The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, JAN. 21, 1886. The Coming Dissolution

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 95, 21 January 1886, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, JAN. 21, 1886. The Coming Dissolution

li^iiajß,....bfien > clearly intimated by recent speeches of members of the Ministry that when they met Parliament a policy of Protection and Borrowing will be. enunciated as the jprinciple planks of" their platform. In the event of them net being accepted they will ask for a dissolution and go» to country with these well defined battle-cries. Assuming that this view of the position is a correct one "' the country" will be somewhat embarrassed , as to whom they will accept as leaders. All of the cheifs appear to be more or less in favor of Protection. Sir Julius Vooel, Mr Ballance, and Major Atkinson, have been very outspoken in their denunciation of Free trade in any shape or form. While on the other hand no politician of any note Or weight has lifted up his roice in favor of the latter. Because of this silence on the part of any admitted leader of Freetraders in or out of the House, it does not follow that a David may not arise to slay this Goliah who threatens to enslave the people of the country for the aggrandisement of the dwellers in the Towns. In fact the Image of Protection looks too strong, and like its prototype it may be found to have feet bf clay. Borrowing has the same powerful advocated None know better than the leaders wh* have governed us for the last sixteen years, what a powerful lever is the promise of " local expenditure" to ; move or change the views or opinions of the average member. It is irresistible, as few of them care to risk their seats by independence on such a question as this, where every one of the constituents hopßsitt get some benefit thereby either directly or indirectly. It will thus be seen that it may probably be a contest of <'men not measures," at the next general election. That all " the great ones" with few exceptions will secure seats in the new Parliament, we are probably right in conjecturing. In that ease their positions may be changed but their policy of Protection and Borrowing remain quite intact. The strongly evinced desire of the Ministry to meet their opponents at the ballot box, shows a pleasing confidence in their position in the hearts and minds of the people. They appear to know that day after day public opinion has been moulded in their favor by the wisdom and discretion displayed by them in most public matters to which they have been able to give their attention during the recess. We believe at the election this confidence will not be found to bo misplaced. As for the rank and file of candidates, they will find themselves quite as embarrassed as the general run of the electors. Those of ;the towns may adopt the cry of " protection and borrowing," and they will be elected or rejected on their personal merits or demerits, while their " brothers of the country" may shout for " Free Trade," but they must tag v Borrowing" to their cry, or their chances of election will be miserably small, even if their personal merits be great, because the country must support a party which will provide the money to open up the land for settlement by roads and railways. It will be seen that the chances of Free Trade in the next Parliament will be very few, because its friends will be, for the most part, returned as supporters of the " Borrowing Policy," and thu» stand side by side with, the Protectionists in the lobby when a Government division takes place. If there were any clear party lines laid down in the politics of these colonies, this singular condition of state affairs could not exist. But we must take things as they are, and by returning only the best men to Parliament do our part to secure honest aud good Government.