IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
/
{./
'V
s?
'#.
O
o<'
€e.
Ux
fA
1.0
I.I
IIIIM IIIM
ilM i^
"" 2.0
i.8
1.25 1.4
1.6
^ 6" —
►
VQ
-^
(meaning "CON-
TINUED "), or the symbol V (meaning "END"),
whichever applies.
Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la
dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le
cas: le symbole — ^- signifie "A SUIVRE". le
symbole V signifie "FIN".
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
filmds d des taux de reduction diffdrents.
Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre
reproduit en un seul clichd, il est film6 d partir
de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite,
et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre
d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants
illustrent la mdthode.
1
2
3
1 2 3
4 5 6
■M WM W MHIWWBW I
hMM
B
IH
I
W
I TC
Y(
*niiiniiuiuaaaMuut«tuuiuftMuiia*uasuaiuauuiuuaAAuausu«aiaiiau«t»us« <
REFORM GOVERNMENT 1
IHE BENEFITS IT HAS COiFERRED UPON THE PEOPLE,
SPEECHES
DELIVERED BY THE
HON. OLIVER MOWAT
ill
AT -
1 WOODSTOCK, THURSDAY EVE'G, DEC. 12tls 1878,
BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS,
AND IN
I TORONTO, WEDNESDAY EVENING. JAN. 8th, 1870,
BEFORE THE
Young Men's Ket'orm Literary and Debating Olnb,
TORONTO, ONTARIO,
GLOBE PUINTIXG COMPANY, KING STREET EAST,
■ ' 1879.
ww mwM wii
** MMMMMI
rv.n'lifiiiP-11 »mFiiifia*(i* trnvvvvvw* t« t» > »>«»»« n ^>t» w»nH Ti
UUMM«Ma*M>*aa*a*MMM/aMftaaMa*«»*»av«)«raetaiui«tttkir«)tftib(iAltMitiituuiit*
I
' ■ ■'
,
m
♦
i ® to •• "
iH •
ta
P © fJ
•€» > -H •!
© P^ rJ rQ
, , , ,
fii
© p
t
>-. > iH
o ^
1 w +>
P^C
H © ri
•>
fi
• r3 ©
+>
to
ntJ ,b
4 ©Q
aJ
o c
:> r-
^
Jh C
5 "^
u +
3 * Pi
4J
■
O €
•J c3
©
«*-< t
U +5
rt c
D ^
i^
o c
4^
O r
: U c3
>H
CO
W +
3 EH ©
^
ci c
=5 ^ "*^
4
:> .H ^j;
1 — 1
43 C
'J
<
•H :
^ -d c
•
<
4 c3 $4
4J
«H
rt
i
•H >
-« » ©
•
«H <
D C31P4
1
i
> 4^
C^ •'
H d W
oiic
4^^
1
•H
i
rCl 1
C3 4J .
4J
E-< <
ri PS PJ
d
i
i
V
»H
?s
^H
•
•
f^«
,C^ >i
-
•H 4^ rH i -1
'
5 rt
© Ci4
li J-l
© ^« *'=i<
■ „ ■ ; , 1
^
1^4 » rt fl
»
d r- cr>
!
ICO C^ C2
fH
f :: IH CO ► rH
01 rH 0.'
•■
^^
^4 J' "tii
cj •« rtl •
^
p «c} o.cr>
n
© :a -P u-t^
p< -J CO O'CD
■ ' 1
Is
;i EH r-i
■'
• •
■ • ■ ^,'..'
«M
PI
©
© a
4xj'! P i-o
1
. Y
HEFORM GOVEENMEN
IIsT OISTT^'JRXO.
THE BENEFITS IT HAS COKFERRED UPQI THE PEOPLE,
SPEECHES
DEUYERED BY THB
HON. OLIVER MOWAT
-AT-
WOODSTOCK, THURSriY EVE'G, DEC. 12th, 1878,
BSrOBE fiXS CONSTITUKNTSt
TORONTO, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JAN. Stb, 1879,
BEFORE THB
Young Men's Beform Literary and Debating Club,
ToROi^TO, ONTARIO,
atOBE t»RINTINO COMPANY, KINO STREET fiAST, '
1879.
'^''mMM-§:vfo r. ) iL n(y'i ^i fi
T ,^*t-
%■-
I .« V... .;w ,- * V..' V, -A. ^.. -V -A -^
; jn/l.!-:-.::
> f^ T";?" Y
"i
-«
>rit
,' ' »■
; .:v:i-:: 77.'T;. !-'-iiT .Trv^ir^roov/
'Ut :Ar.\ iv;v:i,-;!v- y/jt^nviAav; ^oixouot
■'-Mi Urn -nlfi-m^ m'^Aoil ^'m\^ :^ii«<>T
>»..»»
