IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I lASIM |2.5 ^ 1^ 112.0 Hi urn ||l.25 II 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" ► m Photographic Sdences Corporation i ^ <5^ V ^cs 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^^■i; J ■^ .V^^ <^A^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institu*^ '- ddien de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D a D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagde Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurde et/ou pelliculde I I Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque I I Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrde peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutdes lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 filmdes. Additional cok.iments:/ Commentaires suppldmentaires; L'Institut a microfilm^ le meillsur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mdthode normale de filmage sont indiquds ci-dessous. n D This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmd au taux de reduction indiqud ci-dessous. Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommag^es Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurdes et/ou pellicul6es Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6color6es, tachetdes ou piqu6es Pages detached/ Pages d^tachdes r~~| Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prim Qualit^ indgale de I'impression Includes supplementary materi{ Comprend du rratdriel suppldmentaire r~| Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ I I Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totelement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6x6 filmdes d nouveau de fapon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X v/ 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X re j6tails es du modifier er une filmage hes The copy filmed here has been reproduced thank* to the generosity of: T!)omat Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto Library The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or Illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed 07 illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. L'exemplaire filmi fut reproduit grAce A la gAnirositi de: Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto Library Les images suivantes ont 6t6 raproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tanu de la condition et de la nettet« de l'exemplair<> film*, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverturo en papier est imprim6e sont filmis en commencant par le premier plat et en terminant soil par la derniAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film^s en commenqant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparattra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — »• signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". e Maps, plates, charts, etc.. may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s & des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmd A partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. f errata d to It le pelure, pon d n 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 % la > A SPEECH OF >'^ V i^John'Magdonald hi ,* .'lifr' TO THE %. WORKINGMENS LiBERAL CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION OF Ottawa and Le Cercle Lafontaine, DELIVERED IN OTTAWA '^■fc.. ON THE St7i of October, 188G. W ■y CONTENTS. I. • Paoi. Mr. Mowfttt and Ottawa 8 R«adjustmcnt of seata 6 II. The two great parties contrasted 6 Canada at the Exhibition 9 Tlie National Policy .... 9 Statistics relating to Canada's prosperity 10 Experience of Free Trade, New South Wales JO Statistics of failures in Canada 11 Benefit f:om C.P.R. in tea trade 12 III. Obsolete laws relating to trade unions 13 George Brown's treatment of workingmen 13 Liberal Conservative legislation in relief of workingmen 13 IV. Liberal Conservative legislation respecting the convi.'t labour question .... 14 Mr. Mackenzie's views in 1875 14 Mr. Mills' opinion '. 15 Present Government record 17 Exclusion of p.oducts of United States' convict labour 17 V. Liberal Conservative policy on Chinese labour question 17 Opp'"'i lion views thereon 17 Toronto Globe'-' view Ig What Mr. Mills thought 18 •How the present Government dealt with it 19 VL Government policy respecting savings banks 20 Opposition attacks upon it 21 VII. Future plans discussed 21 Bureau of labour statistics 21 Entjuiry by means of Royal Commission 22 Workingmen 1o be represented thereon 22 I'roiMwed est-Ttblishment of a Depaitment of Trade and Commerce 22 Policy resjvjting assisted immigration 22 Apptnl leasure and gratification to be present at the advent of m^^ friend, and, I may call him, my political collnague, Mr. Meiedith, on his visit to you and your city. (Applause.) Were he not present, as [ know his modesty, 1 might perhaps expatiate on his mt^i its and draw some contrast lietween himself anle m+n, and in any o.her position but the one he now holds, wouM peiforui the duties o*' it most satisfactorily. (Laughter.) But he came to Ottawa, a place that he h^d alw.iys distinguished, by his kind attention, and we are told, either V)y himself or by his fri^-nds who surround him and speak for him, that this city ow^s pirticular obljcration to Mr. Mowat and his admi istration because he has adorned Ottawa with the Noimal Sishool. It is a magnificent buildiiig, gentlemen, and he deserves credit and you will give him credit f^r it eHi>e.:i.i,li v wiin:i you o^npare it with the insignificant buildings erectiMl on Wellington street and on. the old Barrack Hill by the Dominion Government. (Cheers and laughter.) It is true that Mr. Mowat couhl not i)lace the Normal School anywhere else. There had to be a Normal School in the eastern portion of Ontario as well as in the west, and I do not see how he could have oveilooked the metropolis of Cinali, th^ c'lief city in eisteru O itirio, in selootiag a site for a juovincial sehool. Mr. Mowat has always been a friend of Ottawa, and as a remarkable proof of that I will go back to 1^58. (Ironical cheers.) You will reiiutnber that Her Majesty, being badly advised, as the Opposition atal»i*t*J»y tirst asking Her Majesty to niake tho award, and then throwing it in her face. (Cheerr'.) THI-: lUX'OUDS CONSi;LTt;i). In order