MANHOOD SUFFRAGE AND CLAPTRAP.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3830, 25 October 1883, Page 3

MANHOOD SUFFRAGE AND CLAPTRAP.

[TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE DAILY TET.EORAPn.] Sir,—l read your leading article in tonight's issue, and felt grcately impressed thereby. Your begin your article this Wil y : _<< If the colony desires any change from the present system of administration of public affairs, to the Legislative Council must it look for the exponents of economy. Manhood suffrage, and tho triumph of "claptrap, have driven ability from the House of Representatives, and from that quarter no assistance can be expected." Sir. allow me to ask has manhood suffrage had a fair trial; has it or the suffrage which preceded it run this young colony into tho mud bank of insolvency through which it is now floundering ': Has manhood suffrage turned tho honey of the people's hives 'into gnll through grindin.if taxation '- Now for claptrnp. I recollect being at a meeting in Auckland in, I think," the early part of 1870 where an M.H.R., was explaining to an admiring multitude ho v.' to borrow millions of pounds and pay it back in a few years with the same number of crowns. Was this claptrap? Sir, this stateman's name was Mr —now Sir Julius A r ogel. AVas ho elected by manhood suffrage? You may reply h was an able man. Yes, able to borrow, but when it came to paying what did he do ? Cut and run. Sir, being a native of this country, I am pretty well acquainted with the past history of most of our public men. state that most of the members of the Upper House are for the most, part poounarily independent. I won't enquire how a great many of them arrived at that position ; but, being in that position, why don't they'" set a noble example fo the members of the Lower House and refrain from dipping their hands deep down into the almost empty flesh-pots of the colony ? I will admit there are men in the Lower House who ought not to be thero, but are there not men in the Upper House who are better known than trusted by the people ? AVhat did those men of ability of whom you speak do for the country previous to manhood suffrage coming into forcer AVhy this—stuck us further in the mud-bank, while they and theirs grabbed all the cockles. Sir, lam afraid'l have already trcspassc-d too much on your sji.-u-e, so will conclude by submitting that manhood suffrage should be the birthright of all free men. —I am, kc, Ax:cicr.A2rr> _STatxvis. Napier, October 24, 1883.