■•*J
V.-i'^'v'
.'1, »
.v.n-'.
. 7.4 > ,
< -'■'
■"■f •J.*' vl) «'\i
v-'f» ...1
±/CTl. :h£C>-W.£JX!'^
I'-
REVIEW AND DEFENCE
*
vi--:,---' r ^ r
OF HIS
»■!
ADMINISTRATION.
ffi
SPEECH DELIVERED BEFORE HIS CONST JTUE2^'TS
! ^ AT WOODSTOCK, THURSDAY ENENIKG, , ,'
J ;' ; , r DECEMBER 12th, 1878. ; '^
.T f ■ . . f-fi.f.rr
jvr
■ ■,.'/
The Hon. Oliver Mowat, Premier of Ontario, addressed a meeting
of his constituents of North Oxford in the Town Hall, Woodstock,
on Thursday night, 12th December, 1878. Mr. T. H. Parker,
Mayor of Woodstock, presided, and in addition to Mr. Mowat, Messrs
Thos. Oliver, M.P. for North Oxford, John Douglas, President of the
Ueforra Association, liev. W. T. McMulleh, and llev. W. B. Parker,
occupied seats on the platform.
1 he Chairman, in introdnoing the sjieaker of the evening, remarked
that though some people had little faith in the speeches of politicians,
iio was sure all present would agree with him when he said that they
were fortunate in having as their representative a thoroughly honest
and upright man. (Cheers.) After they had heard the plain un-
varnished talo that he would deliver as to the work himself and his
colleagues had done, they would, he was satisfied, agree with him
that Mr. Mowat was the right man in the right place. (Loud cheers.)
Hon. Mr. Mowat, on coming forward, was received with warm and
hearty cheers. After briefly thanking his constituents for the kindly
greeting which thoy had given him, he said : — It is recognized as a
litting thing that a representative of the^people should, from time to
time, appear before his constituents to give to them an account of whaJ;
he had been doing as their representative, and it is fitting also that he
would appear amongst them on other occasions. I havo endeavouied
i?
4
to (liscliarf^'o this duty, and rorjrct cxccejingly tliat I have not been
ablo to visit you more ri'C(j^ucnily.
Dominion and Local Politics.
Tho mutters under discussion did not rolato to
but 1 was doubtless quito within my lino of duty
DnruK^ tho last gen oral election contest Thad tho pleasufo of address-
ing Hovoriil meetin(,f8 in North Oxford, though 1 attended but one
meeting elsewhere.
Provincial atlairs ;
when, at tho rcqiiestof my conatitucnti, i appeared at those nioetin^s.
Opposition newspapers and orators pretend that I was wrrmg.iu
doing so. Tlioy s;iy in oIFect that I came too often to North Oxford ;
and my visits during tho Dominion elections are urged as forming ono of
the strongest reasons why tlie coniidencoof the people of Ontario should
be withdrawn from me. It happened that my views upon tho so-
called National Policy coincided with the views of my constituents.
(Hear, hear, and cheoi's.) Tlio question, whichever side was right
with regard to it, was, in the view of all mon, a question on which
tho future of this country greatly de[)ended. I5y universal admission
tho prosperity of Canada wonhl bo seriously aiiected one way or tho
other, whatever conclusion tho people should arrive at in regard to it.
In such a case I hold that it was most proper for mo, as a citizen of
Ontario, as one interested in its well-being, to appear before my con-
stituents, or any others, for the purpose of expressing my views on
this great public question. (Hear, hear.) It is quite true that tho
Local Government ought to bo independent of the Dominion Govern-
ment ; but tliough tho two Governments may be wholly unconnected,
yet there is no reason wliy the members of either should not take a
lively interest in important concerns with which they have not
utlicially to do. (Hear, hear.) In becoming a representative of tho
people in the Provincial Assembly, and in taking the position of
Premier of tho Local Government, I did not forego the legal and con-
stitutional rig'.it which a private individual possesses to take part as
opportunity oli'virs in all matters of public interest. The people of
Canada liavo declared that in this country there shall bo no connec-
tion between Church and State. Does this debar an officer of the
State from taking public part in the affairs of his Church '} Does my
position in tho State foi'bid my attending Church meetings, to diiicuaa
there questions in Avhich I may feel an interest ? There is no reason
why I should abstain from taking part in matters relating to tho
general welfare of tho Dominion ; and nobody really thinks there is any
incongruity about the matter ; the objection is sot up only because
those who make it feel that there is no solid reason why the people of
Ontario should withdraw from my colleagues and myself that confi-
dence which they have extended to us in the past.
