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This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filniA au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18y 22.x 26X 30X y 12X 16X aox 24X 28X 32X i^>'i(.0^':--i^'..'drdiuk^mfmii MANITOBA MATTERS C BEING A SHORT CHAPTER DBVOTID AND DBDIOATID TO THE lAVliNtOyAL ADMINISTRATION. The autonomy of Provinces no longer re- spected. Ottawa Dictates, Manitoba Obeys. BY J- H. O'DONNELL, MANITOBA. w griat«port. veil knows that it was nfederacy, lud denied nembers of j litoba Act, ble govern- s yet been violated by necessities [anitoba as stitutioQ of t- Governor tive. The treated the eased, and esent Lieu- an and pro- b has suited lis love for )een enough a Ne find him ^ id acting in b dishonesty, -^ ^o do justice f revolution, shall there- grievances '■ hb present e Manitoba ivith a Con- clrtimed. to It is well aent should • made sucli A Parlia- • certainly a joustitutiou ; to legislate i :s of power. ,^ ire the ones elf-evident, ect kindred i Mills who tituting the not yet un tituting the | ofore intro I dnced have < nly affirmed an abstract priuciple, viz., that a different modo <)( const ituting the Senaty is desirable. Here In* has commenced 10 mark time. It is true that he has forecast some kind of aHydtem by which senators are to be elected by the Local Legislatures, but neither Mr. Mills nor any of his supporters in this matter have undertaken to deo'ar" that this alteration shall be effected and eflfectcd solely by a vote in the House of Commons. On the contrary the advocates are making it a question of direct appeal to the people, and so far as the present members of the Senate are coneerned he does not wish to interfere with them. New senators ha would have elected according to his sclieme, leaving death and other causes to remove those now comprising the Senate. The Upper House of Manitoba, though comprising only seven mem- bers, is as mucn a part of the Constitution of this Province as the Senate is of the British North America Act, yet it seems that while this is held to be faci by Alex. Mackenzie, David Mills and Edward Blake, and while it would not be quite correct for a House of Commons to abolish its Senate without making it a direct question, yet the Senate of this Province can be abolished by a simple bill, without any appeal to the people, without any reference to that power which should govern in all free countries, and this because a Mr. Mackenzie, a political party leader at Ottawa, sajs you must doit or you won't get any more money. This has actually take a place. It has indeed come to pass that an in- dividual not responsible to the people of this Province in any manner that has yet been discovered, but who as Premier of the Dominion, and therefore the custodian of [U'ovincial rights, refuses to grant that which a candid world acknowledges in only right and just, absolutely refuses at first, but eventually consents, by making it & sine qua non , that the Constitution of the Province must first be violated and a whole- some check on the popular body must be done away with. Must one go far for the reason ? Certainly not. Mr. Mackenzie is a party poli- tician. Party Government, and consequently Poiver, is one of the biggest planks in his structure. He has played for it thuugh many a day. He has moreover shown by his acts that he is not in favor of the independ- ance of Local Legislatures. "When he was merely a member of the Opposition, he was, of course, the champion of Local Legislatures. He accused the leader of the Government at the time of having made the Local Legislatures subservient to his purposes. It was corrupt for John A. Macdonald to do that, but now the case is altered. What was corrupt in an opponent is now purity itself. An Upper House, it must be coufessbd, no matter how constituted, is always more or less of a check on dishonesty and incompetency. It is not difficult for the central Power to manipalate the people's representatives, especially when they comprise such easy virtue as that possessed by a Davis, a Royal or a Norquay, but the fewer obstacles to overcome the better and the cheaper. The more the local power is curtailed, the more does it pass into the hands of the Central Govern- ment. The merest glance at the political history of the Dominion since Coufeder. tion, will fully confirm this startling truth, and it has already been said by a competent authority, that year by year the Local Legis- latures are becoming contemptible, while correspondingly the Central Government ib absorbing al! power. Tho tendency is ho great in that direction that it is now impossible to resist it. Honco we are building up a cbiss ©f unscrupulously ambitious ra<;n who are not cbockod by any local roH.traints, wh iSO homo is tho Dominion, whose residence is Ot- tawa, and whoso chief end is to concentrate all the power among them- selves and leave little or none to others. That modesty which at an earlier day made them more careful is no longer exhibited, they now boldly step forth, and dictate and command. Their mandate is obeyed because they have it in their power to make their suppliants bend to their wishes. 1 think I have fully established the position that the tendency of ths Central Government is to dictate and control the Local Govern- ments. Ontario has furnished us with a most notable instance. The latest interference is that which immediately affects this Province. At the time Messrs. Royal and Davis started for Ottawa on a pauper's mission, I took the ground that the Ottawa Government would be doing an injustice to the ptsople of tho Dominion, and to the people of this Province, if money ffeve paid to such individuals as comprise tho pre- sent Local Administration upon their own representations, and without enquiry and without imposing certain just and necessary conditions. The Hon. Mr. Mackenzie had informed a previous beggar's deputa- tion in terms that are unmistakable, that before any Better Terms could be conceded " the expenditure of tlio Province should be brought within the income." This was a perfectly just stipulation, but what authority has Mr. Mackenzie or any other Ottawa potentate to order amendments to, or alterations in the constitution of a Province? His uuty as the custodian of the rights of provinces began and ended when he imposed the conditions that the expenditure should be kept within the income. If tliere was any justice or decency in the Manitoba Better Terras delegations to Ottawa it was based upon the assumption that the Pro- vince had never been fairly or honestly dealt with by the Dominion Government. This is the ground taken by " better terms" advocates from first to last, and Mr. Mackenzie's dictatorial policy of abolishing the Upper House as a measure of public economy is false, unjust an : absurd. The Council was abolished under circumstances of corruption and dishonesty, arising out of the Hon. Mr. Mackenzie's