SOCIALISM IN N.Z. POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2112, 11 February 1908, Page 1

SOCIALISM IN N.Z. POLITICS.

WHERE THE PRESENT GOVEKNMEN'I.' STANDS. "WE ARE NOT REVOLUTIONARY SOCIALISTS,” SAYS TilE PREMIER.

In his speech at Auckland on Friday Sir Joseph Ward endeavored to detscriko precisely Wie position taken up by his .ministry in regard to Socialism. Ho is reported to have said under this head : Political terms and names suil'er much from wear and tear. Wo are repeatedly told inside aiul outside the lion: e that "we are all Liberals now." Some of our opponents like the it. rm so mutch that I have heard them claim lit for their own partly. Sure!,.' no mure eonehts-m' proof of Libeialism triumphant- win be asked than this. The •Conservative Ethiopia,u (to use purely figurative language) would change his skin and the T.-ry leopard his spots. Rut this misu e of the term ‘‘Liberalism” is a perversion of its true meaning, and makes it expedient that I, as leader of the Liberal party in -this country, define the aims of .Liberalism as 1. use and understand the term. Before stating what we tire, let me emphatically declare what we are not. We are not revolutionary socialist-(Hear, hear, and loud applause.) We are not of any revolutionary school, non', on the _ other lwuul/are we 'hidebound individualists, who look upon State-action and enterprise as hateful and pernicious. (Applause.) Between these great extremes any thoughtful man can trace the zig-zag path of the history <k Western Enrope-—years ol sordid selfishness, of oppression of the poor, of the enriching of the few at the expense of the many. Individuals may pursue -and dream or impossible ideals, a-nd no great harm result, but once a .majority, or a large section, of a -people give themselves up to -a mad career after Utopias, whether it bo revelethorary socialism or any other impossible ‘‘ism,” be certain that anarchy is near, and behind it disaster, suffering, and despotism. (Applause.) Fran-'o, the most enlightened country in the world, in 1879, plunged into blood for universal liberty anul equality, and produced Napoleonic despotism. (Applause). The country that gives itself up to the one oxt-reme produces the other. If revolutionary socialism took possession.of us to-morrow it would leave our people maimed amid social wreckage miles and miles behind our present stage, in the path of progress. (Applause). Unfortunately, short cuts to the millennium do not exist, and while wo fully recognise social diseases. time is required for their wire. While, then, wo are not rovolu-tiion-atv socialist's, we are far, indeed, away from those whoso rule, alike in private and in politics, is ‘‘every man for himself and -the de’i-1 take tlio hindmost.” (Hear, hear.) We are widely divided from the men who distrust sail State actions, who want unlimited freedom from all -forms of State activity and (State restriction — who want unrestrained competition—including for the- weak, the poor, and the oppressed unlimited freedom, when to them invariably -brings disaster ,even to starvation. Wo -are not Conservatives, and wo arc not revolutionary socialists. Wo believe that by and through the State and the lmident use of its power land influence equal opportunity in this young country can he secured for all —(loud applause)—-that- every poor man’s soil dm be as well equipped in education as the richest, that every man who is willing can be taught a trade or settled upon a piece ot land,' that by ami through -the State, sweating and other forms of oppression oa wind must be stamped out —(applause)—that a fair wage 'and a healthy condition of labor am be secured to -all, that the highest q csitions iu the land should lie open to all by itheir personal elforts to obtain—(hear, hear and applause)that by -and through the State (end by 'that means alone) monopolies in the land -and in certain commodities can be -prevented or eradicated — (hear, hear)—that by and through Stivto regulation all our main' ero : duc-ts can be improved in quality nr.d expedited to their local and foiepu markets, that every legitimate t IFort on sound, practical lines should to made to help our producers, our workers, our traders, to get- the full result of their labor and enterprise—(bear hear, and applause)-—that we should not set- capital and labor at one another’s 'throats, but ih.it we should do what is fair and light, and help to a -mutual -adjustment aid cooperation between them—-.'app'aeso) • —that by -prudence in our legislation, the 'trouble and strife which necessitates arbitration on either side, from time to time, should be settled under the process of Jaw and reason, and not. under the old barbaric conditions of money versus physical force, which always, in the long run, result's -to the injury of both. (Hear, hear and applause.) the niollms and the children in -the past have heen sufferers, and so they would be in the future. (Applause.)' These and many other cldccts are embraced in one great cardinal ami. viz., to pursue with firmness and caution the object of making our people, as ia whole, and not any <hss, healthier, happier, human beings. Our aim, as a" parly, is to help as far as Government action can, the -largest possible number of families to obtain sufficient incomes, to inc -ease the security with which these meows can be"relied on, and to protect the purchasing power ci these incomes ijgainst -tlio -unfair prices duo to rings, .jnonon'olies, or legal piiv.deges. (Appluiise.) This cannat be done by visionary methods, or by violent radical changes of our presentsystem, hut by -a- courageous ana careful extension of State action idoiig prudent and progressive- i'lios. (Hear, hear.) I. deSire as -much atany inf in -living to see/lie romti.ion of our workers steadily and increasingly hn-prove.il. The Government does not profess to be able- to meet the conditions of the -extremes upon either side, and from 'the extremes we do not expect support.