that I may speak l»y the eari!, and that you may (luite understand the position of that (piestion, and in order that 1 may prove to yotj — because I like to do justice t)Our opponents — the warm affec- tion and interest that Mr. Movvat took in tiiis pKiee I .shall read to you the proceedings in Patli;iMient at that time — after tho attem(>t was made to dispute the award made hy Her Majesty. It was moved by Mr. Daiikin, seconded l»v Mr D )rion, " that an " humble address be presented to Her .Most Gracious Majt!sty the Queen "to represent that this House hnmlily pray Her Majesty to leconsicjer " the selection which has Immmi aprp.seiit:iti">n of tin Province of Oafcario. WliHii Piiiliarnont in OL*,iiwu romljusts th<» re[)rrt.soatati()ix for the Dom- inloii it in Ciillivl " gorrvrimuliii^," Imt when Mr. \loitauts, hut the i^nglish-speaking inli:il>itants are in the majority. Now, if yon had two nuunhers in the Li^gislatnre Wotli races could be re|U'e^ente I, an you have the-n at this moaient in the Dominion P.irliani^nt. But wilh only one in Muber, should there be a great struggle, and unfortunite dissensions of a racial charac- ter arise from some cause of irritation and the two races be d> awn up in hostile political camps, the cons-qnence is that the minorit}' waild always go to the wall, and the Frtiuch Canadian iahahitants of Ottawa, b> tlie fact of there being only one member, would b^ virtually disfran- chised. Thi(: is a cr iwning proof of the great regard Mr. Mowat has for this part of the country, and F must .say that I am rather surprised that he hail the courage t > come here with this record attuching to hitn and claim your suffrages and the suffrages of the various constitnenciea in the Ottawa Valley. (Loud cheers.) II at le nt nt •w le m THE TWO GREAT PARTIES. Gentlemen, why do the representatives of the people give their confidence and support to one party more than to another ] Those having the franchise ought to chose meij best adapted to represent the interests of the country, and those representatives when they meet to- gether give their contndonce or withdraw it from one party or the other fts they think the leaders of the j)arty deserve it or not. In order, th-irefore, that the representatives of the peiplo may come to a reason- able and sensible conclusion as to which of th^ twogr-at parties occupy- ing the political arena in Canada best deserve their confidence, they naturally look to see which of the leading public men — the leaisk you fiuihtr if tlu) itwulis ot the »'i;.;lit ycurs we liiive been in ollice have not mIiowu tliiit the cmintry lias rUOSI'KlllCl) I NDKR TIIK NKW POLICY (clieerH); have not sIkuvu tint, instead of there lieiny an exolus of hnndntds of thonsamls of pcoplo from the Domiiiioii, the working cUhses tlie n\ichiinin introduced] I nsk yon if the st;it<^ ot despon-lency and (h'.spair wddeu einshed out the vitality, the stren.Ljtli, iind the h-pe ol lh(f country for five long years lias not all her-li reniov(id. (Loml che<*rin«,'.) 1 declare that Canada is at this ri'oment on(M)f the most [irosperous — \i not (ha MO.ST IMJOSPKUOUS COUNTHY on tho face of the gloWe. (.\pplause.) There is employment for everyl'ody ; every class in the coinnninity is now pro perin;». (Cheers.) Tim farmer has jiood crops — and you know that the Conserva- tives always iiring good crops. (Cheers and langliKM-.) You know, Mr. chaiiman, as I told R.-fornnrs long ago, they Ijmught in the weevil and the Hessian fly, and the Colorado hug caiiio in with the last Grit (Jovernment (laughter) and there were liad crops and low prices. (Cheers and laugh t(!i-.) No.v (! very thing is coideiir lie rune; th.e farmer has had large ci'ops and few Colorado l)uarty. The first fact is that the importation of articles of food and drink during four years of the Reform regime amounted to 169 ^million dollars. During the six years 1880-85 the present tariff has bcnii ill ()|i('i-ati))i) tlie iiii|)(ii'lH of (iii>sr! HiliolcH Iidh \>vcn only 106 millions. TIki r!V(>iiif»(> y<'iiily imports (liiiiii;; tin; Oiit inliniiiistiMtion \vri(! 12 milli'ii iiiid (hiiiii'^ tli(' Liiu'Dtl-Coiisci viitiv c rci^iiiui 17 million, hliowiii^ II (lifrffciicc of 'J.t iiiillinii (lnllurs a y'nr in luvotir tiF tli(> latter. If now w»! iitlt«f into acoonnt tint iiicrouHo of population, avini^in^ for tln» nix yt'iUH O'er lialf a iiiillioii ol people a year inoio to li«i fed than iutli('(»rit |»frioiI, we iiiiii tliut tlio dilleu'Dce iti liiis class uf our itnpuits bi'twccii tlio two pcrioils in m t lohH tlian Tiriirrv mii,!,i<)n doi.lahs nnnniilly, a .sum wliicli, diviilcd anions tliose of our population cnga^^ed ill pastt)ial and fannini,' pursuits, would put into tlio pocknts ol each ono .tflUa year, that would othcrwiho havo ^ono to the farmers in countiirH outside of Canada. An cxaininatioii of these imports shows that liie deercaso has n(^:'v'-;^^ 10 l^ew South Wales is Free Tratle and has the lowest Customs Tariu of the whole group of Australian Colonies— the customs revenue being an average ot 7.29 per cent, of the whole imports, while in Canada the proportion of the customs revenue to the total value of im- ports is 18.07 per cent. Canada has scarcely A^lt the severe depression which, since 1882, has been deeply felt Ity Great Britan. Germany, Bel ium, France and the United States, (the live great rival manulatituiiuii nations of the world,) and by all subordinate countries whose lariffi liuvi-, l>y bninu; free trade, afforded opportunities tor these great rivals to unload their sur- plus productions on them. Canada, feeling but the faintest touch of the general .lepiession, has been the first to shake it of! altogether and to resuuie her formei ex- perience of buoyant revenue. Why have'we su tiered less and been the first to show recovery ? Why have we sulft-red little (it it can be said that we have suffered at all) wLile New South Wales hns suffered more than it has done for nearly a quarter of a century 1 The answer is ; the tariff protection wo have had has saved us. Wp took care to minimise as mncli as possible the power of the great nations to dump their f;oods xt depieoiated prices upon our uiaikets. New S.)