THE DOWNFALL OF THE "LIBERAL" PARTY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1486, 8 July 1912, Page 6

THE DOWNFALL OF THE "LIBERAL" PARTY.

, The defeat of the Mackenzie Ministry was something more than the removal of a set of men from office —it really marked the end of the socalled "Liberal" rigime. Since the advent of Sir Joseph Ward as its leader, the party has steadily lost in strength, more rapidly of late than at first. j\Vhen, after the elections, Sir Joseph Ward refused to leave office, ho sacrificed his party on the altar of selfishness. He probably did not realise this; but the, fact remains that in orcjer to be able to put forward the pretenco that he was not beaten at the polls he clung to office as long as possible, and by 1 his action set in active operation" the forces making for tho disintegration of his party. When in February he "saved his face" by defeating the no-confidence motion moved by Mn. Massey, he signed the death warrant of his paijty. It must now be plain to everyone that had Sir Joseph Ward promptly resigned when he found hiinsclf in a minority, Mn. Massey would have gone into office dependent for support on the Labour votes. He could never have carried on with such unstable support, and the probabilities arc that Sir Joseph AVard would thou have had a fighting chnnco of getting hack again. But instead he clung to office, and when he did resign, badly split his already dißcnntented party by the re.arrangoment which followed, aad

brought about the debacle witnessed in the Houso on Saturday. And yet there are people who still think that Sin Josepu Ward hns claims to rank as a successful party leader! Today tho party is hopelessly dividca, and with a growing independent political Labour movement, its members realiso that tho chance of again building it up to even a semblance of its former strength is not even worth serious consideration. In one way it is a very good thing for the country that such should be tho case. Unintentionally Sin Joseph Ward has probably done tho Dominion the greatest service he has ever rendered it. The disintegration of the "Liberal _ party will have the effect of driving the different elements which have composed it into their proper places in the politics of' the country. The Radicals will gradually find their way into the ranks of tho Labour party, while the Moderates will naturally attach themselves to the new Government under Me. Massey. Tim will not happen all at once, but it is oertain to happen all the same.