OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 256, 5 February 1889, Page 2

OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

0?BOM OUB OWN COHEESI'OKDENT.) Sydney, Jan. 22. The excitement attending the general election overshadows all other topics. At the present rate of procedure it will soon be quite a rarity to find a man who is not a candidate or who has not serious thoughts of becoming one. The issue generally raised is that of Freetrade or Protection. Both sides are making great efforts in the way of organisation, and seem resolved to leave no stone unturned to secure success. Many sacrifices, both of time and money, are being made by jealous partisans. This of course is always the case at a general election, but I think we can regard it as so much clear gain that these sacrifices are being made chiefly for the sake of definite clearcut principles, not to settle any sordid, paltry, personal question between the “ ins and the outs.’’ Of course the issue caunot ba kept absolutely clear, nor, perhaps, is it desirable that it should be. There are many active influential men who are thoroughly seized of the great truth that neither Freetrade nor Protection is incompatible with vigorous national prosperity. The United States can be pointed to as an example of tbe one, and the mother country as an example of the other. The causes which ensure prosperity to a community are moral, rather than political. Therefore, both by the moral and the immoral, the political is to a large extent shelved. The temperance advocates, for instance, regard a candidate’s fiscal opinions with sublime indifference. Will he or will he not declare for full local option ? That, in their opinion, is the one thing needful. On the other hand there are those who sink as far below the political aspect of the struggle as the others rise above it. What can a candidate be expected to do in the way of n public money spent in the district ? ver still, how much will he lay out in beer for the ** free and independent ?" All these side issues have their weight and comglicate the question nnd obscure tha signiuance of the final decision. Still, roughly and broadly, the only valid issue which can be expected to take shape In legislation is the one which affects the tariff. Tbe Freetrader asks indignantly “ Ara wo to pay sixpence for what we could otherwise get for fivepenco!” The Protectionist: “Are we to sacrifice our infant industries at the thru a of a penny wise and and a pound foolish Mosooh, the doctrines of Cobdeu and the Free Trade Association to wit 7”

As to the prospects of the struggle opinions are of course conflicting. Some of the journalistic champions of each side make a point, as the ambassadors are said to do, of “ lyinj abroad” for the good of their party, Au< as their lies usually take the form of announcing success aa certain, they mutually neutralise one another. It would be an interesting and instructive exercise to carefully out out all these confident prophecies, paste them side by ride in a book, and then compare them with the final result. Many readers, who are now bewildered by the clash of son tending assertions, diametrically opposite, yet equally positive, would obtain, by following thia course, such a vivid idea of the ethics of “gutter “ journalism, aa could not fail to be of the grea l eat service to them. But what, are the prospect* 9 Surely a candid and unprejudiced looker-on can discern some straws which show the way tbe wind is blowing. In tha first place it may be taken tor granted that none of the arguments, exhortations and denunciations with which the air is thick, will have the slightest effect on thoss whose minds are already made up, except, perhaps, to increase their zeal and intensify their animosity. The confirmed Free Trader will remain a Free Trader, tbe confirmed Protectionist a Protectionist in spite of anything that can be said to him. But these are not tha men who will decide the battle. The victory will bs won by the immense floating mass who have not yet arrived at any definite or settled convictions, but who do what they believe to be the best for ths good of their country. How will they vote this time 1 We know how they voted two years ago. And we know also some of the causes which ted to that vote. In the first place there was the magio name of “ Parkes "—Parkes too in the plentitude of power, with all the prestige of victory, Parkes vowing in eloquent and soulstirring phrase that he would devote hie great ability to the work of retrenchment and reform for which the country groans, and that he would bring back prosperity by inaugurating the unquestioned reign of Free Trade. Added to this there was widespread distrust and indignation at the extravagance and recklessness of the then outgoing Ministry. With all these potent elements in their favour it will be remembered that the victory was not nearly so conclusive as was anticipated. There was a working majority, but there was little more. And, as far as the great question of Protection v. Free Trade was concerned, this majority found itself unable to repeal the import duties on dairy produce, duties which provide for the permanence of an important and flourishing industry in the districts of the southern coast. What is the case now? Parkes is

before the country, certainly, but it is not in the capacity of a victor, but of a beaten man—beaten, too, with disgrace. Not this time Parkes with the leonine roar of a confident conquerer, but Parkes who comas before the public with plausible apologies for slinking out of office like a whipped hound, Parkes who betrayed the fortress before it was taken, and who, either from a policy or petulance—both equally disgraceful in a veteran leader—threw his party overboard in a critical moment, and with his majority still behind him, “ courted deteat." This picture may be regarded as exaggerated and overdrawn. But, in any case, it must recognised that the influence of the late Premier will be very much less potent in the coming than it was in the last. Putting the question of his retirement on one side, there is the still more damaging fact that with everything in h'te favor he did not reedeem hie promises as to reform, and apparently made no effort to do so. The tea‘urea of his adn)iutetration which will stick longest in the memory of the public are the “State Dead Housef’ the impudent attempt to filch the name of “Australia’’ for the colony, and the odour of jobbery which clung so persistently to most of his colleague’, In place of being an apologist for others Sir Henry will need this time an apologist for himself, If it be said that the reison he did not do more was because he was not sufficiently well backed, the inference te obvious that he certainly will attract even less support at tbe elections which are now pending, If it the former election, with everything iu his favor, l,e oqq'd not obtain a majority determined enough to ‘ca*Ty his policy into effect, it is very questionable under present circumstances whether he will be able to obtain a majority at all. As far as the odium attaching to Mr Dibbs is concerned, it must be remembered, that it is considerably softened by time, while the misdeeds of his opponents are still fresh in the memory of the public. It cannot be dented that Mr D.bba himself is the weakest feature in the whole team, and the one most

. likely to provoke distrust. But he is ad. > mitted on all hands to have chosen good i colleagues, and eight good man are surely : better able to keep one prodigal In order . than one good man to control eight “ duffers.” Quite apart, therefore, from the fliosl i question there are many reasons why the ' result of ths coqiing contest is likely to be a i reversal of tfis verdict pi the lafit.' 11 Why should Wenotrepaatourviotory S’’ confidently asks Mr McMillan, And tbs answer is that “we ’’ have done a great deal in the meantime to put victory out of reach. Once trifled with, And lost, they seldom return. This is the lessen which tbe outgoing Ministry has to learn, and, so far as my individual opinion is worth anything, I think it te one in which the lately dominant party fs about to be thoroughly indectrined The attitude of the press is uncertain. The big and stately Herald condones all the sins of the late Premier and goes wholesouled for “ Freetrade and Parkes." The Telegraph pronounces for Freetrade, but has no good word to say for Parkes, and does Its best to keep out those of his late col'eaguos whose names are most notoriously associated with jobbery. Ths Evening News clings to-the traditional policy of Freetrade, but denounces Parkes wita all the vigor of an extensive vocabulary. The Stor'is the Official organ oflhe FrotocWoniifts tad, Uough tatUf tea

acrid for my taste, is conducted with undoubted vigor and ability. Whatever may 1 be the result of the elections, the Star, aa the only paper in which the arguments in favor of Protection are stated, will make great advances in circulation and popularity.