The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1896.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 64, 3 December 1896, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1896.

i'.r.Koiti'. wc sliall have an opportunity of. again addressing the electors the ballot, will have decided the fate of candidates, and through iliciu, that of' the country. The ■outlook is most, .hopeful, there is evidence! throughout the colony that the people have, at last arrived at the conclusion thai for the last six years the country luis suffered from inisgnverniue.nt at the hands of a majority of shoddy politicians, under the absolute control of one man. The finances have drifted into a stale of muddle, how great, johody will know till the country's ledgers an- overhauled by the successors of Mr Kkddox and .Mr \Y\i;i>. Working men have awakened lo the fact that .Dills with high sounding names, never meant, 1.0 I"- passed, and Acts which have been passed, interfering in different ways with the freedom of action of the people, have not made work more easily procurable, and when

procured, more remunerative than was the case before this Ministry of great promises came into power. The experiences of most working men, we are confident, have been in the contrary direction. The corrupt administration of the Skddon Government lias been exposed times out of number, their utter disregard for the laws of the country when the interests of their party were inYolved, has been made patent to every observing man, who has taken the trouble to watch the course of events. Wo have so often exposed their misdoings in this respect, and Mr Laxo and many other candidates have so recently called attention to them and conclusively sheeted them home, that it is unnecessary at this stage to enter into particulars. It has been the boast of the Ministry that they have introduced land laws which are as perfect, as human ingenuity could devise. By way of refuting this claim the Government, introduced a Fair Kent Bill last session, which upsets the whole fabric, which they have built up with so much labour and expenditure of time. In other words, this .Bill, if it had passed the Upper House, would have been a breach of contract with every man who holds land on any other terms than freehold. The contracts also between private owners and lessors from Llmm!t would have been practically cancelled, -o far as the amount of rent, to bo paid and received is concerned. To return to the question, which is to be submitted to the electors to-morrow which of the two men, Mr V. L.\x<; or the Rev. Mr Walki:n, should be returned ? The first is well-known to the people of AVaikatO : he has represented them weil and truly for three years. He has addressed the electors in nearly every centre of population in the electorate: : has given fair and candid reasons for the votes he has recorded, and on every occasion that he has spoken he has been accorded a vote of confidence, all this evidences that he has satisfied the electors, both as to his political integrity and political judgment. In addition to the means of judging of his character and ability afforded by his parliamentary career, he held a high position in local government for some years. The Rev. Mr AYai.kkr is only known to the electors of AVaikato as a teetotal lecturer.and wo believe he lias not oven pursued his calling within the electorate, lie has published a political confession of faith, which it is very difficult to translate into plain language, with the exception of the clause which applies to the bare majority vote on the liquor question. It was first, stated that he offered himself as an Independent Liberal. It, is now announced that he would, if returned, be a supporter of the Skddox Ministry. If this be so the policy of the Skddox .Ministry would have to be altered in many respects to agree with his manifesto, or he would add one more to the ranks of Air Skddox's followers, whose leading characteristic his been to speak one way and vote another. Surely there can be no hesitation in the mind of any sane man or woman as to which of these two candidates they should vote for. Unfortunately for the. country there are many who place the liquor question above; all others. To these we commend the perusal of a letter from a lady, signed " A.C.S.,' - which will be found in another column. The putting of the Rev. Air YVamcku into the House would not bring prohibition one day nearer attainment, and all must agree with the writer of the k'tter that the sense of honour and patriotism of Mr L\S<i would lead him to compel the enforcement of the laws of the country be they what they might. To put the matter in a few words. The choice, is between a tried man, one who will resist misdoing on the part of whatever Government may come, into power, and who in consequence of the misdeeds of the. present .Ministry would turn them from ollice, and a man whom the. electors have never seen and who, if returned, has promised to follow Air .Skddox. Those who hold strong views on temperance should weigh the. merits of the two men on other points, so far as they are able, never having seen one of them, and if they come to the conclusion that Mr L.\X<; in other respects is the better man they should vote for him, and as regards the local option poll, if they so desire, strike the top line out of their voting [taper. We impress upon all who are favourable to Mr L.w;'s return that they should not on any account omit to vote because they look upon til',' result as a foregone conclusion. To do so is to act unfairly to Air Ij.\n<:, and possibly by some unforeseen circumstances bring about his defeat.