OUR PRESENT POLITICAL STATE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2869, 2 December 1890, Page 2

OUR PRESENT POLITICAL STATE.

TO TUB EDITOR. Sib, —Having been often twitted lately for not taking a prominent part amongst the eo-called " advanced Liberals " at the present juncture, and as it appears to me a fitting opportunity to endeavour clearly to define the true position of parties as at present constituted, I will, with your kind permission, briefly try to do so. First, I may say that standing out prominently as the most important plunk of the Liberal platform is tho Single-tax, i.e., a tax on the unimproved value of luid, which shall be sufficiently large to cover tho whole cost of Government. Now, not only as n farmer, but as a man of —I hope—ordinary intelligence, I must frankly confess that I cannot swallow this ; for since it is a wellunderstood axiom of political economy that from the fruits of man's industry miwt come the whole cost of bi.s Government (the statesman is not yet born who can take it from the fruits of ldloness) then, to throw tho whole cost of such government upon those only who own land, while those following overy other pursuit go tax-freo, would be iujustice of so gross a nature that it is marvellous how any soneible man could formulate such a theory by any rational process of reasoning. That alone would, I think, be sufficient to detor any reffectinf? man from beinp identified with a cause or party promulgating such an idea. As touching our present position, we eeo men of many varying shades of political thought all aßreed that for tho present tho long-continued polioy of reckless extravagance must cease, and any party holding such visionary and impracticable viHWB us the single-tax must, should they .•ver attain power, inovitable have recourse, eonner or later, to the suicidal borrowing policy. Our present political stato is exactly comparable to that of a man whom a long course of sumptuous and luxurious living has rendered gouty and dyspeptic. To consult over him three different sets of doctors are called in. The first prescribes port wine and plum pudding—that is, more loans "judiciously expended." Thesecoud advocates bleeding thoroughly, with pills and purgatives—'that is, moro "equitable taxation " (single tax or income tax, for instance). While the third recommends careful and abstemious diet until the whole system has been re-invigorated and the patient regains his normal stato of health—this, I need scarcely say, means rigid and strict economy. Fellow-electors of Waikato, I think I need scarcely ask you which of thette three courses you think it most advisable to fol« low. I admit tho coarse faro—the gruol, the economical regime—is not) attractive, yet will it not finally lead to the best and happiest results for the body politic ? And here wo have a wise and skilful physician recommending us to submit to such treatment, and 1 think wo cannot do better than to call in, and rppose our full confidence in, Dr. John JJryee ! —I am, &c, Wμ. Johns,