dogmatic declara- tion that you must abolish your Upper House or you won't get a cent. We shall presently see how far the economical feature has been real- ized. Before proceeding in that direction I may as well here refer to a matter which creates both amusement and disgust to those who hate humbug, no matter how ingeniously disguised. The sheets in the eastern provinces in the pay of the present Do- minion Government from time to time publish small items and para- graphs complimenting the peo[)le of Manitoba on having got rid of a useless and expensive encumbrance. The Toronto Globe, Montreal Herald and the London Advertiser are among those journals which see a great reason for congratulation. If any or all of those journals were really reaching after the truth as it is known here, they would pro- bably be a little more rational when they undertake to discuss Manitoba affairs. ICG. ince. fit in that bnildiiif^ d by any ICO is Ot- )ng them- ch at an they now is obeyed 3 bend to adency of I Govern - The At pauper's be doing le of this 3 the prc- d without itions. s deputa- )r Terras 3 brought but what ) to order ce ? His ded when pt within er Terms i the Pro- Dominion advocates ibolishing QJust an 1 :>tion and ! deolara- 3t a cent. )een real- ■e refer to who hate 38ent Do- and para- Dt rid of a Montreal irhich see aals were )uld pro- Manitoba The Globe for a long time has derived its inspiration in Manitoba [matters from a |)rofe88ional factotum of the individual who says he is the Premier of the Province, a kind of journalistic failure who occupi s his [time, it is said, copying letters in a government office. As for the other two journals, th«y have, I unuerstand, always been too mean to incur the [expanses of a paid correspondent, though it is cause for congratulation [no doubt, as it would bti a great calamity to be afflicted with any such [qui ninnies as tho Government hanger on here who represents the Globe -and easily deludes it and it^ rofltsctors into tho perpetratioa of the most insane folly. And now to the eo )uom7 of the tiling. Has tho country saved anything by the abolition of the Upper House ? If so in what way has ,the 8:iving been effected? Thu entire cost of the Loi^lslativo C )uacil of thia Province last year was nearly iJT.OOO. The estimates for the year ending 80th June 1877, show that the itinn under Miscellaneous (which is only another name for leakage and plunder) has been increased from $10,000 to $16,}300, and tho item of Printing which was $8,000 last year has been increased to $10,000. Thus it will bo saen that the very two items which afford the best chance for plunder have been increased respective- ly 50 per cent, and 25 per cent,, while it is a notable fact that the Pro- njier has money investod in the Queen's Printing Establishment, and if the rej)orts are corract, drawing his percentage at the Jewish rate of twenty-four per cent, per annum. I make these statements fully con- scious of their importance. Let them be contradicted. Is th's the kind of eoonomy which Mr. Mackenzie himself practices at Ottawa ? If it is, the sooner he disappears from the political stage the better for the whole country. At all »vent8 it is to be hopofll that the publie will bo spared tJie infliction of seeing items in the hcnorabli gentleman's sheets congratulating the people of this Province on the wholesome econotny that has been brought about. The statements, to fall back on a street phrase, are a little " too thin," and must recoil, like all the clap trap which the Hon. Dominion Premier and his politi- cal apo here have f.iom time to time employed to carry out a purpose. 1 shall put side by side the estimates for last year and those already voted for the year ending 30th June, 1877. They will show that the • Upper House has been abolished, and that the Government have ap- plied the amount under that licad to purposes which have the convenient ; given terms of '* Miscellaneouis" and " Printing." As for showing that -the country saves anything by tho transaction, the Premier might as ■well undertake to sliow what became of the $10,000 his Government 'spent last year under the accommodating " Miscellaneous," or to him /very profitable item of " Printing." Languages ! Is not that one of the ^greatest and most expensive UMisances with which the Province is af- flicted ? Have not the people frequently demanded the abolition of that nuisance, and have we not heard Davis and some of his supporters tell the pfople it would be done as a measure of economy ? But when they obtain power their promises are broken and forgotten. They have proved recreant to the power that made them, for the sake of a little , tempoi-iuy advantage ; but, like all who possess easy virtue, they will • soon be taught the lesson which has been taught to hundreds of others like themselves. 6 Tho total amount of tho EHtimatcs for tlui ye»f ending tho 30tU of June next in fOM.lrJO. This HUiount iiulicatod at tho time an exponili- ture over incomo of about $28, (UK). Tlio o.stianito.s for tlio year emluii,' HOth Junt", 1H77, amount to $96,000. It is not unlikely that in both in- HtancoH tney will bo exceeded. In fact we iiave already had tim intima- tion from the Premier's organ that tho expciKlitiire for tho })ro3cnt year will be greater than Lho amount estimated. A c(jmparison of items will fhow that the boasted economy of tho prooent Administration is alto- gotlier mythical. Civil Governniont in the ostimatcjs for 187<5 is to cost $1<),H.*)0. In the estimates for 1877 it is to cost ."i^lO/JOO, being §2,850 additional. The Lfgislativf; Assembly in tho '7(5 estimjitt-s is put at $10,200. Next year it is to cost us Ifi 12,200, or $2,000 additioiinl. Tlie total cost of hoth bniuchos of the Legislature in tho current estimates is $18,000 — .$10.- 200 for the Ijugishitive Assembly, and $8,100 for tho Legislative Coun- oil. Now that the hitter body is altolished, tho cost of ouc Chamber is increased from $10,200 to $12,200, so tliat the cost of the Legislative Assembly alone is brought to within $1,400 of tho former cost of both. But even this sum of $1,400 is not saved. It is saved in the particular instancgislativo , of botii. )articnlar omcthiug such, for -an office ho Presi- )UlK'Ct'OU s for tho e Assera- , but the I thousand ;n dollars [Ion. Mr. pet np in antry on he Upper the rule jtv.'m of se for 77 it is said, em could ctter de- $10,000 oase, the and fifty mystery i its re- n Miscel- ecouomi- md water slerks and ippropria- 'er, and only seven thousand for Education! What a travesty on pnhlic econo- my ! Two thousand dolhirs for sessional clerks in a Mouse of twenty- four luenihors ! Why, it is more than Ottawa pays for such leakatfe. Two tlions; lid dollars foi Hossional clerks, Mr. Macken/io. $4,000 tor incidental expenses couuected witrh the palace of Uis Most Illustri- ous Majesty the Lieutenant-Governor. Twelve hundred dollars for Sta- tionery, and only two thousand for Immigrutiou and Agriculture ! Onn tiiousand (lolhus to ihn Clerk of the Kxecutivo Council, and only seven hundn d to the Clerk of the Lv^gislativo Assembly. Twelve hundred dollars to a Deputy Provincial Treasurer, and another twelve hundred for a Deputy ProvMiciul Secretary, and nothii\g for either of them to do! Such iM ihi' character of the economy echoed at Ottawa, and re-echoed by the oif^iins of the donimant faction in this c-ounti y. 11' the lion. Mr. ^[ackeuzio practices the same kind of economy at Ottawa as that whicli hu commends in Mrtnltooa,, there is then some hope that his political career w 11 soou draNv to a close. The world is hardly advanced enough, or too much advanced, to accept siuih economy as he admires and prac- tices. A Province with an income of ninety-five thousand dollars, and spends the greater part of it in salaries and printing, ia hardiy the i'l'^n: ly ((^ vliir-li \v'!I li.Hji.'Hod i * "■do shoui;! I".