\ith Wales h;is ex posnil herself to the assaults of these great nations and has suffered deep depression, while we have been e.xempt — as is seen in the fact that the failures In Canada have been fewer each year, and during the past s x years were thiee thousand fewer than they were during the Grit period of five years — one year h)nger, the traders many thousands more and yet three thousand fewer failures ! The policy the Government carried out in 1879 — the National Policy — was simply this : That it made the free list as wide as possible for those articles which could not for climatic or other reas(jns be manufac- tured in Canada; that raw material which conld be made up here should be imported free, aMd a duty placed oii those articles which" could be profitably produced in Canada, or on ariitles of luxury for the enjoyment of which the rion classes could well aliord to pay. (Loud cheers.) This, gentlemen, was the policy we cariied out, as you will see from the figures 1 havo quoted I would like you to carry the.se facts and figures in your minds, as tliey show conclusively that the policy adopted in 1878, and affirmed in 18S2, when we appealed to tlie people again, has been thoroughly succrssftd. Cheers.) There was .only one thing to be dreaded in the ado|)tion of the National Policy. The great danger in all protected countries is over production — that the mark^-t may be glutted, so th; 11 British Colunobia to our own people and to settlers from the old land- (Renewed cheers.) The North- West is so bountifully endowed by nature with all the requisites to support a great and happy population that the difficulty has been removed ; tht^ problem has been solverl, and with common prudence our manufactures will develop so steadily that if capitalists do not run blindly into over production there will be an increasing market in our West year by year which will PREVENT ANY DANGER of a glut. (Loud cheers.) And more than that. By the railway we have opened up a means for an enormous trade on the Pticiiic Ocean — with foreign countries and wiih our sister colonies. (Hear, hear.) I believe in another year there will be a magnificent line of steamers plying between British Columbia and China and Japan, carrying to these countries all the products of Canada, and receiving goods from them^ either for consumption among ourselves or for transportation through our country for consumption in England or elsewhere. Already we have seen what may be done in the im[)ort < f tea, of which article for this season thei-e have been and will be imported direct, and trans< mitted over the Canadian Railway, nearly eight millions pounds. Tak- ing the consumption of tea in Canada last year and putting the reduced co.st at the low tigure of three cents a pound the saving effected will be over $550,000 a year, which at four per cent, is the interest on thirteen millions of dollars. (Cheers.) There are good hopes also of having an inttrmediate ti-ade opened up with the magniticent Colo lies of Australia. (Cheers.) iSo that the policy of the Government, in my opinion, and I trust in yours also, has been eminently successful and must be maintained to the end. (Renewed cheers.) With that view and to that end do 1 APPEAL TO YOU, the electors the countrv — to you in whose hands are the destinies ot Canada — to continue to suppoi't this policy, and to frown down those men who have hitherto opposed that policy, (cheers) although some of tbem finding that they are in the wrong path are trying to hark back-. I can tell you they will only be faint hearted friends of the National Policy. Remember who initiated the National Policy ; remember who carried it out to a successful completion ; remember those who are will- ing to stake their political existence on the maintenance of this gteat principle of protection to a native industry — Canada for Canadians. (Loud cheers.) in. ' Mr chairman and gentlemen. — The fact that this meeting^ has been called toyiether by the Working Men's Liljeral Conservative Association aud Le Cercle Lafontaine, composed, I believe, of a majority of working men, induces me to discuss briefly the > DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE POLICY of the Grits and the Conservatives with respect to the working classes. I deNire to impress on you that the policy of the present Government has always been for the advancement of the material resources, the 12 intelloctnal develoiinieiit, and tlie social position of workingnien. (Loiid cheers.) In oider to prove tliis 1 will take Fonie of tli> subjects affeotinji TIIK WOKKING CLASSES. In the first place I call your attention to a fact, many of you are too young to renitnihor, viz., wlnit Lappenrd with reference to tlio tieatment of woi kinguien in Toronto, who were im- prisoned, charged with being guilty of cimspiracy, charged with coinruit- ting a serious breach of the law, hccause they formed themselves into a trades union and as.serted their right to associate themselves together for the purpose of self defence and mutual benefit. Tlie laws regulating trades unions in Canada in KS72 wcuo exceedingly severe. England had repealed he old lavv which i)revented the combination of vrorki gmen, and we never thought, in our infancy as a country, that those laws Would be |)ut into foi'ce in Canada, but Mr. chairinan, we were hoirided in 1872 to tind the then old leader of the Uefortn party of Canada enforcing olisolete and oppressive laws which oug t to have been repealed a century ago — putting them in force in Toronto. All will remember, the general feeling of disgust and of horror when it was" known that 24 men had been arrested by warrant in Toronto because, forsooth, they had ventured to form a trade union, and had I'esolved to cany the principles of their association into eHect. THE GRIT RECORD. On the IGth day of April, 1872, twenty-four printers were arrested in Toronto, on the charge of conspiracy, ami, Mr. chairma-i and gentle- men, let me quote to you the language of the leader of the Grit party, the oditor of the Globe. J^et me read to 3'ou wliaL he said, at a mei'ting of employers held on the 18th of April, in Toro.ito. Mr. lirown then and tiiere made a viohMit speech against labor organizitions, saying among other things — " that misters should have no dealing with uuion men. They should em[)loy n^me except those who signed a document to the efP'Ct that they did not belong to