THE PLAIN ISSUE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5487, 12 February 1896, Page 1

THE PLAIN ISSUE.

(From the Lyttelton Times.) ] ;T_lb; election;' that will take place. to r m6rrbw will provide a test as to the state of political feeling. IPor five years past the destinies of tlie' colony have been in the hands of the Liberal Party — first, ; under the late Mr Ballance, and then under Mr Seddon. The questions submitted to the electors now are— -(I) Whether they endorse the policy of the Liberal party j and (2) Whether, they desire to , maintain the Liberal Ministry in office. These are the issues, and upon them the electors of Chrißtchurch are asked to vote. It is true tbat a number of side issues have been raised, such aB prohibition, Ministerial inter- i ference, and s6 forth, but these are merely intended to draw attention from the main questions. The Liberal electors of this- constituency, which has been conspicuous in thehistoryof New Zealand politics for its devotion to Liberal principles, are, not to be led away by devices of that kind. They recognise that in votingfor Mr Lewis they would support a Conservative— a friend of the party of land monopoly, high rates of interest, class distinctions and reaction. Equally, the Liberal electors recognise that in voting for Mr T. E. Taylor they would assist an opponent of the Liberal Government and an enemy of tbe Liberal Party. It is true that Mr Taylor has donned Radical garments, but, disguise the fact; as he may, politics with- him are merely a means to an end. We are not ' Writing without -authority. ■'•'! Mr T?.vE.. Taylor poses ;«s.a Liberal; he desires to appropriate to himself 'the..' Liberal watchwords ; he bitterly complains at his 1 Liberalism being doubted ; and yet what has been his attitude to the Liberal leaders ? How did he treat Mr W. P. Eeeves, whose vacant seat he wishes to secure ? Time after time he charged him (in language which he invariably applies to honourable men who differ from bim)" with being"the toolof the liquorring." Did Mr Taylor ever try to strengthen Mr Reeves's hands in his fight against the sweating employers, the mercenary factory-owners who thought more of profits than of human health P Never. At almost every meeting held by Mr Eeeves in this city, Mr Taylor was conspicuous, not in order to encourage him in his struggle on behalf of the workers, but rather to try and destroy his influence, and damage his reputation. That was because Mr Eeeves was riot a prohibitionist. Mr T. E. Taylor has acted precisely in the same manner towards the Premier. In Cathedral Square on Saturday nights, in his organ, the Prohibitionist— wherever and whenever he could reach the people by voice or pcn — Mr Taylor has denounced Mr Seddon in the strongest language he could command. He has applied epithets tothe Premier of the colony which no respectable newspaper would dishonour its pages by printing, and in season and outof season hehas declared he would never rest content until Mr Seddon was expelled from oflice. And yet this, self-assertive yoUng*gehtleman expects the Liberal electors '.of Christchurch to be persuaded by his professions of Radicalism to vote against the most Eadical Governrnent that has ever held office in this or any other British colony. We wish to emphasise this point. Mr S ( eddon is at present the only possible Liberal leader inthe House of Eepresentatives. Sir Eobert Stout is not a Liberal leader. He has ceased to occupy that position. He would, if he could, restore the iniquitous property tax. He has opposed on every possible opportunity the Land for Settlements Act. He has pursued the Ministry for two years past with all the virulence of personal hostility. Where, then, could the Liberals turn for a leader if Mr Seddon were deposed? Possibly it is only his innate modesty and spirit of self-depreciation that have prevented Mr T. B. Taylor from openly declaring that he would be prepared to step into Mr Seddon's place and lead the Liberal Party. But, joking apart, what shall be thought of the assurance of a candidate who seeks to be returned to Parliament by the members of a great political party and yet bases his claim to their support upon his opposition to the leaders of the party ? Clearly, then, no elector who desires that the Liberal Party shall continue in power can vote for either Mr Lewis or Mr T. E. Taylor. The former is an avowed follower of Captain Eussell ; the latter is a bitter and personal opponent of the Premier and his colleagues. The constituency now has to choose between these two candidates and a gt nil em an who is pledged to support tho general policy of the Government. There can, we think, bo little doubt about the result ; but the Liberal electors of Christchurch should strive to make their verdict omphalic enough to discourage any further attempt to confuse the issues that are now before the country.