Our Con.<3titutlonal System.
' V:
.M
It is now more than eleven years since our prcF-ent constrtutibnat
system was established. That event was one of groat importance to
our country, and a groat triumph to those whose persevering oflEbrts
had brought it about. Before that time other great battles had been
fought, and other groat victories had been won, in the interest of the
people of, Canada, Tho obtaining of responsible government, tho
secularization 'of the clerfty rcsorvc>', tlio cstabliHlnnont of nmnicipal
institutions (in spito of the charge luiulo a.^ainst thorn that they woukl
be mere " sucking repubUcs "), wore the results of severe and long
struggles, and all were victories of great vahio. ]^ut not less diili-
cult or less important than these was the establishment of the system
which put an end to French Tory rule in the local atlairs of 'Jntario— j '
(cheers^ — placed the management of our local allairs in our ovmi
liands, and gave to the Province representation in proportion to our -
population in all things of connnon concern. It took a long time to
accomjdish these victories ; but now all men, wheif tliey look back,
wonder how measures so advantageous to the community, and bo
necessary, could have been opposed by anybody. Our new system!
has on tlio whole worked with a success surpassing the cxpecta-j
tions of its friends. y«
The subjects agitated at the late Dominion elections aro snbjccta
which do not belong to Provincial jurisdiction ; and in the
approaching local elections yon will have n(jthing to do with
these subjects. The questions which stirred the country then aro not
involved, directly or indircctlyj in the general election which is now
drawing near. The Local Legislature has nothing to do with tho
tariflf. We can not rai'^o it or diminish it ; iior can wo alter any-
thing contained in it. We have nothing to do with Customs
duties or Excise duties — nothing to do with tho duties imposed on
any articles which we consume, whether made in tho country or out
of it. Wo have no power to pass a prohibitory liquor law.]
The Dunkin Act is a matter entirely beyond the jurisdiction of tlioj ^
Provincial Legislature. We have no right to repeal it; we have no'
right to add auything to its provisions ; avo cannot oven creato by
law additional machinery for the purpose of giving legal effect tc
its provisions in those localities where the people favour such a law.
All these important matters, which occupied attention during the
late elections, and on other occasions, we shall have nothing to do
with when we come to consider the issues involved in our Pro-
vincial elections.
But the Provincial Legislature has very large powers. When you call
to mind the various branches of jurisdiction which it possesses, you will
perceive that they include those subjects with which the great bulk
of legislation in Canada before Confederation had to do, and with
which tlie great bulk of legislation in free countries generally has to
do.
Wo have exclusive jurisdiction to regulate our own local constitn-ii
tion, except so far as ahects tho ollioe of the Lieutenant-Governor. It >
is for the Provincial Legislature — your representatives there — to pay
of how many Houses the Legislature shall be constituted, whether as
now of one House, the Legislative Asseud)ly, or whether of two
Houses, as is the case in most of the other Provinces, It is for the
Provincial Legislature to say into how many constituencies the coun-
try shall be divided for Provincial representation ; what the qualifi-
cations of the members shall be ; what the qualifications of the electors
shall be ; and how the controverted elections are to be tried. All
matters of this kind affecting the Provincitil Legislature, the Provincial
Legislature has fxclusive jurisdiction to deal with. We have
§;^clu,sivc ^urisiIicU^n over the subject of the administration of lustice.
6
the most essential function of . every Government. The* Provincial
Legiiilature has exclusive jurisdiction over the great Bubjecis of
property and civil rights. It has exclusive jurisdiction over all mat-
ti^rs afl'ecting our municipal institutions — institutions to which the
country owes a large measure of its past prosperity, and on which its
future prosperity will likewise largely depend. ITie Provincial
Le2
V-.' . ' /' ' The Bonndary Qnesitlons.
Another inter-provincial matter that had been left for a Eeform
Government to deal with, was the unsurveyed boundary line, between
the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Very shortly after Mr. Blake's
Government was formed, arningements were made with Lower Ca-
nada for running this line. The survey was entered upon promptly,
and has been completed to the satisfaction of both Governments aa
far northerly as the case required. And thus this iiitor-provincial
difficulty was removed.
There remained the question ox the boundary between Ontario and
the Dominion on our western and northern sides, and in this matter tho
difficulty was immensely greater, and the land affected of enormously
greater value, than in the case of our eastern boundary. Little pro-
gress had been made towards the solution ot this problem before Mr.