«- invitf^'l (. .•(.ih'-. The slightest glance at fiie estmiaceb will show that the sum of forty thousand uollnrs is paid for Salaries and Printing. Nearly one-half tho entire revenue! paid out for salaries of Ministers, Clerks and Printing 1 Yet it is anmsing to hear Mr. Mackenzie and his newspapers tell the people cf this country that the Government are practising economy. Will Mr. Mackenzie or some one else point out tho particular instance whore this asserted economy has been practiced ? If the aholition of the Lrgislative Council he pomted to, as it has al- ready been adduced as n evidence, how would the matter stand when it was shown and conclusively pioved, that the expenditure is greater than it has ever been before ; that the money supposed to be saved has been applied to something else far more outrageous than the Legislative Council ever could have become ? If Mr. Davis and his associates wore really sincere in their endea- vors to govern the Province with economy, they would hnve gone to work in a 'liffetfjiit I'ushion. Seuatoi- (Jirard (a pfiisioni'V on t lie Go- vcirument of this Provitn-e), has publicly admitted in Ottawa and else- where, that the object in abolishing the Up^'r House was not to saro money, but to get rid of a body that showet. a disposition to interfere with the Government. The cost was nothing, says the Senator ; but it was embariissiiig to the Government to have their acts checked and controlled by an irresponsible body. On the other hand, Mr. Macken- zie congratulates the people of this Province on having got rid of aa expensive institution. Let Mr. INIackenzie and his Government practice what he preaches, and abolish tin Senate of the Dominion ! It is not only an expensive body, but an impertinent one, according to his view. {Vide his remarks on hearing of the defeat of the Railway Bill of last sessi"n.) Those who make a stand against Davis and the concern called Government in this Province, contend that were there any sincerity in Davis or his associates, they would have lopped branches uhich notori' 8 I ously affoctcd the political trunk. WJiy must the Enyliah-spoaking people of tliis Province— by f~.r the threat majority of the population — be compoilcd to pay |12,000 or $15,000 a year for the luxury of the French language ? The public has alrerdy heard of a certain Bill to diminish th.e dx- pense.s of the Legislature of Manitoba, and a very important mistake was made ir\ the title of the Bill. It should road, a Bill to increase the expense.! of th« Legislature of Manitoba. That thoro has been an in- crease instead of a docreaae, I think I have fully proved. At the second reading of ♦ho Bill in the Legislative Council I made the following re- marks : ' Whatever the grounds wore on which they sought to abolish " the Upper Houee, it api)«ared to me that they had not been stated. " If they had been stated, then this whole piece of legislation was of the '• most bungling and contomptiblo character. This wac a bill to dimiu- " ish the expenditure, forsoolh ; nwl Ottawa had put her foat dcwn and " demanded i^j passage peremptorily. The Logisluturo and people of " Manitoba would no doubt, one day find out the real reason for the " movement." That reason is apparent enough now Instead of diminishing the expenditure, it, has beon increased ; instead of economy, wo have the most barefaced extravagance. One- fourth of the whole revenue expend- ed under such items as Miscellaneous and Incidentals. And v«t wo must be told by the partizan news{)apftrs in the pay of Ottawa aid the LocalGoverri-ient thai, great economy has been practiced, and on the strength of this falsehood the Hon. Mr. Mr,ckenzie becomes a party to ])nblic deception by assisting Davis and his associates to handle and expend moi'C money than before ! Were the Local Administration actuated by motives of honosty and sincerity they W(;uld have adopted an entirely different system of retrenchment than that which they hava had the audacity to assert is a reduction of the public expenditure. Had their intentions been honest, they would have just begun with the sessional allowance to members. That might inive been reduced to $5 per day during the session. This would have given $iOO to each mem- ber for an average session. Leaving the Legislative Council in exist- ence, for the whole thirty-one members this would have secured a total saving of $6,400. Next, the two offices of Clerk of the Legislative Council and Clerk of the Executive Council might have been amalga- mated. This would have effected a saving of $.,000. Tho Deputy Provincial Secretary and the Deputy Treasurer might have likewise been amalgamated, and another saving of $1,200 effected. The print- ing ofj the str.Mites in only one lani-uagG — the legal language of the country — would have led to a further reduction of $8,000. The aboli- tion of the offices of Piesident of the Council and Mini.ster of Agricul ture would have effected another saving of $1 ,800. The abolition of the French language would have obviated the necessity of translators and French printing, thus saving $2,000 at least. The item of Sessional clerks, instead of being put at $2,000, should have been considered excessive at ^1,000, and thus another $1,000 iniglit have been saved in that leakage alone. Tho items under Miscellaneous and Incidentals, instead of costing us $24,000, should have been put at a maximum cost of $15,000. thus effecting a saving of neaily $0/)00, or in exact num- bers $8,700. The total saving thus effected would have been real, not Skble don' accoi five 000 pred 9 apparent and would have amounted to tho large sum of $80,100, being a little leHH than one-third of the new revenue upon which the estimates of '77 are based. This saving could have been effected reasonably and honestly, and the expenditure brought within the old income, leaving a surplus which might have been applied to tho replacing of tho amount taken from tho capital ac.j tuut, or