A PLEA FOR CHARITY.
Those persons who devote the best efforts of their lives to the interests of social reform, are ever sure of the ready sypmathy and support of the community in general. Even when the ardour of battle fires their spirits and leads them into condemnatory language where the occasion may hardly warrant heat, their fellow man is tolerant of the fact, recognising that from the partisan standpoint an excess of zeal is much more desirable and achieves greater ends than cold and unimpassioned statements. Mrs Barton, the able and eloquent lady advocate of No-License, who lectured at Te Kuiti on Sunday evening last in the course of her address made some rather sweeping assertions with respect to the Parliament and press of the Dominion, the inference sought to b? conveyed being that Parliament and Press were more or less controlled by that body of people commonly designated "The Trade,/' Mrs Barton, who is merely on a visit to our shores, would hardly have th* temerity to make such insinuations on her own authority, which are presumably to be attributed to the resident leaders of the movement so ably advocated by Mrs Barton. Possibly the No-License advocates cannot conceive that responsible, citizens of unquestionable integrity can hold views in opposition to their own. yet such is undoubtedly the case. Those citizens moreover, usually credit the NoLicense partisans with being actuated by conscientious motives and extend to them at least tolerance and often warm sympathy with their aims in the interests of humanity. On the other hand such assertions as were made by Mrs Barton respecting our Parliament and Press can hardly serve to further the ends of the cause she represents. The matter is entirely in the hands of. the people and in seeking to impress puon the people the sweet reasonableness of their point of view, there is sureiy no necessitiy for the advocates of any cause to impute to others despicable and sordid motives. A really great cause can stand alone upon the foundation of its own sound and healthy objective, and its advocates in allowing zeal to overcome discretion, by casting wild and uncharitable aspersions upon people whom it should be their aim to assist as fellow workers in the cause of humanity are not true to the best instincts of the race. There is always room for more than one opinion on a question, and because you differ from me you do not deserve to have your character and motives attacked. "Oh, Charity, on speeding wing, Fly to this earth and with thee bring More of the love the noblest sing, More faith and trust That in their judgments man to man may be mure just."
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King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 411, 4 November 1911, Page 3
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452A PLEA FOR CHARITY. King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 411, 4 November 1911, Page 3
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