The Wanganui Chronicle and Patea-Rangitikei Advrtiser. "Nulla Difs Sine Linea." MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1899 MR.WILLIS ON MR. SEDDON.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIII, Issue 15000, 4 December 1899, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle and Patea-Rangitikei Advrtiser. "Nulla Difs Sine Linea." MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1899 MR.WILLIS ON MR. SEDDON.

! It is, well known that, the so-called Liberal party in Wanganui decided to contest this, * olection as a, sort of forlorn hope. It is equally well known' that the •••elf-styled - loaders of the party did all in their nower I to secure what they considered a more suitable, candidate than Mr Willis, tnd that, after exhausting i_.e'roll of possible* local aspirants, every effort was put forth to try nnd induce the Hon. Mr Carroll to contest . the seat with- Mr Carson. However, as no 1 other lamb was willing to be led forth to the slaughter, Mr Willis had finally to be ( accepted, and he is. now the "Liberal" can- " didate, with the result that those", who a little while back were straining every nerve to find 'another man are now endeavouring to convince intelligent electors ' that Mjr. Willis is a BM-oUsa' politician; It is a terrible thing to be cursed with a ' ; bad memory : it 13 an excellent thing to be blessed with a good one. We reprinted : the other day, for the benofit of the electors, the Herald's opinion of Mr Willis, in which our contemporary plainly indicated that Mr Willis was about the most unsuitable candidate . who could be brought forward in the Government interest. Today, in view of the fact that Mr vWilis has had to ask Mr Seddon fo help him fight his battle, we feel constrained to publish Mr Willis' opinion of Mr Seddon. What Mr Seddon will think of it we do not know, but we think that it is more than probable that if Mr Willis ha d remembered the interview given by him to a Tuapeka Times reporter shortly after his -first session o£ Parliament he would have hesitated to ask the Premier to give him a hand. No doubt even now Mr Willis would yather for : gg£ tjrat memorable interview. However, coid tyfoi, £aonot very easily be rubbed out, ahd it js .on feetfrd jn cold print that this is what Mr aftejcw#.ydi3 tjhe obedient follower of Mr Seddon, and to-d'uy f» iCJMfdj.dato for election on Mr Seddon's ticket, told the interviewer : — "The money of the country was fought for and scrambled for day by day by members, and tbe man who sold himself oftcnest and voted most b'.indly and unquestionably at the call of Party, wus the man who brought home most of the spoil to his conr stituents. The independent stand ho took '' himself on the leather medal bu-'nuss brought him into disagreeable conflict wiih the Premier. At the conclusion of the debate the .latter accosted the member for | Wswjgfleai fo 'the \o"bJ?y, .and raising his ' great voice, .halite;}-- ''Npw, .then, Mr Willis, opposition like this wop/j. dfl ■ yo;*. must fall in line, cl.c—." Mr WilUs warmly resented being threatened in such a manner, and asserted his right to express iiim- "■ self as bis sense of right and judgment die- * tated on all suitable occasions. To be a good Party man, said Mr Willis, a man must be completely destitute of spirit, and be, in fact, nothing more than a mere automatum. Party Government, under the * present auspices, was utterly demoralising, , a»d -w^ld in time ruin the country if the countty dtdp't rise up and destroy it." What wiU iff §?ddon .say to this V "Party government, '(iruje*" tbi j/fc*=ent auspices,' was utterly demoralising and would , r in time ruin the country !" And this open confession not from a rabid story-telling Conservative, but from Mr Willis ! But what of Mr Willis? He claims t be standing: as a thick-and-thin supporter of the Government, a good party man, and therefore he is prepared to become a "mere automatum," a being "completely destitute of ssujirit." " Mr Willis need have no fear. 1 He wili ftoj; be allowed to so /Jegrade his manhood, for tjie (ejectors, who do hot want automatic representation, f^ll savo him from himself, and will neyer again allow him to subject hims-fcl ko the doffliirieering | influence of the "great voic.'." So far, ; Mr Willis' "words only seyw: to utterly condemn the Government pi which he is a support?"'- '.Wh.j? dees hf thank of Mr' Seddon "kifl-pU, bhu head qf that «ovcrriment ?" V-hst .are hi« wl pinions of the Ever»i_c to whom h_ has had to appeal for lelwtjojaeering assistance'; This, at anjrrate, is what he told the interviewer ;— ' "As regards Mr Seddon's capacity for , the Premiership, Mr Willis said he talked ! too .fßuel*.. , He often -talked, for two houw at a .'stretcjh V* -WSSP paltry .matters that could be disposed,.of .iujiive'.g)in,iites. Other objectionable feajjiu'.es v were his fnye/p---rate buptiousness nn.d 'his disjposition^ loudness and swagger in debate, lv point of intellectual ability, and in qualifications that distinguished .tiitcsuien, there was no comparison between the Premier and Sir Robert Stout." Only wee i,. ,it ou ; rcgprd that Mr Willis ventured to speak «)>t thus boldly. Af- • ter that it was a case of "fall lnt(> l' nc > or else—." Tbat .one outburst of indj#uan.; indepndence cost him n deal of obedient subjection, for it is written that ever afterwards and right up to tho present time he has been "a good party man." Today ho is asking the man who "talks too much," who is addicted to "inveterate bumptiousness" and a disposition to "loudness and swagger in debate," who is the head and front of an administration which is render- ' ing party government " Utterly 'leriioralis- i [ ing," and which in time will "niin the : I" country if the country doesn't rise up and J destroy it," to come to Wangauui and ' speak a little word for him. What will ' Mr Seddw. say to all this? Why, "fai. Ie- i

to line, or else." Oh'i MAVdllis" -it is sad ( to have a bad memory, very sad-,- for r.ords aro very much .like sins— they are bound to find you out... And what will you say to-day? \Wili|you : >iy'-.that* Mr Seddon has "ceased to talk too much," or th.it his i "inveterate bumptiousness " and his dispo- ' sition to "loudness and swagger in debate" , are characteristics of which he is no longer possessed? Scarcely.' The electors of Wanganui we think will form their own opinions concerning such miserable political shuffling, and. will pin their faith to Mr Carson, who is strong enough and plucky enough to fight his battle single-handed. And after all, we do not know but what Mr Seddon in his heart would rather have Mr Carson iv the Houso as an opponent, than Mr Willis as "a good party man.",