AN OBJECT LESSON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3166, 8 October 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN OBJECT LESSON.

We take the- following from an Australian paper:—Parliament is to meet to--dny (Tuesday), Aiiffust 30th. Just before the battle and Ministers and their lipnoli-mc-n are endeavouring to rally the flaqf ging confidence of then , forces. Mr H r o and Mr Slattery have been addres-iing the electors at Newcastle, and Mr O'Snliiran, an important factor in Ministerial support, at Captain's Flat. The utterances of Mr Sec and Mr Slattery have a ring , of desperation in them. Confronted with the fact of the depression and with the glowing , prognostications of last year, that Protection was to bring in an era of universal prosperity, they reply, that tlie depression would he much worse wore it not for tho dose of protection that has been administeied. The unpleasant fact that Protection has lessened tho spending power of the people and has thus diminished the turnover of (foods, and curtailed the customs revenue which is founded on it, they eudeavour to turn to their own advantaire. Pointing to the smnllne-s of the Customs revenue thus reduced by their own most unstatesnrmlike action they adduce it as a proof that tho people of the lolony are very lightly taxed, aud, infereiitially can stand further taxation of the same sort, An additional tax upon flour is more than hiuted at, which, of course, means an additional tax upon broadoaters or upon bakers, This question of additional taxation is one upon which the wage-oarnorß and liou-owivos of the oountry ousrht to have a bis say. If women had vote* I don't think the Treasurer would venture to hint at, increased taxation in a lime of such unparalleled depression. Tho weakest part of the Treasurer's deliverance, and the one which, most conclusively shows that he has failed to errasp the fundamental facts and principles of his position, is, that in which ho affirms Hint we most have I'itbor increased taxation or retrenchment, and unhesitatingly takes tho wrong , side. There is hardly a firm or a family in the land which ha< not felt The necessity of retrenchment of late. Why should they all have to suffer, further ex actions in order that tho State may pursue unchecked its career of unrestrietod extravagance. Even in boom-stricken Victoria which is suffering far more severely from depression than New South Wales there is more sound sense and common hone.-tv than this. They iirenpplyinar the pruning knife with no unsparing hand to their overgrown public expenditure ; and not one whit before it was needed. To hive abstained from using it would have shown both weakness and cowardice. It would have meant more severe squeezing of the wealth-producing portion of the community for the benefit of the superfluous drones and idlers. It would, in the same proportion, have offered to the astute and sharp-sighted a premium to forsake the ranks of the former and join those of the latter. The balance in such cases should be held with firm and equal hand. In any case, the most rudimentary conception of statesmanship would show that most rigorous economy should be maintained in all non-produc-tive evpenditure. Mr See appears to have been affected with the delusion which was rife in the United States a short time ago—namely, that an extravagant vjrovernment expenditure was required in order that it might furnish an excuse for maintaining in full force an oppressive aud extortionate protective tariff. There was this important dillerence, however—New South Wales is passing through severe depression, while the United States were in the full flu«h of prosperity. The policy was unworthy and unjust in their case ; in ours it threatens to be absolutely disastrous. Mr O'Sullivan does not predict a long life for the Government. He is a Protectionist, and will support them in their Protectionist policy ; but he has common sense enough to see that retrenchment-, is obviously pointed to ns the one tiling needful. Moreover, he is a Pemocrat, and lie begins to chafe under the ro , actionary Toryism of the Government. I He predicts that if any crisis arrives in which Democratic principle is involved, the Government will lose the most energetic section of their supporters, and will, therefore, be defeated.