The Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1887. WHICH SHALL IT BE? CHOLERA OR PROTECTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5990, 27 July 1887, Page 3

The Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1887. WHICH SHALL IT BE? CHOLERA OR PROTECTION.

The electors of Canterbbuy owe a debt of gratitude to Mr Garrick. A great question is before them. He has put it in a nutshell. An epigram has before now changed the fate of worlds. Mr Garrick, when ho told the electors of St Albans that he would sooner havo " cholera than Protection," was the author of an epigram, which, if it does not change the fate of a world, is likely to change his own fate as a candidate for St Albans, and by 60 doing materially help tho cause of Protection.

A great American public writer on political economy deolared, only a few months ago, his conviction " that the forces of the " age are tending strongly in the direction "of Protection ; that in my judgment the "world is on tho eve of a greatProtec- *' tionist agitation." Those who keep them-

selves acquainted with what is going on in the world, will agree with this opinion. There is scarcely a nation of tho civilised world which is not now agitating about this great question. The people of New Zealand—who, though far removed from the centres of political thought,, are wonderfully alive to its pro-grets—-take their full share in the discussion of this great question. They recognise that the future welfare of this young country is intimately concerned in the encouragement of its Native Industries. They see that if employment is to be found for the people— if their young men, after being sufficiently well educated by the State to do their part well in the business of life, axe not to bo driven out of tho Colony to seek a living in other lands, they must have Protection.

Mr Garrick declares himself a Free* trader on principle. True, ha says he will not actively interfere to repeal the present 15 per cent tariff on certain imported articles. Bat who can trust a "Freetrader on principle " to keep such a promise ? To begin with, it is in direct violation of I hia own principles. A promise thus given has a dishonest flavour about it. Those who believe it, deserve to be betrayed. The next Assembly will certainly be divided on this question. The Freetraders will, as a matter of course, band together to obstruct and oppose Protection by every possible means. Among them will certainly be found Mr Garrick, the Freetrader on " principle." The electors of St Albans, if they wish to support Protection, must turn a deaf ear to Mr Garrick's sophistries. If they want to arrive at Mr Garriok'a real opinion on the subject, they mußfc try to realise the force of his famous saying. The most fatal and destructive disease known in modern times ia cholera. Since the days of

the plague— the " black death " of two

centuries ago — no epidemic of a more ap- { palling character is known than cholera. ■L /n its dread presence even humanity Jpf often forgets itself, and the ties of family affection are forgotten. Base terror brutaliseß man, and horrible selfishness often allows the wretched sufferers to die untended, or to ba carted away for burial ■white still alive. This is a true picture of cholera and its effects, au it occurred the other day in the Argentine Republic. Let the eleotors remember that Mr Garrick, prefers CHOLERA TO PROTECTION.