The Hastings Standard Published Daily. MONDAY, NOV. 23, 1896. THE POLITICAL GODS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 178, 23 November 1896, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily.

MONDAY, NOV. 23, 1896. THE POLITICAL GODS.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

Tiik fat is in the fire. The writs are out and the general election fixed for the Ith December. Eleven days of distraction, of noise, nonsense and flapdoodle. Of the thousands qualified electors we may safely assume that quite ninety per cent, have already made their choice of candidates, and are r.ot likely to be swayed by the copious clap-trap that will be poured from numberless platforms. The remaining toil per cent, which forms the doubtful element in the campaign—it is this residuim that the candidates have to coax and cajole. What are the component parts of this minority. M< n and women of feeble intellect, unable to judge of the merits of a candidate, or if capable of judging as easily swayed one way or the other. An affable good day, a soothing pint of beer, a flattering compliment, a vague promise of something good to come, any such trifling thing will capture the vote of the bulk of this liutsam and jetsam of our political life. This is adult suffrage, the perfection o! Democracy.

To the intelligent elector the position must be humiliating. Here is a national question to be decided, involving great issues, involving the national welfare, and the decision rests not with the bulk of the people but with this ten per cent, minority. The weight of their votes will turn the scale either way. It amounts to this that the ■' dead-beats " of our political world govern the situation, and it is this unwholesome minority that necessitates the expenditure of so much claptrap on the part of candidates, for it is only by tawdry prattle and tinsel talk that these votes ciii be secured. The contemplation of this fact is humiliating, yet we cannot see how th" position is to be improved. Education may in years to come reduce this controling minority, but sweep it away, we do not think even education will accomplish. Adult suffrage is beautiful in theory, but in practice it does not pan out quite up to expectation. The privilege of citizenship is not taken as seriously as it should be. It has come to us through the efforts of others and we value it lightly. There should be some restrictions in granting the franchise, for it is manifest that every adult is not competent mentally to be trusted with a vote. "While it is right that every good citizen should because of citizenship possesses the franchise it is indefensible that every bad citizen should be similarly privileged. The difliculty lies in drawing the line betw eon the good and the bad. Political evolution will no doubt some day devise a plan to counteract the pernicious influence of the easily swayed minority, but in the meantime we must tolerate the position as best we may. "We can only hope that even this minority will not be wholly led astray by the flatulent oratory of the demagogues, political pickpockets, and carpet-bug politicians. We trust that tin* next House of Representatives will be a credit to the Colony, although we fear Unit under present conditions, we are expecting more than will he realised.