Government's policy. He declares that the country wants Fiscal peace,
and that he intends to respect the wishes of the people. After admitting that parties were so equally divided as to make a Ministry's existence dependent solely on the sufferance of their opponents, he declared himself quite ready to face a Dissolution if necessary. Meanwhile he intended to abolish government by caucus and restore old Parliamentary methods, and also to attempt to maintain cordial relations between the State and Federal Governments, whose interests were really identical. For practical measures he proposed to proceed with the trans-continental railway to Western Australia, with the Papuan and Trade-Marks Bills, and to attempt to arrive at some economical system of representing Australia in England. It is a non-committal policy, contain- ing no principles which are likely to split the party; which, indeed, is characteristic of Australian politics at present, for the differences between parties are almost solely questions of detail. Mr. Reid is no doubt right in claiming that he is as progressive and democratic in principle as his opponents. We may notice incidentally that he strongly defends the British refusal to tax the food of the people.
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