Taranaki Herald. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1903.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12440, 18 December 1903, Page 4

Taranaki Herald. FRIDAY , DECEMBER 18, 1903.

TTHB FEDERAL" ELECTIONS.

1 we may tave to wait ■at day or two for tte complete rejtums of the Federal elections it ■seems certain, that the labour party have scored heavily .and voll : go back to Parliament even stronger than. they >yere before :the .■elections. 1 In 1901, whea the first Parliament was elected,-twenty-four, > s Labour . candidates were' ' returned s—sixteen:•5 — sixteen :• to -the ißfe-use of ." -. and eight to the Senate.' A " forecast of the state of parties in the Parliaments gives eighteen seats to 'Labour in the House and eleven ( :in the Senate. This means that the party will practically have complete control of , Federal politics, for no Government can hold office for, a. day-, without its assistance, fhe result is scarcely r to be Wondered at, for the Labour party., is reaUy the only party in the Commonwealth which works for a common object, independent of* State- and local politics. A labour candidate in Western Australia has the same aims as th& „one in Queensland, and ihe /principles 6t the party stand higher with him than any other-. 'considerations. Outside. .«f that t'articular patty common interests are lamentably weak. The Western States care nothing for the Eastern. There is, it is true, v a line /drawn between Protectionists and Freetraders, ;but, excj&pt in New South Wales, the Freetrade party is numerically small; Almost insignificant. Labour; ds the^ otily great party and^ it has" practicaily carried the elections. "The Government and Opposition parties are apparently so evenly .divided that neither one nor the Mother can command a ihajori^r without the -assistance of the Labour party., The., leader of the party f Mr Watson, has in effect der clared that the party is not in . politics for. the good, of its health ■ —it. means business. The Government thai: will carry out its behests will live,, and whe.n if defies its. mas- . ters it will die. And, \v hat are those behests likely to be ? The answer is plain— Australia for Australians^ higher wages, coin'pulsory arbitration. Outsiders must be kept outr side, and tndse within must conform to the wishes of Labour— or - go. With a coqntry trying out tor as , Australia is, the prospect is not an alluring one. . Already there is a feeling of , ua-. easiness about the drift of labour. , legislation, but apparently it is not strongs enough to . withstand, the organfeat&n, .. &L <fte partyV - A single class has succeeded in controlling the nation, and it will continue its control until, the nation unites against the tyranny. .

party even stronger representation than wa^at firs^theught..).,,...,^ -