The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4057, 26 February 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1876.

After an unexampled effort of stubbornness on the part of the Opposition party in Victoria, it has been discovered that a majority, by skilful organisation, is always able to compel the submission of a minority in Par- ■ liament. It is always bad generalship on the part of a minority to persist in obstructing public business when it is evident from the number arrayed againstfthem that they have hot a shadow of a chance of success. Every move made by them assumes the appearance of dodging; and although it may be met with straightforwardness by their opponents, it will also arouse a determination purpose that will tend to prevent the of slightest' concession.ln our own Parliament, during the debate on Provin- , ciM Abolition, there seemed to 1 be a chance of a similar trial of physical en- . durance; for'the Opposition were equally weak in number compared with the Ministerialists as in Victoria; and, though less violent, certainly equally unscrupulous in ' their tactics. It was due to the forbearance and; conciliatory proceedings of the Government that such a test was net resorted to. Victoria is the landof experiments. If an example of successful opposition to the Mother country’s injustice is needed, one is afforded in the refusal of the people to allow the' ; landing of convicts there ; if of the advantages of free trade and a full Stream of immigration, the prosperous times of twenty-five years ago supply it; if of the .evils of restriction, the course of events during the past twelve years demonstrate them. If Parliamentary precedents and their consequences are sought, the students of social and political ‘science may study the history of partial and complete deadlocks. If it is desired. to learn the workings of land quackery, the records of Victoria supply the material. There, may be found the records of.&bortive efforts to settle people on the land, and the means by which capitalists have contrived to evade and over-ride every regulation intended to prevent their .becoming lords of the soil. The last lessson is one of Parliamentary practice, humorously described as a “stonewall” opposition to an “ iron handed •” majority, in Which the latter, has shown the world hoW to deal with a few refractory member»,who, contrary to the

♦wy genius of representative Government, desired to tjfr'attnise over that majority. The tactics of the BEhfii? lection very,-much resemble those of the Grey following in New Zealand. Finding themselves paW'ft?,less in the House, they wished, to appeal to the country, and endeavored to. secure the sympathy of those without by a bombastic exhibition of political martyrdom. Oh a few occasions,: mob sympathy has been aroused by like conduct, and riotops proceedings adopted in support of the malcontents. _ Any attempt of the sort proved a 'failure in Victoria. At Home, on many occasions, the pressure of - opinion outside Parliament has moditied its but in those cases it has almost invariably been when justice was witheld by a class, or injustice proposed to be perpetrated by it. No such plea- can be .put forward either in- victoria or New Zealand. •In nether country is there as yet a clftss whose interests differ from the reat. Mistakes in legislation tend to create such classes, and therefore it should be with extreme caution that any step based , upon our traditions should be adopted, for they all have class origin. The Seat political divisions prevailing at ome can as -yet' have ho parallel here. There are differences of - opinion with us on mapy points as to how and what to do, but they are not class differences. • The coming struggle of next session may and will divide many who seem now united, but we hope the doings in Victoria will convince even the most stubborn of our representatives that he has fulfilled his duty when he has expressed his Opinions and recorded his vote in accordance with them. If out-voted, kicking against the pricks is mere faction.