Blake's Government came into power. But immediately upon his
assuming the reins of office, he took stops for its settlement. I suc-
ceeded him in the work. Exhaustive reports from able men familiar
with the subject were obtained. Some of the questions involved i;x
the controversy had been in debate for two centuries ; the docu-
ments and papers bearing upon the subject were scattered over
hundreds of volumes ; nearly ab mpny old maps had to be conault-
:#
10
ed ; and documents, bpokd, and maps had to be searched for and
examined in London and Paiiau Washington and Albany, Ottawa and
Quebec. We managed to collect from all these what was material,
and to comprise in a single volume of nounm^nageable dimensions the
whole evidence on both Sides of the question ; and we had a map pre-
pared which gave at a glance the material results of all the maps which
had been consulted. This preliminary work was great and tedious,
but it made ultiniate decision easy and prompt. We arranged with
the Government of the Dominion that the matter should be submitted
to aibitratiou. Objectors declared that we were sure to fail before
arbitrators, and that what we should do was to carry the case to th«
Trapei'ial Privy Council, instead ^of arbitrating. We did riot concur in
that view. Though we estimated highly the ability and learning of
the Jtidges of the Privy Council, we thought that on our own side of
the Atlantic might be found men as capable as any elsewhere,
to decide a case of this kind. Three arbitrators were therefore
chosen. The Province of Ontario selected Chief Justice Harrison, who
lias since gone to his final rest after a short but brilliant career,
and whose death is a great public loss. (Hear, hear.) The Gov-
ernment of the Dominion selected Sir Francis Hincks, a resident of
Montreal, whose ability and fitness for the post all acknowledged as
soon as his name was announced. The third arbitrator selected Tvas the
British Minister at Washington, who had been concerned in similar
inquiries before, a gentleman of great ability, and in whose judgment
and impartiatlity all parties could have confidence. I believe that the
general seniment was, that it would not have been possible to find
three gentlemen, either in the Privy Council or elsewhere, vrho were
wore likely than these were to arrive at a sound conclusion, or who&e
conclusion would be more generally accepted as satisfactory. You
know the result ; hy the award of the arbitrators a large addition
has been made to the territory over which Ontario had theretofore ex-
ercised jurisdiction. Among all the important questions which the
Government of Ontario has had to deal with since Otmfederation,
none was of greater moment to our future than this question of the
boundviry between Ontario and the Dominion ; and the award that we
have obtained gives to us, not aU that we asked for, and not all that we
could and did give pretty strong arguments in support of, but all that
our people really desire, and as much as the Province can make bene-
licial use of. (Applause.) And so another of the important and dilfi-
cult problems which the Government had to deal with was settled, and
settled satisiactorily.
Consolidation of tbe Statntos.
J
Again — the statute law of the Province was in a state of chaos when
we took office It was many years before that time that the statute
law of Canada had been consulidateil. Since that consolidation annual
volumes of statutes had been making their appearance ; these repealed
some of the laws as tliey stood in 1859, when the first consolidation took
] (lace, and altered and amended others ;dead law had necessarily become
mixed up with living law in every volume ; and no volume except the
last of the series showed or could show which of the enactments in it
were still in force and which were not. If you wanted to know what
the statute law was on any subject, you had to consult perhaps twenty
It
indexes and twenty volumes before you could be reasonably sure what
the law was ; and it was with fear and trembling that even a lawyer
gave his opinion on any matter of statutory law with which he
did not happen to be familiar, lest there should be some enactment
somewhere which had some bearing on the matter in hand in some way,
and had escaped his attention. The form of the law, facility for as-
certaining what the law is, has been said by jurists to be as important
as the law itself, if not more important. Then in the Consolidated
Statutes of 1859,, and the subsequent volumes up to Confederation,
laws now within the authority of the Provincial Legislatvire and
Jaws beyond our authority were necessarily intermingled. To pro-
vide a remedy for the state of things which I have described, wo
appointed a Comuiiasion (of v^hich I was myself a member,) for the
purpose of assisting in the coi:»solidation and revision of our whole
statute law, striking out everything that was dead, and everything
that was seen to be beyond Provincial jurisdiction ; collecting the
scattered enactments upon every subject, and fusing them into one
chapter ; classifying the Acts thus consolidated ; arranging them
in the most convenient way for easy reference ; and providing one
index for the whole, instead of the twenty indexes attached to
the existing volumes. One of the absurd charges made against iis
is, that we employed a Commission for the purpose of doing, or assist-
ing in doing, this work. There never yet was an important consolidation
r revision of the laws of any country that was not done by a Com-
mission, and it is impossible to discharge work of this kinc) otherwise
than by a Commission. A majority of the Commissioners held
judicial offices. I may say further, that there never was a Com-
mission for revising the statute law of any State or country which,
in view of the comparative extent of the work, cost nearly as little as
our Commission cost. The work too, I may add, was done as well
as the work of the best paid Commissioners that had ever similar work
to do in any country I know of. (Cheers.) Upwards of twelve hun-
dred public general statutes had to be examined, compared, and
arranged, and these were ultimately reduced by consolidation to two
hundred and twenty-four. In the course of the work the whole body
of the statute law underwent legislative revision, as well as consolida-
tion. And so we disposed of this very important matter ; and the
people are in possession of the results of our work.
