Labor Unions and Politics.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 506, 13 September 1890, Page 2

Labor Unions and Politics.

[OiTHoptc Times] Wk hold the opinion strongly, and have not hesitated to express it freely, that the present strike is a stratagio mistake; that the time was not ripe, and that sufficient cause for striking was lacking. But Union-r ism in New Zealand will not be always devoting its energies to such silly matters as strikes; the present disagreement will sooner or later, —let us trust sooner—be adjusted. When it is, a nobler work awaits the Labor organisation than anything it has heretofore attempted—the task of purifying the politics of this colony. Will the organisation rise to the occasion, or will it, with the cessation of the present difficulty, relax its discipline and efforts ? Those are the questions. Our poli iciane are fond of telling us that this is the “ finest country on God’s earth, it only it were properly governed.” We agree and ask them why then they have not governed it properly? That it has not been well or even decently governed is patent to the meanest capacity; that the gentlemen—whether present ins or present outs—who for the last decade have attempted to govern are incapable of governing mu’t be as evident, It is in the power cf the Labor Organisations to replace oar political incapables with men of capacity; it is in their power to return whom they please. It the leaders of the party will conscientiously essay the task of choosing good men at the next General EteclUn, they will not only have earned ihe everlasting gratitude of their fellow workers, but of every adult in the colony, and will have a claim to the gratitude of tboec yet unborn. Jt is we know eerier to write of good men than it often is to find them; but by good we do not mean professional politicians, but men of fair intelligence who above all things shall be earnest and honest. The deplorable failure of our politicians arises from their lack of any high ideal, their want of patriotism in the true sense of the word, arid above all from their utter deficiency in earnestness and thoroughness, Through long practice many of them have come fo look upon the business of the Session as a solemn joke to be (tone through with a half sober face, but with tongue in cheek; the remainder look upon it more seriously, for they have an axe to grind—their own axe. And so the country goes on from bad to worse. Labor may alter all this. Wny should it not at least essay the feat ?