The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Or whatever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, FEB, 26,1891.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2905, 26 February 1891, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Or whatever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, FEB, 26,1891.

Tin: Queensland I'nuuiis: sheaiyrs havo taken up a positing which cnnnoMic to'eratol by any civilized government, and it is gratifying to find that the colonial authorities are t.akhiE; activo steps to assort the right which every subject possesses offreedom of contract-, and that he must ho scoured in it at auy cost of life or treasure that may bo necessary. This would bo iiiipcriuiu in iin per i» must he crushed, Jt is almost difficult of belief that in any part of Her Majesty's dominions, a body of men should be found ready to take up arms, dofy thoOovernment, and by force attempt to prevent anotlmr bodv of men earning an honest living, for the reason forsooth, that thoy refuse to join the ranks of a Union The question as to whether the untiedshearers aro working nfc lower wages than they might underexisting circumstances justly demand we are not called upon to discuss, all we have to deal with is the fact that a body of armed inou have banded together to prevent others exercising their rights as citizens of a free country, ft is true that circumstance may justify the exercise of force by the 'subjects of a despotic monarch, in fact to do so may evidence the virtue of a thirst for freedom, but it is am! must be a crime for any section of the inhabitants of Queensland to do so. Coder its constitution every inhabitant enjoys the right of doing precisely as he likes so long as he does not injure the State or "inflict a wrong upon in dividuals. The laws which govern the country have been made by the representatives of the whole population and can be altered, repealed or substituted by the same power, which is presumably the voice, of the people. When the Shearer.-/ Cniou and tlio.se associated with them cap secure, the p.using of an Act eomp lling every man who shears sheep to belong to (he union, then (he unionists -.vil! have a right to claim the exercise of force to compel obedience to the law, but that force must be under (he direction of properly constituted authority. Tiny know perfectly well that the common sense of the people would cause! revolt against any such me i.-".ire, them:-: this attempt to gain their ends by intimidation, whi-jh hy-tlie-hye is very much after the manner of all unionists. No! this sort of ihitig must bo put down wiili the determination of a Cromwell, otherwise there h, danger that lite may become intolerable to all but unionists. Nobody has any desire, at auy >.atr> nobody would be foolish enough to attempt to piss a law to compel any man to work, or regulate the conditions, as regards rate of pay. under which he shall do. Rates of wages may be kept at an artiticial level for a time, but eventually the law of supply and demand must fix the standard, if one is to be fixed at all. This is perfectly certain, the ends of the union-shearers can never be attained by means of Winchester rilles and revolvers so long as there is a government in Queensland and a people to back them instructed in the most primary principles of freedom. Mob tyranny is the worst infliction that can befall a people, so mobs must be dispersed the moment they assume any of the functions of government or attempt any action subversive of the rights of" the most humble citizen. To considering our proposition, it must not be lost sight of that Queensland has as free a constitution as exists in the world. Every man has a voice, and for this reason a I few selfish rowdies must be tamed at any cost.