as supplementary to Educatioi; and Agriculture. But no ; thin would not suit either Mr. Davis and his asfiociates or His Eminence the Lieutenant-Governor, who, by the way, re[)re8ents a cost to this Province (exclusive of his salary and casual advantages) of a: least $4,000. The very assertion that either His Eminence tho Lieutenant-Governor or their Royal ilighueeses Davis & Co., mean to be economical in the administration of the affairs of this Province is contradicted in the most emphatic terms by their acts and by the facts and figures already published with their sanction and authority. Whac Lieutenant-Governor Morris has done for this Province in tne interests of constitutional government has yet to be shown. He may derive some moraon'.ary consolatjon from the supposition that it is one's inability to see the benefits of his ministration — an inability which he may suppose results from obtuseness ; but such a supposition must disappear beforn the light of facts and figures. It is difficult to under- stand what claims His Eminence has either upon the country or the •' Reform" party ; difficult to understand why he should have been most recently invested with a commission to investigate certain well known land (lueHtions in this Province, when it is notorious that His Most Ilhutiions Kminence is accused of being one of the most extensive land jobbtns an J speculators within the Province. If his adminiHtratioii of land matters turn out no better than his administration of political affairs in the country, no one must bo surprised. It may be safely relied upon, howevpr, that Morris Kstatos are not likely to diminish in number under tho new commission. B(;ibre dismisHiug the financial quosLion, let me add a few worda about that mar/ellous contribution to the blue covered literature of the Province, the Public Accounts for the year ending 80fch June, 1874. — These "Accounts " have attracted a little attention, chiefly owing to the number of mistakes and £3,l)surdities which they comprise. Bv a clumsy arrangement of dates and items the expenditure of eight months has been placed against the receipts of twelve. The four months omitted comprised the greatest bulk of the expenditure, so they are left out to make it appear that tiie expenditure was small. As Public Accounts troneraily mean the transactions for a whole year, this liltle piece of fiaud was su|)posed to do effective duty ; but like so many other acts of its perpetrators it was so transparent that the merest tyro detected it at a glance. But if tha Public A.ccounts to which I have reference are remark- able for what they show, they are likewise notorious for what they don't show. Thoufjli the Province eomraenced business on its own account with a capital fund of $472,090 bearing interest at the rat« of five percent., which capital was shortly afterwards augmented to $550,- 000 at the same rate of interest ; yet it is well known that Davis and his predecessors have made heavy drafts on this capital to make up defi- I 10 ciencies cauoed by extravagauce and dishonesty, Tho present Govern- ment already admit that these deiieieucies have ro luced the aforesaid capital to $158,380.11 (tho first time they liave made the admission*), and that m couaequeuce of such raids upon tlie capital the revonuo of the Province, from Dominion sources, now amountxl to uuly $G;j,'253.04. The exact amount of the raids is di.->puLed. The Government claim tho above is $153,880.11, bat authority intinit-ly preferable to those who are responsible for a largo share of the diminution asserts that tho whole amount of the raids is $187,000. As a balance sheet or financial statement showing the ex'ict condi- tion of the 'Capital account hus never been published in thu Public Accounts (the only proper place fur such information), tho only way we can arrive at an apprcximato statement is indirectly through Ottawa. The Provincial Treasurer has in the House, on two separate occasions, made a verbal expojition of the capital account, but his budget has neither been plain, correct nor voluntary. In a way, he has undertaken to get over that dittioulty with as much fog and confusion as possible ; and when a member of tho House has asked for a financial statem' ut of the capital account from tho date of contederation, tDge^her with the dates and the amounts of the various drafts, tho matter has f een push- ed aside and purposely neglected by those whose duty it was to attend to it. It is, however, enough to say that the Public xVccounts so far have contained no financial exhibit of the Capital Account, unci that that which pretends to be a statement in the report of the last delegates to Ottawa is a confusion of figures similar to the verbal finimcial exposition which Mr. Davis finds it convenient to make to the House once a year. The fact that the amount of capital money expended was a disput- ed question ought to have produced a lucid statement in printed form, from the Treasurer. Even if usage must be discarded, the fact of set- ting himself right by an explicit statement from the Provincial books should have been seized upon ; but the total absence of anythirig like a financial statement of the Capital A.ccount, and tha style in which the Public Accounts have boon got up, prove Mr. Davis' financial and ac- counting abilities are limited to a slate pencil and a saloon. In the report of the delegates of the Executive Council to Ottawa with regard to the clamis of Manitoba upon the Dominion, occurs the following (page 5) : " During these interviews with the honorable members of the Dominion Government, the delegates were able to show the spirit of strict economy with which the affairs of the Province had been administered by the members of the present Executive Council of Manitoba, and the great difficulty of effecting more retrenchment except by a simplification of the political macbiilery provided by the constitution of the Province. It is te be hoped that patriotism will render easy such a simplification, and will insure to the Province that increase of subsidy negotiated for by the delcgitos, without which it might be found neces- sary at no distant puriOil to have recourse to direct taxation." The falsehood of the above paragraph is only exceeded by its au- dacity. '• Tho si)irit of strict economy" with which the affairs of the Province " had been administered by the present members of the Execu- tive Council of ^lanitoba." Why, it is notorious that the present i 187] dece year twenl was the in'' 11 coiuli- Publio way wo )ttawa. ;et has or taken Obsiblu ; itenifut villi tlio n push- ) attend is so far ncl that elegates inancial I disput- ed ioi'in t of set- i\ books ling like hich the *ud ac- ) Ottawa I, occurs onovable e to show had been Iiinitobiit '3pt by a stitution asy such f .subsidy id neces- y its au- rb of tlio e Execu- present Executive Council have bet-n, since they were called by His Eminence