any labor organiz ition. He trusted that those who had shown a rebellious spirit against their employers would l)e driven out of Canada. This course, was in his opinion the best to be pursued. The rules of the trades combinations were intoler- able." Mr. chairman, I happened to be Minister of Justice at that time, and in my position as such 1 advised the representative of our Soveieign, at once to release those men from prison and let them walk out as free men once »)ore. (Loud che»^rs.) And more than that, I at once introduced a, bill in Parliament, vepeaUng those obsolete and obnoxious statutes and WIPED THEM OFF the statute book as a disgrace to our present state of civilization; and I introduced and c.irried through Ptrliament, a measure establishing Trades' Unions, contiruung them in their previous proceedings. Under that Act the trades unions ol Canada can assemble and act together in concert (cheers); and can advance their own interest (cheers) and protect themselves, if need be, aganst any combiaa- W I 13 tioii of ein])loyei3 of labor and capitalists in case tliey sliouh become the oppressors of the hiboring classes. (Cheers and applause.) Let ine read, Mr. chairman, what the then principal exponent of Conservative principles in the press said on that occasion. The Leader of Toronto, on the 17th day of April, 1872, used this langnage . — INQUISITION IN CANAE.V. " Yestcmaj', twenty-four tnen were arrested on a warrant of Mr. MeNabb, the poliee magistrate. Their crimes npjiear to have been that they were niemlierH of the Vigilance Cominictee of the Typogrnphical Union. The charge on -"/hich they were arrested was ' conspiracy.' We are sorry and surprised to see that rertain iiitercfsred opponents of the Nine Hours Mov(!uient have caused these arrests on the >trength of the obsolete and defective laws which at present prevail in Canada, but which will soon be ensed from our Statute Books. To our minds, it is one of the most con- temptible things a ' niiistcr ' (lould tlo, to employ an expert Ottawa det(!ctive for the purpose of entrapping a few unofleuding workmen, whose sole aim was to better their condition. Since writing the above we learn that twenty-four warrants nre issued, hut have not all been put into force. Oue of the arrested parties was taken out of our own office." A fevi' days afterwards I moved for leave to introduce a hill res- pecting Trades' Unions. I ex[dainf,'d that the measure was based u[)on the Imperial Statute upon the same subject. Hansard pays : "Sir John moved for leave to introduce a bill respecting Trades' Unions. Ho explained that the measure or rather measures, for there were two of them, which he would ask leave to intro luce, although he had given notice oidv of one, was based upon the Imperial Statut<:s upon the same subject. His attention and the attention of everyone interested in the prosi)erity of Canada, iiad been called lately to the fact, that the law relating to Trades' Unions, with the civil and criminal h\iI% was not the same as in England, and that the English mechanic who came to this coun- try, as well as the Canadian mechanic, was subject to peu'ilties imposed by Statutes that had been repealed in England, as cpposed to the spirit of the liberty of the individual. He proposed a law, the same in princiit'e as the law in England, so that the opeiutives from the mother cruntry, would have the same freedom ol action, and the same right to combiae for the accomplishment of lawful objects, as they had in England. The subject was too important to be taken ab initio without great care and study, and it was only since the opening of Farliament that his attention had been called to it. He had not thought it well to embiace in the bill all the points that were involved in the battle that was going on between labour and capital. The subject of the relations between these two Wiis engaging the attention of able minds in England, whose deliberations, he had no doubt, would eventuate in the introduction of a comprehensive system, possibly with the sanction and authority of Her Majesty's Government, in the next se-sion of tlie Imperial Parliament. In the meanwhile h ' purposed to proceed with the measures, one of which would comple- ment the other because it affected the civil branch of law relating to Trades' Unions, while the other alfected the criminal branch. Ke moved for leave to bring in ihe bills." That bill was occasioned by the oppressive conduc*-. of one of the leaders of the Gric party, and was carrierl into effect by the Conservative administration. (Cheers.) If for nothing else than this ineisuie I think I have some claim to the su -port of the workingmen of the Dominion. (Applause.) In 1872, in this city, a presentation was made to me on behalf of some of the workingmen. I hold it in my hand (exhibiting a beautiful gold-heated cann. ) ((.Jheers.) This cane was presented to me by the sevt^ral Unions of stone-cutters, printers, briok-layjrs, carpenteis and masons of Ottawa in consequence of the principles I liad avowed, and because of my course in the u I •carrying out of thoso principles. (Cheers.) It was pre- sentefl'eriiig a bounty, as it were, for crime, and that it should be no longer endured. (Cheers.) Before 187.'i, when we retired, the Government of that day (the Conseivative Government) had taken up that question, and they had {)romised Parliament and had promised the people that they would do rway with the contract system for convict labor as fast as the nature of the existing contracts wou'd allow, and that they would employ convicts only in work that did not compete with the honest artiziins of the country ; and we were carrying out that principle to the fullest »xteut thiit good faith and the Ici^al oi'ligalions, which the Guvernnieiit had incurred years befoie by giving long contracts for cer- tain ariicles of production, wouhl permit. IbiL when we went out of office we found that Mr Mackenzie's Government did not agree with us. They took up the cold blooded politico economical doctrine — the utilitarian view, — that goods must ho produced cheap, the convicts must be employed, and whether the lal)our of the convicts de- prived the honest workingmen of employment or not, it must be utilized- — no matter what the result might be to the honest