THE COMMONWEALTH ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2248, 7 September 1914, Page 4

THE COMMONWEALTH ELECTIONS

On Saturday last the Commonwealth elections were held, and as was to be expected at the present stag© of the- war have excited very little interest. Ifc is possiblo that even under normal conditions the public would not have concerned themselves overmuch as to the result, for the choice between tho Cook and the Fisher parties was not one calculated to promote enthusiasm. The wrangles and bickerings which have disfigured the procedure of the -Federal Parliament cannot havo elevated that body in the eyes of tho public. Mr. Cook went to the country with a bare majority in hisfavour in the House of Representatives, and a huge majority against him in the Senate. So far as the returns available show, he seems- certain to lose his majority in the Lower House, while in the Upper Chamber things will remain as they are. That is to say. the Labour Party will be returned with, a majority in both Houses. It is bettor that this should be tho case than that there should bo a party in office with,a majority in the House of Representatives and unable to carry its legislation in the Senate owing to its opponent having a majority there. The situation in Federal politics had become farcical, and hardly any ohange could have been for the worse. The Liberal Party jn Australia, is at present lacking 1 in leaders capable of appealing to tho Australian elector. There are able enough men in its ranks, but they appeal to be unable to escape from the petty_ party outlciok which obscures their vision to the opportunities they might seize to elevate the politics of the country to a higher plane, and by so doing raise themselves and their party in public esteem. • .