'" Otber Legislation. .^ --
"When the Reform Government took c *Hce there were many sub-
jects on which prompt legislation was needed. Legislation was
needed in regard to the arrangement of the constituencies ; m regard
to the election laws ; in regard to the courts ; in regard to our muni
cipal institutions ; in regard to our laws of property ; in regard to tho
solemnization of marriages ; and in regard to a great many other sub-
jects : and we have dealt with them all ; and I venture to say we have
dealt with them satisfactorily, according to the judgment of our friends
and of very many who were not our political friends. Indeed, most
of the Acts which have been passed were not even objected to by our
opponents, or were objected to very slightly and by very few. 1 have
the satisiaction of knowing that our legislation has been more success-
ful than the most sanguine of our friends seven years ago had looked
- •■ • ''• 12
for, and has frequently received the express approval of both onr
friends and others. (Cheers.) Legislation is the chief work which
a Legislature meets from time to time to perform.'
. ' ' Tbo Finances. • v , ,'
I wish now to sav somethisg more respecting our finances,
and how it was deemed best that the money at our command from
year to year, and the revenue accumulations of previous years, should
be employed. Mr. Sandfield Macdonald was the first Premier. At
the time he took office it was impossible to foresee, with that degree of
certainty necessary for action, what would be the normal revenue under
Provincial management, or what under the new system the annual
wants and requirements of the Province would be. The amount of
the debt for which Ontario and Quebec were liable to the Dominion
was also unascertained. For these reasons it was necessary at the
start to be very cautious in expenditure. Mr. Sandfield Macdonald
was also a man who in public matters loved not to spend, (Hear.)
IIo was a personal friend of my own ; we had been on the same
.side of the House during the whole period that I was a member before
accepting a judgeship; and I was for a time his colleague as Postmas-
ter-General when he was Premier of Canada. When the temporary
Coalition Government was proposed, to which we are iixdebtedfor Con-
federation, he attended the Reform caucus previous to the formation
of the Government, and was one of those who voted that three repre-
sentatives 5f the Reform party should go into that Government,
though he did not wish to be one of the three. I was selected as one
ot them; but shortly afterwards I left political life,and I had no part in
those subsequent contests in which Mr. Sahdfield Macdonald and the
majority of Reformers differed from one another. But I had al-
ways a ve»*y great respect for Mr. Macdonald, from what I had known
ot him while politically his ally or his colleague. I knew how careful
he was in (amongst other things) all matters of finance ; indeed, the
saving of money in pt^blic matters had with him been almost a passion.
To such causes in part it was owing that he commenced the Provincial
expenditure on a very low scale ;but even with him the annual expendi-
ture was constantly increasing. For instance, in 1868 his expenditure
was $1,192,356 ; in 1869 it ran up to $1,444,608 ; in 1870 it was
$1 ,580,663 ; and in 1871 it was $1,816,866 ; all these sums left a con-
siderable unexpended surplus of revenue. Now, what should be done
with this surplus ? That was a matter upon which there was a good
deal of discussion before Mr. Sandfield Macdonald lost power ; and the
discussion continued afterwards. Mr. Macdonald made up his mind
in his last year that a million and a half of the surplus should go to
railways.
Railway Expenditure.
Unfortunately, however, in setting aside that amount he was in-
duced to take into the hands of the Government the decision as to the
particular railways to be aided. The Act setting aside that sum pro-
vided that the selection of the railways should be by the Lieutenant-
Governor in Council, not by the Legislature, not with the sanction of
tho Legi8]ature,not oven after notice to the Legislature or to the public,
The appropriation to a railway might be made, and the money might
be expended, long before either Parliament or the country would know
- ^^' thing about the appropriation. There was no practical restriction
k
13
upon the power of the Government in the matter, except that the
amount per mile was not to be less than $2,000, and was not to exceed
$4,000, but between those sums, what the bonus should be was left
entirely to the Government of the day. No notice had to be published
in the Gazette of what the Government was doing, no return was even
required by the Act to be made to the Legislature. The recital in the
Act professed to restrict grants by the Government to railways
ivhich should lead to our free grant territory,or which shoi^ld lead to in-
land waters,or which should run through thinly settled tracts of country.