artizan. (Derisive cheers.) Tn 1875, when I was leading the Opposition, 1 put this question in Parliament: I asked if the Government had any policy •as to the LETtrXG OUT OF CONVICT L.MJOUR by contrar-t ; as the pteseuL luithorities who wrote upon that subject disapproved very generally of that system. Mr. Mac'keiizi(!, (Hansard page G41) said, " his govornmei.i had not decided upcm any policy." (Laughter). That was their fault during 15 was pre- placed in I in ill my )onoghue. ere in the Jh to earn there foi- > pleasure, 1876 this iunghter.) ovLi* this it was a :^ter, and b and uut our and < artizan. mil made * neither Ip tosup- Ht it was lo longer nineiit of p'.estion, •pie that r as fast V would honest to the ich the for cer- t out of ee with ctrine — (>, the icts de- inust artizdu. II, 1 put ' policy subject liid not during a the entire five years they were in office. They never had a policy, bat that of drawing their salaries once a quarter. (Laughter.) "The whole 8ul»ject," he, (Mr Mackenzie) said, " was to lie reviewed by the government after the session. He had an idea, which was not clearly defined, of employing the labor of convicts in carrying on the public works of the rountry. It was quite possible that they might be able to manufacture the greater portion of the rolling stock required on the great railroads about to be constructed. That was one reason why he desired to locte prisons in the lower provinces or some convenient place on tho Intrrcolonial Kailway, but nothing had yet been decided upon by tliH government." It occuis to me, however, whether men are engaged in either public or private work, that every convict employed oa it shuts out A^J HONEST LABOURER. (Loud clieers.) The Canadian Pacific Railway has juafc been built. The Intercolonial Riilway was built by money taken from the pockets of the people, and while railways were being constructed all over the country, Mr. Mackenzie's proposition in regard to tb*im was that this important l)ranoii of industry, em[»loying thousands ot men and entail- ing an expen'liture of millions of capital, should be handed over to the convicts and thus take awaj or lessen the employment of thousands of honest workmen (Loud cheers.) That was in 187.5. In 1877 tilt! present Speaker of the House of Commons, Mr. Kirk pat ritk, a good and worthy Conservative, brought this question up. In his observations to the House Mr. Kiikpatrick (Hansard, 1877, page 259), thought it very undesirable that convict labor should be brought into competiti'n with honest mechanics and labourers outside the prison walls. Mr. Dymoufi, a Grit of the Grits, a member of Parliament, and also editor of the Glube, replied (Hansard, page 260.) " He did not sympathise with Mr. Kirkpatrick in his olyection to convicts being trained in the arts of honest labour. He fancied that although the honest labourer might in one way find a disadvantage by work being performed by convicts, he gained in the long run by their being trained to useful vociitions." (Laughter.) I said on that occasion (|)age 261), that the question was surround- ed with ditficulties. The remedy was to employ convicts in those branches ol trade which would as little as possible interfere with the honest artizan outside the penitentiary. The contract system, as bring- ing convict lal)our in competition with the honest artizan, was a bad systcmi. Then came PHILOSOPHER MILLS, l^langhter), the gentleman who kept and keeps the politico-economical conscience of the whole Grit party in his pocket. (Kenewed laughter.) Let us hear what he said. He was then a member of the Government, n,ind. He said: " The position taken by tlie honourable gentleman was a very extraordinary one. He argued : If we withdraw a few hundred people engaged in the ordinary industries of the country and confine them where they do less than if they were free, tliereby fre-e labourers are unfairly competed with. He would ask him what was the diiference by way of competition between a thousand men in Kingston Penitentiary IG and the same, tlioiisainl ongaKcd in tlio ordinary inoohanical and industrial pnrHnits of tlicconiiirycimiiH'tiiiif as free labourers. Were tlicyina wnrso condiiion? (Vrtainly their liiboiir was less eflieu'iit tlmu it would be if tiiey had tlu; ..i. tives of free men; 80 they ciMnpeted less iis criminals than as honest oilizens. The honourable nienibor for Kinf,'ston had said these men did not really do a great deal of iiarni while they were at large, but the moment tht^y were confined they were brought into eondict witli honest labour. They ouglit then to try and remedy that nii.se.hief and to leave these men at large. The logical interenee of the argunn-nt of the luoniber for Frontenac was that the ])risoners should do nothing. Hut what were they to do with them ? If thiy must not eniidoy their labour they must pension them. There was one class of jx'rsons they pensioneil for long and fait iiful work for the State, but here was a class of criminals whom they were to pension in order that the whole popuhition might not sutler by their industry. That was a very extra- ordinary theory ot ]iolitical economy which the honourabli.' gentleman ojiposite adopted.. When they occu,>icil the leasury benches they asked for money to enter into CO ii])etition with the free labour ol' this country by bringing out immigrants, and yet '.liey eom|ilained because the jirisoners in the ])cnitentiary, by compulsion of the State, were maile to do the very tiling tiiey put immigrants to do. Supjiosing that the views of tlu; lionourMlile meMd)'-r for Kingston were carried out, leaving out the objection which the honourable Minister of .)usti(!e had pointed out, that these men could n(t obtain employment after they came troni the penitentiary. If thev engaged them at unjiroiitalile })ursuits how were they to nnke up the loss which tiie .*>tate sustained? Tiiey would Iimvc to put a tax on thi; industries of the country. These considerations were perfectly comdusive to lus mind, against, he would not Si y the arguments, but tUo clip-trap suggestions of the liouourable member for Frontenac," and so on in a specfh of the .same dint\} pliilosophy which is the admir- ation of jjeople who don't know anytliini; of pra'tit-al economy. (LiMighrpr.) 