to aduiiuister its afifairs. exceeding the revenue, bringing down esti- mates far in advance of the income, and making laids upon the Capital Acouant, to make uj) the deficiency. That is the spirit of economy witli a veagoauce. It is true, Ottawa has made an additional grant ; but aupposd d)ie had not mude it, Davis and his Executive (including Hia Emintuce) would have drawn upon capital all the same. The advan- tage they had received by the additional subsidy is, 1 conceive, this : They jiave got the actual revenue from Dominion sources increased to $90,000, and they will make further annual drafts upon the capital so that they will spond at least $120,000. This may be expected as the spirit of economy s[)ok')a of. In whatever shape the subject is looked at the fraud is prominent. Mr. Mackenzie had better look to hi.'j laurels, or a Davis will van- quish liim in the arts which make " the post of honor the private station." On page 11 uf the Report is another " spirit of economy" spread out. " Tile presfjiit Government of the Province have, since their " formation, carrii d out the policy of tlie strictest economy and of re- '' trenchmeut compatible with the incrsasiug demands upon the revenue '• whieh thoy then inaugurated." We have .seen how far the retrench- ment !ius betu cariiod— increased expenditure, increased estimates, — a prospi^ctive expenditure next year of $1,500 over the estimated exi)t idi- ture tins year ; and a reduction of the Capital Account from $560,000 to less than $1 )0,000. But His MosI-, Illuitrious Eminence the Lieu- tenant-Governor iias been most graciously pleased to give his assent and consent to tlie fraud, and therefore it is sanctified with the " oath of office." Again occurs the following : " These demands originate chiefly " from the fact that the population is rapidly growing in every district •' of the Province, and add every year materially to the expenditure " connected with the education, roads and brirlges, ngriculture, and *' administration of justice services." Let us see how these charges have added to the services alluded to. In 1871 the expenditure for Ed- ucation WAS $0,000; in 1872, $7,000; in 1873 the same; in 1874 the same; in 1875 the same ; in 1876 the same ; and in 1877, prospectively the same — $1,000 of an increase in six years, and that increase not under tlie present patriotic Executive Council, but under one which has been declai*cd less p.iLriotic and less honest. The increased sub.:iidy obtained under false r .'ure:-;eatatiou does not appear to have benefitted the schools, as the estimated expouditu'.-e this year and next put the Ed- ucational appropriation at the old figure, $7,000. No " material" in- crease there. Take the item of Roads, the next referred to in the paragraph. In 1871 the Road Service c)4 $19,013.10; in 1872, $11,851.10, being ?? decrease of $7,759; in 1873, $8,920.81, being a tt'cveaae on the preceding year of $2,933.20, or ten. iJioauind sic hundred and niiKty-tivo dollars and twenty-six cents on the orijinal appropriation. In 1873 only $3,851.88 was expended, being a decrease on the original of $15,761.72. In 1875 the estimate^ expenditure was $9,000, but wj have no moans of know- ing tluit the amoi'it »vas actually expended on the service pietondod. 12 as the work done was not let out by public tender, but given over to political friends of the Treasurer or Minister of Public Works. Still, admitting that the whole amount was actually expended in the service indicated, it is less than one-half of what was expended ia 1871, less than it was in 1872, and very little more than what it was in 1873. But in 1876, under an incr ?a3ed revenufj from Ottawa, the expenditure for Road Service is to l)e actually $1,000 loss than it was beforo the delegates went to Ottawa and said to Mr. Mackenzie, " These demands " originate chiefly from the fact that the population is rapidly growing " in every district of the Province, and add every year materially to the expenditure connected with the Education, Road and Bridges, Ayri- culture and Administration of Justice services,'^ Now, how is it with Agriculture and Immigration? In 1871 the expenditure was $1,074.86; in 1872, $2,313.45, or an increase of $1,- 238.69 ; in 1873 the expenditure was only $1,226.87. In 1874 it was, as far as the Public Accounts show $1,604, but as only eight inontJ's are given there it is safe to put the expenditure at $2,000; in 1875 the same; and in 1876 the same. |No increase in that item, though the subsidy has been raised on tlia supposition that a material increase of expenditure for the item was necessary, and on the faith of such repre- sentations was Mr. Mackenzie induced to m^ke such increase of subsidy. How is it with the Administration of Justice service ? In 1871 $5,429.14 was expended ; in 1872, $9,545.17, or an increase of $4,116 15c. In 1873, $23,056.21 (better known as the Clarke expenditure). In 1874 about $12,000. In 1875, $10,000, or $2,000 less. In 1876, under an increased revenue derived on the faith of repredeatations made to the Hon. Mr. Mackenzie that the expeiiditure in connection with the Administration of Justice was increasing every year, we j&nd that the appropriation is estimated the same for 1876-7 as it was for 1875-6, and $2,000 less than it was in 1874. Now let U3 see where tha material increase an! expanditure has actuallv gone. In 1871 Printing cost $2,189.28. In 1872, $9,117.11. In 1873, $11,028.68. In 1874 ostensibly $7,000. In 1875 $8,000, and under &n. increased revenue derived under false representations. Printing ia to cost $10,000. Take the item under Miscellaneous. In 1871 it was $4,955.73 ; in 1872, $9,513.79; in 1873, $10,844.52; in 1874 about $9,000; in 1875, $10,000 ; and under an increased revenue derived under the representa- tions to the Premier of the Dominion, that the increased revenue was necessary owing to the material increase in the expenditure on such services as Reads, Education, and Administration of Justice, none of which have been increased, we find that Miscellaneous has been increas- ed from $10,000 in 1875-6 to $15,300 in 1876-7, while the appropria- tion for Education is the same as it was four years ago. That for Road Service is more than one-half less than it was in 1871, and $1,000 less than it was last year, while the appropriation for the Administration of Justice is less than it was in 1874 by $2,000. Take the item marked Incidentals, and we find that in 1871 no such item appeared. In 1872 it had not been admitted. In 1873 it was still unheard of ; but in 1875, when Mr. Davis had fairly assumed control of 4 go ev < . " th( 18 r to 5tUl, •vice le88 873. iture i the lands )wing ly to Ayri- 1 the f $1,- b was, .oat'' 3 75 the ;h the Base of r«pre- ibsidy. u 1871 $4,115 diture). a 1876, IS made vith the lat the 1875-6, ire has n 1873, Id under jing is to ;.73 , in lin 1875, Iresenta- pue was Ion such none of increas- jpropria- [for