SOCIALISM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 209, 28 May 1908, Page 8

SOCIALISM.

——.. V., . < FARMERS 1 UNION DISCUSSION 'A COUNTRY PARTY WANTED, . VIGOROUS ANTI-SOCIALIST CAMPAIGN • . URGED. • ' (FROM OUR SPECIE COItItESPONDEWH' ) . Feildlng, May 27. Tlio biggest. question on 'tho order papor of ' the Wellington Provincial Conforcnco of tho Farmors' Union—namely, Parliamentary representation —was discussed.for an hour "/ * and.a half this morning. About, fifty mombcrs were present. : . Mr. S. J. Carman, Waituna West, moved: ,'v " That tho time has now,arrived when , i ; -f , /the.Union' as.:a,.wnolei must ; take'a' firm . stand;against the Socialistic party, and. that all farmers' candidates shall pledgo - , ■ themselvos to oppose.all measures detrimontal to the farming; community, whe- •; ■ :■■■ thor it is a • Government measuro or . , . . .. otherwise,-and'that.where-more than one : candidate pledges ' himself to •do so, a .' meeting, of l dolegatps.from'.each; branch' ; ■ ■ in. -the • electorate •• shall ..be'; called! hj".; tho . premior branch ■ to decide which candi-'V /;;/! v ; 7:' • date shall receive the support of the , v Union; representation to bo on the samo . basis as for Provincial Conference." Mr., Carman' said it,.had become apparent '• iv that,'tho Farmers' Union could do no good in politics except on the floor of tho Houso. . ■ ' The time had arrived • whea . tho farmers ; should continue to resist tho swing of the pendulum in. the direction; of Socialism, which „ .was. doing more than any other movement to <■1 ~- . damn- -tho - farming , industry.- It was ;abv, soliit«ly necessary to send men to.the House; >.who would express .their views. 1 Though tfioy/ •; might I not • secure .the .return■ of: a large party, '-. they .'would at .least make a valuable", begih- / ning,and_show that they i were determmedto fight agairist tho , Socialistic tendency.lt'- ■ would: be necessary to' secure pledges .to the . chief .planks ;-of their policy; and keep' records ■".'i'v-;.-;; of the .votes of ■-these, members.:-;, i t- - y. Mr. A.. M'Gregor, Huntervillo,, seconded.- /■ - -Mr. F.-Hockley, Huntcrville, suggested, the , substitution of the. word "nominatein-,: ////,:/:-' stead , of." support." -He pointed;, out ; that . the-Union could not-.plodge tho> members of |.-;C; the Union, but the word nominate sufficiently t •• implied support. .... ; j: -Tho mover accepted the alteration. . «ALWAYS ASKING FOR SOMETHING" I;'. Mr. Hockley- said one of the chief aims- of' i'.." 'Socialism was directed to the total abolition : lof private ownership-in land. The. Socialist si, - -party was always asking for something,;'and: !V-r ---i it always got;something,withthe Tesultthat■) ■ • .it was steadily strengthening • its... position; : : Its power over the present Government was ishown in tho land legislation of tho past sMsion.- It 'was time the farming interests 1 Were snore largely represented. They: wanted a E/V;. country ' party.;,■ (Applause.)'' It-.-was. high 1 i ; time that those wlio were ' fighting ■ the. rri.;-■ v' v'/farmers'. battles should, receive the farmers' ; support. (Applause.) V . ; Mr. W. Mills, Cheltenham,", reminded, thoimeeting of :the'stbry of the bundle of sticks. -, Mr. :F: .W. Venn, Shannon, said .the use t: L v. - :. of the word " nominate " .instead, of " sup- . . port" made all the difference to the matter, r r Mr. J. - G. Wilson i (President) said: there was no .doubt of the .Socialists I .'aims/.VThey. o\y-. .had- declafcd : their.' views, in- England ."in, a V;.':: resolution'in, favour, of the nationalisation ,6f' • ; • , . the : means- 6f: produ6tion,.distribution, :'and; ;.' exchange.