THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13, 1911. THE REFORM RALLY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10501, 13 December 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13, 1911. THE REFORM RALLY.

The great gathering in the Masterton Town! Hall lad; evening was a striking testimony to the revulsion of public feeling 'which has taien. place in tiHis- constituency during recant years. A more enthusiastic demonstraition im favour of reform bus probably not been made in. any part of the Dominton. ivlr A. L. Herdman, M.P., who was in, splendid form, made iti clear that he had come toMasterton with no otliea- object than to place the political issues fairly before the people, and he stated that liis visit w<as' voluntarily ' made.' Whatever hii& object in. coming, the people of this district owe him a debt of gratitude- for the straightforward and honest manner in, which he,dealt with the political questions of the day, and for his exposition of the grave abuses which have grown up.under the present system of party Jgovermrnerut. If any person' went, to ; , the Town HaM last nighit in do'bbt, he must have left the building firmly convinced that the tnmie has arrived whew a change im- administration, is urgently needed. And. tliis is the issue upon which the, election toMmorrow will' be decided. It is njot a question of individuality, or personal sympathy, as between Messrs Hogg and Sykes. The -one great, question the people are asked to-decide is whether the affairs, of the couaiiry should not be subjected to strict investigation, and whether th<B degrading system- of patronage and) of purchasing poddtictal l suppjort •with! pubic moneys" should not; -b« abyojished.' If the electors are tired— W we> believe they are—of the nepotism and, aire.ajpix r . iou®/iorj.'tihe raising pi ~the sitandaird •of'■poteical' Mfe; to a '"haghler - plane, they wall declare in favour of reform. No considerations of sympathy should be allowed to stand between the people and the destiny of the cou'iitry. No thoughts of by-igone days or gratitude for past favours should weigh with • a. constituency whtfoh, recognises it* respoaisibitty to itself and'the State. Every man, and woman who goes to tlie poll to-onoiTow ha& a sotamn duty to perform. Upon tlie exercise of that diaty depends the welfare, not of an, individual l or, individuate, but of the miM-ibm. of peoplie who at present constitute our population, and of the unborn millions, yet to couiie. Is this great and resourceful country to be made a bright star in, the diadem of the Empire, or is -it to be steeped in diebi, eaten T up with patronage,, and-, corrupted; by place-seekers and f political mauaitebariks? , It is for the.people- them»•seil'ves' to answer. If they vote for a continuance of tlie present degrading system of manipulating the .revenues' of the counfiry 'for political purposes-, they will have only themselvesi to blame if the burden of taxation becomes unbearable, aaid our J popiilation is driven, from our shores. ' hf they vote for reform—as. we confidently believe they will—they will' havte the everlasting saitiisfaotion of knowing that they have done their duty by themselves, their country, and posterity. The issue is a momeaitous one, so fa/r as tMjaisterton is concerned, for. upon tliis electorate will' probahly depend the Mfe or death of the .Continuous Ministry. We ask electors, therefore, to consider fully their responsifbilfiity AvSieai recording their vote at the poll.