Road $1,000 listration [1 no such was still jontrol of the public pur e, we bygin to bear of tl»e leakage of |1,485. In 1876-7 Incidentals will hare risen to the '•material expenditure" of $7,100 — ivn item unheard of during the Archibald-Clarke Administrntiou, but risinj^ into vast importance during the Morris-Davis regime I Take tlie much talked of Legislative Expenses. In 1871 both Houses cost 118,695.17 ; in 187'2, $13,783.99 ; in 1873, $14,785.89, but a Slight incroase over the preceding year; in 1874 about $14,000; in 1875, $18,600; and in 1876, with only one House, $12,200— $1,400 less (no material increase of expenditure hare from '71 to '76). Then take Civil Government (which of course has nothing to do ■with the Legislative Council). In 1871 Civil Government cost $12,349 29; in '72, $28,570.08 ; in '73, $17,790; in '74 not less than $15,000; in '75, $16,850; in 1876 estimated at $19,200, being an increase of $2,350. Now it is clear that " the demands do not originate chiefly from the *' fact that the population is rapidly growing, and add every year mate- " rially to the expenditure connected with the Education, Road and " Bridges, Agriculture an! Administration of Justice Services," but to the " material expenditure" of increased ap[>ropriatioa for general phm- der under such names as Printing, originally $2,000, now $10,000 ; Mis- ■cellaneous, originally $4,955.73, now $15,300; Incide^tnls, nil, now $7,- SOO. Here is the key to the whole thing, and if the Hon. Mr. Macken- zie's •aanner of looking into the clnims of Provinces be not conducted more carefully than ho has conducted his examination into Manitob i ftfifairs, it is to be hoped that he will he' replaced by some one who understands his Vmsiness more intelligently than he seems to. — Education $7,000 in 1872, and $7,000 m 1876 ; Agriculture and Im- migration $2,313 45 in 1872, and only $2,000 in 1876 ; Justice $28,056.21 in 1873, only $10,000 in 1876, and yet His Eminence the Lieutenant-Governor and their Royal Highnesses the Local Government go to Ott iwa and declare that theii " demands for Better Terms origi- *' nate chietly from the fact that the population is rapidly growing in ■♦• every di.strict of the Province, and a Id every year materially to the " expenditure connected with the Education, Road and Bridges, Ag- ** riculture and Administration of Justice services." Could anything be meaner or falser Hian what is aimed at by this statement ? ani tfolio having "esigned to make way for the dua juncta in uno gentleman. That being accomplished the Bill passes by a majority of one, and that one the member who, less than three mouths before, was hostile to the Ooverninent ; and who, I^ss than a year pre- viously voted against the same Bill ! Would not this conduct be con- demued at Ottawa or elsewhere "? Is it because Manitoba is said to have no politics that her public men must have license to box th.i political compass within a year, and laave behind them a course as chequered as the career of the vilest carpet-baggi that ever plundered the public] If it is no sin ro do these things, why not make this a sort of political Van Dieman's Land and traiisport hither all the Macdoaalds, Macken- zies, Caraerons, Smiths and Blakes that now are offensive elsewhere ? The Province could not be worse off than it is if this were accomplished. le 'i ! \ ■ .11 ii: N The record of the Votes ami Procetulingd of tho Legislative Council of Manitoba during its fimil session and fiual hours will serve to show what may bosed under it. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — I riwe to a point of order. Hon. Mr. Gunn — I do not believe that I am out of order. I am simply stating what took place on Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — Order, order. No question before the chair. Hon. Mr. Gunn — Every m«^mbor has a right co be h ard. . Hpeaker — Let Mr. Gunn speaL He has a right to speak to a motion. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — Order. The whole proceeding is disorderly. Hon. Mr. Gunn — I had not seen a copy of the BiU wh«>a I Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — Order. Speaker — Mr. Gunn ic in order. Hon. Mr. Gunn - 1 will not say that the Dr. led me astray wilfully. i; But I am .3orry, evun though if, was sent iu late, that we did not go into I committee on the Education Bill. In rejecting it, I feel that I have not i done justice to myself or to what I now believe to be a very good Bill. f It was on/ after we adjourned that I got a copy of it, and after reading it carefalij , 1 believe it to be an excellent measure. M Hon. Mr. McKay — I move that the Rules of the House be suspend- ed so as tr« allow of the introduction of a Bill. '.* The Speaker put th« motion. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — The Rules have already been suspended till ■ the end of the session. > Speaker — The rule asked to be suspended is that requiring notice to be given before the introduction of a Bill. Hon. Mr. Dauphina s seconded the motion, which carried. 1* Hon. Mr. McKay then introduced the Education BiU. , I Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — I rise to a point of order. The hon. gentle- 7 man is now seeking to introduce the Bill which was rejected by this ■ House at its last sitting. Without further comment I will read the rule jK on the subject. Here it is. May, in his Parliamentary Practice, pp. 298 and 299, says : " It is a rule in both Houses not to permit any question or Bill to bo offered which is substantially the same as one on ,^ which their judgment has already been expressed in the current ses- sion. This is necessary in order to avoid contradictory decisions, to [prevent surprises, and to afford proper opportunities for determining Ithe several questions as they ai-ise To rescind a negative vjte, except m the different stages of Bills, is a proceeding that creates i difficulty because the same question would have to be put again. The *|only means, therefore, by which a negative vote can be revoked is bj ifproposing another question similar, in which is the general purport ol "that wliich has been rejected, bnt with sufficient variance to constitute 18 i II a now question, and Housn would dpterniiuo wlilie sfiin^ question or not." This effectually HOttleu the quoHtion, and prevents the Hill being ro-introduced tluH seHbioD. I must exproHS my aHtonishment at hearing an hon. gentlenaan who seconded a motion this morning now rise in hiH place and say that he did not know what he was doing when he seconded that motion. Does he know what ho is doing now ? I can tell that hon. gentleman he has placed himself in a vpry bad position. Speak'ir — The motion for the introduction and first reading is now quite m order. Here is the rule on the subjcst. (licnds.) Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — The whole proceeding is irregular. Sppitker — I rule that the Bill may be introduced, and give my au- thority. (Beads.) Hon. l)r. O'Donnell — I rise Speaker — Sit down. