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STJHÖAY, DECEMBER 16, 1900.
'THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS.
BEFORE tie close of the present year
it appears probable that the addresses
of mostx>£ the candidates for Federal
honore * will' be before the electors.
Thè candidates so far definitely an-
nounced ate Messrs. Ewing, Vosper,
Saunders, Pearse, and Woolf for the
Senate, and Mr.. 5. M. Fowler
and Sir John Forrest for the
House of Representatives. Others are
mentioned, but for the present we
shall confine our consideration to those
whose definite advertisements are
before the public. As to the general
qualifications' required by candidates
for this honorable and impartant posi-
tion there can be no two opinions.
We need men of the very best stamp
in the colony to represent ns in the
Federal Legislature. . \Our representa-
tion in that body will be but small,
and if we give the positions away to
those who are unworthy it follows
that we shall be unworthily repre-
sented, .and if that be the case the
most nifàterial interests ol the colony
will hi placed in serious jeopardy. It
is theififore essential in the /interests
of tba electors themselves " that they
-should most carefully scan the preten-
sions f)f those who are before them.
Thc taree essentials in every Federal
candidate are ability, experience, and
integr&y, and it will be for the electors
to diacide how far those who offer
themselves meet those - qualifica-
tions. When we say experience
we do not necessarily refer to Parlia-
mentary experience, as very useful
work may often be done in public life
outside the Legislature. Not only
should the candidate be experienced in
public affairs, but the public should
have some experience of the aspirant.
He should have some kind of a record,
so that people may be able to guage
his future by his past. We observé
that in some quarters an objection is
being raised to those who opposed the
adoption of the existing Constitution
being returned as representatives under
its provision. This is, in our opinion,
a deplorably narrow view to take of a
great question. The honest anti
Billite is quite as worthy of the public
confidence as are those who spoke for
the Bill-in some cases more so, for
the former took an unpopular stand for
conscience sake, while many of the
latter, it cannot be denied, were mere ;
panderers for popularity. If men are i
to be excluded from public positions
solely because of their views on ques- j
tions long since settled, then United ]
Australia will be making a bad start ]
by harking back to the days ofj
bigotry, and seeking to establish a <
political Test Act. Freedom of speech :
and thought is the dearest boon of !
manhood, and those who feared to ase
it because to do so was unpopular are !
certainly unfit for liberty, and un
worthy the suffrages of their fellow \
freemen. There is every reason to
believe, however, that this fanatical ;
and revengeful spirit is far from being
widely diffused, and may well be per-
mitted to expire in the dark corners to
which such exploded notions always
creep. The Senatorial candidates who
have laid a definite pIatfo,m before
the public are Messrs. Vosper and
Ewing. The address of the former
appears elsewhere, .while that of
Mr. Ewing has been given viva
voce. We note that Mr. Ewing
--and with regret we notice it-has
followed the lead of that spineless
politician Sir John Forrest on the
tariff question. Mr. Ewing has ex-
plained himself to be a "freeteetionist."
He wants no extremes; we are to
have neither freetrade nor protection
the farmer is not to be oppressed by
direct taxation, bat he is to be
oppressed in common with all other 1
classes of the community by a revenue !
tariff. Now, we have beard politicians ]
and states asea, both Freetraders and i
Protectionists, speak apologetically of
a revenue tariff, and deplore its exis-
tence as a necessary evil ; but Mr.
Ewing is the first to come forward
and deliberately avow that in his
opinion it is the best, and under
Federation the only, mode of raising
revenue. No more oppressive form of
taxation can be conceived of, nor none
which costs the taxpayer more. Every
merchant is, under a revenue tariff,
turned into a tax: collector, and he
draws his profit on the duty he pays
as well as on the price of the goods.
