The Timaru Herald SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1907. MR WATSON'S RETIREMENT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13421, 19 October 1907, Page 4

The Timaru Herald SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1907. MR WATSON'S RETIREMENT.

The retirement! of Mr J. C. Watson from Federal politics, which is defihttdy foreshadowed this morning, wilt Mean a distinct Ices to the public life of the Commonwealth, and indeed to the colonies generally. . Tho example of such u man who raises himself from the jiumblesb circumstances to the highest position in the gift of his country is a- national asset,, of no mean order, as was (so widely impressed upon us in N-tw Zealand when the late Mr Seddon was summoned Away from the isphete of activity which"' Mi' Watson is wolunlaiily relinquishing. In some respects the career of the Federal Labour leader is perhaps more imprett>ive than that of Mr Seddon himself. Starting from an equally unpromising railtage point —most of our n-adcis are doubtless aware that Mr Watson commenced life in a printing office in Oaiqjjru—he contrived to mak<3 himself a conspicuous figure id' the politics of the island continent 'at a remarkably early age, and achieved the great distinction of forming a purely Labour Government, which, during i'a brief existence of four months, established • a, -reputation for sound and careful, administration. Moreovsr, during most, of the time that lie lias been out of office, the leader/of live Labour Party .has been the power behind the throne, and if he has not been able to cany on an administration entirely to his own way of think- > ing,.he has at least exercised a great influence in mouldingi tin policy of the Protectionist party with which he has tb n large extent been able to work. ;We ■have--very little doubt that his ailieis and in fact the publio generally throughout Australia, will deeply regret'the withdrawal of' 'this tactful and, temperate Labour leader. In some respects he inay be compared to the Hon. .1. A. Millar, who'has managed to win and' retain the confidence' of the employing and propertied clasfi-'-s in New Zealand, in spite of his -recognised position at the head o£ the force.? of unionism. Like Mv Milter, Mr Watson has acquired the reputation of being a "safe" man, and' there can, be no question that grave apprehensiod will be- excited by his immediate retirement from the generalship of the 'Labour Party. When his lestraining hand iff gone, it is hard to say into what extremes of. policy and methods the party may be driven by the. mure ■-.turbulent spirits in it. We should rather bo inclined to think that the influence of Ibo ultra-Radical (section of his followers has had something to do with .the announcement of Mr Watson's retirement, although it is diplomatically ascribed to private reasons. Nobody avlio has followed tho hLstoiy; of any of the Labour partial' in, the Australian States, 'or in England, needs to be told how tliflicult i L is. for » leader to retain Jiis prostigc and authority for any length of time. After years'of service, iri the cause of labour, John'-'Burns .became' an" object of scorn and coirturtiiely when he accepted office in the Cabinet of 'Sir Henry Campbell-Banneruiaii, and--iset about the work of administratiohMviih a thoroughness and impartiality which wa« in Btrikiug Contrast to that of his Conservative predecessors;' In Queensland again, fi.i* - quite recent history tliat the extremists of the L-abour Party took up arms agahitst their former leader,; Mr Kidstoii, wlibse natural wariness, and practical .experience in the art of governing, told..him. ithat it Was worse than dangerous for a politician to attempt to march too fait : alidad oi the general bulk of. public ophiitjh. We should not be surprised if, wlien; the full story of Mr Watson's ietir«ment comes to bo tdld, it is found that, the pressure- upon him '. f ronv his follow ere lias reached a breaking point, and be is seeking -relief by falling back into pfiviate life. Should this bB the case, Atetralia will have good cause lb lament his kiss.,