The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1882.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1024, 16 March 1882, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1882.

Our local contemporary asks if it is tho chief end "of a Ministry to travel. If we connect- stump speeches with travelling it. was certainly tho chief end of Sir George Grey when he was •Premier. This, to a considerable extent, our contemporary admits, but pleads that this particular peripatetic mission was essential to the political ..education of 'the people! Sir George Grey, when he name to Greytown and Mastertcn made a goodly number of promises, and when subsequently he found' that his pledges were mere ";vapour" settlers gained aneducation'in p6litical ; mbrality, which was no doubt of some service to them. We cannot admit that Ministers paid to do the work of the country should travel, as Sir George Grey did, to make themselves and their opinions popular in centres of population about tho colony. If the people requiro to be educated by eloquent addresses let the Government engage gentlemon of professional rhetorical ability as they do in the Life Assurance Bepartinent, but let them for their own part discharge the duties which they are paid to perform. It is said that the .-practico of appealing to the people is common in England. It is,tnio that Mr Gladstone once made a, stumping tour, but in the opinion of rnanjr he compromised his reputation by soldoing, and ho certainly prepared for himself a bed of nettles, which must make the closing years of his life the ■most unsatisfactory record in his long and honorable' career. Our contemporary cannot well imagino a statesman who is not eloquent, forgetting, perhaps that some of the most illustrious living statesmen are by.no means remarkable for their oratorical powers. Bismarck, is not eloquent .in words only, in deeds, and Grant the great Ex-President of the United,Statesi is a: silent man. Curiously-enough our. contemporary refers to the good old' times when this country rang with .the eloquence of such pioneers alTea.thers.ton and Fit?herbert., ( ;pi;. f Featherston, wis wont to "regard'his brother F. as a-i ] of< gfty,, ipqlitical : , ideceiyet l ,- ;»nd J wojild never have admitted tha,t jjtiiilifiep! to.. politically infract'" \h Jf^rfc. has, ; beeii feaihonngVhiß own! nest and working himself into places of honor aM pvdfit/- 'ls'Wftom'irten-life these .that the p ; e6ple^f ; &eW i Z'oaland 'can 1 take their pliticiklesionsf-Trl thoi destinies of the colony to be settled by meetings when ■we are payinjg^3o,ooo-a;year ! for a'

of_ tho country, Wh.itovur may bo said against the present Ministry, it cannot be denied., that they 'dolth'eir ; work : : honestly; and conscientiously. When the busing of the colonyjreiquires'the&i to be'abroadwhen it .tlieiriattenctancef fa head-quarters they are to be found at their offices. The self-sacrificing industry of the present, Ministers standsout in strong,contrast witli the self--glorifying iiidblence of 'their prede- ; cessors. :■■-.■..:..;:.:... ~-..,...;,.,..,.,,.;