Political Affairs

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 4, 25 June 1889, Page 2

Political Affairs

! TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAB, Sir, — In Mr Macarthnr's speech to the Feilding electors, and his explanation of the course he took along with others last session in opposition to the imposition of increased taxation by the Protectionists, and also his defence of Mr Meuteath, M.H.R., member for Wellington, I fully agree with him. Mr Menteath's words are contained in his speech to the Wellington electors, showing the real or true state of this oolony, or what is termed the gloomy aide of the question, and for which statement he was very severely criticised by the New Zealand Times. Now, it is always necessary, however disagreeable and unpopular, to know both sides of a momentous question, and there are always numbers ready to take the popular or bright side ; but few to represent the other, and which is very often the more necessary side so as to avoid extravagance and blunders of administration in the future. The loser at the gambling table takes little heed of the advice to give \vp gambling, but consoles himself by expecting better luck in future, and so goes on to ruin. The chief line of distinction between civilised nations and the savage is that the former should look back to the blunders and shortcomings of past history so as to avoid repeating them in the future, and the more civilised and progressive the nation the more will this quality assert itself. If not, then as sure as this earth revolves round the sun and turns on itß axis, those extravagances and blunders will return again and again, and so history will repeat itself in this as in other instances. Believing, as I do, in the productiveness and the capabilities of this colony to recover from depression, yet all honor and thanks ought to be accorded to those men who would wish us not to build castles in the air, but to look at affairs in a tniß and sober light, and for this I belieya t,ho Hon. J. Bryce, being an influential man ar.d not a seeker after popularity, deserves greater thanks than an;/ other public or private man in this colony. Instead of the above outspokenness about the real state of the oolony doing us harm in the United Kingdom as some aver, I believe the reverse to be the case, as the Home people, if anything, take a more practical view of our condition than we do ourselves and are quite as well informed (in these days) upon political matters going on as the majority of people in this colony. The late crisis has been a serious one, and, it is, no doubt, the fact of realising our true position in the foregoing way that the credit of this colony has improved lately in the Old Country. There is one thing I noticed at Mr Macarthur's address that is, how very few people take sufficient interest in political questions. Now, I believe it is tune they took more interest in those questions. They have little occasion to trouble themselves about the, so called, complex problems, which are made too much of and confuse both speaker and listener ; but rather consider simple and natural rules of great questions, which are often the main part and quite sufficient to show them what is right and what is wrong — to working men especially does this apply. The main propelling power of the steam engine exposed to view is quite sufficient to show its strength and safety as a propelling power. The necessary but more delicate and complicated interior machinery may be well left to those competent to judge. With your permission I will refer to the other subject, namely, Protection, in my next letter, and will now say a few words about the term " pessimist " which has been used against those who, from real honesty of purpose, that is to say for the enlightenment and wellare of the greater number, risked their own popularity thereby, have tried to keep up the credit and future well-being of tins colony. It ought to be the aim of those who care about the present as well as the future prospects of others, to make 6uch an subject as the foregoing as simple and intelliaible to the general public as possible ; but the opponents of any good principle very often make use of some high sounding or unintelligible word, thus throwing a very thick mist around the subject, and making it all the more mysterious so as to hoodwink the thoughtless or unwary. If this is their object, or if it is merely to show off in using those words, it is not for me to judge. But I would propose, in future, that the term " pessimist " should be applied to those who make use of it for either of those objects, and for which it would be a more appropriate term than that to which they apply it. If the vendor of a quack medicine allowed the analyst to insert on the label of the package the real contents of the decoction, very few, if any, would purchase it ; but when a Latin or some uninteligiblle term is borrowed or made use of to make it look like genuine medicine it is bought and swallowed by hundreds of individuals. By the time the next general election takes place I would advise working men and others to study the simple rules of great questions so as in a measure to be able to judge for themselves instead of being at the mercy of those I have alluded to. — I am, &c, A Colonist.