TRUST THE PEOPLE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 942, 26 March 1908, Page 22

TRUST THE PEOPLE.

Mr A. C. Cripps, K.C., who, as prospective candidate in the Conservative and Unionist interest for South Bucks, has just concluded a tour of the division, referred to the licensing question. He said that everyone wished that we should be a sober, a temperate nation. That was common ground between them, and where they differed was as. to how to bring that about. Now, he wanted to lay dow-> this principle in matters of this rind—that, however much they desired to bring about the condition to which he referred, they must not do it apart from the greatest fairness and just dealing. It was the essential rule of every reform—of every proper reform—that we should be fair and just, and deal in a broad and manly spirit with all men and all interests. We ought to have no class feeling in this country. We ought to have no feeling against any particular industries. When some national reform was wanted it should be carried put upon just and fair conditions, and in the long run, under a system of that kind, they could carry out the reform without provoking that feeling of bitterness which was naturally felt by people improperly treated. He wanted temperance, but he objected to h's throat being held open under the village pump whether he wanted water or not. They ought really to treat one another as grown-up, sensible people, who, if they did not go in for excess, were entitled to have what they wanted ; for the poor man was just as much entitled to his pint of beer, if he kept sober, as the rich man who could go to his cellar at home. He was perfectly frank in the matter, and he recollected a bishop once saying that if it came to a question of h's fellow men being sober or free, he would rather have them free, for if they wanted to apply the true principle they must apply it by trusting the people, by appealing to their better instincts, te’ling them they ought to be temperate as a mat.er of social duty. He had no doubt that in the long run. along that line and through those principles, they would get a much greater people, a much more progressive and a much happier neople than they would get by Act of ParFament-—an experiment which was generally a failure. —London L.V. Gazette.