Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-05-15


q strong demand for revision OF tne
constitution, Just - the decision OF
the majority Of the Justices OF the
United States Supreme court In the
income tax case caused . demand for
a revision of the American constitu-
ton. It strikes observers rom oioer
countries with surprise. and perhaps
with dismay, that. It should be ursen..
" proposed to enter upon profouno
constitutional change after only ten
years experience of federation unoer
the act Of union.
Labor II the Saddle.
Other experiments. tried out. may
be abandoned. lightly or otherwise
but the experiment Of democracy ID
not among them. The Austraiian'
whether he be . member OF the Ia
Dor or of the Liberal party-the two
great political parties-is q democrat
One man is as good as another man ID
his eyes and, to employ the Irish
phrase. often q little better. The sec
Rotary Of the drayman's union 10 ap-
pointed member q the legislative
council. The cabman. who over
charged me in Sydney. as cabmen
overcharge the traveller in all cities
upon earth, is a member Of pariiA-
ment. One premier is a miner. an
other a printer. Not in mere theory.
as In some other countries claiming
to be democratic. the government IN
Australia is in the hands Of the butch
er, the baker and the candlestick-
maker.
The extent to which democracy goes
may be illustrated by the New South
Wales experiment. The Labor party
returned to power in this state. the
most important in australia. selected
as its leader w. A. Holman. who had
filed this place with distinction In the
previous parliament: Under the con-
stitution and by precedent the forma'
ton of a government, that IL the Sc
lection of cabinet ministers. fell to his
lot. Premier Holman. as an ultimate
democrat, declined to avail himseil
of this 4 immemorial privilege. ana
called a secret caucus of all the Labor
members Of parliament to select the
new ministry. A score Of candidates
were voted upon by the 4S Labor
members, and after six hours OF siren
uous balloting the caucus selected ten
names. These are the new cabinet
ministers. though the caucus left the
assignment of their separate port
folios or officers to the premier.
Faced Toward Socialism.
With many Australians democracy
spells opportunity for socialism. tc
greater or less degree. The two CHIEF
OCCUPATIONS of the Australian are
sports and politics. Indeed. he car
ries his sporting proclivities into the
realm of politics. and just now Is per
hitting his democracy to take q Ions
chance in socialism. He Is stalking
the future of his continent on the new
theories of government that he is put
ting into practise, betting that thu
world. up to now. has been wrong
Perhaps the Australian democrat
with his face toward socialism, II
right. Perhaps he is mistaken and
will be compelled. and painfully, to re
trace his steps. Just now he is goint
ahead, confident, almost arrogantly
though capital hesitates and immigra
ton lags. The fat years have beel
his, but the lean years must come
Today's prosperous world In Aui
tralia holds for the observer mucl
that suggests answer to the question
which every visitor asks: Will dc
mocracv. far advanced toward social
ism, stand the lean years test!
Having bet that all the world
wrong, what will the Australian do
he loses his wager on democracy!
Copyright. 1914. by Joseph B. Bowies.