"IN THE CAUSE OF THE PEOPLE."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5667, 11 September 1896, Page 5 (Supplement)

"IN THE CAUSE OF THE PEOPLE."

THE LIBERAL AND LABOUR PROGRAMME. As finally agreed upon, the "platform " of the Canterbury Liberal and Labour Political Council is broad ©hough to comprehend Liberals of all degrees of advancement and shades of colour. No sincere Liberal has a pretext for holding aloof from united action under the electoral programme that has been promulgated, on the plea that it does not go far enough, or on the ground that it does not include a catalogue of progressive measures to satisfy the veriest glutton for reforms. There are enumerated, under seventeen headings, legislative proposals which might monopolise the attention of Parliament for half-a-dozen sessions at least, and which would, if carried " : into~- : law, 'effect a-cbmplete constitu-. tiona) find; sobial revolution. . In ; ordinary circumstances, the promulgation of such a comprehensive programme on the eve of a general election would be a course to be strongly deprecated, as likely to lead to confusion andto the postponement of the very reformssoughttobef urthered. Obviously it is vain to expect to find many candidates prepared to pledge themselves to every part of the Council's programme ; indeed, we should be inclined to look with very grave suspicion upon any aspirant to parliamentary honours who was willing to subscribe forthwith to the whole of its seventeen planks. But we take it that wholesale endorsement of the programme is the last thing that the Liberal and Labour organisations j desire ; and herein consists the exceptional nature of the .ci rcuinstances ; • under which the programme has been formulated. The primary object of the Political Council is ; to secure Liberal unity, and to do this it is necessary to make concessions to the particular views held by progressive Liberals, trade unionists, prohibitionists and social reformers. Viewed in this light, the programme is drafted with coriaiderable skill, and deserves to succeed in the admittedly difficult task of reconciling differences and preventing a disorganised rush of candidates representing every, conceivable shade of opinion. For purposes of utility, in the present state of our political machinery, it would be better to fight au election on a few distinct issues, embracing the leading questions in practical politics now engaging public attention, as in that way there would be more likelihood of -securing a majority of representatives pledged to these particular reforms. The danger. of a general election on an all-embracing platform is that we may get a House composed of men pledged to many of the proposals, and yet not comprising a majority that would support more than one or two of the measures. In the absence of popular power of initiating legislation, it is generally well to limit an electioneering programme to proposals that have received the sanction of one of the political parties, so that there may be no dissipation and waste of energy. But in special circumstances, such as exist in Canterbury at the present time, that is not possible, and hence the . course that has been adopted must be commended. One thing is very certain : there will be no danger of a Conservative sailing into Parliament under false colours if the principal points in the programme should be insisted upon. It would be well, however, if there could be a clear indication given of the proposals that are distinctive. There are a number of measures in the list, such as the referendum, the elective Executive, re-valuation of lands, and the removal of all civil and political disabilities from women, that will doubtless be supported by candidates on the Conservative side, and we fear that some unthinking electors may be induced to. believe that gentlemen who subscribe to these proposals are necessarily. Liberals. Let us not be misunderstood. The proposals on the list which we suppose many Conservatives will support are all undoubtedly Liberal, and have our earnest advocacy ; but they are so near realisation that the Conservatives astutely profess to believe in them in order to get into power if possible and check the more Eadical reforms. Hence the possibility of confusion and the desirableness of having stated in bolder relief those legislative proposals that mark the line of cleavage between political parties in New Zealand. "We have no doubt that as the election draws nearer means will be found of freeing the minds of the electors of all confusion. One of these means is al ready being developed in the proposal to select the candidates who should receive the support of the Liberal and Labour organisations. -The Political Council is in this matter approaching a much more delicate ta?k than the framing of a programme, and we trust that the members will .exercise all possible tact and judgment, remembering always that it is not well to lay down rigid lines of procedure or to betray moTe than a disposition to assist the electors to arrive at right conclusions. In the meantime, the Council deserves to be congratulated upon the encouraging success that has so far attended its efforts to draw all sections of the party together.