THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1908. INDEPENDENCE!

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3023, 21 October 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1908. INDEPENDENCE!

The Leader of the Opposition has declared that now more than ever before in the history of the Dominion is there need of the best men that there are in the country being returned to Parliament, and Mr Massey might have mentioned that the cardinal virtue of every member of Parliament should be independence. Of course every henchman of either party will tell the constituents trmt he i 3 independent, but such protestations will be taken with rather more than a grain of salt by the wise

elector. How can a candidate claim to be independent when he is pledged to stick to a certain party through thick and through thin. In the very act of 1 pledging himself he* barters his independence. Having sacrificed the principle of independence by way of a commencement he is, of course, prepared to sacrifice principle to the exigencies of party whenever he is commanded by the Whip to be obedient to his leader. We have seen in the case of the present ruling party to what an extent subserviency is demanded. Some of the many reports of candidates' utterances are somewhat amusing. For instance yesterday a telegram from Oamaru stated that Mr J. Mitchell, (who is opposing the Hon. T. Y. Duncan) announced that he was a leaseholder, a supporter of the present Government (presumably, if Mr Mitchell is right, a leasehold Government), but he claimed the right to freely criticise their doings. What a "hotch-potch!" Then again a telegram from New Plymouth was to the effect that Mr G. Malone expressed himself a strong supporter of the Government, but while a strong friend he would not be a slave. This candidate is, also, "a strong freeholder!" Thus we have two supporters of the Government, one a leaseholder, the other a freeholder, but both independent though strung friends of the Government! It need hardly be remarked that the genuinely independent candidate cannot ally himself to any party, save in the event of a great political change, when he may be able to dp so with a good conscience. We are well aware that at times, but the present is not such a time, it is distinctly advisable for ■ candidates to be party men, but - when they are party men pure and simple they should honestly admit it, and not dishonestly claim that they are independent.