- 'Thus farmers would- • . . bo servants of 'tlio State 'as;producers. .The eteain . services also would pass to the' State, ' ~ and so would 'tho banks as means of exchange. > Socialists have ■ frequently declared . . that 'their Socialism ' was not '.tie Socialism' , ■'as declared byr'certaiu others, 'But to his ;v- ■ mindi they oouidi'tnot /'dissociatei ■ thom'selves' . . . : from: 'the. resolution. passed in Britain.;-'' -mattered now .'vory little to ,the farmers; to V. what party a candidate belonged, so. long as |;r'. - 'he, stibscribed to their 'platform and aavoi. .. .■■•. , cated. .their.-views,' arid;- it .would, in.' his [ • opinion, bo futile to endeavour to introduco . a three-party system. " Wli'en the Union by a p ;. majority-'of'votes 'selccted 'one candiclatej ho N : V ' :. trusted.: that' other ;weaker carididatos,, who ' had tho farmers' interests at hwrt, \ would .'withdraw, to Strengthen ;the 'cSa'nce bfl the i, selected candidate. ; | PROPOSxIL PREMATJJRE. j - Mr. J. H. Eseott,. Woodvillo, considered i. , . tho proposal premature. ;If the definition of I . Socialism were siich as-had been given", then. '.. - ; ■ they, wero in: such, a hopeless' minority .that Li,;: .they could be left alone. ("No, no.") If i:' farmers' candidates;.were to be:selected, '-who was going to, judge what measures-were in : . .. the interests of .the' farmers, "arid who was -'going, to choose : between candidates who sub- | : scribed to tho platform P \ |...... - f Delegates: That's .very easy. ' • . J- , Saxon .(Levin): If tho time ' isn't . ripo now, when, will it be? . (Hear, 1 - hear.) Mr. R. 13. M'Kenzie, Rqngotea, said it |:' was quite timo. tlicy took off the gloves, and said,-:"Wo-havo been' playing in the.'past;r now we meaii-. to work." Even if ; they re- . V';, duced their numbers by taking that stand. i. .VVit might be a good result.; > Gideon, of :- ola V ' reduce'- his army .before; he won "his p.- :; - , victory. It was: better to go down fighting | • than not to fight'at all. i '-'. I . Mr. H. A. Nevihs, To Nui, said • farmers j . were individualists, and must fight So-' i; f cialism... (Applause.) -.. .;.. Mr. Ellingliam, Horoeka ; said every farmer i . , : knew Socialism', was . against' his - interests. !,. V; ...• : Farmers:had in; tho ,past been.represented in [- .. . a way. they; deserved' becaiisd. they had riot P;?,'.'. taken sufficient steps to. improve it.- . , .. .. Mr.,.A. Murray,; Porigarda,'asked,' "Arc [■.'i Vlwo . farmers, wlio produce. £17>000,000 oiit of t; -~ the colony's total .exports'of £19,000,000/ to v..... bo debarred .from,nominatinc! candidates?"' ("No!") . Mr., J. Morrison, Halcombo, agreed with' , the . need of . direct reprbseritati'on, ' but. diftil ■■:■■■ •'•'.'•foretl''as' to tho mode of selection. 'It shiould ' not be by ,a 'Farmers' Union' vote In '.tho. j. ;. ; . Oroua : electorate,': for- example, there were l,' i.■/■■■ 4800 electors, and only 250 of thein. wore ; ' members of tho Union. ■ Even siippo'so they t. made • a block vdte '.fcr. their candidate what ; good ..would it do? |.-' < ■- .delegate :< That's : enough to. turn the [ ; .: ' electorate.' 