the Irish members turned Mr Gladstone out of office in 1885, and the Tories were then coquetting with Mr Parnell on the question of Home Rule. There was an understanding between the Tory leaders and Mr Parnell that if they won the election Home Rule would be granted. The Tories and the Irish members went hand in hand against Mr Gladstone, but the result of the election which was then held was that the Gladstonites had an immense majority over the Tories and Parnellites combined. But what was Mr Gladstone's first step after the election ? Did he turn round on the Irish and tell them that he could get on without them ? He did not. His generous soul overlooked the fact that they had a few months before turned him out of office, and had done their best throughout the election to secure his defeat. Like all truly great men he was above petty spite, and when he saw that Ireland returned 89 Home Rulers against 15 anti-Home Rulers he came to the conclusion that the time was ripe for granting self-government to Ireland. He introduced his Home Rule Bill; he was defeated on the first reading of it; he went to the country hand in glove with the Parnellites, and the result was that ho was beaten by an overwhelming majority. The Tories had a majority of about 130 over the Gladstoneites and Parnellites combined. There and then Mr Gladstone split up his splendid and wellunited party into sections; he severed friendships of life-long standing, and he sacrificed office because he felt that the time had arrived for doing justice to T -"land, yet the Herald tells us that he -**■- -ifice Ireland for the sake of would sai>_ m U with the weight of office. Poor old m... M cannot care 81 years on his shouldcs, ,-. '-is said a great deal for office now. Ho «,...

frequently, and there are few who win not believe him, that he has no object in life or desire for office except that which prompts him to settle the Irish difficulty. He desires to see that settled before retiring behind the scenes, yet we are told that he is a humbug who cares nothing for anything except office. This assumption is based on the fact that Mr Gladstone was once an opponent of Home Rule, and has changed his mind on that as well as on other questions. Was there ever a statesman who did not change his miud I The same accusation was made against Pitt, Palmerstoji, Peel, Disraeli, and every le.ider that has ever lived, for the reason that as circumstances change they must change with them. But what does this change of opinion mean >. It mnply denotes the true Liberal. The true Liberal changes his views with altered sonditions, but the Tory insists on adhering to existing institutions. There is no changing the Tory mind, but the Liberal miud is constantly changing, and if it had not boon so we should never progress or go ahead. Mr Gladstone has ilways been progressive, and his latest sfrbrts are certainly the most Liberal of lis whole life.

into the spirit of the movement. The enthusiasm was not confined to those present. Several letters were received, and each contained money or promises of it, and at the close it was found that nearly £SO had already been subscribed. That was very creditable for so small a meeting, and doubtless when the lists are closed a very substantial sum, that will be a credit to the town and district, will be subscribed. In arranging for the collecting of subscriptions the meeting decided not to go beyond the Temuka Road District. It was anticipated that tho people of Geraldine would get up a similar meeting, and it was thought undesirable to go into their districts. They will have the Geraldine and Mount Peel Road Districts, to work upon, and ought to be able to make up a good round sum also. If Geraldine is to do anything in the matter it is desirable that they should go to work at once. No doubt a good many of the donations will consist of produce, and it would be desirable that Temuka and Geraldine should combine together in forwarding the goods. It is not likely that the Union (Steam {Shipping Company will bother about taking such goods free of charge in dribs and drabs, so it i 3 desirable that both districts should put their heads together, so that the contributions of both should go at the same time. It may be, ton, that it would be as well to consult Tiinaru, so as to ascertain whon the produce from that town is to be shipped. We understand that the liorarata is to leave Timaru shortly, and it would bo desirable to have the goods ready to send by her. This will show the gentlemen who have been appointed collectors the necessity of going to work energetically. There can be no cioubt that the people of Queensland are very much in need of help. That could have been seen by the speech of Mr Lukin published in our last issue. But one misfortune has not come alone on them; they are now being visited by another flood which is nearly as disastrous as the one which visited them a fortnight ago, and those who had settled down in their homes are again being rudely disturbed. Theirs is a sad and pitiable condition, and we trust that their misfortunes will appeal to the charitable, and that everyone will give according to his means. So far as only £2OOO has been sent from London, or twice as much as Auckland has sent; we expected better from that quarter, and are astonished that so little has been sent. This is not the way to encourage Imperial Federation, or to cement the Empire together, but we believe the Londoners prefer taking than giving. If such a disaster happened in London, it is not £2OOO but £IO,OOO that would be sent from Brisbane, but the luke-warmness shown by the English peoole in this matter will tend to cool down colonial enthusiasm in the future.