Correspondence.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 3, 27 November 1914, Page 2

Correspondence.

WHILE it is our endeavour to give correspond mts every facility for the free expre ;sion of their opinion, it should be borne'in mind that th® views expressed do not, necessarily, reflect the opinions of the Editor. TO THE EDITOR. Dear Sire —In your last week’s issue, I .notice Mr. Furniss is styled the Democratic candidate for this electorate, a designation which I consider both inaccurate and misleading, for the following as well as other reasons : Mr Furniss’ candidature has never been endorsed or approved of, (to the best of my belief) by any organisation or body of workers, of tiny- status as such, in this constituency. On the other hind, meetings have been held amongst sections of workers most likely to be in favour of running a democratic candidate, and a ballet taken at these meetings decided by upwards of 95 per cent of a majority to request Mr Furniss to stand down. He was previously notified of, and requested to attend, these meetings, but failed to do so ; and | although he has been informed of ! the result, he still persists in | going on with the contest. Our | reason for taking up this attitude is not because we are converted

to Liberalism, any more than the Reform party were converted to Labourism, when their leader urged his supporters to vote for the Labour canditates who were left in the second ballot at the last general election. It is rather owing to the repeal of the Second Ballot Act, which we consider the Reform Party repealed for the express purI pose of erecting a political wind- ; mill, on which they imagined Labour would be Don Quix >tish I enough to break itself upon. | T .is is exactly what we conI sider Mr Furniss and the few who are supporting him are now doing, and, whiGt not doubting his sincerity or integrity, we do question his wisdom. Should he g > to the p >ll, the need for Lib ur t) pr •ve its discipline ! will be all the greater : as we can never claim any respect as a party so long as it is possible for two or three self-appointed sergeants to decide when and where we shall be involved singlehanded in a genera! engagement. Mr Furniss has, I understand, a long and honourable record in the Labour movement to his credit in the Old Country; and it would be a pity to see it tarnished now by a suspicion of self - aggrandisement resting against him un some peoples’ minds. If he could he persuaded to read, again and review the lives of the pioneers, whose record and example actuated him in his younger days in his zeal for progress, I feel certain tiiat he will realize that self-sacrifice of the individual or of the few has j ever been the price exacted for the advancement of the many. ! I, therefore, submit that his only 1 course as a professed Democrat j is to obey the voice of Democracy, i (whether that v >ic2 bo right or ; wrong, in his opinion, matters | not) by standing down at the j forthcoming election. | Thanking you in anticipation, I remain. Yours etc.. J. MELLING.