1; i ' \ .. ty v - : ; Another delegate: What about:their,wives I-':-' and daughters? (Ecar, hear.) ! NOMINATION OR ADOPTION:' ' b, ; . ' Mr. Jlorris'on explained that his . idea was p. ; . that the Unioiiy rather-than'-nominate a-can-' fi'.i:; didate, should adopt one of the'candidates ../.already nominated by others of the., elcc- | torate. This- would 'givo'hiri a- stronger f;'- : ; ' .: chance of: being .returned. Ho hid always : supported the. Liberal party hitherto, but unless, the Government now put down. So-' cialism aiid the Arbitration Act he watf'gof- , j . ing dead agaiiist them/ .' Mr G. E. Wheeler, Fcilding, said that at ■ iriv, . : the last election: the ..branches mot arid 'dfr- . • . ckkd on their candidate. : But it was obV-' Tious. - that- .-.their numbers.' were .riot strong | . enough to , carry an election. Ho did not p'r : agree , with thoso who thought the Union ; , ' chould split' up over this question. Thuy f : : : could -liever .be all. unanimous; ' (Hoar; hear.) j, . ' Hut when .they ' took" off. their .gloves . to' :' . ' \ light, they were to fight, ' not ' one another, f.: :' ;. ' but' the common onomy, .Socialism. (Cheers.) !>v, .: On that, question they wero not divided, i ■ But 1 having got; candidates to;pledge 'them-. 1.. ' selves to tho.Union.platform, they wanted a ■- . 'penalty 'prescribed. ■ . Would these . candi- ! , ; - dates/pledge themselves- to resign if. they i;.v broko .their , pledges? (Hear, hear, arid .- :. laughter.) ' Mr. W. J. Birch, Marton, said they must !- recognise that tho Union consisted of men i,. : of two parties.. . ; • , Mr. W. B. Matbesoh, Eketahuna,/almost wished they t»uld go back to tho pre-civili- ! nation days, when they settled these ' ques- ' , iiions by mortal combat, j The New Zeaiand |: Socialists' aims were laid down in their.last i ' Conference as being the abolition of private ©wnorship of land and capital. This would mako all tho farmers wage earners. He Was ; prepared to change his political support to i' such party as would take up their platform. i; GOVERNMENT THANKFUL FOR HELP, t. Mr. H. S. Hadfiold, Paraparaumu, said he | pas in touch with Ministers of the Govemi. snont, and ho knew that they would be thankful for any help they could get, from i tbe Farmers' Union or anybody else, to stem | - the tide V s Sociali«n \rtich waa flowing over

them. They were'pushed' into a corner in this- matter." - ' ' 7 Mr.'A. Monk, Waikanao, said it seemed that everything-came'from tho land—oxcopt tho members of-Parliament. • 'Mr. Murray Jackson, Featherston, and.Mr. Moss, Ekotahuna,.; supported tho motion. ; Captain Hewitt,' Palmcrston, said Sooialisni was the inevitable, outcome of Extreme Liberalism. The; borrowing party were '.in a difficulty to know whence to get more money to bo- liberal with, and th;cy. decided to take it;from the-rich. Tho selection: of a candidate at ■ Palmer'ston in the past had shown that, there was a practical difficulty to bo met. - Mr. Balsillio,; PaJmeirston, said : tho difficulty, in his town was'that both.-the candidates went to . the . 'poll and ..both lost. (Laughter.),' Apparently, if one dxawn, the other would'havo boon oltcted. .- Mr. W.'J. Falconer, Kaituna,- another sup-porter-of' tho Government, said. his'further support would depend'bri. justico. being done to tho farmers.-,.,:.'V . »'- 1 , : MOTION- AMENDED, AND' CARRIED. : Mr: S."-'J. Carniari/"Waituna West,, replying to tho' speeches,expressed pleasure that with ono or two exceptions tho whole Union had . declared- for the .'motion. He suggested that, tho motion should, bo: altered/by deleting the words' "shall receive.the support of,", and substituting ; the words' "is most -acceptable t0.",. j:.'-' 1 --- ■ -' f -?.'. ; ,'' 7 _ - The: motion was I unanimously carried as amended, with acclamation.' .