The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE. SEPT. 10, 1906.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1856, 10 September 1906, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE. SEPT. 10, 1906.

I There is probably not in Now Zsaland to day a single porson calling himself a Democrat or a Liberal who would be bold enough to assert that Manhood Suffrage is not a success, yet there is probably not one either who could prove that Manhood Suffrage is essentially the best form of franchise. Thi3 statement will at the iirst glance appear somewhat astounding to those who are in the habit of taking things for granted without duo examination, and because the system is the popular one ; but if they will stop to think the matter over they will at least see some serious defects iu the system which it

is possible to remedy to some extent. That the sj-stem is an improvement upon that which preceded it need not be argued, nor is that fact a sufficient excuse for attaining greater perfection still if it can be shown that such is possible. The contention hero is that it is possible ; but before entering into that phase of the subject it is necessary first to show what are the defects 1 of the system as it stands, and what *

j are the effects of iis working that are (not calculated to further tho best interests of the country. To do that is not so difficult as it seems, for it will be admitted by all thinking people that the basic principle upon which the system i 3 founded is not a logical one, because it assumes au impossh bilify. It assumes that every- adult, male or female, can with an equal exercise of knowledge and reason weigh the pros and cons of State questions as they are submitted for a verdict through the ballot, and that in itself is an impossibility, and the votes so cast for or against exactly balance one another vote for vote, so that the result which the totals decide cannot l•miosJlsr.be..nwtfl, than a„ hatjhauard

conclusion. To make tho matter inoro plain, if need ho, lot it bo assumed that tho question submitted is ono involving- in its propor and j ust solution tho highest intricacies of social economics, and -Kphviam lirown, who is a roaaouor, logical, studious, and intelligent, has studied the i|UOS-

tion during the fow hours ho cnn spare troiu Ill's anvil or his work bench, goes to record his vote thereon. Ho drops it into tho ballot box ; but on top of it is dropped another voto on tho opposite sido by Josiali Smith, a rollicking uo’or do well who knows nothing of tho subject and cares loss, but who is induced to vote at all only because ho happens to be within tho maelstrom, of public oxcitomont which tho elec-

tiou lias aroused. Thus it happens that the opinion of the man whose opinion is worth having is completely nullified by that of the man whose opinion is not worth the trouble he

“C* - took to record it. This is no uncom' Dion occurrence, nor is the picture an exaggerated one, for there are many hundreds of such instances at every election contest, and a glaring instanco may bo given which occurred at the last general election where a man, who was credited with tho possession of somo degroo of shrewdness, frankly acknowledged that his reasons for voting for a candidate, who, by tho way, lost his deposit, was that tho candidate once did him a good turn in proventing tho Borough ranger taking his bull to the pouud.- Instances equally ludicrous, though perhaps not so silly, could be multiplied ad libitum, and if tho fact that they are at all possible is not sufficient reason

for curtailing franchise privileges it is not easy to find a substartial reason for doing anything. Common sense dictates that the law should not admit of such possibilities if the country is to be governed according to the best methods by the best available politicians. _ But so it, and the logical result of this indiscriminate extension of the franchise is plainly pour tray ed in the frequent exhibitions of silliness displayed in the popular Chamber itself by _ men

whose very unfitness for the positions of staid and sober-minded legislators vras the charm which captandum vulgus onabled them to secure majorities over better men, and so inflict their evil influences upon the legislation of the country, and their unedify~ ing example upon other constituencies. The system that permits of such a thing cannot be a sound one, and though there are many remedies for the evil, perhaps the quickest and least objectionable would be to inflict

disqualification for a term upon the constituency that returned a member who could not behave himself in a rational way while acting as the representative of the people in Parliament. Can anybody claim that the election of the present member for Ashburton was the result of a sound public opinion expressed through the ballot box, or that the system which permitted of such a thing, even in one instance, was the best that could be devised? Can anybody say that of late 5 ears we have not had several in-

stances of the same thing, and that the matter is not now assuming the character of a public scandal ? The matter calls for some remedy, and if the one above suggested cannot be adopted there are others that may be suggested ; but no system can be per-> feet that places an equal value on the vote of every person who can claim it solely by reason of his or her age having reached the required length of time as if time were the true and only measure of intelligence. know it is not, and yet we insist upon building the destiny of the country on that fallacious principle. It is true that lunatics are excluded from exercising the franchise ; but two doctors have to certif}’’ to their mental condition to the satisfaction of a Magistrate or T3eneh of Justices bef ore they can be deprived of their privileges, but the law does not take cognisance of the rampant disease so generally exhibited in the form of political lunacy, and when that is linked with other vices in the construction of the machinery that make up our system of government we cannot hope for the best results, nor will it be possible to attain them until the defects of the present system become less popular than they are at present. Fortunately these causes and influences do not permeate the whole community to such a degree as to dominate every constituency, and to the extent of our freedom from them only do we enjoy the possibility of securing the best government.