The Victorian Elections.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 43, 23 October 1902, Page 6

The Victorian Elections.

For some months prior to the recent parliamentary election in Victoria we heard a great deal about what some newly formed religious and political associations were goiing to do when a suitable opportunity offered. The opportunity came in due course but these striforaisers do not seem to have been noticed by either party. A striking feature of the contest (says the ' Advocate ') was the absence, withi a few trifling exceptions, of sectarian animosities and bitterness, and as a natural corollary there followed the humiliating defeat of a number of the recognised champions of religious discord and social strife. In Ballarat West the electors relegated to obscurity Mr. 11. T. Vale, a candidate who has hitherto held a secure seat by the aid of the Orange fanatics. It is certain that if Orangeism could have direct representation in the Legislative Assembly no more fitting Representative of that distinguished body of patriots could bo found than the ex-member for Ballarat West. Happily, for the peace and well-being of the .community, Orangeism at the most is but an ugly excrescence on the body politic, and in normal times -is not merely a negligible, but a despicable, quantity, hence the rejection of men of the Vale stamp at the polls. The electors of Richmond also emphatically resented the affront offered to them in the candidature of another shining light of OrangeHsm — James Munro — who, with true Orange modesty, announced beforehand his determination to head the poll. He was instead very properly placed at the bottom, as was his confrere, Mr. Baragwanath in the South Melbourne constituency, whilst at East Bourke Boroughs another of the fraternity in the person of Mr. Methven had his services dispensed with. Not less remarkable than the Orange rout was the defeat of several nominees of the ' Age,' who evidently thought that the support of that journal was sufficient to ensure their return. On the other hand, several candidates whom the 'Age' assailed with its accustomed vituperation werb successful, and amongst these our readers will .be pleased to find 1 Mr. J. G. Duffy, returned for Kilmore. The Richmond electors once again placed their old representative, Mr. CJ. H. Bennett, in his accustomed posiition, at the head of the poll, whilst Mr. Trenwith, whom the 'Age' honored and assisted by its virulent hostility, was returned a good second. It is very evident that the electors of this constituency do not take kindly to the insolent dictation of the 'Age,' nor to the fetid surroundings of Orangeism The return of Mr. Holden for the electorate of Warrenheip is a significant instance of the absence of sectarian preiudice in constituencies where Catholics predominate. In former election contests Mr. Holden's return was confidently attributed to the number of Catholic candidates who split the vote. On this occasion, however, although but one Catholic candidate opposed Mr Holden, the latter was again returned. Thtis is 1 a fact which might engage the attention of the clerical firebrands who have so persistently of late declaimed against Ihe iniquity of the Catholic vote On the other hand it is notorious that in country districts the Bible-in-Schools advocates made full use of the pulpits to advance their cause Taking a, comprehensive view of the election results it is safe to say that, putting aside all considerations of purely political questions, the country is to he congratulated upon the exclusion of a nuclei of men whose associations with the bigoted a T d irti lerant cult of Ornrmoism rendered them unfit for a position in any deliberative assembly of gentlemen