What part of Ontario,needing railway aid, would not come within one or
the other of those descriptions? The people disapproved of that large
power being placed in the hands of a Government; and it was on this ac-
count that at the next general election the Government was unsuccess-
ful, more than for any other act or omission with which the Govern-
ment had been charged. Such an assumption of authority was con-
trary to the spirit of our constitutional system. It was contrary to
the spirit of representative government that so large a power should be
given to any Government as was provided by the statute. I cannot
but suspect that it was not by Mr. Sandfield Macdonald's own desiro
or suggestion that this power was taken by the Govemor-in-Council.
His Government was a Coalition. The members of it did not belong
to the same political school, and had been opposed to one another
upon the old issues. Of course, coming together in a Government,
they had to give way to one another.. I can well understand some of
the colleagues of Mr. Macdonald desiring this large power to be taken
by the Govemor-in-Council, but it was so contrary to what was to bo
expected from the whole political life of Mr. Macdonald himself, that
I have little doubt this feature of his railway scheme was one of thos e
matters in which he in his turn gave way to some of his colleagues, as in
other matters they gave way to him. There must always be compromises
of that kind in such a Government; and those who knew Mr. Macdonald
well in the olden time can have little doubt that this error in his Railway
Act was cpe of the compromises. Except in this a|ll-important respect,
his Railway Act was a very good Act, and, after being divested of its ob-
jectionable provisions, it has since been worked with great public advau-
tjige. In the first session after Mr. Sandfield Macdonald's Government
fell, his successor, Mr. Blake, who had always fully recognized the
value of rail^^ays in developing the resources of the country and in
augmenting its wealth, induced the Legislature to increase the appro-
priation from $1,500,000 to $1,900,000, and also to appropriate $100,-
000 a year for twenty years for the same object. Additional appro-
priations were made in my time. Up to the last day of December,
1877, we had paid in aid of railways $2,035,900. (Cheers.) These pay-
ments were made to railways which had already received the approba-
tion of the localities through which they passed, as shown by their
previously contributing to the same roads upwards of seven millions
of dollars ($7,089,480), being more than three times the amount
which the Government has so paid. By this means upwards of 1,000
miles of new railway in various parts of the Province had been built
by the end of 1877 ; and the total expenditure since 1872, from all
rjurces, in respect of the railways aided by the Province, including the
bonuses which I have mentioned, was nearly $22,000,000.
14
• » ,^5-. >,,. ....-:
Why the Doprossioa fell lightly npon ne.
Tlie period during wliich this large amount of imoney was ex-
! psnded was a period of depression, arising from causes whioh have
been discussed considerably of late, which most of you axe now
■ familiar with, and which did not afFect one nation only, but af-
, fected the entire commercial world. It is a remarkable fact that
: though Ontario shared in the depression, it suflered less than
most other countrief^ did ; and one cause of that circumstance un-
' doubled ly was, that during that trying period these twenty- two
, millions of dollars were being expended in the building of the local
railways of the country. (Hear, hear.) It was not only the
pjjending of that large snm that made us feel the depression
loss thati it was felt elsewhere. The railways so built increased
values generally, as fast as the railways were completed. They in-
creased, in the country thi'ough which they passed, the value of farm
property, of farm labour, and of farm products ; they diminished the
expense and diflficulty of bringing products to market ; they led to
the creation of new viUages, and they increased the prosperity of vil-
lages and towns already existing. These railways served, too, to
facilitate the settlement of our unoccupied lands, to promote com-
mercial and social intercourse, and in various ways directly and in-
directly they added to the wealth, the comfort, and the general
well-being of the people. (Hear, hear, and cheers.^ Our railway
expenditure, leading as it did to so many direct and so many inciden-
tal advantages, constituted a very important factor in the cau' 3S
of the comparative freedom which this Province enjoyed from x>he
distress that prevailed in other countries.
