The Waikato Argus

Waikato Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1555, 13 May 1903, Page 2

The Waikato Argus

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The Parliament of Victoria will meet to-day, and will without doubt adopt the most stringent measures to rectify railway matters and punish the men who, utterly regardless of the consequences to the whole population of the colony, have paralysed the trade of the country. The Strikers' Executive have published a manifesto to the voters of Victoria, in which they ask, ' What other course was open to us,' and concludes : ' If the Government will only suggest any reasonable proposition they will find us reasonable. We have proved our strength.' In reply to the question, the reply of every reasonable man will be : 'To have obeyed the Government by disassociating themselves from a body which assumed to itself the right to supercede the Parliament of the country, and dictate as to how Ministers, who are the executive of Parliament, shall manage one of the great departments of the State.' As to the Government making any reasonable proposition, the position is much as was that at the commencement of the Boer war—there must be absolute and unconditional surrender on tbe part of the men. The fight in this case is Trades Hall against the whole population, and the safety of the State and the liberty and well-being of the people are at stake. It is preposterous that a body of Government servants should be associated with such a body as the Trades Hall, which its adherents term the Parliament of Labour. It is gratifying to find that the Press of all the colonies, regardless of political leanings, condemns the action of the men. The Age, which is the leading Radical paper of the colonies, uses very strong language. The men in their manifesto claim that they have shown their strength. What sort of exhibition of strength have they made ; they have refused to carry on the traffic, and have, of course, hampered the Railway Department for the time being. They have struck a surprise blow, and have in addition struck that blow beneath the belt. It has fallen to the lot of the Victorian Parliament to stand up for the liberty of the people. The question they have to decide is as to whether Parliament or the Trades Hall shall govern the country. The only body which has a right to interfere in the management of Government railways is the Parliament elected by the people, and it is for Parliament, backed as it unquestionably will be by public opinion, to make this clear for all time.