The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1919. SAVAGERY OF ELECTIONEERING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3351, 2 December 1919, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1919. SAVAGERY OF ELECTIONEERING.

With which is incorporated “The Taihape Post. and Waimarino Newa.” -

In the very early days of scl.t:clm:llt -in New ‘Zealand similar 'bitt‘crness of language in election campaigns SK’-lzrled to obtain then as now, that is, judging from Gibbon -Wakefie.ld's-- tern-Ib‘:e statement. -He said that in tho:-e early times/‘everyone strikes at his opponent’s heart,’.’ and we -have ample evidence that in 1919 that saying is just ‘as applicable, and probably ‘better (leserved than it was in 1849 or thereabout. In those days, newspapers and” speeches teemed with verbal garbage and untruthful denunciation; to—day newspapers and "political speeches fairly drip with corrupting deception, and both speakers and writers are so brazen that no attempt is made even at "plausibility in many cases. . Wakefield complained of the savagely personal charactcr of political opponents in his ‘day, but have we progressed in our manners, are we-any more temperate of speech, any more truthful, any less savage, any less dishonest and deceptive than were those rough early colonists of seventy years ago? Whatever progress has been made -human character remains the "same as in Wakcfield’s time. It is claimed that the characteristic of our time is democracy, but-, democracy is only beneficent proportionate with its honesty and humaneness. The leader of factions and demagogues to-day will he found to be as tyrannously dishonest and overbearing as the faction dissembler in Wakcficld’s day. Yet democracy has made some headway; there are no more Labour representatives in Parliament now than there were thirty years ago, and neither Liberalism nor Conservatism displayed’ signs of much democratic advancement till the war brought with it a new consciousness of injustices prevailing War conditions have ‘brought to a better understanding the need for a more real and virile democracy, hence rcllcwcd Stl“'Jgglcs are being made for democratic ascendancy. T-'hcse struggles doubtlessly proceed in many instances from feelings of lawlessness, but let it be well understood that a great historian has said. “lawless working for democratic ascendancy always finds its Way either by punishment or self-sacrifice to the highest law.” What ShCuld have most serious consideration during this election period is whctlier there ‘may not arise a clash between democratic and reactionary factions that will cause widespread unrest and disaster. It is claimed that the great democratic wave in New Zealand broke with the death of Seddon, if that Claim is admitted it is tantamount to admit‘ting a reactionary process has Since lobtained, for to claim that present day ‘conservatism, or reform as it is termged, -has any relation, or even resemblanc to the democracy of“ John Ballancc rand Richard Seddon would be the reiductioad absurdam. In his history Oi’ iNew Zealand Mr W. P. Reeves enmFinences one of his chapters by stating, ‘During.’ the ten years beginning in ,1879 New Zealand finance was little more than a series of attempts to avert» ideficits;-” It is distinctly unprofitable ;to disregard the truth of this statelment; every expedient then suggesting "itself to the Conser'vati‘ve-Government, :of xvhich "ntkinsgp -was theicolcnial

LTI-casnrer, was tried without avail for‘ improving the countr-y’s finance. Land values went down to a level bringing { ,bankruptcy to hundreds of fariners; their farms were mortgaged largely to] the Bank of New Zealand, and as land would not realise the amount that had I been lent on it, the Bank and farming’ community became parthers in ruin_ So desperate had become, under the continuous .regime which ended with , the Atkinson Government, that indus-! ‘trial unrest’ became of an extreme". character, and farmers were clamonring for a. change of administration, the result being that John Ballance was returned with a workable majority by the constituencies. An outstanding post office employee—--J. G. ‘Ward became Colonial Treasurer, with one of the most complex financial positions to face in the history of this country.‘ Farnl'ers- and Bank had to be ‘rescued, from the ruin that was overwhelming] them; John McKenzie, Minister of’ Lands, evolved a land policy and J.’ G. Ward financed it, and hundreds of present day farmers owe their position U in life to the marvellous success 01'; that policy. Then came Bank Direc-I tors, telling the Treasurer, J. G. Ward, that the Bank doors must close, and‘ the institution must go into liquidation owing to its inability to meet its liablities, unless the ncwly~formed democratic government could devise means of stemming what all regarded‘ as an unprecedented national disaster. I J. G. Ward formulated: a scheme, which was accepted by Cabinet whereby the credit of the State was placed behind the Bank to the extent of two million pounds, and so the country was savrzd | from the stigma of bankruptcy and‘ repudiation. Details of the scheme! for saving the Bank and the honrzur of the country provided for the formation of what will be remembered as the “Assets Realisation Board.” ‘This, was an institution, separate from the Bank, to take over and realise to the best advantage the ‘hundreds of thousands of acres of land that had fallen into the Bank’s hands during the bad time farmers had been experiencing. In the working of the‘ scheme, as evolved by J. G. Ward, there was not a hitch; all the lands were disposed of most satisfactorily, but this was chiefly owing to the new land policy the’ Government had put vigorously into action. An Advances to ’Settlers measure came into force ,and a wave of settlement and pr-egress, such :lS| was never experienced before or since, spread over t-he whole land. Towardfl the end of R. "J; Seddon’s life greedand selfishness were again becoming ramp-I ant, and the men that"had been re::-} cued from street sweeping and carry! ing their “Bluey’s”_about the countryl became the ViC~tinls“Of cajolery and su.bterfuge,. resulting in a cessation of settlement; in rampant aggregation‘, and a renewal of anarchie propaganda amongst the once more ~ hard-pressed‘ wage-earners. In this condition we; find our country to—day. A distinguished visitor, no less a person than the official agricultural adviser to the Danish Government, is emphasising the distastrous end that must come to i land aggregation if a reversal of our, land policy is not instituted. There is | no disquieting drift to towns in Denmark; close settlement and intcnsivci cultivation is the secret of Danish! agricultural pre-eminence. Land prices are too high in New Zealand, and such land cannot be made remunerative with the fall in values of pl“\(la.' 3‘: , that are inevitable, as sure to cone as that the sun will shine. The financial situation is positively sbewildoring, and I yet there are more human ga.sbags.l who swallow anything disscmbling} newspapers and politicians tell them.s This little country is faced with an‘ expenditure of sixty millions during the financial year; where is this huge sum to come from? Instead xvi’ newspapers and politicians calling their opponents liars, fools and irresponsibles would not every class benefit by beillg I urged to think for themselves‘? ‘.‘\"’o‘.lld, it not be more profitable if E;-I.rme~rs‘ were urged to look as deeply as DOSsible into the future with a view 4.01 seeing which way land values ~.-.l'e trending, and to ascertain the tl'l-til’ about the prospects for their prodlice? ',‘All men are liar-s,’.’ so it is Said, 1-‘lit to encourage an orgy of lying; dccell‘ tion and savagery at a time like the: present is t-he greatest crime any I-11311 or newspaper can commit against the‘ community. .