THE MORALS OF POLITICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5684, 18 June 1879, Page 3

THE MORALS OF POLITICS.

(From the Mdhmtrne Review.)

The morals of politics are exactly the same as the morals of trade. You can no more get your public affairs attended to out of pure sentiment than you can get your merchandise carried from Melbourne to England gratis by some exporter who has learnt that the exportation Of some specialty will benefit Geelong, or be a source of profit to your great-grand-children. But, just as your wide-awake merchant, who sees a prospect of obtaining a larger profit from one investment than from another, chooses that one; so smart men, watching the contemptible bunglings at legislation displayed by retired soap-boilers, brewers, and lawyers, and seeing some pretty substantial prizes attached to the great work of legislation, decide to oust those bloated tradesmen —and succeed. I admit at once that this statement of tho exact equality in point of nobleness of political and private morals is more of a retort than a vindication. Bnt the standard of morality appealed to is high enough for me, and has the advantage of being readily understood by the constituencies. I get a bridge built for you—you support me. I refuse to use my influence to get out of the general revenue what should be locally paid for by property owners interested—yon make it hot for me at the next election. A man can’t afford to be patriotic. If he is, bask he goes to private life, and a man with a tougher conscience has his say in the government of the country. And so we look out to grab something in the geneial scramble. Every thing is forgiven in this world bnt want of success. The people get as well served as they deserve. When they reform themselves, we reform. But if any man or combination of men, whether politicians or writers, imagine that, in deference to their wishes, we are going to stand aside from public life, and, as they term it, “ turn to some honest occupation,” and leave tho world of legislation to high sonled men of leisure, we say bring out your cultivated men, and lei them try their culture on this people. If the people accept them, our occupation is gone, and you are delivered from the frightful scourge of professional politics. If they are not accepted, they have the consolation of being ahead of the age. I have no ambition that way, finding it hard enough work to keep abreast of it.