Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-25
A Political Paradise.


of the First Methodist church, Oak
land, Cal, New Zealand is about the
nearest a political paradise that has
been conceived on this earthly
sphere He says that rich and poor
anarchists are alike curbed there;
that strikes have been relegated To
the past. and that the doctrine of
leach for all and all for each" is the
spirit of that country's laws. Ac-
land of New Zealand, with its million
inhabitants, is the most ideally gov
erned country as well as the richest
per level capita, in the world. He
has recently returned from there. and
brings evidence which might convert
his hearers To the belief that this
Laboratory of sociological expert
ment" has passed the experimental
stage, and might now be called the
land of sociological achievement"
One of the things that makes for
the success of New Zealand's laws is
that law becomes operative at once
upon its passage. and there is no SUI
preme court to interpret it or misin-
terpret 1t. Ii may he reasonable
or unreasonable the people have to
stand it, But probably the thing that
stands for the most i'm this land of
prosperity and drom distance) ideal
laws is the homegeneity of race and
unity of country there being no states
or territories. The Rev. Poole says
that strikes and lockouts are practi-
cally unknown. in these days. in New
Zealand on account of the COM
pulsory arbitration laws. In IL years
there have been but l6 minor strikes.
and big strike is an impossibilty.
When dispute arises, labor appoints
a delegate. capital chooses another.
and the president appoints a third.
The finding of the majority of these
three is final. Any dissent therefrom
is unheard Of and would be tanta-
mount to contempt of court.
Civic affairs are so nicely adjusted
that II citizen shows himself an
archistic by putting his own interests
above those of the majority. he is first
fined; fer the second offence, i'm
prisoned. for the third offence, de-
ported from the country. This APP
plies to millionaire and beggar alike.
The old adage Everyone for himself
and the devil take the hindmost'
seems TO have been changed, in New
Zealand, according to the testimony
of Rev. Poole, to Each for all and all
for each, and the devil take the man
who is only for himself"
Perhaps the most striking thing in
New Zealands economic achieve
ment is the public ownership of pub
lie service corporations. The coun-
try owns and controls all railroads,
telegraph and telephone lines. Private
corporations are excluded from I'M
dertaking such service; and, contrary
10 the argument generally put forth
in this country against government
control. the government service in
New Zealand. If the Rev. Poole is to
be believed, is excellent. and the rates
are much lower than in Great Britain
or America. The government ex-
tends insurance to individuals and
corporations. and the secretary for
one OF the largest wooden mills is Civ
en- as authority for the declaration
that government insurance had de-
creased his cost to nearly one half.
The minister of railroads. Hon, Sir
Joseph G. Ward, is quoted as follows:
The New Zealand railroads have
cost the state $l00,000,000. Our policy
is TO benefit the people as much as
possible. We make the lowest pos
sible rates 10 shippers and passen-
gers. We help the rural laborer by
making communication rate We
have two classes of tickets-first- class
and second class-at half the cost of
the first. The second class cars are
kept clean and in very sanitary con-
dition. The policy of the govern
ment is TO run its business on sound
progressive lines, earning its divi-
dends and turning the profits. not to
the people as dividends. but in the
form of cheaper service. The rates
are reduced If possible each year,
both for passenger and freight SER
vice"
With an area only three times that
of Maine and population only one
fourth greater with climate and in
ferests alike the country over. il Is a
vastly different problem Of govern
mental regulation than in a country
SO vast that transportation from one
eide 10 another is more expensive than
10 many foreign countries. A rule
that would work In small country
school district would not do at all IN
a great university. The enthusiasts
tvho return from New Zealand TO re-
form the great American republic for