The Globe. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1253, 13 March 1878, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1878.

If wo are to believe the enraptured ravings of some journals, the Premier’s stumping tour marks the beginning of a fresh era in the political life of the colony, and Sir George is the great apostle of the new faith. If it were possible to get the converts to the new doctrine to sit down and calmly reason out the matter, it would be found that their beliefs were of the most indefinite character “the coinage of fancy informed by ignorance.” They talk much and rather wildly of “ the Liberal” party which has arisen in the colony, whose great watchwords are Manhood Suffrage, a chauge in the incidence ef taxation, and a new land law. But, like their great Apostle, their utterances on these points are somewhat vague and most unsatisfactory. After using the common-place and well-worn arguments in favor of giving every man a vote, they turn round and assort that if Sir G. Grey’s bill includes provisions requiring a twelve-month’s residence in the electoral district, and proper precautions as to registration, it will be productive of much good. Those who talk in this way seem to forget, or probably do no not understand, that, in placing these restrictions upon the exercise of the franchise, they concede the whole point at issue. They apparently do not know what manhood suffrage Is. At the present moment, if our registration bws were amended iu the right direction, the number on tlio electoral rolls would be vastly increased, and to extend tbe privilege in tbe direction indicated would not materially alter tbe character of the constituencies. But the apostles of the now faith would have us believe that they! alone are the friends of the masses, and 1 that all who do not fall down at the feet of the Knight oi Kawan, and cover him with fulsome praise, are traitors to the cause of the people. We cannot help suspecting that there is a good deal of “ flunkeyism” at the bottom of all this, and that had anybody else but Sir George proposed these “ liberal ” measures, they would have received less attention at the hands of some. Another great feature iu the policy of the Government is—a chauge iu the incidence of taxation. On this subject much rhetoric is was to;) in painting the evil effects of tlm present 1 system, and iu describing the grinding oppression of the rich, in order to induce the people to demand a change. But Parliament is willing to make the alteration without all this fuss. Last session a ( resolution was carried affirming the necessity of a change, *0 that Sir G. Grey might if his aim had Deep, disinterested, have spared his hearers throughout the colony a great deal of useless talk, A.s , to the New Land Bill wo are promised, ! the utterances of. the Ministry are of the vaguest character, aud wo venture to assert that lew of Sir G. Grey s fojjovyer?

have the fainest idea of what the Premier wishes to become law. We are therefore forced to the conclusion that the “liberal” policy of the Grey party is a sham. Their promised Manhood Suffrage Bill will be a misnomer, and their measure dealing with taxation but carrying out the wishes of the House of Representatives long before the present Government came into power. As to the new laud law which is to give laud to everyone, apparently without payment or trouble of any kind, we strongly suspect that it will never make its appearance at all. The Land Act,as it appears on the statute book, was introduced by the late Government, but taken up and made law through the exertions of the present Administration.