The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1908. CHOOSING A CANDIDATE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 423, 13 August 1908, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1908. CHOOSING A CANDIDATE.

A meeting of Opposition supporters was held at Palmerston on Monday night. Mr Martin, Opposition organiser, delivered an address. Mr D. Buick was selected as candidate to represent the Opposition interests at the forthcoming election. There were about forty persons present. What puzzles us,, although it is no concern of ours, is, how in the name of Democracy can forty persons dictate to the great majority who shall be their representative. The selection of a candidate by a few self-constituted leaders of a party, smacks too much of Tammany. Let ’em all come! and the candidate who obtains an absolute majority take the honour—if such it can be called. We have no time for the hole and corner method of selection or the paid party ‘ ‘ bummer.” Let the paid organiser educate the people as to the virtues of his party, but leave the selection of a representative to the people alone—it is their right. If the voters of New Zealand do not yet possess sufficient brains to make an intelligent choice as to the fitness of a candidate, then they should be disfranchised. Let us safeguard our Demoeracy from the contaminating influence of Tammany.