1 said in tlie same delate (page 1202) that there had ai'iseii a nry, tlie justice of wliicli had been recognized in Bngland and also in France, against tln! sub.si lizing ot pri.son hiUour for the uianu- facture of good.s that wonhl <^om|>i'te with free labour. Then in 1879, wjit-n tiie present 'lovernment was in power, I Stated ( Hansard 1879, pigp 1537) from my place as leader of the llon.se: " My opinio has always remained tho same on this point, that it is a great mistortnne that the laliour of c nvicts should be brought into oompetition wiih tlia' of hoiest men out.-.ide, and that that should be cured as much as possible. W.iommencel with tlie view of doiuiT away with the contract system by degrees. It could only be done l>y degrees, becMuse we had contractors there who had niucli platit and had running coutraeis. Tne principle will b^ carried out as much as possilde that the convicts should interfere as 'little as pos.sible with the honest libour of the coiiutrv." Mr. Mills, however, in 1S7U was as wiso and p'lilosoplucal as in 1877. He said, (pige loiJO): ■ "He was rather surprised, although he had heard .some very extraordinary doctrines ot p.ditical economy hd.l down since this session began by the honouiablo member tor Montreal East. He rem b.-re.l very well the dis(!Ussion that took place on the subject last ynir. He tli.aight it was th.; honourable member for trontenac that suggested thai the convi.;ts in penitentiaries should be euiplnyed at some labour th;.t would not be of the .slighest use to them when they had served their time. Now, the position taken by the honourable member on that occasion, and the position taken by the honourable geuthmian who had spoken that day, had mtimate.l that these people u ere in a wholly dilKTcnt no itiou to the industries outside. In the Kingston Pen. tenliary they had 8.10 or l.uuO convicts. These people, If they were outside would probably be producing a gu-ater number of articles which would come into competition with the ])roducts of the r-^st of the community. Then the labour of the convict>. was less efficient than it would be if pafcii.- n iftl pursuits ? (Vrtninly i' fiKP XTicn; i>l(* ineinbor wliilc! tliey ito conflict iid to leave ii(>n)ber for tluiy to do sioii tli(!m. ork for the Older tliat very ox tra- il o])])OHite t'y to enter u migrants, iipnlsioii of Hii]ij)nsing eaving out that these itiary. If ip the loss ries of the gainst, lie lonourable 8 ad 111 if - !Cononiy, I ere had and and e '.nanu- lower, I • of the s point, loiild be hat that he view only be I much 1 out as [)os.sible as m lord i nary mourablu liat took luber for »l"yed at d served jccasion, iay, had idustriea These mber of St of the iild be if they were outside. Nothing could be more preposterous than arguments of honour- able gentlemen in this particular. They might as well legislate criminally against the introduction of emigrants into the country. In proportion as the penitentiary was self-sustaining, in the same proportion it was advantagious to the rest of the • community. The community suffered in proportion to the amount of tux it was obliged to pay to support these pco])le. If the convicts were taught trades it would be a practical advantage to them when they went back to the community. Well gentlemen, notwithstanding the arguments of Mr. Mills, and the gi^tlenien of the Opposition, we have steadily i)er8isted in our policy. The contract system has BEEN ABOLISHED, and the convicts arc now employed in work that interferes as little as possible with the industries of the country. (Loud chenrs.)- The Government does its utmost to encourasje the starting of now industries in Canada that will help the workinginen, and I think you wil' agree with me that on this point, as on the niacter of trades unions, we have fulfilled our j)romises. (Prolonged cheers.) So completely and constantly has our attention been directed to- this important sul)ject that last session, when it was represented to us- that the United States, where the same cry against convict labour has been raised as here, were shipping to Canada the products of convict labour, to put an end to that state of atiairs we passed a law absolutely, prohibiting the importation of prison made articles. (Loud cheers.) V. ' • CHINESE LABOUR. Now, gentlemen, there was another branch of labour strongly" objected to by the workingmen of Canada — I mean Chinese labour. On that point, as on the others, the Conservative i)arty and the Reform party have been decidedly at variance. We believed that Chine^e labour - was not beneficial to the country ; we fe!t that the two races would not work harmoniously together; we had liefor*^ us the disastrou4 con- sequences flowing from the importation of Chinese labour into the^ United States, where white men were being deprived of employment by an alien race, men who did not become citizens ol the United States, , but who made as much money as they couhl and then carried it off to- their own country. So inimical are the Chinese to this or any other country but their own, that they even send home the dead body of every Chinaman who dies out of his own country, that it may rest for- ever in the Flowery Land. ;', On the 18th of March, 1878, when Mr. Mackenzie was in powers a Brirish Columbia member moved a resolution against the employ raent; of Chinese labour on the Canadian Pacifiii Riilway. Mr. Mackenzie- said " he hoped the hon. gentleman did not really expect such a resolu- tion to obtain any support in the House. It was one unprecedented in its character, and altogether uni)rtcedented in its spirit, and at variance with those tolerant laws which afford employment and an asylum to all who come into oui country, irrespective i . OF COLOUR, HAIR, or anything else." Fie also said " it would not become a Briti.sh com- munity to legislate against any class of people who might be imported into or might emigrate to this country." 18 11 . In lb70, wlirii tlio fOXSKHVATlVES WKHT. IN POWER, ami ihv tjucslion iM.m' up M^'i.in, Mr. I^lickmzie .qKuted this laiigiii.ge. On till* lOth April, 187U, In- said : •' H,. woultl like to know whiit course the GovcMiiniont i.ro],oa(Ml Intake in rofer- cnpe to this n.alt.T. The honouiahle gnithman ha.l indi.ate.l what ho (h'.siroii.wlnHi was ///<■ cr,'»r^i<"i ">'" rerlain r/oxx uj ] co,.h'/,om the nwUiuul, uud ih^ jnrvetitm, <>/ thai class fnm cn„inl r,(,>iinl,/ ir/talrver, wlielher as servants or on hoiiul v-.sse'.s. II.