The Origin of the Second Ballot.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14979, 28 May 1914, Page 6

The Origin of the Second Ballot.

When some of his opponents recently mentioned that the Leader of the Opposition guided the great Seddon party to ruin rather more quickly than anybody else could have done, they can hardly have expected that they would provoke Sir Joseph Ward into giving away, quite unconsciously, the true reason for the introduction of the disgraceful Second Ballot system. Yet this interesting result has followed. Tho Leader of the Opposition, who is rather marc sensitive concerning his ability than most politicians think useful or desirable, told a gathering in Wellington on Monday that "not many men "would have taken up tho position ho " had as Leader of the Liberal Party" —which seems to us to do an injustice to Mr G. W. Russell. "To follow in "Mr Seddon's footsteps, with tho " Liberal Party fifteen years old, was "a task from which many men would ''shrink. As a matter of fact, after "Mr Seddon's death, there was a " generally recognised movement on the '■'part of a third party, to win its way "to ascendancy. He referred to the "Labour Party. And it was only " natural to expect such a thing to "happen. He, as Leader of the Liberal "Party, had to face an altered posi- " tion. He had to faco the fact that " there was a majority of men in Par- '•' liament who were pledged to support "Mr Seddon personally. They had " given no pledge to support him. Well, "some of them voted against him, and "in the movement for a Labour Party " to win ascendancy, no exception could "bo taken. All these things had made '• difficulties." Most people will find it a little difficult to understand exactly how all this shows that it was, on tho whole, quite statesmanliko and skilful to lead the "Liberal" Party into its present unhoppy position.- Bub few people will fail to note that we have heretho explanation of the quite unexpected introduction of tho second ballot system: there was a movement on the part of'the Labour Party to assort its individuality, and whilo "no exception "could bo taken" to this, yet it had to be circumvented. Hence the second ballot. For the then Government calculated that they would lose seats to Labour and to the Reform Party, and they did not want either Labour or the Reform Party to win any seats. In the event of a final round botween a "Liberal" and a Labour man, they counted upon the Reformers supporting the "Liberal"; where tho final round was fought between a "Liberal" and a Reformer, they hoped to obtain Labour's support. Tho rise of tho third party, in fact, made necessary somo scheme for tho safeguarding of the only interest with which the "Liberals" wore ever concerned, namely, the interest of the Liberal Party. And that is the only interest which the Opposition are concerned about to-day, in spite of their unctuous references to their "fellow-progressives." .

The lamentable railway accident which occurred at yesterday morning will, of course, be the subject of an official enquiry. Comment upon it- would accordingly be unfair , even if comment were very easy, and it is not easy, because there aro circumstances in connexion with it which have* yet to be explained. Wbilo overyone wilt sympathise very ttuly with the' 'friends of those who wero killed or injured, we can all feel grateful that tho lo<rs of life was much less extensive than it might liavc been. Tho accident will remind, tho public afresh of the general good fortune which attends tho running of our railways. Years sometimes pass with no record of any of such, collisions and disasters as occur very frequently in all other countries. After every railway accident many travellers naturally feel a little uneasy, but there is no reason to think that tho latest unfortunate catastrophe indicates any weakness anywhero in our railway system.

It can bo argiie3. by thoso who think so, that tho preference given by South Africa to goods grown or manufactured in tho United Kingdom or in atiy British possession reciprocating with South Africa, has not benefited anybody, but to take such a lino is a very different thinjr from expresskis such opinions as are reported in our cable news this morning. Professor Fromantle, who referred to South Africa's preference of three per cent, ad valorem robate, as a "badge of slavery."- is a bitter Hertzogite, and tho hearts of tho Hertzog party must have -warmed when ho uttered this supremely filly remark. Tf the people oi South Africa aro slaves of Greai Britain, their master is extremely benevolent; indeed indulgent. How otherwise can we account for tho refusal of the Homo Government to interfere with the recent deportations? The little outburst reveals tho Hertzog party's hatred of the Empire, and makes it all the more desirable that it should never get control of South Africa's Imperial relations.

