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Opportunities: Mostly Lose Ones.
How few people recognise opportunities when
they present themselves. If even a fair proportion
of men had the gift to know tha Heat
Chance when it came along there would Ibe fewer
remarkably successful men in the world and
fewer failures. A general leaven of success
would be the result. Opportunity comes to
every man always once. Most times it comes
again and again, and he always gives it the
fishy glance which denotes that he fails to recognise
it. He lets it pass, and then when lie
sees how
It isn
Men
tli ere
heroism.
show out far above their fellows. Lack of
courage to embrace Opportunity is the most
common form of cowardice. It nearly always
entails some doubt as to tbe future. A man
has to rely upon himself to some extent at
least. He has to uproot himself from his. present
state. He has to think new things in a
new way, or lie lias to do new things that he
has not done before. So he doubts his own
ability, hesitates, and Opportunity floats past.
The path of failure is paved with lost opportunities.
It is the same in everything—war, business,
art, politics—all are the same. The general
who lacks either the knowledge to see the chance
or the courage to take it, the commercial man,
the manufacturer, the artist, whether lie be
writer, actor, painter or any other kind of
artist—all alike move along the road that leads
to failure, finding their progress made easy by
the opportunities they miss.
But Especially Politicians
There is not a politician of note who has not
missed opportunities innumerable. There is not
one who lias failed of whom it cannot-'be said :
"He failed because on such-and-such an occasion
he was too stupid or — too --- faint-hearted - • to -- seize -
the Opportunity." There are others who have
risen to dizzy heights by grasping every chance
that presented itself. George Stephenson Beeby,
upon whom all eyes of Australia are centred at
the present moment, is such a man. He has
had a keen eye fixed upon Opportunity for all
his life, and lias missed few that were of any
value. He has courage and intelligence, two
essentials in the successful politician. It is not
because Mr. Beeby has stepped out ot his party
at a critical juncture that he shows the possession
of these qualities. It is the way- he has
done it, and the juncture he lias chosen. It is
only a few years since Sir John Forrest resigned
office and crossed the floor of the House
in the expectation—so it seemed to most people
—of upsetting the Government and coming back
leader of a new governing party. He failed. He
mistook the Opportunity. It was never there.
More recently Mr. Fowler—also in the House of
Representatives—left the 'Labour party, breathing
defiance and abhorrence. He gained nothing
but the benefit of freedom, and he lost the certainty
of office. It is not necessary to accuse
Mr. Fowler of anything dishonourable to say
that if he had to go through the last four years
of his political life again he would not have left
the Labour party at the end ot 1909. After all a
politician who does not hope to win in the
game is scarcely worth having in it, and Mr.
Fowler is an ambitious Scotchman.
A Man Who Never Misses.
George Stephenson Beeby has climbed to his
present position by means of his careful knack
of discerning opportunities and emH'aring them,
He has had an aim, of course. The man who
merely sets out like a boat on a wide sea, with
no particular course or destination, but with
the 'one object of catching every passing breeze,
will finish nowhere. He must have a destination.
He must have an aim. And he must
steam towards it all the time. He must see
that every opportunity of which be takes advantage
brings him nearer the goal. He must have
the brains to see that. He must have the pertinacity
to keep to it. He must have the courage
to set what may appear to be a contrary
course when lie is convinced that it is the right
one Mr. Beebv is that sort of man. His goal
iq i) 1P Premiersliii) of the State, with a seat
„ n t u Rpnch of New South Wales behind it. A
UidSip is his real objective, and while the
premiership is one easy gite to the Bench, there
are other gjd Rates JUOV just as useful. One of —, them t is
&
to be the man greater • than the " Premier -*—— «ie
man who keeps the Government in office. If Mr.
Beeby wins the Blayney seat he will be that
man. He can make his own terms, just as Mr.
Henry Willis mo made mauc them a year • „ago. b „. How -- long „
aeo Mr Beebv made up bis mind about tbe
goal he was making for only he can say. But
there is no doubt that in the last twelve years
he lias pressed steadily on towards the one
stated. It has been a weary journey, with much
hard work in it, much weary waiting ; but lie
fancied that tbe Opportunity would come, and
lic knew how to wait for it. Now he believes
that it has come, and lie lias courageously cmbraced
it. He may prove to have been wrong ;
but he has set his all
f^/'fnr'ThHT aU° eerier all v'wiu.
"S^ lor lllelr a11 SCn _ dl^_
on victory, and those who
- " W
A Man Who Works Alone.
"He rides the fastest who rides alone," declared
Kudyard Kipling once. That is Mr.
