Feilding Star. THURSDAY, SEPT. 13, 1888. Members of Parliament

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 41, 13 September 1888, Page 2

Feilding Star. THURSDAY, SEPT. 13, 1888. Members of Parliament

It is very much the fashion of the Press in this colony to take exception to the persounel of our Members of Parliament. Some writers blame the electors, others the members for their presumption in being elected, and a third section find fault with the system. We observe, however, that not one word is mentioned of those astute personages who, in some instances we wot of, put up the puppets and pull the strings to make them dance. We do not particularly refer to those who support the candidature of a mere dummy who is sent into ! : arliainent to vote and act according to instructions whether on Freetrade or Protection, or a branch railway. We allude to those electors who on " business grounds" object to a candidate having 11 a walk over" because, no matter how good the man may be, and capable of doing his duty in every possible respect, he would thus be getting his seat too cheaply, when, on the other hand if he is made to fight for it he and hL friends have to " make the money fly," and business — of a kind— is thereby made lively and profitable. Although these sapient individuals are wise in their generation, or as they like to put it " up to a thing or two," they forget altogether that candidates m esse and in posse are becoming alive to this blackmail, and iv consequence are not likely to fall such an easy prey in the future. Electors should consider that if they compel a man to squander large sums of money, and waste much valuable time in canvassing and speaking to win their suffrages, when the seat is won the Member is no longer uuder the slightest ouhgation to them. The position is his by thestrongrightof purchase, or conquest, looking at it from his standpoint. If that view be accepted, the electors have parted with their right to criticise, and are, therefore, not- entitled to complain if even the grossest injustices were perpetrated on them by their, so called, representatives. That we do not get our best men to take part in politics, is becoming more patent every day. The same causes which are now.: keeping the, admittedly, best men in the United States of America from seeking public life, are beginning to operate in New Zealand. There are in both countries plenty of ..men of culture, means, social position, and personal qualifications, who would be ornaments to political life, absolutely deterred from doing their duty as citizens from the dread of a contested election. They would have no fear if they were pitted against each other, and the conditions of the battle were somewhat ou an equality, but such is seldom the case. Too often a man of refinement and delivery has to meet some loud voiced, ignorant, pothouse politician who is put up to " make an election," and whether he he victorious or defeated, he can never forget that he has been degraded in his amour propre, and lowered in the eyes of his friends whose esteem he values. It is not surprising then that he will in the future avoid placing himself for a second tin>e in so false and humiliating a position. The fewer of such men who offer themselves, the greater number of the illiterate class will oertainly get into Parliament, and with their advent the personnel of members must become lower each succeeding general election. Where it will end we are not prepared to say.