- (Mi. Mackm/io) wonl.l like to know what eourse the honourahle ffr.tlcn.an at tlie hca.l of the Government proiiow-a lo tike t.elore lie said anjlhin. u the suhjeet." TIIK "(iM)HK's" VIKW. The (>hlio of .Tiinnniy -lili, 1^7'.>. Inul :\\\ article on tlu> sul.jctt Wllicll sUt(5il . "Not content with having secured, as to all apperuances they have done, such a chan"e of route lor tiie Pacitie Kailwav as will necessitate an extra outlay ot from twcnty'to thirty millions of dollars without one compensatory advantage, they are vow Ui.il(iliiir Ihr rrcliiKioi, of the Iri-I. the moH ,trl>; and the c cui'^kI lahnur to be hiid fur the e.onslrnclion cf the great trans-eontinental highway. The word has gone forth that no Chinese are to he employed in any capacity in connection witirrailway onerations. Imjierial trca' ics arc to Ik- ahrogated if their t< rms are not consistent with' the litness of things ns explained and nndeis'ood hy Mr. DeCosmos Mnd his brother Colons. A quiet, industrious and handy people are to be kept out of the country .-dtogether, or to be subjected to odious and degrading eomlitions . whiidi would make them slaves in everyihing but name. In order lo attract other labourers in suflieient numbers and of due capability, cxlniviit/iinl mii/m av to be iffered and everything d me, tegardless of exi>euse, to >-eeure men of every colour except yellow, we suppose, and of every race excej)t Mongolian. ^Vhat matters it although this should involve; the expenditure of ten or filteeu additioiuil millions? Money, secu\ingly, is no object. A matter of still more im; ortancc than money, however, is involved in this movement, ami that is justice, llitheito it has been the uinler- stood pi liey of. England that men of eveiy race and nationality on earth were wel- eome to take shtdter under her ilag and enrol themsidves as her subjects on the one condition that they were rcaily to obey her laws ami lea(l ipiicft and orderly lives. This jiolicy it is ]iroposed to abrogate and to introduce the princijile of pro- gcription against race, creed and culour. The Chinese are to be its victims 'to-day, l^egroes maybe tomorrow. Yankees, French, Scotch or Irish may come all in due time under the same ban and for exactly the same reasons as those now urged against the Mongolians. It would be a very easy matter to lind a;i ong any or all of these races as gross and PK(!KADING Hl'.ATIIF.NISM as among the Chinese. Those who remember the glories of Omaha, ( heyennc, or any other of the temporary termini when the Union I'acilic was in course of con- strnctiou do not need to be told that there is a possibility of brutality and vice among even the ruling races of this continent , the contemplation of which Chinese would stand aghast. The higli wages to be securtnl by the exclusion of Chinamen will bring an am. lunt and a kind of high-handed blackguardism into Uriti-sh Columbia which will do more to swamp the morals iiid disorgani.;e the social system of a i-ommunity so i-mall, and even now so heterogenous, than the presence of all the Chinamen ever likely to find their way to the eastern shores of the Pacific." MR'. DAVID mills' OVINION. In leply to Mr. DeCosnios, IGtli April, 1879, Mi-. Mills .said : "The honourable mover proposed to deal with these people as their Christian aBCPsfory^ to their dishonour, did with the Jews. It was only necessary to give those people a had name to represent their peculiarities as crimes. They recog- nized the particular practices and customs of the Indiana, and did not experience any inconvenience frorti them. The Indians were Tartars, or members of the sarao 10 Mougoliiui iwca, ngaiust whom might be aiid nil that lind beon alleged agiiinat the Ch'ueso. The proposition now ad\ocnted wiw net creditable to this ago or country, that th(!y should propose to nttiidi odium to a nation with whom their mother country carried on trade and had treaty relations." MH. MACKKNZIE AGAIN. Mr. Muckenzie on the same occuHi n suid : " If it was a mere question of how the Chinese were to be gcvjrncd in Canada the Government might take tlie mutter up, but the whole aim of the British Columbians was to devise tlip siuediest means of excluding them Irom the country. That ira.1 a mcamre^he coul I ..ot. on princtfile, accede to, as he believed the principle would be surely abused in the woi-st possible manner were such power committed to any olTKiials. He believed thit it w^ uld be contrary to the principle on which their community was based. While the Chinese had bad, tl.ey had, no doubt also, good qualities. Tiie honourable member for Cariboo (Mr. 'IhompHon) had stated that thera were many criminals among the Chinese, including jjerjurers ; he miyht get equally had CKsen in ' antida wilhoul going to the I hin se. His impression was from all he had heard, Ihiit the mass of Chinese in California ue e bettei t)(Aiived as regarded the observance oj the latv of the land than the same number of whites," Th»' question was up as^ain in lti82, when, from my |)lacB in the House, I used this langtiajje, " I share very much in the feelings of those who o!»ject to Mongolians becomiiifj; permanent settlers. Their presence, I believe, will not l)e a wholesome thing for the country. They are of an alien raco ami there can be no assimilation of tlie races ; therefore when temporary exigencies have been overcome, and there is a railway stretching across the continent, and theie is a nu'an.s of send-' ing in whii^e setth-rs, I would be quite ready to join to a reasonable extent in preventing a permanent settlenient in the country of Mon- golian or Chinese emigrants." Well, gentlemen, the Canadian Pacific Railway is built. Instead of taking weeks, or n)onths, to cross the continent, as was for- merly the case, you can cross it now in a few days. While labour is pouring into British Columbia from the older provinces of Canada, and there is NO FLUTHEIl NECESSITY for the employment of Chinese labour. As I have said, the two races do not agree. Whether in California or in the sister colonies of Aus- tralia there is a conflict of feeling and sentiment among them, as well as a sense of hardship among our own fellow-subjects