THOUGHTLESS, DELUDED MEN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1548, 9 July 1885, Page 2

THOUGHTLESS, DELUDED MEN.

To the Editor.

Sir,— ln your issue of last night yon are pleased in your leading article to characterise those who voted in the late election for Mr Ivess as thonghless, deluded men. Mr Wright said at the declaration of the poll that he sincerely pitied his opponent’s snpporters. 1 remember that upon a former occasion Mr A. Saunders said he had polled every vote worth having, though he had lost the day. When men who may not have the power of the purse are met with open contempt, when, even at election times, they are despised and pitied, I say we cannot wonder that they openly reject those who openly despise them. It is only the other day a person, who shall be nameless (except that his initials are A.R.), expressed surprise that a gentleman occupying the position of Mr Wason should stoop to talk to a common carpenter, and said he was sorry that gentleman had fallen so low. Now, though not wealthy, I consider myself as much a man as Mr Wason or Mr A. 8., and I think it right that men shonld be represented because they are men and not because they are grain merchants or large land holders. ** Ichabod, Ichabod, thy glory has departed.” For the future remember that poor men as well as rich, carpenters as well aa grain merchants, ate quite able to judge for themselves who is best fit to represent them, and it is only because they are so thoughtless that they are termed thoughtless, deluded men. Thanking yon for inserting this in your popular print, 1 am, etc., Thomas Welch. Ashburton, July 8. [Our correspondent suggests a distinction between the supporters of Mr Ivess and the supporters of Mr Wright which we never contemplated in writing the words he has quoted. While recognising its extreme dangers we support the most liberal franchise, and readily concede that many poor men are neither thoughtless nor deluded, and that some rich men are both. It is not a question of wealth, bat of political education. To show that many of the electors were thoughtless, deluded, and worse, at " the recent election, it is only necessary to point to the result. To the broad question we will return at a later opportnnlty.] _____