158 A HISTORY OP THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



whose exercise of patronage, or encouragement of enterprises no 

 man could utter a just reproach." 



Alas ! the reproaches, just or unjust, began to dog his footsteps 

 ere he had fully settled to work, and eventually overthrew him 

 within twelve months. If his exit was made to look rather paltry 

 by the triviality of the specific charge on which he fell, his entry 

 upon the career of Chief Secretary was a dramatic State progress. 

 He unfolded his policy at Kyneton on the 26th of June, and the 

 liberality of his programme justified the wild enthusiasm of his 

 constituents. He rejoiced the hearts of the local farmers by stating 

 that he was not opposed to direct taxation, not even to a land tax, so 

 long as it was equitable. But it must be a graduated tax, beginning 

 with owners of over 640 acres and increasing in a ratio proportioned 

 to the quantity of land held by one person in an unproductive con- 

 dition. He declared that he did not believe in the financial deficit 

 alleged by his predecessors, but if it really existed it must have been 

 due to the muddling methods of the late Treasurer. In any case, 

 he said he would meet it without imposing fresh taxation on 

 industry. He skated lightly over Protection. He might be assent- 

 ing to something he would not have spontaneously proposed, but 

 the country having decided upon the experiment, he believed that 

 effect could best be given to its wishes by a Government which 

 included men of both parties. State education, the attempted 

 settlement of which by Mr. Higinbotham had been recently de- 

 feated, was to be an open question in the Cabinet. Mr. Duffy's 

 trump card, however, was an improved administration of the Land 

 Act, whereby dummyism, favouritism, absenteeism, and all other 

 monopolistic tendencies, which he alleged Mr. McPherson either 

 established or perpetuated, were to be swept out of the land. 

 Departmental regulations, rigidly enforced, were to take the place of 

 tedious legislation. New industries were to be developed. Skilled 

 labourers from France, Germany and Spain were to show the 

 plodding but ignorant colonists how to annex the profits from dried 

 fruits, olive oil and tobacco. And the women of Australia were 

 to lay the foundations of their individual fortunes by tending the 

 hitherto neglected silk- worm. Reading Mr. Duffy's eloquent periods 

 calls up visions of an impending Arcadian existence. But the rough 



