THE COMING STRUGGLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5655, 28 August 1896, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE COMING STRUGGLE.

(Wanganui Herald.)

In view of the coining 1 general elections, which will take place early in December next, the Conservative party are getting all their forces into fighting trim and under the necessary discipline. The party relies largely upon its National Association machinery to enlist recruits and drill its members generally, but so far it has not found niuch benefit from the methods adopted, for the simple reason that the majority of the electors are not in sympathy with the objects of the Association, which, so far from being " national/ are purely party, and Conservative at that. They have a large majority of the newspapers of the colony at their command and make the fullest use of them, flooding the columns of the Conservative journals with political canards, false charges and unfounded innuendoes against their antagonist?, who have the confidence and support of the people. We are told by these Conservative organs that thoiigh the Government lias an overwhelming majority at its back noAv, a change will speedily be witnessed, and that Ministers will come out of the approaching electioneering struggle badly beaten. We have been hearing this so long that we have grown accustomed to the prophecy, which everything goes to indicate will, not be fulfilled, but that on the contrary the Government will come off with flying colours and a big majority. For all that the Liberal Party must bestir itself and see that all its supporters are on the roll and that they record their votes on the polling day. It is also essential that the Christchurch fiasco shall not be repeated and an actual minority secure the victory. There must be no splitting of votes through selfishness of political aspirants who will stand against all comers despite the decision of the party to support a particular candidate. If anyone persists in contesting a seat in the Liberal interest against the wishes of the party, there is only one way of convincing such a one of his mistake, and that is to let him lose his deposit. Of cotirse this policy of restricting the number of candidates can, and no doubt will, be pursued by the other side, as it is patent to anyone that a scramble for seats is a waste of voting power and not in the interests of the electors. Let each side select its own candidate, and fight out the issue free of interference from other aspirants for the seat.