The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1869. "Measures, not Men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 61, 10 April 1869, Page 2

The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1869.

"Measures, not Men."

We ha,ve so, often commented upon ihe disgraceful want of interest displayed by the people of Otago in political matters, ' that it i& with regret we find ourselves constrained, by a sense of putyic duty, to return to the well-wo^ {heme. Still, we bad. n,o idea, of the extent of this g,paihy. in^ ou f r. own district, until on Monday evening we discovered that even self-interest did not stir up our community to unse4 poetical action. The Tuapeka Ijand League, founded some six m.ojß^hs a^p, was a body we should have, imagined would receive the support <$, \the most selfish individuals, as it adyo^ cated the interests of all; yet so, lethean is our condition, that while the outlying districts sent represen- i tatives to the general meeting held on Monday evening, Lawrence was only represented by members of the Committee. There must be some other cause than mere indifference for so strange a phenomenon, and we believe it is to be found in the nature of our social intercourse. Every man for himself, with complete indifference to the feelings or interests of his neighbour, is a state of matters usual supposed character* istic of a state of extreme barbarism ; and if the supposition be correct, our position in the social scale cannot be far above that occupied by the Andaman Islanders or the natives of Terra del Fuego. Be jealous of your neighbours and never follow if he leads, is a rule adopted by too many, and the natural result is that united action, even on the. most vita^ questions, is rendered impos^ib^. vfe present the worst features $f a defaiocracy, and are i certainly Jar removed fro)n arepub- j lican equality. For true, equality ! does not consist in perpetual self- j assertion, bu^ t^e {ieterm.ined conservation of rights, $n.d per- ! feet liberty to choose one's own leader. All men cannot }cad, and the sacrifice of personal vanity inc^, plied in following, is ths very. 1 foundation of every social system, j 1$ is with regret we feel coinp.elled to make these remarks; but 'now, when so many important questions qre. scaring us in ti^eface, we should 09 guilty of a crime did we hesitate in s^nkii^g at tlie root> of the eviL