The Star. SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1887. POLITICAL INGRATITUDE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5993, 30 July 1887, Page 5

The Star. SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1887. POLITICAL INGRATITUDE.

Ingratitude is one of the very worst vices. The man who forgets good that has been done him in the past should never be trusted in the future. But in nine cases out of ten the ungrateful mtva does not forget Buch benefits. He remembers them well enough, but remembers them only to return them with evil. That man is dangerous to society. He is worse than the rogue, the thief, or the liar. He is capable of committing every evil under the sun. These are strong words, but most of us have seen them proved over and over again in our lives. If there are any of our readers young and trusting enough to doubt their truth, we recommend them to try the experiment for themselves.

What is true of the individual is equally true of communities. A nation can no more be ungrateful for services rendered, without sinning, than an individual. It is in order that thi3 community may not be led away to commit this evil, that we protest against tho doctrine laid down by the Opposition papers that, in this crisis of a general election, it ia indecent and out of place for the Government to refer to their past services, and that the people should pay no attention to such references.

Those who propound and publish Buch a doctrine incite the people to the worst form of political ingratitude. How are we to judge of any Government but by their past aota ? By their fruits shall ye know them. That ia an eternal truth derived from the highest authority. And it can be applied to no better purpose than to enable ua to form a right judgment of the acts of those to whom the destinies of the country have been com^ mitted. The Government now stands on B its trial. It was defeated by a bare majority, worked up for .the occasion by the Bucs9Bß{ul^ractico-o£ all the wll-known

political trickß usual at such crises. It has appealed to the country for a wider verdict. And now, forsooth, the electors are told it is altogether out of place and beside the question for the Government and its supporters to refer to their services in the past.

In the coming contest of political parties the public cannot spend their time to better advantage than in studying the acts of the Government for the last three years. That they have done all the good they wished is, needless to say, out of the question. But, considering the circumstances, it is wonderful to see to what a record of good works they can appeal. During the whole session they have never had a strong numerical following in the House, and were never therefore jn a position to carry their measures as they wished. During their whole term of office the business of the Colony haa been seriously depressed, and in consequence the public revenue haß steadily fallen off. From these causes, and not from any fault of their own, the Government haa had a grievously difficult task to perform in carrying on the public business to the satisfaction of the people. Sympathy from political opponents is not to be expected ; but we venture to think that when the people recall to memory the services rendered them under exceptionally unfavourable circumstances, they will pronounce with one accord the verdict of " Well done, good and faithful servants."

This is their record. They have commenced a well-considered progressive system of retrenchment, by which a sum of .£BO,OOO has been already saved, and by which a further sum of three times that amount will eventually be saved each year, without destroying the efficiency of the public service, and without inflicting wholesale suffering and injustice on individuals who have done nothing to deserve such treatment. They have kept taxation within the closest possible limits. They have put the Colony in a Btate to defend itself against the sudden [ assaults of its enemies. They have done their best to encourage the industries of the Colony, though systematically opposed by the Freetrade members — supported for party reasons by the Protectionist Atkinson. They have done what no other Government | has ever succeeded in doing — though many have pretended to try— carried Bills for dealing with Native lands which will put a stop, let us hope for ever, to the vile j system of land sharking which has de- [ moralised both European and Native in the North Island for years past. They have also been the first Government that has succeeded to any extent in really settling the people on the land, and, if their work is not stopped and reversed by a Hall-Atkinson Government, they will before long settle many thousands more on the waste lands of the Crown. They have successfully withstood all attacks on the national system of free education, whether coming from their own friends or from foes. And all this time, in spite of declining revenues, failing trade, and financial difficulties, they have steadily pushed on public works of a useful character in different parts of the Colony. To come nearer home, they fought the battle of our Midland Eailway with courage and tenacity, and carried it to a successful issue against very heavy odds. This is a record of which any Grvovernurent may be justly proud. And yet we are told by the Press that the Government only refers to their past .history to lead the people astray from the isoues of the future. The Press does not say what it means by these " issues " of the future. We will do so for the writer. They are simple enough. Shall the people supporba Government which has done so well for them in the past, or shall it turn them out in order to substitute a HallAtkinson Ministry, whose leading principles on the important matters of taxation and " the land " are essentially opposite to those of the present Govern- | ment ? If such, a change is effected, we \ shall see no more village settlements, or j any other kind of land settlement for the people, carried out, though we shall doubtless hear a great deal of talk about it. We shall see the Native' Land 3 Bills repealed at Mr Ormond's bidding. We shall see the education system endangered by ruthless retrenchment, and we shall as certainly see the exemptions under the Property tax done away with. These are no imaginary evils. It is for ihe electors to decide whether they will risk them. On the one hand, they have a Government with a grand record of good work done. On the other, they are asked to support a party which will certainly stop the good work now being carried on, and then reverse the engine and start in an opposite direction. This is the true position. We cannot doubt what the answer will be. The electors, we are sure, will refuse to support these reactionists. They will recognise the services of the present Ministry, and encourage them to go on in the good work. Above all, they will sorn to be guilty of

POLITICAL INGEATITUDE,