LIBERALISM V. UNIONISM.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 June 1910, Page 2

LIBERALISM V. UNIONISM.

DEBATE AT THE Y.M.C.A

All interesting discussion took place ;it 'tilio Century Hall Inst ovening, when a debate in connection with the Literary and Debating Society of the Y.M.C.A., on is tho belter policy for the Enmire, Liberalism or Unionism?" took place. There was a fairly large attendinnco, and tlio speeches wore given a. very ait'tentivo hearing. Mr W. G. Adkin, who presided, in opening tli ; o> proceedings, said. that, the question they had rciim to <!«- halto was a mest liiitercstin.se one , . Thero was good to bo said on bn''lh sides, because by taking in teres!; in tbo matter they were dinning, kinship and nationality with thogreai oih'S of our race 5 . And 't.bey in 'Hint little town, in ill! 1 youngest nf dominions, divided as they were by half'the gUnho, came as it wen , into cidSftr touch with the leading ones of tin , Empire by such a discussion Oil tbp Liboral side worp great, men like Mr Asquith, Mr Churchill and Mr Lloyd-Georgp, >and oivt'lioUnionist side were men like Mr Balfonr and Mr LyttoHon, while there wn.s ever prcpoivt on Me errss benches tho figure of Lnrd Hosiery, one of the most brilliant orators of our time. Mr Byron Brown, sprviluiig from the Liberal point of view, remarked that bad he boon in the Old Country a'fc -Mie last election, bo might have bad gre.it difficulty in deciding which w.p.y to vote. Twn quesfieiis were upnpnrwt in tho minds of the ppnplo: The Hiidget nnd preferential tariff. Ho wanted both, but be thought that had ho been oble to vote lie would un-I'-O'inbted-ly have thrown in his lot far ibe Budget. _ The Liberal Tvir'ly had always been in tb'P van in resnrrt to social reform. Thcv 1i:m1 pissed many bills of a be-neficpiif lKiturp. aed it had always biMVi in the te.'tli r.'f the Uu,ioiM''-it p.irtv and the of Lorils. He insi.'inrerl me;isi"'ns tl'iit had been linked by the "*«■% rals, incliulinnr +7jf? old a<re TJensian, , *. ♦he Milieu fei'oilit hours) Act, ami Workmen's Ccmpensatinn Act, and referred to the aclion of n Tiibe-nii Covorivment on tho (iinwtion oi' sweating. He was convinced that it was e.wntinl for Knglan-d to have .'■nei.nl contentinoiilh at home if (be P"ople were to be .prccpprou.s and vigorous, and of th.at stamina and ch.nraefcr which was rwiiircd iir the cnlnnies. TTp whs a Home 'Rider. bptviu.se he failed to see why n form of government Xrw ZeaLnivcl enioved should not be given to tho Ti'iish pecjile. Mr J. C. Xeil obiecterl to the in trod'nciicii l of local Briiisli politics nt a at which they were supnnf.efl to e/ritiei.cp the pnrties from tho breader y.lcnrlpoint of Imperialism. They nil sympathised witli the. -Liberals in (heir cffoi'ls to improve the social well-being of tbo pwwle, lmif. ns Imperialists they could not but say that the Liberal party in England was :\ failure; tb.Tt from tire very first they bad been opposed to ihe empire. ' Tbo name of Empire in connection with Liberalism had .always been a shamo and disgrace. Mr (ilndstone's umno bad liim-'h. eulogi«ed that evening, but Mr Oladstone'.s n.nme would be relneinberod not so much for his as.suci at inns with Home T'ul'e na it. would with .that dark .and humiliating chapter in the aiMial.s of the Empire— at Ma.juba. So far as the 'initial <:f n yri'ji.l;. apostle- n-f Einnire was enncenied, .Mr Chamberlain was domii!ji"ing personality, and his policy ,:f pr-IVreiMial tariffs was growing among (.ho great ihasse.s of '(.be- people of England. Mr Ifarvey, for the Liberals, declared that the Liberal par'tv had been the greatest colonisers the. EmI'ire had ever luid. Dealing with the question of Indian affairs, iie al'tributofl ithe present .