REPLY TO "LABOURER."

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2373, 24 September 1887, Page 3

REPLY TO "LABOURER."

TO Til E EIJITOH. Sin, —Because I (irmly and honestly hold the opinion that a poor man has no right to be in I’arliament, “Labourer” says I am a slave to the rich, T deny that there is any connection between the two, I gave logical reasons for showing that a poor man is not a lit and proper person to be a representative. Why does “labourer” not refute these reasons? He cannot. “Labourer” must own that necessity is a powerful lever to act upon man ; this being so, I hold that bread and butter is of nearer consequence to a man, than good or bad Government, and he will so act as to have ids bread and butter. There is not the same necessity for a man with £IO,OOO as with the poor man ; the rich man can afford to have good Government. “ Labourer’ has me a little when he reminds mu that the poor pay customs duties. 1 was well aware when I wrote my letter that they paid on tea, spirits, tobacco, but to mo it appeared that considering the way the country was going on, in recklessly spending these custom duties would ultimately be a mere flea bite for providing for I his reckless expenditure. Also it will, I think, end in democracy not allowing themselves to bo taxed, neither through the Customs nr in any other way; democracy will bo for taxing his neighbor, that in the nature of man. “ Labourer” asks what I want, i stated plainly enough that 1 wanted Ihe franchise to Peso that one class could not dominate over the other, I want a balance of power ; with the present extended franchise we have not this balance of power. Without this balance of power we can never have Utopia, one class will always bo fighting with the other.—Yours truly, llAHAnri.