Manamatu Herald. THURSDAY, NOV. 9, 1893. The Trio.

Manawatu Herald, 9 November 1893, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. THURSDAY, NOV. 9, 1893. The Trio.

Afteb the wanderful selection of candidates made by the Premier we ought not to feel surprised at anything the Party may do, but still we cannot help being so when we learn that Sir Robert Stout and Messrs McLean and Fraser have been chosen for Wellington. We are glad Sir Robert Stout will secure the Liberal support, if he does, but except as showing the foolishness of these Party organisations, we have little faith in them. Mr Fraser is great on prohibition and water of any sort, and therefore with a Party professing prohibition views, Ins claim had to be admitted. But this Party only professes, and the majority do not want prohibition, and the leader the candidates are pledged to support has aimed the worst blow yet made at the temperance party by introducing the Liquors Bill last session. Supposing, however, which is being asked to suppose a great deal, that the Wellington Liherals rfially wanted prohibition how do they explain the selection of Mr McLean? This is the celpbratpd member who slept over the Liquors Bill and woke up thin king of it, andappaivntly got into snch a stato of fow that though he had supported Sir Robert Stout's Bill, and had as he mentioned plaintively, even left his own party for that purpose, yet came, round to the idea that the Premier's Bill would please all parties ! Like many another Liberal he said he believed he had " acted conscientiously as a conscientious Government snpporter." By that guage probably he had, but it is not a satisfactory measure for high prinoipled conduct. Sir Robert Stout eneavoured to suggest as much to Mr McLean, and pointed out that though the Premier's Bill was then being discussed he (Sir Robert) had another Bill upon the order paper. Little cared the present pet of the Liberal professing party for that, he knew what the fate of that little Bill would be, if contrary to the Premier's views, who also claims to desire to see Sir Robert Stout in the House, the Bill might be on the order paper but, said Mr McLean " and it will be on the Order Paper | till Domesday as far as you are concerned " and he might have appropriately added as far as he was con-, cerned. The contention that by the Liquors Bill the publioana : fiad* : secured a three years license was nothing to the supporter of Sir Robert Stout's Bill, as on being reminded of that fact he remarked ! 11 Suppose they have. Let us consider what advance has been made in the last ten or fifteen years." MiMcLean whilst professing an earnestness and rampant prohibitionists is ready to " wink the other eye " at the brewers, and to -become amazed at the wonderful temperance reforms effected by his lord and master, the Premier, in ; his wonderful effort 11 The Alcoholic Liquors Sale Con trol Act." The one proud moment of Mr McLean's politisal life, that time when for once he actually dared to vote against the wishes of the Premier, is one he looks longingly back at as a dougbiy deed of daring, but "by command " he oarefulfy kept his conscience within that control necessary to "a conscientious Government supporter," and voted for the Premier's Liquor Bill. Of such are the Liberal candidates, and such are the amusing efforts made to fit round men into square holes, as long as they will shout the cry imifced to the fraction nf tho com-

munity: they^eMdressing and" still shout *• Long live King Seddon."