"DEMOCRATS" AND THE PEOPLE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1528, 26 August 1912, Page 4

"DEMOCRATS" AND THE PEOPLE.

"As a Democrat," said tho Hon. A. Lougiinan in the Legislative Council on Friday evening last, "I bashi this thing in tho face." The "thing" referred to was the Bill to make tho Legislative Council an elective instead of a nominative body, and Mr. Loughnan, as a Democrat' and a good "Liberal," ranged himself with those who prefer a continuation of the present system ot politiciil patronage to placing their trust in the voice of the people. Mr. Loughnan says it is "democracy run mad" to give the, people the right to choose those who aro to govern thum; for that is what his contention amounts to. He is not alono in this opinion. There are , Quite a number of good "Democrats" ot the same class wlio have found favour with the Continuous Ministry, and been provided with seats in the Legislative Council, who view with stern disfavour the proposal of tho lieform Government to force them to face the votes of the people if they wish to continue to hold those seats. It certainly would be very uncomfortable for some of them to have to confront such an ordeal —and very hopeless. TEere are Councillors in the Upper House at the present time no douljfc who would have an excellent chance of success at the polls, and not the least of these is tho gentleman who made the ablest speech yet directed against tho principle of Legislative Council election on a universal franchise, the Hon. 0. Samuel. ' But there are not very many of that gentleman's calibre in the Legislative Council. Had there

been more the outcry for reform would not have beon so strong. The idea appears to prevail that the Council will nob pass the second reading of the Bill to make that Chamber elective. It is quite possible that this is the case.. Afc the same time there aro several Council-

lors who, while thoy disagree with the details of the measure yet approve the principle that the Council should be elected. The Bill, despite the opposition shown to it in the Legislative Council, may pass its secoud reading and then be killed at the Committee stage or on the third reading. In any case it seems fairly certain that it will not be allowed to pass into law this session. This is much to be regretted, for it may cause a good deal of trouble without any real hope of the anti-Kciormcrs provingsuccessful. They may delay its passing temporarily, but it or some similar measure will pass into law all the same. At the elections last year Legislative Council reform was one of the main planks in the platform of the Reform party. It was one of the most popular planks, and had only to bo mentioned at a, public meeting to provoke applause. This is a matter of common knowledge, so much so that the Ward Government, at the short session in February, following on the elections, deemed it advisable to place a scheme of Legislative Council reform, including the elective principle on a restricted franchise, in the forefront of its policy proposals. In face of these facts, coupled with the deter-

initiation expressed by the Prime Minister that the policy measures of the Government will have to go through or appeal be made to the country, what can those who are opposing this Bill hope for ? They may force Mr. Massey to the extreme of advising his Excellency thp Governor to call to the Legislative Council a sufficient number of new Councillors to ensure the passing of the Bill in that Chamber, but how can that profit the opponents of the measure? On the contrary, it may render it expedient, in view of the increased numbers of Councillors, to consider the question of ending its existence as at present constituted more rapidly than is now proposed to be clone. A referendum on the question would undoubtedly result overwhelmingly in favour of'thc elective system as against the present nominative method, and there is not a member of either House of Parliament wlirj dgwi' not I;moiv that this i 3 the caso.