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell (emphatically) — I would have you know, Mr. Speaker, that I am here, a member of this House, and in the full exer- cise of the functions of my office. Speaker — Plnase sit down. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — I am not through speaking. Speaker — The hon. gentleman is out of order and must resume his seat. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — I rose to a point of order and wished to be allowed to state it. Speaker — If the hon. gentleman will persist in speaking out of all order I must have him removed. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell— All right. We'll see about that. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — 'J'he motion before the House has not a se- conder. I object to it, and if in the course of my objections I think fit to stand here and talk till to-raorrow or till next week, I am going to do it (laughter). Speaker — What motion do you desire to bring before the House ? Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — Wait till I get through and I'll give it to you. If you, Mr. Speaker, persist in putting the motion, I must persist in having recorded at length the clause lam about to read. And further, T claim the light to speak with as much precision and as slow as I think proper. If I choose to stand here and talk till the middle of next year, you have no power to stop me (applause from outsiders). Hon. Mr. McKay called the Speaker's attentioc to the fact^that there were strangers in the House. The Speaker ordered the House to be chared, whereupon all the spectators were put out except the reporters. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — This cannot be done. If you clear the House reportern and all must go. The reporters remained where they were. Speaker — There is nothing before the House. Is it the wish of any hon. gentleman to move its tirst reading ] Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — That motion was put. Hon. Mr. McKay — I simply introduced the Bill, and did not moTe its first reading. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — I claim that the Bill cannot be introduced. H.'S 19 8 now aiy au- w, Mr. 11 cxer- ame bis 3d to be it of all lot a se- tbink fit ing to do ou6e ? to you. ersist in furtbcr, I tbink ext year, fact tbat a all tbe le House sb of any not moT« )duced. Hon. Mr. McKay —I now move tbe first reading of the Bill. Hon. Mr. Guuu~I second the motion. Hpeakei — Is it the pleasure Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — I bare a Wvird to Pfty before tbat question is put. Do yon perHist in putting tbe motion ? Speaker — If the bon. gentleman would stop speaking it might be more to the purpose. The Speaker said — Mr. Clerk, read the title of the Bill. The Clerk read the Bill a first time. Hon. Dr. ODonnell — If tbe Speaker insists on putting the motion, I will move that the whole of the Bill be written out on tbe journals. This attempt to choke me off is one of those pieces of sharp practice which have been indulged in over since the House was a House. It is to he regretted that luuuibers of this and the other Chamber should lend tbemHelves whenever needed to the little tricks of the Qovern- |ment. The question I wish to raise is this : that this Bill cannot be re- introduced tbib session, and ns the question is a comparatively new one here, I will again cite my authority. It is laid down distinctly : •' Tbe only means, therefore, by which a negative vote can be revoked, is by proposing another question similar, in which the general purport of that which has been rejected is embodied, but with sufiQcient variance to constitute a new question, and the House would Jetermiue whether it ,.Was substantially the same question or not." Before that can he done, Mr. Speaker, I claim that the Bill sought to be introduced must be read i^lause by clause and compared with the Bill which was rejeuted. Is Xthai accoiuing to your authority, Mr. Speaker ? "Why, the book you •Jiave bpcLi (Quoting trom may have been in the ark for aught you know. *i|Laughter.) The volume I read from was printed in 1874, the Speak- jJBr's in 184B. I claim that tbe ruling of this House must bo governed by tlie most recent precedents. Hon. Mr. McKay moved the second reading. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — I object. No motion has a right to be put till I enter my protest Speaker — Siiall the motion for the second reading be Hon. Dr. O'Donnell (indic:uantly) — The Speaker has tbe same right jks any other member, and no more. I object to being disturbed and tyrannized over, even by the Speaker. I Speaker — Shall the motion be carried ? ■' Hon. Dr. O'Do: nell — No ; the Speaker might as well do the whole business himself, and dispense with the House. How is it, he oontinu- jd, that gentlemen calling themselves honorable, can sit in their seats nd see such au outrage as this perpetrated in a British House of Par- liament ? Bill read a second time. Hon. Mr. Dauphinais, seconded by Hon. Mr. McKay, moved tbe lecond reading. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell — Will you allow me to record my protest ? Speaker — Yes, certainly. You can have this D^orded on the jour- pals. Hon. Dr. O'Donnell handed in bis protest to the Clerk. Bill read a third time and passed. ■& J fto Mnt Lioutpniint-CJovoruor Morris is perlni-l's not thft only Dominion ofVu'iiil who intetjerea in uiutterB locul. ludiviiluulb employod in the Civil Service Department on porniancnt Mulariea too often meddle in atTairs that ahould not concern them, and Huperuum(iruric« who havti important judicMil aituationH in proupcct uhould be the last to nicddle in local politics and use tlieir induoncH, no inuttor how contotnpuble, m abusing or misrepresenting those who are lighting the battle of local rerorm in tiiis Province. Kaatern paj.ers Bhould not be gulled by tlio statomoutH made by those who aro roci'guized and known as party pen- siouoi 8 and applicants for gubornatorial and other favors. Thiiso tilings may not come under the «yo of a Toronto journal, but they appear a» plain to the residents heru as the most emiuout pike stutL Thero are three nioasnros that Manitoba nquires just as much as fchp does Bettor Terms. The lirat is a now lledistributiou Bill. The second is the abolition of the French language and French distinction; and the third is a new Education Bill. Tliese measures are absolutely necessary to the widfaie, peace and prosperity of the country. Thf people have fought for these UKmsures for some time, but broken faith and treachery have cruelly defeated their liopes. Ottawa has already Bet the example of breaking up the compact with us, and with British Columbia. If we munt have the French language thrust down our throats, and our public revenue absorbed by