The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, OCT. S, 1896.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 39, 8 October 1896, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, OCT. S, 1896.

Tut: Liquor Amendment Hill, to give it its colloquial title, has boon thrown out by the Council. That it would be so treated was recognised as a foregone conclusion, unless the Assembly agreed to the expurgation of the clauses bearing upon Clubs, and in the direction of promoting National prohibition. The Premier was taunted in this mailer thai his advocacy of the Mill was for the purpose of enabling him and the supporters of the Government to catch the temperance vote ,'ii. the coming elections. For our part we believe that the temperance people have 100 much sense to be gulled by such a palpable subterfuge, and are more likely to be alienated from than attracted to the Skddon parly. It is not a pleasant sensation for any man or body of men to feel thai one in authority is "laughing up his sleeve r ' at them, and it appears to us to be impossible for any intelligent, prohibitionist to take any other view of the position. The temperance party, however, need not expect any better political treatment, no matter what party may be in power or who leads it, so long as they practically confine their whole political creed to oik? paragraph or plank. Whatever opinions men may hold on the temperance question, those, who are gifted with ordinary intelligence and a modicum of political knowledge, must, recognise that a number of voters banded together to support a man regardless of his ability and fitness to represent a constituency, for one reason only, must have the effect of lowering the standard of Parliament, presuming that such a thing were possible after the gross exhibition of toadyism and servility which lias been on exhibition during the past few years. Is it of any use to appeal to the temperance party to take a broader view of their duty its electors to their country and themselves. It is not very long since one of their chief apostles and exponents of their views told them from a NVaikalo platform, that he would not accept prohibition <>n any terms if the principle were not endorse;! by a very substantial majority of the people. He admitted the people wen- not yet ripe for it. not educated up to it, and that education was the task they had first to accomplish and the rest would follow. The above were not the sxact words he used but we believe they fairly convey his meaning. Surely the lloor of the House of Itepresentutives is not a fitting .school, There tin; enforcement or abandonment of any principle is made subservient to party emergencies. So long as (lie lcili[>::runco party are content lo vote for ime-idea men to represent them in Parliament, party leaders will tie curd them small respect and be templed to treat them as has Mr SkdhoX- —'"' laugh up their sleeves at them."