The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-24

dismissal Of the Deakln Government. which has held office since lsO5, though only possessing fifteen, sup porters in a House of seventy-hve members. by It's former Labor allies within a fortnight of the infiiction or an overwhelming defeat upon the of- ficial Opposition, may have surprised many who have not closely studied Australian politics. The facts, how ever. that the Labor party should turn upon it's partners in Legislation and suppiant them on the Treasury benches without a single angry word on either side. and that the Liberals should now be giving independent support. from below the gangway, to their "assassins," must appear most perplexing to outsiders
 The solution of the mystery lies In the personal supremacy over the Com monwealth the House of representa- lives of the ex-Prirae Minister, Al fred Deakin, and the inability of his little band and of the twelve mem bers forming the left wing of the Opposition party, to accept the policy and person of G. H. Reid.A MT, Dea- kin is the "warwick, King-Maker" in Australian national politics He takes up the position that his quon- dam allies, the Labor party, being the largest party In the House (twenty- seven members,l deserve office. As that party for sthreA years aided him in the execution of his plans, and as it's policy Is much closer to his own than that of the Conservative Opposi- tion, he sees no reason why he should not give discriminating support to the Government headed by Andrew Fisher. He may be obliged In few weeks or months to withdraw that support. If the Labor Government goes beyond the Deakin program of legislation he will do so-and La bor will fall.
 The Laborers.
 The Liberals hold the balance Of power The wings of the Opposition number but thirty-two all told; the Government and the Liberals together total forty-two. Once the fifteen Lib- erals revolt the Fisher Goyernment is doomed MT. Fisher knows that, and Is hot likely till about the middle of 1909 to force conjunction of the, Op- position and the Liberals to his own injury.
 Apart from the general desirability of allowing a Labor Government a fair opportunity of gaining wisdom and experience in office, MT. Deakin finds that if his Centre" party Is not to be ground to powder at the next elections between the upper mill stone of the Labor leagues and the lower millstone of Conservatism he must have time for organization and propaganda. While he is out of office he intends to take up this work. If thes Conservatives admit defeat, throw over Mir. Reid and seek service under his banner, he will take them on his own terms and on their acceptance of Liberal policy.
 The. Liberals and their leader req lize that the fight of their lives Is be- fore them in 1910. At the elections the Labor party will throw gratitude to the winds and struggle almost as hercely with the most advanced Radical as they will with Nthe Anti Socialist.
 Meanwhile DealSin's party retains it's separate existence, and is prepar- ing to fill It's ranks and strengthen it's position by a vigorous campaign through all the States in the early part of this year. It will thus be unhampered in formulating its own fighting platform, instead of accept ing a coalition first and so being forced to give the newcomers share in it's construction. Of course, Deakin must suffer, as he suffered two years ago. from the fact that his policy is in most respects a milder form of the Labor platform. Dated, indeed, in the tabloid fOrmulae of La bor's fighting platform. there Is hard ly a plank on which he and MT. Fish CT could not stand side by side; but the tabloid formulae omit all the nice distinctions between measures that respect outside opninion and measures that fiout it.
 The last Labor Ministery is still remembered in the Departments as the most painstaking and the most intelligent with which the peima- nent officials have had to deal The new one includes most of the men who earned that reputation, and the new corners are their match. Both Labor and Australia will benefit by their having even a short experience of practical problem solving.
 Shortly before quitting office the late Commonwealth Government de- cided to accept the proposal of the Imperial authorities to issue sub sidiary coinage for Australia. Hither- to the District Government has con trolled the whole Australian silver currency, and incidentally has made