Beeby's motto. He rides alone always. Others
may help now and then. That is very good ot
them. But there are no alliances, no partnerships,
no contingencies in the Beeby plan ot
campaign. He works for on© man. He serves
one man. He thinks for one man. And for one
man alone. That man is George Stephenson
BeeDjiy. Strong ? Of course iie^is. Such a man
has to be a strong man—strong, wary, self-,
contained, resourceful—and Mr. Beeby is all
these. There is room only in one place for
such a man. That is on top. He has to get
there Other men make way So r him. They do
not know why It is because lie dominates them,
J1
There is a subtle - something in him that - 1 - they
recognise, and, whether they like it or not, submit
to. It is the recognition of power—the
power of the strong man who lights for his own
hand always. Mr. Beeby makes no secret of this
fact. He joined the Labour movement because
lie regarded it as an Opportunity. He has left
it because it has ceased to be of use to him.
He entered it as one enters a train—because it
would carry him in the direction he wished to
go. Now lie has seen that it is turning aside
from the road he wants to travel, or, at all
events, that he can reach his destination by a
more direct route. So he has quitted the train.
It sounds sordid to talk thus of politics, with
its high traditions of partv loyalty, and patriotism,
and all the rest. But has not the Labour
party killed all those ideas ? It is not
partv loyalty which keeps the Labour men true
to the Caucus. It is the fear of the consemachine
is not the potent thing
are taught to believe in.
its followers
Starting From scratch.
Few men have set out with fewer advantages
than George Stephenson Beeby. He began from
nowhere He just knockcd about the world. He
worked
1 1
at
.
all sorts
.....
of
,
trades
j 1-..
and
j
professions,
r :„„..
and then he became a lawyer. He was a solicitor,
and few people hail ever lveard of him until
the Arbitration Act was passed in New South
Wales. Then Mr. G. S. Beeby began to have
liis name in the papers. He saw, with his usual
clarity of vision, the future that lay before
the arbitration specialist. At that time most
lawyers sniffed at the idea of there being a vast
field of litigation in tliat phase of Labour legalation.
One or two solicitors in the rest oi
Australia saw it, too, and specialised in it. Mr.
Beeby was the only man in New South Wales.
He cultivated the unions, and showed them that
he understood their cases. Consequently he was
given the task of preparing the case for nearly
every union which came before the court. Mr.
Ueeby became as well known to every unionist
as Mr. Justice Higgins now. It was a fine
stepping-stone .. „ to politics. u • It^was n also a line
stepping-stone to prosperity. George Stephenson
Beeby lias that gift added to his many others,
I11 choosing the course he will take he always
takes one which provides much welcome profit
by the way. He never chooses the thorny, rough
paths. They are 'left for others with the temperaments
of martyrs. There is nothing of the
martyr about Mr. G. S. Beeby. He loves comfort
too much. Not that he is afraid of work. °ork
On the contrary, 110 man in politics can wu^
harder. (At his profession he was - s a
diligent, industrious, thorough workman That
was how he won cases. Arbitration work is all
a matter of thoroughness.
Into Parliament.
Several times G. S. Beeby tried to enter Parliament,
and found the door shut in his lace.
In 1894 he stood for Armidale. It was a thrceto
have
cornered contest, such as he is likely
in Blayney this time. Mr. Copeland was the
winner. Mr. Beeby was among the "also-ran."
For ten vears lie let politics alone. Then, in
1904, he stood for Leichardt, the electorate in
-which he lives. Again he was beaten. Then he
went to Blayney, and the contest was an Homeric
one. Mr. Withington, the liberal candidate,
won by 22 votes. There were irregularities and
informalities in the election, and if Mr. Beeby
had -been able to get a recount the position
would have been reversed. But he didn't. He
waited, and in September, , 1907, , lie was returnber
of the .Labour party. Labour was in Onpo-
ed to the Legislative Assembly a pledged mem-
• I « V . __ . J T _ 1 ; _
sition, and Mr. Beeby built up for himself a
big reputation as a solid, convincing debater.
He was one of the giants of his side. Members
soon discovered that Beebv never spoke unless
he had something , to „ say. „ So _ _ they .. listened first to
him. Serious, thoughtful, earnest,' informative,
his speeches obtained an audience granted to
few Labour orators. Yet there is nothing oratorical
about a Beeby speech. It is an array
of facts—facts as Mr. Beeby understands them
set out in the most convincing fashion. It is a
case worked up and dovetailed together after
the manner of the competent, highly-skilled solicitor.
After three years in Opposition, the Labour
party came back with a mirage-like tnajority.
It took office, and G. S. Beeby was one
0f the senior Ministers, with the portfolios of
LaWour and Industry and .Education. Deaths in
the Cabinet and the retirement of Mr. Nielson
caused reshuffles. Mr. Beeby took the post of
Minister for Lands, until he dramatically resigned
a fortnight ago.
The Reason Why.
