"BIG STICK" GOVERNMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 272, 21 April 1914, Page 4

"BIG STICK" GOVERNMENT.

It ia sincerely to :be hoped that the Massey Government lias not added to its Reform programme the innovation o{ "big stick" methods in the administration of the affairs of the Dominion. We were among those who genuinely admired the firmness shown toy Ministers in dealing with Labor conditions that bordered on anarchy and riot, and who hoartily approved of the prompt display of force by which the ''Syndicalist" strikers were brought to their senses. It seems necessary, however, to give Ministers a timely reminder that police and bludgeons are not the methods by which a free people ctin be successfully governed in times oj noriual tranquility. The Cabinet as a may not be infected by the "big stick" microbe, but one member of it apparently has it bad. We refer to the Hon. Francis Marion Bates Fisher, Minister of Customs and various other things. That gentleman to 'be very unpopular in 'his constituency, or the Ministry as a whole are disliked, and lie has to be the scapegoat for their sins. Whatever may be tlie cause, Mr. Fisher finds that he cannot get a hearing when he calls a public meeting in Wellington, lie tried a semiprivate meeting' about two weeks ago, admitting his supporters by the back door until the hall was pretty well packed, and taking the further precaution of having a large force of policemen in tie building, with orders to eject any disturbers of the perfect peace that seems necessary to the flow of Mr. Fisher's oratory, Despite these precautions, the meeting was so hostile that Mr. Fisher could not deliver the speccli he had prepared. Again and again, the faithful police constable ran out or "ran in" a score or so of those wiho were most : demonstrative against the Minister; 'but, in accordance with a wellknown law of human nature, this only made matters worse. Human nature today demands liberty above all things. , and especially liberty to express itself j freely and forcibly in approval or disnp.

proval of any public performer, orator, or politician; and. this ifl a perfectly healthy and praiseworthy; attitude. The upshot of the Wellington meeting has been the prosecution of a number of persons for causing a disturbance, and the imposition upon them of heavy fines, with imprisonment as the alternative if they fail to pay the penalties. Now, this ia nothing short of government, by repression; it is the method of the "big stick," and it will not be tolerated in a free community. It ia the elementary right of the public to express approval or condemnation of any persons who cater for them—bo they showmen, actors, orators, politicians or mountebanks. In the Old Country, just recently, the right of people to refuse to allow a play to proceed has been upheld. There was no prosecution of the disloyal Dublin audience that the other day heartily hooted and hissed moving pictures of British soldiers. It is surely absurd to attempt to muzzle political criticism in this country by a display of policemen with bludgeons or by sentences of fine or imprisonment. That is what Mr. Fisher's actions amount to, kowever much they may be disguised as being an assertion of law and order against rowdyism and obstruction. Politicians, above all other men, must not shelter themselves behind the police when thfty are threatened with signs of active disapproval. Many readers may recall that influential Reform. newspapers openly applauded the people of Dannevirke when they howled down Sir Joseph Ward and prevented him from addressing them when he was Prime Minister. , We do not go the length of praising people for uncouth and rowdy means' of expressing their disapproval of a speaker; but we do say they are within their rights if they choose to adopt sack methods. Better far hare a few disorderly meetings than let it be supposed that public opinion is manufactured to order through the agency of the "big stick." Mr. Fisher makes a tremendous mistake if lie thinks it possible thus t® guell demonstrations against him or against the Ministry of which he is a member. We hope, in conclusion, that Mr. Massoy and his other colleagues have aofc contacted the distressing complaint known as "swelled head" so badly ad to make them believe that the ceercive methods applied to the open enemies of public peace and order : can be used towards law-abiding electors who happen to disapprove of the Ministerial policy «r administration. The disturbers of the Wellington meeting aoay have deserved expulsion and prosecutioii, but on the face of things they are the victims of an ill-advised attempt to crush the free expression of political opinion. A Ministry that identifies itself with such tactica is -doomed.