SECOND EDITION [Established 1874.] MONDAY. DECEMBER 17, 1894. THE PREMIER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4904, 17 December 1894, Page 2

SECOND EDITION [Established 1874.] MONDAY. DECEMBER 17, 1894. THE PREMIER.

.'he Premier Ims recently been the ecipient of more than one doubtful ompliment. Lust week, foroxample, Japtaiu Russell called bim the Sequah" of New Zealand politics, nd the Rev L. M. Isitfc accused him {political rascality. It is certain hat the Premier has not graduated n that school of morals where Mr sittwas trained, or in that school I learning and honour which turns mt an English gentleman of the )aptain Russell pattern, but hif tandard of character and conduct if lerhapsall that can be expected froir , self-made man with his special mtecedents. If he were in somi espects a more scrupulous man thai vo fiud him to be, ho would bi icarcely fitted to manage the parti vhich he leads, aud less in toncl vitli the people who have placet iim in power. He can, on his side 'airly claim that the workingtiien o /he Colony now take a far deepe nterest in political questions thai ;hey formerly did, and this increase )f interest is of necessity attendei )y some increased knowledge. Ther s gain in this, though its iuimediat benefit may not be apparent. Al listory shows that great politica wakenings and changes are attendei it first with undesirable results, i lew road is taken, but at first it i rot nearly as smooth, comfortabh md convenient as the old road. Th ,vorking man, too, when he discover ihat he possesses a giant's strengtl loes not atonce leain to use it like: riant, and the exercise of his nev lower is not profitable to him atfirsi I'he Colony has attempted a forcei narch in politics which has left i somewhat feeble and < impoverished Ten or twenty yeais hence we ma; lerhaps look back to the present da; is an era wheu a new departure in i •ight direction was made, but w iJjjll founder about for some tim ret beiol? ive I,ea '' ze that W( > hav ;ained an ftuV^«fi e ' Thei ' e « ■emedies which are '"\is™ tuai liseases, and we fear Dr. Seddon i,'2 o make his patient worse before th' ufierer. can be better. In this, w aniiot altogether blame Mr Seddon lis' policy was' mapped out by M kllance aud accepted by the people le, in carrying it ont, is simply giv ug the people what they havoaskei or. The political tree in this colon; las been dug up and re-planted, ani f, for a time, there be less fruit ain etfer this is but the natura result of the operation. Mr Seddoi is not the '"heir of all tho ages,' who brings to. beav iipon his, tasl

the political wisdom and experience of former generations,, but simply the man of the'hoar who understands what people are uskingfor and gives it to them without pausing to consider whether what he is giving is good orbad. Hois,howevei-,bound to pay the cost of the ephemeral popularity attached to a policy of this kind. Already thepeople begin to murmui'forthe flesh pets of' Egypt, and to weary of the wilderness into which they have been led, even though that wilderness be on tliq road to tho land of promise. The time must come soon when Mr Seddon will be rejected as.a lender,.'but' a political reverse of this kind will be the making of him as a statesman;-' He is on a \vroug track now which lie must follow up, but on somefuture occasion he may be able to choose for himself a safer and better path than that which he is . now compelled to pursue.