The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1879.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 31, 22 February 1879, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1879.

WSen the pclitical histcry pf the Australian Colonies shall come to be written, the twP meh'whcse careers will stand out most prominently m bold relief will be Mr. Graham Bebbt, the present Premier of Victoria, and Sir Julius Vpgel. If the latter did not go quite so far m the work pf revolution as the English. Protector, he attempted and accomplished a grand change m the Constitution of the country ;. while the former, as head of his Government, assumed and maintained a line of policy without precedent under Responsible Governments, and consequently it will be a matter of interest to retrace the career of these two men, who have played, such prominent parts m their respebtive sphered Mr. Bebbt, like most other men who have/attained political power and eminence An the Colonies, commenced his Colonial career at the lowest rung of the ladder. Originally a draper, the jprdmiuent part he fbok m popular de- . Km mrprncmu',! ff> «| ) <- ..,».>—. — s^^-p-t—..... with the people, and as. he was a fluent arid ready speaker, hoisting the banner of Dempcracy, aiicl gping m bald-headed for the rights of the people, he managed to hit the popular taste,- and was returned on the Liberal ticket for a suburban, constituency. . From the Parliament tp the Press was but a stride^ and m a. short time he was able to ventilate his views and give expression to his ideas through the columns of the Collingwood Observer, of which he became the editor. Prom thence he transferred his services to the Geelong Advertisers the premier journal, as far as age was concerned, m the Colony. During all this time lie was a blatant, howling Democrat, pf the Paddy's Market type, whoso denunciations of; a sordid and bloated aristocracy wore, all fume and frcth,:the terrpr: and dread pf his brother tegislato^ object of suspicion to all sides and parties. When Sir Charles, then Mr., Duff? assumed the reins of and became Chief Secretary,. a muzzle was provided for the disturber, and the portfolio of Treasurer was offered to, and accepted by, Mr. Beebt. The Cabinet so constructed, however, did not long hold toge'tiier, as tho Duffv-Bebbt Ministry were, expelled frbih office under circumstances which loaded them with dishonori the fault of which was laid at the xiepr pf the newly-created Minister pf Finance. And here we would' direct tho attention pf Sir Geprge Gret. and his cclleagues • tp the reason why the Dcfft Ministry were driven from, the Treasury Benches ppvered with Pblpquy and shame^ inasmuchr as there is., a most striking similarity "between the past action pf the DuFFtAdministratipn and that of : which Sir Gbpbge Gbet is chief.' Bptb> started On their political voyage with their sails full set with the popular f avpr, bpth proved recrearlt i tp the. cardinal pririciple.s enunciated from the platform; both- sought to, bpfeter up . a failing cause bylbribery and cprruptipn, seeking tp,rmain.tai^theircpmmand of the Ship Pf State -Joy, throwing,' pyerbbard the cargp- ; with the safety cf whicli they were .charged, |in_ crder. to secure their own preservation ; but while the. one was hiirlesfrom place and power, the other still continues the nefarious course,, notwithstanding that the sword lof Dampcle^ js swinging abpve its head. Feeling that the tide of- popular fa vpr had passed away, that the people.were diVsatisfi-ed andthe Press disgusted,' Mr. Bebbt.; determined to bait his line with a.,:i?o i lden hook- at which the F^urtifiEstiate were, to tfibble. Those, pa pers , which gave ; blind •adherence .-.'tot the &pvm*ri.ment, and slavered, and belauded them jvith fulsome praise," had carte blapche to/clip the-'Govern-l ment adve'rtisemb^ts>'frpin the. Gazette, while the JhpnesC independent Oppnsitionjburnaiß were, cut offiwitV the proverbial shilling! 'Som.e> idea, -of tnfe length tb whichthP swiri^qle was. carried may. be imagined^heni&is s^tedifchatone insignificant sheet, the; prpperty , o\ the notorious. Li "L. .Sjiith, ,of qu.ackcelebrity, but member fpr South Bonrke, jj,nd a thick- and-thih sijpporter of the Ministry, received 'as. J?»uoh m hard cash m two months as the .[ Ar/ftts, Age,. Teleqrapk, Herald, arid all the other Melbourne papers combined, would have claimed In six.. Popular indignation was aroused, the House tppk .tfee.; matter up; and as it was .proved. rnbst:, conclusively that Ministers hard' .been

dipping into the State Chest tP purchase support, a vpte ef Want pf Confidence was carried by a sweeping majority, and ere a week had passed Beebt and his plunderers were m Opposition. The lesson was a dear one, and although it did not make the worsted politician more honest, the bump of caution became more fully devoloped ; he patiently bided his time until the wheel, of fdrtune should again come within his reach, and when it did the opportunity was not allowed to slip by. Now we see him not only the Chief Minister of the Crown of the Chief Colony of Australia, but arrogating and successfully maintaining to his party such unbounded powers as were never attempted by any of his predecessors. A bold, determined, unscrupulous man ; one not to be respected m private life, nor trusted m political matters ; without political honesty or integrity, and with whom friendship was but a myth save as a stepping-stone to personal aggrandisement ; with whom ambition was the mainspring of daily action, tha goal to be reached, no matter what the means required to light the way. The Beebt regime will be a memorable page m the history of Victoria, but it will not be one to which the chronicler can point to with pride, or future generations imitate with profit. A different stamp of man is New Zealand's only Statesman — Sir Jui/ius VoPEL. With all the daring of the Victorian Premier, Sir Julius Vpgel far surpasses his rival m the boldness of his conceptions, and the present unparalleled state of prosperity of NewZealand is, perhaps, the proudest testimony which could be given of the soundness of the policy which he initiated. In the face of the Cassandbas who were prophesying ruin and desolation as the outcome of his action, he boldly held on to his course, and now when the millions borrowed have been swallowed up, instead of that desolation which was foretold, the Colony stands upon a firmer foundation than ever, The works constructed have proved highly reproductive ; the thousands of immigrants introduced have merged into the general community, each one easily finding.an outlet for his capital or a need for his labor ; the land opened up has been speedily taken .possession of, and there are yet millions of acres waiting to be cleared and tilled, and capacity for a population ten, twenty, aye. fifty times the present number. This has been the labor of Sir Julius Yogel. His has been the march of progress, and the work of colonisation ; but while his name will m future be identified with progress, that of his rival will be,associated with lawlessness, anarchy, and confusion. "A lucky chance oft decides the fate of monarchs," and the one that introduced the future Dictator of New. Zealand, to the General Assembly was most remarkable. In the early days of Otago, when Mr. Yogel was editor pf the Daily Times, a vacancy had occurred m the House of Representatives, and the future Premier attended at the nomination m a reportorial capacity. A few moments before the hour there was not a soul there but himself and the returning officer, Mr. Gillies. -Looking at his -watch, and =£-£}*.<?, +i»»* XyK^tl i.Tii-fIA. minutes; to spare, he rushed into the Provincial Buildings and returned with two officials, one of whom proposed and the other secpnded his nomination, and ere the clock had done striking the hour of r h.opn Julius V'pgel was a. member of that House m which he was destined to play such a prominent part. Upon such small events do greater hinge. Had not chance or destiny flung the opportunity m his path, it may be that his voice would never have been beard m St. Stephen's, and one of the brightest pages m New Zealand history never written.