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Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1905. ADAM SMITH ON MODERN POLITICS.

Adam Smith is well known as the author of " The Wealth of Nations," a took most people have heard of, and but few have read. From an author who wrote in 1776 we should not expect much guidance, but we doubt whether even the Leader of the Opposition could give a better explanation of the present state of New Zealand than the following extract from the luminous work of the eighteenth century, to which we have referred:—" The uniform, constant and uninterrupted effort of every man to better his condition, the principle from which public and national, as well as private opulence is originally derived, is frequently powerful enough to maintain the natural progress of things towards improvement, in spite of ■ both the extravagance of government and of the greatest errors in administration. Like the unknown principle of animal life it frequently restores health and vigour to the constitution, in spite not only of the disease, but of the absurd prescriptions of the'doctor,"

Even Mr Chamberlain seems to have had his theories forestalled more than a century ago, as is shown by the quotation which follows :—" The annual produce of the land and labour of England is certainly much greater than it was a little more than a century ago, at the restoration of Charles 11. Though at present few people, I believe, doubt of this, yet during this period five years have seldom passed away, in which some book or pamphlet has not been published ; written, too, with such abilities as to gain some authority with the public, and pretending to demonstrate that the wealth of the nation was fast declining; that the country was depopulated, agriculture neglected, manufactures decaying, and trade undone. Nor have these publications been all party pamphlets, the wretched offspring of falsehood and venality. Many of them have been written by very candid and very intelligent people, who wrote nothing but what they believed, and for no other reason but because they believed." Apart from the interest of the matter of this paragraph, the manner in which Mr Smith speaks of Ins adversaries, is a model of how to conduct a controversy without forgetting that one is a gentleman. Poor Mr Chamberlain suffers all the same. •

It is long since so strong a»d doughty a champion of independence and liberty, as Mr John Hutcheson, has appeared before an electorate in . New Zealand. We have, of late, become so accustomed to professional politicians, 'claqueius, and Ministerial nominees among candidates, that it is breezy

and refreshing to hear that the most intrepid Parliamentarian of this era in New Zealand has consented to offer himself to the electors of the capital. We have always entertained some respect for Mr Hutcheson as a highminded, high-spirited politician; who, if he has not yet made his mark as a constructive statesman, has established, for a record, unflinching courage and consistency. When Mr Hutcheson was in the House, he stood virtually alone in his uncompromising resistance to autocratic methods in democratic guise, and it will be remembered that he made his . mark and struck dismay into the Seddonian camp. That his attitude commanded the, confidence of the Wellington people was triumphantly shown by his return after his voluntary retirement. This was a truly dramatic episode, and when Mr Hutcheson finally retired he left behind him quite a new record. Mr Hutcheson's abilities are of the first order. We have always recognised in him a man of great qualities, which are as yet but partially understood. His present appearance as a candidate is in every way dignified, and worthy of the man and of the city which desires him for its representative—the nominee of no clique and no Minister; not chosen for servile attachment to the latter or pliant demeanour towards the former; not selected after an exhibition of make-believe reluctance, but chosen because he is a strongman among weaklings, an independent among dependents. That Wellington will send him in with eclat may almost be looked upon as a foregone conclusion.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDT19050323.2.20

Bibliographic details

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8097, 23 March 1905, Page 4

Word Count
685

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1905. ADAM SMITH ON MODERN POLITICS. Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8097, 23 March 1905, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1905. ADAM SMITH ON MODERN POLITICS. Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8097, 23 March 1905, Page 4