The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, 1891.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2993, 19 September 1891, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, 1891.

K>:uj! and i»a>:t justice to all mm, Oi■ ivlMf.owcr slate or ptTjuasiuii, religious m yolitiL.ll.

Ix our issuo of tlin Ist instant wo callod atfontion to tho .iliaoliito necessity \yliich exists for the formation of nn nssocintion somowlmt on tho lines of that existing in Victoria. We are glud to note that a move in this divoetion hna boon made iu Auckland and tho manifesto of_ a National Association has boon issued. No exception can be taken to any of the plunks of tho platform "laid down, exenpt by those

who are prepared to uso tho power without scniplo, whieh tho majority in number has placed in tho hands of those who seek the gratification of their own selfish desires utterly regardless of those of other classes, or"the welfare of the colony. It must bo admitted that_ the present Ministry is supported in its policy to a grniitur extent by tho ignorant, ( than by tlioso who care naught for anybody but thoinsolvos. UnforFortunaloly, up to this time no roal effort has beou made to counteract thu evil olToct on tliu politically ignorant of tho long tougued meniof Trades Unions aud ltadical Associations. The present state of iilfairs only tou cloarly demonstrates that tho political education of tho peoplo has boou too long delayod aud that t!io task which tho National Association has bofore it 13 much moro severe, than would havo been tho case, had tlioso uapablo of applying the antidote to the political poison which lias boou persistently administered to the itching oarH of audiences not failed in thoir duty. They knew mattors were not as they should be, but wero incapable of suggesting a romedy. They naturally adopted after more or less thought tho iiieas of those who made it their business to use them for their own purposes. Tho consequence being that we have au executive backed by a sorvilo majority which, to use the words of tho manifesto, show such restless oagi'rness for crude aud unjust legislation as threatens to destroy allhopo of returning prosperity. Flow can a country possibly prosper which is governed by a majority of members who hold that robbing is no sin so long as tho class operated upon is that which owns property. The first duty of the National Association must bo to show by argument that such a course must result in disaster to all. It must bepoinfcod out to thoso who look to othors for employment that tho taxin", of improvements can only havo the one effect of_ damping energy and enterprise, with tho inevitable result that labour will become gradually less in demand. The first essential to progress is that '"ho contrary shall be "the case. Tho moat opaque of tho demagogue's victims should bo capable of appreciating this fact if it is ably put bofore him. It ought to be little moro difficult to convince him that a political party is not tho ono for him which has neglected to give tho working man rniief through the customs in order that it may advance one stage on the road to land nationalisation, which is tho synonym for confiscation. To educato aud organise is the taek the nationals havo before them. As they sow so will they reap. The undertaking is sure to prove arduous, and they will necessarily meet with many disappointments. They are late in the field, aud it is much easier to teach than to unlearn. Tho disasters, which are inevitable, if tho policy of spoliation is only pursued long enough, will some to their aid, but it is for thorn to rouse tho pooplo to a sense of the dangers ahead in order to avert, if possible, the cato strophe of a decreased fpopulation and loss of credit, without which no country can flourish. Now Zealand for the New Zealandors is a very passable clap trap, but ovory New Zoalauder with an otiiico of lorains in his head knows perfectly woll that the task of developing tho inamouso resources of tho colony is a task beyond the physical and monetary power of tho population aud its natural increase. Mr Ballauce cannot disguiso iho l'act that tho exodus still goes on aud is likoly to continue. Wo wore told that tho advent of tho present party to powor would alter this; die time has come for tho fulfilments of this prophecy, and the prophets aro put to shame. They will exporieuco tho same sensation in rospect to many othors of thoir predictions. The promatera of tho National Association have taken upou themselves a great responsibility, and when any member feels inclined to slacken in his exertions for the cause of political education, ho must call to mind tho fact that tho oxistenco of tho Association has prevented another organisation boing established. Tho work must bo systomatic and continuous. A leading statesman at Home hos pointed out that political power depended very much upon the ability to talk; tho Association should take the hint. Wβ trust that every man of wealth, energy and ability will enrol himself under tho national banner and do all in his power to bring his erring fellow countrymen to their senses. [The following telegram, having an important bearing upon the above subject, was received last night from the Secretary of the National Association of New Zealand at Auckland :— " That this Council desires to express its sympathy with the electors of Waikato in the indignity which was, on the motion of a private member, inflicted by tho House of Representatives upon their late member, the Hon. John Bryce, and it hopes that they will succeed at the present important juncture in returning a representative holding similar patriotic principles."]