DISREPUTABLE TACTICS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 642, 22 May 1882, Page 2

DISREPUTABLE TACTICS.

[“ Manawatu Standard. ”] A hot contest is at present being fought between Messrs Saunders and Ivess for the vacant Wakanfai-.seat. It does not seem, so far as the - Utter candidate is concerned, that, -too much magnanimity is displayed.*. .Mr Ivess is a newspaper man, that is t® say he owns or controls a paper at Ashburton, ■ and it is to the tone of'ftis organ, doubtless inspired bV himsef£ that we take exception. Some people think all things are fair in love and .war. We think there are limits which an honorable opponent would hot exceed, even when engaged in a hot political struggle. We do not think that is -right, fair, or consistent with good feeling, to attempt to damage an opponent’s chances qf success by raking up events nearly a quarter o! a century old,-'aha then either wilfully or inadvertently missrepresenting those events.. We know of old, and have heard, that ‘Mr Ivess does hot pretend to be very straightlaced, but we think he is adopting a course in this contest that the electors will reseat in an unmistakable manner. It appears that Mr Saunders, whose career in Nelson is a matter of history, and who rose from an humble- to ja high and honorable position there, through his own integrity, independence, and industry, got involved in a lawsuit with a resident of Nelson about twenty-two years ago, and out of it arose a suit for libel. -Certain statements were made by the defendant, for which,, r it seems, there was some, considerable foundation, and lie refusing to. withdraw, compromise, or make apology, was sent to prison. While there he'was re-elected to the Nelson Provincial Council, and afterwards to a seat in the House oh Representatives, and was also twice elected to the Superintendency of Nelson. It was the fact of Mr Saunders’ imprisonment that Mr Ivess’ paper tries to make political capital of. We contend -that such tactics are very disreputable,and indicate a nature and disposition not be coming in a candidate for political honors.' Mr Sa'unders’ imprisonment was no disgrace to him, but, on the contrary, was creditable to his moral independance and outspoken truthful-, ness. Why, then, should he be Insulted by being- taunted with the; fact over twenty years afterwards ? Such might be considered a capital electioneering* weapon, but we don’t think theelectors of \. kariui will .be any significance to it beyond* resentment at the conduct of a man'who has seen fit to adapt it. We. hav©' heard more than once of Mr Ivess’ peculiar trails, but we gave him credit for a .higher sense of political principle than to attempt to damage an' chances of success in this manner. The public do heft relish attacks of such a. charactqrj. and generally express their indignation and contempt for the assailant in plain . terms. We have never had a very high opinion ot Mr Ivess’ moral or intellectual perceptions, but we did not . think ’ that even he would condescen4 a part that an honorable man would scorn to adopt, even to win a seat in the House of representatives. We shall be surprised, if the electors of Wakanui do not show Mr Ivess that such conduct is not in accordance with their conpeption of honorable political warfare.