Why Mr. Beeby resigned is plain. Hie resigned
because he saw a golden opportunity of improving
his political position. He saw the downf
a n Qf the Labour party assured at the next
general elections. He saw in the party itself,
j, n tile very Cabinet, a struggle for leadership
between ihimself, Mr. Holman, and Mr. M'Gowen.
Months ago he assured both these two that he
wouid not oppose them. He has kept his promj
se . He, judged that the electors of New South
Wales—discontented with the two parties in Par-
Hameni^-were ready to welcome the formation
of a third party. He stepped out to form
that third party, and to lead it. If he is returned
for Blayney he will be the dictator of
New South Wales. His vote
vuw
will
win niiinu
make or u„
un
make the Government. No
* "
Bill,
** '
no resolution
can lie passed unless he approves. He will be,
for the short session which will precede the general
elections, the Absolute Boss. It is a fine
position for an ambitious man. Then, having
formed his third party in the House, be will
attempt to sweep the other two out of existence.
It is a bold project which needs a bold,
capable man to carry it to success. Mr. Beeby
is bold enough and capable enough. It remains
to l;e seen whether he will be successful. Since
he became Minister for Lands he read for a
barrister, and was admitted to the Bar. The
period at the Bar necessary to qualify
for
judgeship has not yet elapsed. Before the present
Parliament expires it will have nassed, and
it may be that one party or the other—rather
than see him lead a third party—will give him
a position on the Bench. The Premiership or
the judgeship seem vitlvin reasonable reach,
That is the name Mr. Beeby is playing—a cool,
confident, -—•*- crafty game, , but - J - —one in which all the
cards arc on the table.
The Federal Situation.
In addition to his position of KJing Pin of
State politics, Mr. Beeby is a most important
factor in the Federal situation. Nominally he
has stepped out because he differs from the
Referendum proposals of liis party. Ever since
the Referendum of last year the ultra-Federal
section of the Labour party has been out to
down both Mr. Beeby and ,Mr. Hjolman. This
section, led by Mr." J. C. Watson, has kept
Mr. M'Gowen in the Premiership. Mr. Beeby has
be fought before the general engagement. Mr.
Beeby probably cares very little about the Referendum
except that, if he becomes Premier of
New South Wales, the new constitutional powers
of the Commonwealth would rob the State of
all prestige and importance, while the Commonwealth
control of industrial powers would deprive
liim of his chance of presiding over the
State Arbitration AmWit.i-o + inn Court. fniir* From lTr/im that tlvat. point nnint. of r,f
view lie has a vital interest in the defeat of
the Referendum. But there is this phase ol it,
too. It was only to be expected that the Liberal
party would refrain from opposing a man
who has "volunteered to act as champion against
the enemies of Liberalism. They refuse to be
forced into that position, however, though the
probability is that there will be little heart in
the Liberal fight. In any case, the Blayney
contest means a lot to New South Wales and
a great deal more to Australia, because Mr.
Beeby has been clever enough to force it on the
•single issue of the Referendum.
Sir George Reid's little trip to Australia
next year, though • mainly to act the paternal
part at the marriage of his daughter, will have
an interesting political significance. It 'will
occur at a, )OUt the time when Ministers will be a
considering the appointment of a High Commi*
sioner for the next three or five years, and
doubtless Sir George will be sounding his
chances. If an appointment were to be made
now there would be only one man in the running.
Labour may be anxious to retain the
prizes for its own men, but there could foe only
one
Commissioner of Australia while Sir
George" Reid wanted the post. His work lias
not only stirred Great Britain into a realisation
of the existence of Australia, it has earned
the encomiums of friend and foe, and Mr. Fisher
would extend the term of Sir George's appointment
if the question were to be settled at one?..
There will be great resurrections of the memories
of the first five years of Federation when
Sir George arrives, especially if Mr. J. C. Watson,
as proposed, comes back to the House of
Representatives.
Holman is easily the most intellectual of the
Labourites in New South Wales politics. He
is bookish, which few Labourites care to he,
and, when younger, had artistic inclinations.
He came into notice in Sydney as a boy politician,
and favoured velvet coats and butterfly
ties—like Ben Tillett. He Jias succeeded wonderfully
well, and if Labour is to come out on
top in N£w South Wales, Holman will certainly
be on top of the top dog.
Mrs. Bartlet, of Malvern, has recently become
the mother of triplets. Alas ! only one
of her youngsters eets the bonus. Which cne ?
XT T J. r 1 J.1. _ J_ T\ T_ T T-. .1, i 4.
Here is a point of law that Mr. Hughes might
elucidate—otherwise the triplets may go to
court, and even carry the matter to the
Privy Council. There is the bonus, and there
are the babies. Is it a case of first come
served. Should the three cut the hundred
shillings up between them, or have our legislators
overlooked a vital point, and left it to
the High Court to say which baby the bonus
goes to when three are born at a birth?
$