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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 329, 16 June 1911, Page 4

DEMOCRATS WHO POSE. Many democrats are aristocrats in d's- - except tlmt long training as aristocrats would render them less blatant. The example of the posing Australian Speaker who refused to wear the garb of his great office is still the best one. He merely turned the eyes of a. more or less democracy on himself. His business was to forget himself in his office. Being of the blatant type he could not allow a chance of advertising himself to slip. Lately three of the greatest universities in'the world desired to bonor Andrew Fisher, the Labor Premier of the Australian Commonwealth. The universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow and Birmingham fwe name them in the order of their fame) desired to be friendly. There is no community so democratic as a modem university, nothing that so detests shams and fights I

them. So these universities, seeing m Andrew Fisher, the representative of a British nation, ollered him the honor of a doctorship —for Australia. _ Mr. Fisher '"del-lined" to allow Australia to be honored through him. His stand was probably that lie in himself was, incapable oi earning the degrees, and I therefore was not entitled to them. 'So he snubbed four great universities that have supplied Britain and her dominions with their finest men. The more or, less democracies love titular distinction, and the country that loves them most (the United States) gladly sells its millionaire girls for them. If the sturdy Australian democrats refused honors for tneir country with perfect self-abnegat-iiiir modesty, one would not mind so much, but they generally take great care that 'their virtue shall be proclaimed in trumpet tones. Curt refusals of kindlymeant courtesy may be sturdy demo: cracy, but it is execrably bad taste. If, for instance, the most olue-blooded aristocrat of Europe were to come to Australia or New Zealand and rudely reject proferred courtesies, he would be condemned by every sturdy democrat in Australasia. Mr. Andrew Fisher appears to believe that Britain is concerned about him personally. In reality it doesn't care the least little bit about him. He represents Australia, and Britain wants to show a kindly interest in Australia. Mr. Fisher resenting the idea that any bloated university, in which is wrapped up the inner history of the Empire, should trust its pinchbeck honors on him, says, "No you don't!" And several domain orators and union agitators will about, "'Ere! ,'crc!" —if the faithful Press is near by to immortalise their sturdy democracy. Meanwhile, it is too late to include Andrew Fisher in "Fox'a Book of Martyrs."