The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. SATURDAY, JAN, 28, 1893.

Waikato Times, Volume XL, Issue 3213, 28 January 1893, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

SATURDAY, JAN, 28, 1893.

Eau»l and euct justice to all men, Ol whatsoever state nr perruAiion. religious or political, '

Hitherto English Governments, wben considering Agitations for the release of prisoners undergoing sentences, have very properly considered whether the species of crime for which they have I wen sentenced has been stamped out, or become so much' less prevalent that leniency was possible without endangering the public safety by encouraging a recurrence of similar crimes. The prisoners are hot imprisoned from vindictiveness, but mainly in order to intimidate others from following j in their ; footsteps; there is, of course, also the reason that dangerous men are better under lock and key. The release of Egan, .the dynamiter, appears to us a most extraordinary proceeding, in face of the: fact that'th ) smoke has hardly cleared away consequent on the last very strong political argument. We learn by cable that the magistrates in the County L'larc ar« urging the (jovernment to increase the police force, in order to successfully cope with : the! moonlighters arid secret Mt Uorley a fcW of the moonlighters who arc languishing in prison. The lesson which is to be learnt from the continuance of these violent crimes is that a section of the Irish poople have no faith in Mr Gladstone's Home Rule Bill, or are under instructions from their leaders to .emphasise the necessity for the measure in the old familiar manner. It was clearly established that there aro two distinct but allied branches of Nationalists—those who appear in Parliament to gain their ends in a constitutional manner'so far as outward appearances go, and (hose who work for the same cause by means of dynamite, daggers, guns, and the national weapon. There can be but ono opinion as to the release of Egan and that,' that it is a disgrace to the Ministry. It will puzzle even Mr Gladstone to find a specious argument in favour of the step when the matter is brought before Parliament, which will be the case in a few days. The men who use dynamite to destroy their enemies or those from wkorii tliey differ in opinion,- regardless of the widespread injury they inflict, or the innocent people wlio sillier, frequently women and children, areconsid®'**! by all men with balanced

minds as entitled to us little consider.ition as a m«n-enting tiger. Not so the Uladstonn Government. In the person of they have evidenced that they consider then adequately punished liy a few years' imprisonment, more particularly if politic*! capital can be secured by their release, and useful political allies obtained for their party in the persons of the dynamiters themselves. The French legislature has wisely promoted the people against the risks of these men being let loose on society, when once caught, by making the use of the explosive a capital offence, whethor life be sacrificed or not. It is quite time that this was the law in every civilized country.