324 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



erected by a selfish and mistaken opposition to immigration that 

 the full development of Victoria's resources can be looked for. 



The first gleam of sunshine penetrating the gloom that had hung 

 over the colony since 1891 was the restoration of the financial 

 position in 1897. Concurrently with the satisfactory feeling of living 

 within one's means, a hopeful tide of improvement set in, which, 

 aided by the bounties of Nature, restored confidence in the future and 

 an energetic attack on the present. The harvests of 1895-96 and 

 1896-97 had been sadly deficient : the supply fell short of local con- 

 sumption and the community suffered from dear bread. The 

 summer of 1897-98 was all that could be desired, and a grand harvest 

 restored all deficiencies and left a substantial surplus for export. 

 The following season, however, 1898-99, transcended all previous 

 experience in Victoria, and produced nearly 20,000,000 bushels of 

 wheat, and other crops in proportion. The value of wheat and butter 

 exported in 1899 exceeded 3,000,000, and a cheerful optimism 

 pervaded all classes. There had been two or three years of dis- 

 astrous drought in New South Wales and Queensland, but so far it 

 had not seriously affected Victoria, and the havoc it subsequently 

 wrought amongst her Mallee settlers was unanticipated. 



There was little of political interest in those closing years outside 

 the absorbing topic of Federation. The general election of 1897 was 

 notable for the efforts made by the extreme radicals and the labour 

 party to defeat Mr. Gillies, who had just returned to the colony, 

 Mr. Murray Smith, Mr. Frank Madden and other prominent members 

 of the constitutional party. In every case they were unsuccessful, 

 and Sir George Turner, who had put forth a moderate manifesto, 

 abandoning the radical demand for a State Bank, a land values tax, 

 and the referendum, was enabled to meet the new Assembly under 

 far less domination from the Opposition corner. Amongst the pro- 

 minent men rejected at the polls was Sir Graham Berry. The 

 emoluments of office enjoyed for so many years had not provided 

 him with a competence. He had outlived the frothy acclamation of 

 the masses, and though he was still the "old man eloquent," his 

 appeal awakened no responsive echo. Soon after Parliament met 

 some of his old associates urged a Government pension for him. 

 The Premier prided himself OB having saved the State very large 





