 O 'Reily blamed the Labor Party for the loss of the capitation grant . According to O 'Reily , the serving Premier Charles Kingston could have been convinced to support the grant were it not for the objections of Labor , with whom Kingston had formed a coalition government . In 1899 , in the lead @-@ up to that year 's general election , O 'Reily gave a speech criticising the Labor Party , accusing some Labor leaders of having " an evident disposition to crush [ Catholic labourers ] with successive burdens . " 