..,,;... ^, , The Surplus Distriliution. ' ; • rji ; -i- '
Eut our railway expenditnre was not the only expenditure of Pro-
vincial funds which contributed to that condition of things. I have
abeady stated that in the set llement of the Municipal Loan Fund
Diebt question we relieved, either wholly or partially, as the case re-
quired, important sections of the country from debts which for yeai»
had been weighing them down, and in various w.ays retarding orforbid-
ding their prosperity. Besides that relief, we made a large expenditure
in order to compensate unindebted municipalities for what had been
done for indebted municipalities. If the Legislature relieved the
latter, it was simple justice to all those municipalities that were not
in debt, and had long been assisting in paying the debts of others,
that they should receive some compensation ; and the compensation
provided by the Legislature on our recommendation was, an allow-
ance to every municipality in the Province of $2 per head of their
population, and an additional allowance on a fixed principle to those
mxmicipalities that had already spent money on railways. Under thia
scheme we had paid out to the unindebted municipalities,up to the end
of December, 1877 , more than three millions of dollars ($3,11 7,225) ; and
this money has been employed by the municipalities in various ob-
jects of public utility selected by themselves. The statute setting the
money apart required that it should be employed in the respective
localitie.s, either in the paj'ment of debts, or in objects of per-
.in4Jient uBefuluess, and not frittered away in current expensQg
An<
it
In
Id
15
caa 3s
' And how did the municipalities expend the money 7 They expmded
it as follows ; —
In Roads and bridges 51,168,746 34
In paying debts caused by granting aid to railways 963,734 50
In paying other debts incurred for permanent works not speci-
iied 28,579 56
In educational purposes, including schoolhouses built, school
debts paid, and investments for school purposes...; 652,053 82
In building and improving town halls , 145,114 22
(72 town halls have been built or paid for, and a large number ...^
of markets and lock-ups) -.
In town and village improvements, by construction of water-
^r/y works, making sidewalks, planting shade-trees, and
buying steam fire-engines 76,432 65
In making and improving harbours 40,947 19
In drainage 27,362 27
In paying share of cost of county buildings and aiding in the
erection of mills and manufactories 11,382 50
In buying and laying out public parks and agricultural society
grounds 4,598 00
In the purchase and improvement of cemeteries 1,917 02
In aid given to unorganized districts, in making roads and
bridges, and building schools 6,352 50
Total.. 83,117,325 07
This large amount has thus been employed in works or for purposes
which either would otherwise not have been undertaken, or would
have been undertaken by an increase of public burdens, and by the di-
rect taxation of the people of the municipalities making the expenditure.
Another item of Provincial expcmiiture which contriliuted some-
thing to lessen the depression in the localities affected by the expen-
diture> was the sum of $328,380 advanced from Provincial funds for
municipal drainage purposes, and the purchase of drainage debentures.
' '-■• General Financial Results.
This sum, together with the amounts previously mentioned as paid
to railways and in surplus distribution, make a total of upwards of 5^
million dollars ($5,539,565) expended since 1871 in these ways for the
benefit of the people. There is no ground for saying that these ex-
l)enditure3 should have come, or were intended or supposed to have
come, out of the annual revenue. Our whole scheme of surplus dis-
Btribution was founded on the fact of possessing an unexpended
surplus. And so with regard to the railway expenditure, whether as
projected by Mr. Sandfield Macdonald's Government, or as carried out
by the Governments which sacceeded his.
The aggregate sum under the three heads which I have specified ex-
ceeded by upwards of a million of dollars Mr. Sandfield Macdonald's
unexpended revenue surplus. If avo had no surplus now,
and if in that respect we were now no better off than any other
Province is (for not one of them hcs a surplus), the mode of employing
the surplus was such as to entitle my friends and myself to look for a
renewal of the confidence and support of the people. (Loud cheers )-
We did not think it a good thing, and it would not have been a good.
10
thing, to hoard up the money which was in the public treasury, (Mr was
coming into it ; and we theroforo employed it in ways that were far
better, and more beneficial to the people, than hoarding it in banks
would have been. (Hear, hear.) If we had not only employed every
cent of the old surplus from all sources, and had nothing of it now
remainingy but if we had also used up the whole annual revenue of every
If year in necessary or useful annual expenditure, we should have been
justified in asking you for your continued confidence, on the ground
that the expenditure was wise and proper — was such as the country has
derived more than corresponding benefit from, continues to derive
such benefit from, and will continue to profit by for years to come.
(Cheers.)
But, apart from these items which I have thus mentioned, our average
annual expenditure for other purposes has been within our average re-
venue, and the result is, that there is a surplus, and a large surplus, still.
: Newspaper writers and stump speakers talk occasionally about our
having annual deficits ; and they make a show of proving it by mix-
ing up figures which ought to be kept separate. Those who so mix
-ftp ^'!