Thus, if articles are placedla a bonded
store, the consumer has to pay the
duty plus'the profit on the duty, plus
insurance,- plus rent, plus interest, and
so, where the duty itself may be only
ls. 6d., the taxpayer ultimately has
to pay 3s. on that score alone. And
this gives none of the advantages in
freetrade nor the benefits of protec-
tion. While a revenue tariff exists,
- direct taxation worthy the name is
impossible, for no treasurer can burn
the candle at both ends. Most states-
men adopt this hideous mode of collect-
ing taxes either because they are
driven to it, or because being mere
office-seekers, and anxious to please all
partied,_ they are afraid to openly
advocate direct taxation. But Mr.
Ewing goes further than this, and
gives it as bis deliberate opinion that
this method of taxation is the most
commendable known. We are sorry
that Mr. Ewing thus seats himself
astride the fiscal fence ; and the sooner
he comes off on either one side or the
other the better it will be for his
chances. The fiscal issue must be faced
-not sunk. On this question depends
the future prosperity and progress of
Western Australia, and those who will
not be definite on this vital point are
not fit to be ber representatives. Mr.
Yosper's address appears in this issue,
and we shall offer no comments upon
it until the campaign actually begins,
when such irrangements will be made
as to enable this paper to speak im-
partially, the present editor being well
aware that self-praise is no recommen-
dation, though self-vindication may be
both necessary and just. There can
be no barm, however, in recapitulating
the heads of his programme, so that
those who* run may read. Mr. Vosper
declares himself in favor of
Free Trade.
Direct Taxation.
A Citizen Army.
The Transcontinental Railway.
Development of Trade with the
Indian Archipelago
Construction of Forts, etc., at
Albany and Fremantle.
Albany being made a Naval Station.
Internal Borrowing by- the Com-
monwealth.
Exclusion of all Colored or Servile
Labor.
Establishment of the Decimal
System in Coinage, Weights, and
Measures.
National'Bank of Issue.
Nationalisation of Federal District
National Insurance.
National Old Age and Disablement
Pensions..
Assimilation of Marriage Laws.
Federation of the Railways.
Industrial Conciliation and Arbitra
lion Bill.
Universal Female Franchise.
One Adult One Vote.
The Referendum.
Anti-Trust Laws.
Purity of Élection.
Progressive Labor Legislation.
! Nationalisation of Northern Terri
i tory.
1 Free Law.
The address dealing with these ques
tions will be found on page 3. As yei
Mr. Saunders has not set his viewi
before the electors, while Mr. Wooli
bas declared himself an out and out
freetrader. We await, however, J
fuller exposition of their views befon
same remark applies to Sir John
Forrest and others. And now a word
with regard to the nominees of labor.
Tn deciding to nominate Mr. G. F.
Pearse for the Federal Senate, the
Labor men bave shown a wise selec-
tion. Mr. Pearse has taken an active ;
part in labor-in-politics for the past 10
years, both in Sooth Australia and in ,
this colony, and was one of the
founders of the present Trades and
Labor Council of Western Australia,
holding the office of president on
several occasions. During the agita-
tion for the referendum and in the
Federal campaign Itself, Mr. Pearse
took a leading part in advocating the
cause of the workers. Mr. Pearse con-
tested one of the seats for the Legisla-
tive Council at the recent Metropolitan
Suburban election, and although un-
successful he received a very nattering
vote, especially as he had only one
week to advocate his claims in. Mr.
J. M. Fowler, who is the selection oí
the Labor Party for the Perth division
in the House of Representatives, ic
perhaps best known to the general
public by the sterling ability he dis-
played- as secretary to the Federal
League. During his addresses on tht
great question of Federation he showed
a knowledge of the question ano
of politics generally that classée
bim at once, as a man who
if returned to Parliament, wonk
do himself and .those he repre
seated justice. The party - intern
selecting another candidate1 for tb
Senate from amongst the Goldfield
Unions, and one for the Freinant!
District in the Houscof Representatives
Meanwhile we trust ¿hat the elector
will keep in mind whatever candidate
is before them the necessity of th
three - prime essentials-experience
ability, and integrity-and that the
will include in the lastnamed, straight
forward utterances of opinion, whethe
they approve of them or not.
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