. David Syme, the father of protection in Australia. ficeto subordinate his interests to those of the com-munity. Had the case gone against him DavidSyme would have been cast in £25,000 damagesand at least £100,000 in costs ; and the two otherCommissioners, who had been dismissed with , would have instantly preferred similarsuits. That was the prospect before him through-out those wearing years. Yet all those sufferings, perils, and anxieties hemight easily have evaded. Shortly after theactions had begun the Minister of Railways, apersonal friend of Speight, desired to reappointhim i
. David Syme, the father of protection in Australia. ficeto subordinate his interests to those of the com-munity. Had the case gone against him DavidSyme would have been cast in £25,000 damagesand at least £100,000 in costs ; and the two otherCommissioners, who had been dismissed with , would have instantly preferred similarsuits. That was the prospect before him through-out those wearing years. Yet all those sufferings, perils, and anxieties hemight easily have evaded. Shortly after theactions had begun the Minister of Railways, apersonal friend of Speight, desired to reappointhim in a subordinate capacity to the RailwayService, and sent a message to Syme offering, ifhe would merely refrain from condemning theproposed appointment in The Age, to compromiseand settle the actions on the most advantageousterms. But the man who had twice already riskedhis fortune and future in opposing bad govern-ment for the sake of a principle, was not to bebought. David Symes written answer to therequest was published at a later date. It is a. David Syme, 18S0. [Page 212 STRUGGLE AGAINST EXTRAVAGANCE 213 message that deserves to be engraven in the annalsof his country. My answer is, said David Syme, I cannotsee my way to do so with honour. I cannot with-draw even by inference what I believe to be cannot stand aside and allow a certain courseto be taken which I believe would be prejudicialto the interests of the country. Having nothingto retract, nothing to explain away, there is nothingfor me to do but let things take their course. Ialso feel that the matter does not concern myselfalone. I entertain the idea, preposterous as itmay seem to some people, that I am to some extentin a position of trust; that I have to see to itthat the country shall not lose the benefits of thereforms already accomplished in the Railwaydepartment. Those words in the circumstances which evokedthem should procure for David Syme the death-less gratitude of the people of Victoria. Theymore
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