Frouoh emissaries, let Ottiiwa pay for it. The tinie has come when this nuisance must bo crushed, and let us hope that the right kind of men will rise to the surface and accomplish what a Davis or a Norquay, a Luxton or a Morris has been incapable of carrying out. I have carried these pages farther than I had intended ; still, there is much I would like to touch upon which I muyt reluctantly leave out. To show that I am not alone in my views respecting the " spirit of economy" which has moved the Government, I will conclude this im- perfect sketch with an extract Irom a speech delivered by Dr. Cowan in the Local Assembly at its last session. Dr. Cowaa is not, 1 believe, accused of being an out and out opponent of the Government, though his language on this occasion appears to have had no uncertain ^ound : " Dr. Cowan asked how this was. They voted a sum of $2,000 for purposes of Agriculture, and they had to pay $500 to a man to regulate the spending of it (laughter). It was very much to be regretted that they had on this occasion placed the member for Kildonan in the chair, as he was the only out and out opposition member in the House (laughter). Last year the hon. gentleman made an excellent speech on the estimates, showing how little retrenchment was in the Government policy, and this year he would have had ample grounds for such another speecli. The item for Grant's horse, about which the Premier had baid so much, reminded him of the singular manner in which some gentlemen in the House changed sides. Last year an hon. gentleman whose wishes in respect to this horse liad been thwarted in every way by the Government, had voted against them steadily. This year that niember had voted just as steadily for the Government. Whether or not this change haHTbeen brought about owing to that item about this horse in the estimates, it was not for him (Cowan) to say. Cue notable fact in connection with the estimates was, that despite all the boasted 4 ,■* "I \\ ■f Dominion yod in tlio tuuddlo ill i wlio havt' 3 muddle in itnpiible, in ti(! of local illud by tliu party pen 'hatjo LiiingH ' appoar aa as much aK bill. The distinction; 3 absolutely utry. Thf trokon fuitU iaB already irith Britiah i down our ijHarieu, let 36 mudt bo rise to the luxton or a still, there y leave out. " spirit of do tliia ira- Cowan in i believe, nt, though ain sound : $2,000 for to regulate retted that lau in the the House speech on overnment ich another emier had hich some gentleman every way year that Hieiher or about this ue notable he boasted ■^/ fuonnmy of the (lovorumeut, they wore K*'tting larger. Th« Ilouiin was pruiniHud that the abolition of the LegiHlative Council would eflfoot a saving of from $M,00() to $7,000. Well, the Council had been abolish, cd — not a dollar appoarud for thu Uooond (Jhamber in the ostimateb — and yot thu oxpeiidituru wont on increasing. Ho could not understand it." These are thu utterances of a member from n important copstit' uoncy, and of a gontloman who seems disposed to do his duty by bis oonHtituonts. I cannot closo withcut a remark or two about tho Minister of Public Works, Hon. Mr. lioyal. His well known fondness for oitice enables him to be always in power. Governmeuts may oomo and go, but l;.8 would go on forever. He is the politician of fortune, though I doubt > very much if his king would care about losing the servioes of such a f'tithful soldier; and so long as there are powers and contingents behind the throne we must expect Joseph to wear the variegated coat. A word or two more about the Better Terms delegation. There is some contradiction in the terms ot the report. We h ive already seen that it was urged before the Ottawa Goverumont that the demands for increased revenue originated chieHy from the fact that the population of the Province was rapidly increasing;, etc. On page 4 of the delegates' petition we find the following over the signatures of Messrs. Royal and Davis : "The claims of the Province were urged solely on the grounds of justice and equity, and by the comparison of the terms upon wbioh Manitoba catered Confederation and the terms tliat were granted before and aftor to some of the sister Provinces." We know this statement to be quite false, thougli it would have been better if it were true, as the claims of i^he Local Government, based solely upon the " spirit of econ- omy'' which they had infused into the administration of public aflfairs, would have been a hollow sham. But the occasion was not to be lost, and Messrs. Davis, Royal & Co. sought to eatviblish good characters for themselves before Mr. Mackenzie and Jiis associates, hence came the figures and statements which, if Mr. Mackenzie had examined, might have satisfied him that the delegates were a pair of political imposters trying to raise money under false pretences, and seeking to whitewash their political reputations. That the Province has juot and equitable direct claims against the Dominion I would be the last to deny. She has more — she has indi- rect claims for which the Dominion is responsible; but these latter can- not be exacted. The former, however, should be demanded as a right, not as a favor. A Province that contributes upwards of two hundred thousand dollars per annum to the Dominion Treasury in the shape of custom duties and gets in return a paltry $60,000, has more to claim than a supplicating favor ; nevertheless the Dominion Govern- ment ai'e the custodians of our rights to a very great extent, and while dealing with us honestly and fairly, they should not repose the fullest confidence in the representations of political aspirants who obtained power by fraud and retain it by intrigue. It would be well to examine and investigate, and not take things for granted as Mr. Mackenzie seems to have done ; nor was it a wise step to place an increased subsidy iu I|; 22 the 1 ands of men who had not given sufficient asarrance of their hon- esty or rehnnce. Lastly, it vmB questionable to insist on an amend- ment to the couHtitutiou witiiout an appeal to the people, merely on the supposed grounds of economy. That that economy was mythical we have already shown. It is useless to talk about climate, soil and resources, as if these things were not subsidiary to good and honest government, freedom of opinion, honest, fearless journalism, and wise legislation. Mexico is a finer, rirher and naturally more productive country than Manitoba, but to what ..as bad government, class legislation and i^morance di iven her? The people of Manitoba must, with a long pull and a strong pull, root out those prejudi«es that would give us a second Quebec for a second Ontario — send into oblivion those men whom mere chance has sent to the surface ai rotten apples, and Manitoba will be free, happy and prosperous. N.Ii. — On a future occasion I will take up the School^Question and the Half-Breed Beserves appertaining to Parishes, shewing who origi- nated the scheme.