«|.af,! of i,nrrut and .<::>:]!t-ion i>) thu action of Lord Curzon in t! u . partition of IJengal, .and claimed that both from a_ d;omef;!ic and Imperial point of view, Mr Gladstone was the greatest pnlilieal leader England had ever bid. If,, denied that preferential tariffs would improve (bo lot of the worker, .and said thait tbo •.-oiM'i'.Tysid.e. w.a.s becoming <lenleted owing to the poor wages paid to the farm labourers, who were attracted to the town by higher wages, and whose presence helped to glut {■he la hour market. Mr Parker, for the Unionists, declared their policy to be a progressive one. and from <ni imperial standpoint was a far more worthy one for support than that of tho Liberals. To-d,ny there would have been no iwo-stamlnrd power for the navy, but for the vigorous criticisms of the ['liionist party. So far a.s the tariff questim was concerned, Knghnd was the onlv country that 'i:jod for Free Trade. If s\\o. had a we.Tpcn t;> negotiate with with in reign countries she could retaliate, and she could nb-u give ])rul:'e.rential treatment to her colonics which meant, .(ihat, ameng other things agricultural and dairy produce would receive preferential treatment. r l he Hev. V. I;. .Jones remarked th.nt Liberal were progn.«iv(> and f-nthusi'isti:-, while the Unionists were a steadyini: power. That was not the spirit that had given i.heni them _ the British Kmpire. Tho I'niouists were alwavs airaiu.'it conceding liberty to .the colonies, and the spirit of freedom they mw enjoyed the heritage of Liberalism. Tariff Reform would n<,( bind the Empire together, and they could lint forget thai it was a Tory King ■ n nd n Tory ministry wliich lost tho coiiDitry America. Mr R. J{. Harris remarked thai although he was a Liberal, lie \vr\s '•'bin to associate bimsel for, ti finbate like that with the Unionist party. Ifonie pnliMcs liail hwi gone into minutelv that evening, and it was unfortunate (he wider ■Mud liconder asiiect of Imperialism !'.yl bee iioverliMilced. Sr» l'ir as '♦he n.rival fincstien- was ccu'-crn"'!. Qliires had been given to vlu.w tint the Liberal Government, had spen, 1 >:r!niet!:ing en the navy, but it |i-i net been yr.hdrf out tlv.it had i.liev r'noie so previously .tlu'y would mir inve had in dip so deeply into the IVU'hetiuer ■;« w,i. s ww t] u . ( . !ISP . , I'.,'■ * :, Gohkmihh .supiv rt«l the Liberal policy, \± ] )Vo ,f f ,. ( ,,.. <hm of Ibouoi] !: t ,ind -a.»Unn. and-y.aid tliat in the South cf where, '/nnservaiism was stivuifr, i[ho worJ<- !"!!■ n-an M-as a humble mature hut in the- North be was bard' hemVd, ;>|--| t;'••at was where Liberalism bid its stronghold. Liberalism also '"'ld .sway ainrrng the camiy ■"■"■' lni free and hapuy Wflliiv. lie '™ (!V > fl t] '?t Liberalism w«« brtM-cr h':th for tho Empire, nnd the Old ."iiiitry Ho condemned protec- ''""•. !,n,l his hnarer.s of reverting ifco a policy whir-b had .-,.. lilted in .tho misery cf tle> r«.r.*:..« •Mr liyrnn Urown nv.d Mr I'hni: briefly replied, and cri -i yi-te ■•i'ln.cc tfllwn it w;.« faind tlsat a icrv ] fl ,.j, f . majority ins i n favour > l.ibLTSilisin. A n](v".s'int cren.i-i'r 'Iwtl with a. vote of thanks tothr' •luii r.