DANGERS OF DEMOCRACY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7684, 6 February 1904, Page 2

DANGERS OF DEMOCRACY.

Some Thoughtful Observations.

Iα concluding his reply to addresses presented to him at Greyuaouth, Mr B. S. Hawkins, the retiring Warden and Stipendiary Magistrate, made some remarks which are worthy of perusal by every elector. He said :—" Let me 6ay a few words before I say good-bye. I am an old man, in my 72nd year, yet I don't profess to know as much as a sixth standard boy. (Laughter). Still, I have had experience. In the Old Country I was a follower of the late William Ewart Gladstone, than whom a nobler, truer hearted lived in England, (Applause.) '.We 1 deceased statesman had helped to build up the fiscal policy, the best England had had. The other day, while looking through the Southern Cross History book I noticed the 40th article of the Charter of King John, which I would very much like to see hung up in large letters over the Magistrate's chair. This charter was exacted from King John by his Barons and was the foundation of our liberty. It is the charter not only of your liberties, but also of the independence of the Judges and Magistrates. But our liberties have been further secured by many a fight, and it must not be forgotten that in order to secure more liberty our ancestors cut off a King's head and exiled another from the country. Since then we have made progress in the great march for liberty. Democracy, too, has its dangers; we could not cut the head off Democracy, so it must be watched. I must, warn you that there is a tyranny in Democracy—for vengeance may come from Democracy—as well as in Kaisers, Emperors or Kings. The danger 13 that the people, though free born, yet forget the long and serious troubles through which their ancestors went in the great and noble cause of liberty. Another danger is that people do not read history, which should guide them. I fear that you treat your liberty as the electric telegraph or the telephone. People only learn to value that which they have near themselves. They inherited these, and do not recognise the great difficulties with which they had been obtained. Then they would have to watch the Executive or the Governmant, and only those measures which would benefit the greater bulk of the people should be enforced. This question was divided into two schools cf thought, viz. —(l) The "go-as-you-please" idea, or (2) State Socialism. You have to watch both very carefully, but the latter very particularly, because it is most aggressive. Don't let tne liberty or the rights of the community be sacrificed until you are very sure that it is not in the interests of a class only. Be very jealous for the rights of the unit, for if you injure the units you will disentegrate the mass. I have been very zealous for the honour and independence of this Court—for justice is liberty, and my last word to you all is ' Guard your liberty.' "