that they should have to comj)ete with men who live on rats and whose clothing con- sists of a few yards of cotton. (Laughter.) No sooner, then, was the necessity of em))ioying Chinese labour lemovod than the Parliament of Canada passed a statute placing a heavy tax on every Chinaman enter- ing into Canada. (Hear-, hear.) We did not put on a prohibitory duty for two reasons : first, because our Australian brethren, who had had to grapple with this question, adopted the system of putting a considerable tax on every Chinese iui migrant or settler, and that has kept down in a great degree the immigration which threatened to over- whelm white labour. In Australia they are quite satisfied with the system, and we have followed it here with good results. I liatl the pleasure of spending some weeks in British Columbia this summer, and had the opportunity of studying the workings of the Act. I saw the working classes of Victoria — and it was paiticularly gratifying to raeet« with them, because when my old constituency of Kingston, alter thirty 20 years' service, ivjected me, I repivscnted Victoria, tho Capital of British Coliiinljiaforfoiu-yeaiH-aiid tliny in f^eiicral .'xprcss.Ml tlicir ItoUt'f that the law lis passctl, it't'lHoit'iiily canieil out, would bo siiHicieiit piot-'ction to thti wliiti) l.ibaiir of that province. (Clifci'H.) The otli.^r reason why wo did not pis^* a pn.liil.itory ni;.MSuro w.i^ that if wo ahsolutely prohii)it('d every C'liiiiMUi:m Imni eiiterinj? this country, the ('hinese woidd he apt to i)roiiil>it any Canadian entering their country. (Hear, luar.) One of the advantajjes wo are going to secure from tli ? e )er cent, interest abroad that we should pay the same rate of interest to the working classes of our own country to encourage thetn in habits of thrift and economy, for the benefit of themselves and theii* families. (Hear, hea;-.) But Sir Richard Cartwright impugned that i>rinciple to a very considerable degree, not so much so however as a gentleman who is a private l)anker himself, and, being interested, might perhaps have bad the modesty to hold hh tongue, but Mr. McMuUen rose in the House and said : niMi' "The Government pay four per cent, on deposits iu the Dominion Savings .Banks, and it costs even more, as 1 understand from the accounts that the Goverti- laeut pay a certain commlssicu. If instead of four per cent, the rate were made three per cent., a very large sum of money at present held by the Government would 21 ■'■■! t I pans into tlio liamU of thn hanks, and thoy conM Innd it to tlin farnn>r; whorcan, at tlio pnwnt time, tin* Onvernnmnt uae all "thn money tlu-y j^nt from that Hourco. I uiKlnrstiinil thoy hivo from |24,t)0 1,001) toi$2 l.ooo.ooo in thoir hands oti dupoHits ia tht» Dominion Savings Mankii and it is ail used. Tlic hinks havo it not, and coiue- fiuoutly thoy cannot extend tho accommodation and leduco the; rate of interest to the extent they otherwise could do." Ill other words, itisti^ad of paying four jier cent, to tlio working classes ho would ONLY UIVK TIIKM TIIIIKK per cent, wliich would l)e too low a into of interest to induce the work- ingiiian to de[>osib liis Havin};;8. Tlio woikiiijjm >n would not do it. He would Hi>oud the nioiK.'y rather than take tlireo per cent, or would look for risky investments elsewhoio. Mr. MoMullen, tlii.s honest hanker, said it was unjust —it was really an injury to tho hanks that thoy should be deprived of getting this money and speculating on it to any extent. 1 need not tell you that Mr. McMullen is a (trit. On this point as on all tho others I have mentioned wo havo carried our prin- cijiles into pnictice, and we think in every case that our policy has been a superior policy and more in the interests of the country, more • for the advantage of tho people, and moj-e for tho devolc[)inent of the material [)rosperity of the Djminion than that of our opponents. SUMMIXf} Ul'. Thus, Mr. chairman and gentlemen, to sum it up, we lecsalizbd TRADKS' UNtONS AXD II VVK IMIKVKNTKD WOElKMI<;>f FROM HEING ARRKSTED AND SK.VT TO .lAlfi AS CllI.MlNALS nKCAUSI] TIIKY HKLOXGED TO IT. Wb AB'JLISIIKD CONVICT LAHOUR AND THE UNWHOLESOME COMPETITION OF THAT LABOUR WITH THE WORK OF THE HONEST AllTIZANS. VVe HAVE CHECKED AND PUT AN END TO THU OVERFLOW OF CHINICSE LABOUR, AND WE HAVE GIVEN A REASONABLE RATE OF INTEREST TO THE WORKINOMAN,WHO SAVES HIS MONEY, FOR THE SAVINGS 80 DEPOSITED WITH THE BEST SECURITY IN THE WORLD. (L)ud (Jheers.) And in carrying out this policy — in THE AGGREGATE AND IN ALL ITS SEVERAL HEADS — WE HAVE DONE SO IN SPITE OF THE PERSISTENT AND CONSISTENT Ol'POSITION OF THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES REFORMERS. (GheerS.) vir. FUTURE LEGISLATION. Now, Mr. chairman and gentlemen, huving told you what we have done in the past, I. shall say a few words as to what we proposa to do iri the future. In the first place we will carry out the prinicples, we have hitherto professed (cheers), and by a continuance of the same policy we shall endeavour so to develop the industries of this country «s to make it one of most prosperous nations on the face of the earth. {Cheers.) [ BUREAU OF LABOUR. We propose in the next place to establish a bureau of labour statistics. (Cheers.) This we have announced, but we shall be obliged, I believe, to ask the Legislature to strengthen our hands by passing a measure enlarging our power in that direction. Without such a bureau, without the collection of statistics of labour, no satisfactory solution of BK 22 Iho vnrious problems which from tinu5 to time aviso botwpoii cup'tal and labour can l)e arrived at. (Apphiusn.) In the noxt jthico w«i propcso to issno a Royal CoinniisHion on which the workiiigcl issc^h Hhall bo fully reproHoiiUul as couunisHJonojH, for the purpose of onquiriii^ into atul joportinj; on all quostions arirtinx out of the conilict of labour and capital. (Cheers.) In order to exfjUin to you and illustrate the extent of the coinmisHion I will recite to you the poweis to be given to the commiHsionerH. Tliry will have powpi' to en(piire and report on the Hul»jeet of labour, it« relation to capital, the hours of la»'Our anil the ertruini^'s of lab )uring men and women, and the me;ins of promoting iUviv material, Noeial, iiitelh'ctmil, and moral ])ro8perity, anil of