The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-12-30
Rule Of the WOrkilgnal in the
Big Colonies.
How the Great Power in His Hands
is USed-TaxeS-Ssn of
Responsibility.
NIontreal MiLnessl

che legislation OF Il great country.
Power is rarely exsrued with wis
dom; even in Australia, despite cOndi-
lions which appear to the outsider 10
be idyllic, there is d fly in the amber.
Labor is tyrannical. 1t refuses ini-
tiatiVe to the individual. 1t Will not
allow a man TO work when he wants
TO. 1t makes il unlawful to do any
thing after the stroke of the clock. 1t
reduces life TO a mechanical routine.
And it delights TO harass capital.
This is according TO the testimony
of Mr.. j. \. S. Austen, an Australian
OF leisure, who, with Mrs. Austen, is
at present making tour around the
world. Mr.. Austen had been to Japan,
China and India and came across the
continent TO Montreal.
Triumphant labor has changed the
face of things in Australia" Mr.. Aus
ten remarked 1T is dominant in all
our legislatures, and the laws it makes
annoy and injure capital. II taxes in
dustrieS to such an extent as to make
them Improbable. 1t claps a heavy
income tax upon the man who is MAX
ing two or three or ten hundred pounds
a year; it allows the man who makes
one hundred and fifty pounds to go
have invested their money in the cOun-
try, and so harnesses them that it has
come to this that many of the great
industries are leaving the country.
Men of means are selling out and re-
investing their capital in England.
rs there not sense enough to per-
ceive that this is killing the goose
that lays the golden egg?
1.-THE more prominent in the labor
party are beginning to see this, but the
mass, conscious of power. desire to
make that power felt, even if it result
in their own ultimate injury. We had
the era in Australia, when We returned
men to parliament for the honor of the
thing. Now we have the system of
payment of members, of which the lab
or party takes advantage. Men are
elected who are pledged to measures,
which, while they consolidate the in
terest and the power of the labor vote,
are inimical to the general welfare of
the country"
Labor says at what hour a man shall
leave off work in afternoons, and fines
him who would dare to live his life
as he pleases. 1t says TO the store
keeper that he must close his shop at
a certain time. 1t does not matter that
the public are disappointed in their
wants. Labor is king, and rules with
the consciousness of plenary power.
Mr.. Austen says that the great fede-
ration scheme has been largely blocked
by the attitude of the labor party A
feature of that scheme is the reduc-
ton of the several legislatures and
and the labor party, dread
ing the loss of power and emolument,
-.
send it's usual number of men to the
halls of legislation,-menw who are TAX
en- from the ranks of labor. and who
are paid at the rate of three hundred
pounds per annum. Each of the five
legislatures would. under the fedora
ton scheme, he reduced to the level of
finance committees, practically-an
idea which the Thoughtful people favor,
for a great economy, which
the labor party does not desire.
Mr.. Austen thinks, however, that
despite the attitude of the labor party
and the vote of New South Wales
which have blocked the scheme, the
federation idea will be realized. and
that in the near future. New South
Wales, through the vacillation of the
premier, the Hon. Mr.. Reid, whom the
papers have satirized as the 'Yes-No
man. gave an indeterminate vote
which will be reversed before long.
Another thing about New South Wales,
according to Mr.. Austen. it is free
rade, and therefore prosperous. There
was the feeling that in joining fedora
ton, New South Wales was in the
position of a rich man who puts his
capital into poor concern. She felt
that she was giving more than she was
likely to get
Mr.. Austen described the character
Of the Chinese walls which the vari-
Gus colonies have erected against one
another. 1t is laughable. 1t is child
ish. 1t is, as the work of sane men,
ineXpressibly absurd.
You would suppose that the five colo
MES were inhabited by diverse popula-
tiOns, of different speech and ideal
each colony determined to keep to it
self. and refusing TO so much as glance
over its high wall to see whether its
neighbOr is suffering or enjoying.
Notifications have been proposed as
a basis of federation, as YOU know"
Mr. Austen remarked. This would
result in a general reduction OF the
protectionist tariffs. Canada has been
looked to as a model.
Another stupid thing. according to
Mr.. Austen is the tax of one hundred
pounds upon every Oriental entering
the country. THE interior of Austria
liza is tropical. and cannot be developed
by our white population. The Chinese
and Japanese on the contrary are emil
nently fitted for this work of develop
ment. But the labor party will not
let them.
THE woTkingman has found his
earthly paradise beneath the Southern
Cross. He sits in his garden in the
beautiful summer afternoons He
takes his family for an outing He i'm
proves his mind. He drinks beer. He
smokes his pipe. He makes laws for
himself and for all others. His posi-
ion is unique and enviable. All he
needs is the sense Of responsibility.