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Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1925, Page 2

Tin: period of an election time seems to give free scope for the u.-e or abuse of ordinary ethic- in the conduct of candidates' campaign-. With some there is the desire for noi-e and exaggeration. amt the feeling seems to lie rampant with mam that abuse i- about

the best argument to use to secure the car of the multitude. We lake il tluft with the changing times tlie-e old forms of attack have lost their weight, ami with the advance in education and knowledge, something more logical is required for effective use. In other word- the beating of the drum lather scares than ultra: ts the right thinking public. Also there are those who have been through the mill of tin exciting political eonte-t. who realise that the

victory is not always to the swift or the strong, but that in the minds of 1 lie people there i- a family for quiet thinking and ailing, and the silent

'.liter 1- |he person aho con nl, in the end. The -secrecy of the ballot i- such now tluil a inter may enter a polling booth without fear of mole'-1 a l ion or other interceding, and quietly record his or her rote acceding to convictions. It i- well that it is so. for "hat i- needed is the considered judgment of the people, and the quieter an election is conducted, the sounder will he the judgment in the end. That is as it should he, and if all elections would proceed along such lines there would lie less heartburnings afterward--. And why should an election not lie conducted as sanely and its decorously as any other duty in public life? Gradually there is an improvement, but there are exluome folk always to he reckoned with, and in their ease the desire to he noisy Mini objectionable seems to he inherent. It is something more than partisanship with such folk, though that counts some" hat. The bent of the mind is towards upsetting conditions. There is :t lack of ballast to think and net in terms of sincerity. To such the rules of the game are lost sight of. and such folk think noise counts, when as a matter of fact, silence is truly golden. The trend to wildness is perhaps a relie of barbarian days, which training and discipline have not removed. It is regrettable that it is so. hut as it is has to be endured. To their calmer moments no doubt those prone to disturbing tactics .must realise the futility of their actions, ami the compromising position in which they place themselves, and those whose cause they mishandle. In elections, as in other walks of life, it pays to play the game, and playing the game is the desire to he fair to all. above all to he rigid minded.