A celebrated couplet of Pope’s, slightly varied for the occasion, occurred to at least one member of that body while the Minister was giving them a bit of his mind : Lo! the poor Scotchman, whose untutored mind Would scatter public money to the wind, A line of conduct, I may here remark, which isn’t at all the habit of the Scotchman, except, as in this case, where the money is not bis own. A friend of mine, however, who is neither simple nor ingenuous, but rather deeply versed in the craft oi polities, tells me that it is a great mistake to suppose the Hon. John was really in a rage. It was all method, he says, and no mad'ness what ever. “The fact is”—l am now quoting my political friend—“that the advances to settlers policy 'is extremely unpopular. Only a few can get the money, because only a few have got the security to offer. The many but don’t get it, and there fore the many are in a real rage. The Hon. John represents a large district full of dis appointed selectors, and he has now to face the ordeal of a pre-sessional speech, to say nothing of a general election shortly. Now, what could he do te cut the wrathful ground away from the feet of his constituents ? What would you do (this was addressed to me) under the circumstances ? If you were as astute as John, and as—well, as untutored, you would do exactly as he did—make a splutter before the Board, and then go be fore yotir constituents and say : ‘ See how I have' been fighting your b-vttles. What more could I do for you than that!' ” There’s some truth in all this, but I detest the vile craft of politics,

This business of the Hon. John sets me into a strain of political philosophy on my own account. Theresas a certain American professor, a very clever and ingenious man, who years ago. wrote a book the name of which I forget, but it had a chapter entitled ‘The Forgotten Man.’ The forgotten man in politics is the man whose only want is to be allowed to qnietly pursue his business or his work, free from clamor, hysterica, political shibboleths, and meddlesome mis chievous interference. He is forgotten by Governments and politicians because be is quiet and inoffensive. 