With the launch of Shamrock IV., the British challenger for the America Cup, British interest In the September contest will begin to get warm. The

conditions of the cortest aro more sensible* than they were, hut tho defending vessel is still favoured- The Shamrock will not bo permitted to exceed 75 feet in length by tho merest fraction, but the defender may slightly exceed that length. Tho advantago is this; tho Americans arc allowed to testtheir fleet of potential defenders to find out the best trim in which they eafl, without worrying about the exact rating. If a vessel already of the full 75ft rating would bo better for lnoro ballast, which, by immersing her deeper, would increase her length, tho defenders can so improve her. This, however, does not apply to tho challenger. In the next month or two tho Shamrock will be thoroughly tested in British waters. Ono of the matters to be attended to in tho America Cup method of starting, in which a certain timo is allowed for getting away, and at the end of a race a vessel is allowed whatever she was late in starting withiu that time. In British contests a skipper manoeuvres for best position and first across the line, for his vessel loses whatever timo she is behind at the start. An interesting feature of the contest will be that for the first timo the British challenger will be tailed by an amateur."

For some months past tho Opposition newspapers havo all been chronicling, through the medium of teicgrams from their "own correspondents," the sensational successes scored by the "flying squadrons," whose tours havo run away with so much of somebody's money. Even if all these messages were true, there would have been no cause for concern on the part of tho Government, but there is reason to doubt whether they have been true. Wo printed yesterday the Press Association report of Mr Isitt's Westport meeting, in -which it was recorded that tho spoaker fared rather better than at Millerton, where a resolution of confidence was rejected. At Westport a vote of thanks and confidence was carried, but the Press Association mentions that "the majority of the public did not vote either way." Tho "Liberal" newspapers, however, are printing messages from "our correspondent." stating that Mr Isitt's "eloquent" speech was followed by an "almost unanimous" resolution of approval. Wo have no objection to our "Liberal" friends' practice of shattercing facts to bits and remoulding them nearer to their hearts' desire, but we aro afraid that a most painful shock in December is being prepared for tho simple-minded folk who out their faith in "Liberal" facts and figures.

One of the "Liberal" newspapers, by referring to our article on political alliances, very obligingly affords us another opportunity to emphasise the fact Bhab the Wardists and tho Red Feds, are parts of the same whole. We may as well repeat that the Reformers in 1911 secured the election of Messrs Payno, Robertson and Voitch because these candidates pledged themselves to vote- the Ward Government out, and that at the same timo the Reformers did not fifty or pretend that cither they or these Labour candidates, who were in no way associated with the Federation of Labour, exchanged any concessions of policy or incurred any obligations on either side. The "Liberals, ,, however, supported the Rod Fed. candidates at the by-elections, not merely on the ground that they wore opposed to the Government, but on the ground that "Liberalism" and "Red Fedism" were in all essentials in agreement. We are now told that we are very wicked in approving the support given to Mr Veitch and the others, and at the same time flying into "paroxysms of indignation and trepidation" at "tha notion of a Liberal-Labour combination"" against the Gotfernmenij. The only people who are indignant and alarmed at the idea of a "LiberalLabour combination" are the honest mon in the Social Democratic Party, who dread the effect of such a combination upon their cause. The Reformers care little one way or the other.

But, of course, we do not want w> quarrel with our very sensitive friends in Opposition. To make them angry is not our desire at all. The only thing wanted is somo definite information as to tho full extent to wnich "Liberalism" will pledge itself to the Social Democratic Party. And it really appears as if tho Opposition have decided that they can no longer deny in one breath that there is any truth in tho '■'malicious in\*ention" that a LiberalRed Fed. alliance is a fact, and in tlift next breath implore the Ked Feds, to poor the assets of ''progrcssiveness." At any rate, the local Opposition paper has tacitly admitted tuat the two groups are working in communion, and Mr L. M. leitt, at "VVostport, definitely advocated an alliance "Otween "sane Labour and Liberalism." Tho test of •'sanity," of course, is simply willingness to join tbo "Liberals"; every Social Democrat who can abuse the Ministry is "sano. ,. It need hardly bo said that the Wardiste are entitled to ally themselves with anybody to support any policy that seems most profitable. But it cpn hardly bo denied that the public has a right to know just what is <*oing on, and what is really involved in a vote for a "Liberal."