"STRIKEOUT THE TOP LINE."

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIII, Issue 1500, 5 December 1899, Page 2

"STRIKEOUT THE TOP LINE."

To The Editor.. : Sir,-^-Going about with ones ©yes and • i ears open, and mouth shut, tea^fcfi thafc 'a ; | peculiar combination is taking plate ■ ' amongst the electors for the voting at the coming election. Everything is beitjg sacfii ficed by the brewing and publican element to secure the return of Government candidates in order to obtain the greatest consideration for those- particular trades. 1 Every vestige of political treed is being | wilfully sacrificed or this altar. Hitherto strong supporters of the Opposition are now ' found clubbed together on ihe Government side to secure the return of candidates who will unqucstioningly support the GoYern--1 ment in order that the licensing laws may ' not be altered, in the direction of curtailing , the liquor traffic. Now, tir, it is quite | time that sueh a combination should be checked. I am- by no means a prohibitionist, but I see very plainly that, if poHtictjf are to be prostituted in this way .by the ■ j liquor party in order to gain their ends. | the same tactics will have to be practised. ' by the moderates in pyder tq scout? ii fair : field' for political feeling Mid action. Those in favour of the Opposition candi- ' | dates must form a similar combination, ' and when recording their votes must aee to it that they deal a death Wow to such in- ] terference in future, by taking out of tne | voting this element of difference which is so pa'pably wrecking the good Government of the people of the colony. This, apparently, can only be done in one way, and that is by crushing the combination' or rather, I should say, crushing the motiva for that (combination, out of 'existence. The motive is the retention of tfce liquor traffic ; once get this question Anally -out qf the noses fit the public, oncl -the real political trend of the various candidates will then get the consideration due to im- , portant, a subject* and the c.ndidnte who j best represents the views of the people will ;be the man who will successfully negotiate an election instead of, as afc present, the one who is most in favour of the liquor interests. It appears to me, Sir, that the easiest and most effectual way of meeting this problem is for the supporters of the Opposition candidate at our coming poll to Strike Out the Top Line, ;tnd~so once and for all rub out this bone of contention amongst voter* and bring 1 all to the poll on the direct political question only. If, as seems to be the case, tha 'iquor party ar» tt'l supporting the Government men, they must have some very strong motive for - such action, and that motive certainlv is not the abolishment of the liquor trade ; therefore it is fairly .safe to say that they are of opinion that that trafte. 'js aat.6r \\\/ der the flveseut government than wuuld be the ca»e were the Oppositiqn t<i come into power. Then, Sir, it roads that to fight fhe combination referred to obive, the liquor poll must be abolihhed and ko let the trade combination, which cares not a button for the welfare of the colony or its peop?o be "hoist with its own, petard." - It is the only way their extreme selfishness can bo brought home to them, and the onljj way they can be made to t:ike a reasonable interest in the j-oJitical requirements uf the country. Commending thesT> few words to the earnest consideration of our Voters, I iiiii, etc., i - A WINE-BIBBER.