The Dominion. MONDAY, MAY 11, 1914. THE ELECTOR AND POLITICAL PARTIES

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2145, 11 May 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, MAY 11, 1914. THE ELECTOR AND POLITICAL PARTIES

_^— —_ While the "flying sqiuidronists" who are rushing about the country electioneering in the interests of Wardism. contradict one another on a great many questions, there is some degree of unanimity ia their efforts to create the impression that it was a mere aeeidefit thai they are not still in offiee. They are persistently trying to make the public believe that the very pronounced rebuff which Sin Joseph WaIIB and hk. supporters received at the last ejection was all a mistake, and that it was the result of a ujoniontavy fit of aberration «i the. part of tlics public. Tlic actual facts, of course, go tu show that the downfall of Wardism was not. by any means asudden and inexplicable incident in our political history. On tlw contrary, there is the plainest possible evidence that it was the culmiastion of a downward process whiek oeia*J

mcticcd almost as soon as Sir Joseph Wakd succeeded Mr. Sbodok in the leadership of the party. Sir Joseph \Vam> entered oflice with a record majority, won at the polls by Mil. Skddon, and that majority rapidly dwindled, until after the last Genr.ral Election it disappeared altogether. The sudden aberration theory will not hold water. The electors at every opportunity after Sir Joseph Waiuj became Prime Minister cut something off his majority, and they knew exactly what they were doing when they brought the old regime to an end and placed the Administration in the hands -of a new party. In view of these plain facts, familiar to everyone, it is somewhat astounding to find that the Anti-Reformers imagine they can do themselves any good by rushing about the country with a tale of woe so obviously insincere and" unconvincing. It is surely ;i most convincing proof, if farther proof were neeacd, of the decadent state of a- once-powerful .party. Tisat the party have no policy to put before thu people has been ninde abundantly clear, and it is no doubt with a view to diverting attention from this weakness that they are constantly assailing their opponents with reckless charges, which they neither substantiate'when challenged nor retract when disproved. Most of their allegations and exaggerations havtf been exposed over and over again, and their story is wearing very thin through ' continual ■repetition. ■ One of tk principal items in most of the Opposition Utterances is a pathetic wail about, tjm manner in which thoii- prolonged and costly ebstnjfition of the Second Ballot Bill was brought to an end. With "tears in their, voices" the Anti-Re-form orators have been telling their audiences that they were gagged, and ao prevented* from discussing the various phases pi this' measure. Of course, the whole story is too ridiculous to deceive anyone ,-wFao really knows anything about what actually happened, but they probably hope to create the impression that they w»rc prevented from giving the Kill adequate attention; The absurdity o{ this contention U laid bare when it is stated that the contents of th<s whole Bill, including tlie preamble and short title, were set out on a single printed page, and thai, H was debated by the Opposition, not only for hours, but for days; and that every conceivable argument and point of view was stated over and over again with tie most wearisome persistence. Xho discussion degenerated into one of the mtjst degrading exhibitions of frivolous futility over witnessed in the Parliament o"j New Zealand. It is the sheerest hypocrisy to pretend that there was any curtailment of tins freedom of rational speech. Indeed, the greatest latitude was allowed, and no attempt was mads to keep members strictly to the. point until after a record in steme.waliing had already Been put up. The obstruction sorai collapsed when Kienrk-rs were compelled to .talk sens' ibly or sit clown. The deplorable character of this utterly useless waste. of time and money will be properly appreciated by those living in the back-blocks - who are crying out for roads and bridges to" get tbair produce to m-arltet. ■ Of course the Opposition speakers, do not . lay stress on" this very practical aspect of tho matter, . and tho iusincerity of most ut tksir other misrepresentations could lie ,ju.st as easily- exposed. And yet,, after all, the strife of tongaos will do some gflod i{ it- will only cause people to do a little extra thinking, and make them realise thai the eomiftg ejection will fee a. momentous one in the history of the Dominion. On the one side they will have a, firm and moderate Admifiis-' tratiun and a policy of progressive reform, and era the other there will fee- the discredited party of weakness and vacillation led by Sir Joseph Ward. la the background are the forces -of revolutionary Socialism anxiously awaiting an opportunity to overthrow the Government which has actact as a check on their designs against tho community, and ready, should occasion offer, to join forces with Hte Waitlists to accomplish theix , ends. To entrust- the affairs of the country at t%a present time, to a Weak and uncertain Government wpvtW be to invite & social upheaval with disastrous consequences to all ■classes. A parting of.the ways lias been reached. It fa a time" when people should re-think tteii , political opinions and their party ties. There is a movement on .foot to overthrow the existing social order, and to undermine 'those great political institutions and national ideals winch are jjeeujiarly suited to the gonitis of tho British race. Tli.fi people will hare to make their choice between the party which stands for good government and progressive reform on sound domocratk lines, and an effete. "\Vardisra s which does not know its «vs mind, and'is certainly too weak to withstand tho pressure of that element in the community which is committed to the class war and the promotion of 'industrial strife. Intermediate, parties sttch as Wardisin m»sfc crcßtnally bo eliminated, and ultimately the clee» tors will have to dedara for social evolution or for social revolution.