Wby tbe Bxpenditnre was Increased, j^
Having funds in hand beyond annual necessities, and having to con-
sider from year to year how best to employ these funds, besides the
expenditure that I have mentioned the Legislature have thought it
right to increase several of the customary grants. The expenditure
for purposes of
Bduoatioa
Was one of these. The average annual expenditure by the Govern-
ment for educational objects up to 1871, Mr. Sandfield Macdonald's last
year, was $337,923;the average annual e::penditure since has been $491,-
*018 ; for W^ bv'liev^d that we could not employ public money more use-
18
f
f uHy than in promoting the educati jn of the people. (Cheora.) Educa-
tion advances the general interests in every way — economically ,sooially
polticaily, morally, .and religionaly. The education of the people
is in fact the most important object which can receive public atten-
tion ; and there is nothing, as I rejoice to see, which our people mora
prize than educational facilities for their children. (Louda pplauso. )
They have shown that feeling in many ways, and among others in
this, that, while we have been assisting in this great work with larger
grants than before, the local expenditure by the people for the same ob-
ject has increased far more than ours has ; they expend year by year
far more money on educational j^virposes than such sums as they receive
from the Government. For example, the local expenditure oil
Public and Separate Schools and High Schools for 1876 was not
far from four millicms of dollars, viz., $3,099,546. The Province
only contributed $524,493 (part of which sum is included in
the local expenditure). The people have built and are building
better schools, they are paying better salaries to their teachers,
and they are availing themselves of school appliances of all kinds of
an improved description. Our expenditure on education has in-
creased from $315,887, the amount in 1871 — Mr. Sandfield Macdonalds*
List year — to $549,792, the amount in 1877. But the people's total, ex-
penditure for the same object has increased, in respect of teachers*
Biilaries from $1,191,476 in 1871, to $1,838,320 in 1876 ;' and in re-
pocfc of school sites, buildings, repairs, &c., from $611,819 in 1871, to
i^l,168,134 in 1870. I name 1876 because I have not at hand all the
figures for 1877. Education is one of the objects for which, since we
liad the money, we have felt it a duty to recommend a more liberal
expenditure than previously. I shall mention some others (for time
does not admit of a full enumeration^, that you may judge, whether,
having money to employ, we were right in giving to the various
objects of expenditure which were within our control, more than l^ad
been given to them previously. Thus, upon
^^ Colonizntion Roads -.' -
the average yearly expenditure up to 1871 was $41,848 ; the average
yearly expenditure for the subsequent period up to 1877 inclusive was
$97,280. So for iv u'' k'v ,;»:t.jion. *' 1« i;.'ito.ui,ft3ip.vi fjpvtit' . J>^0,^;/:^{o
.V-f
'■0
Public Works
■ ;i! 'f*-';u-.>7q "f vV-f
the average expenditure up to 1871 was $270,870, and for the subse-
quent period, $311,832. In the -i ;.. i .^-^ :. •u'fv
■:■-■:■ y-A'-T.C- Maintenance of Asylums' ''''"'^ f'' "'■'"^^ M^^r^h
and public institutions, the average expenditure up to 1871 was
$158,158 ; new institutions have been established since 1871; additions
have been made which increased the accommodation afforded by the
old buildings ; and the average expense since has been $315,533.
There has been a larger, number of unfortunate occupants of
these institutions, and of course increase of exp^mditure necessarily
followed. All the institutions referred to are conducted with the
greatest possible economy consistent with their efl3.ciency, and now
pomyavQ favourably with similar institutions iji othey countries, fof
19
Bduoa-
looially
people
1 atten-
e more
ilauBo. )
lers in
L larger
^me ob-
jy year
receive
lire oh
ras not
rovince
(led in
luilding
sachers,
dnds of
has in-
lonalda*
otal. ex-
eachers*
i in re-
L871, to
all the
nee we
liberal
ar time
hether,
various
lan had
V. V . ■ i
average
iive was
> subse-
^71 was
Editions
I by the
315,533.
laiits of
cessarily
ivith the
md noy?"
ries^ ■ for
both 'efficiency and economy. In all respects they are a credit to our
Prorinco ; as visitors competent to judge are constantly testifying.
Again, in reganl to
Agrionltaral, xaurary and Solentlflo Soolotled,
the average annual expenditure up to 1871 was $75,746, and the aver-
age annual expenditure since, up to 3877 inclusive, was $89,})S2. I
do not know any purpose to whichwe could have applied this anunint
of our extra funds (as we had extra funds) uioro properly than in
the increase we have made in that item.
In the same manner I am prepared to account for, and to justify,
every particular of increase which has taken place since 1871. Some
increases have been from causes beyond governmental control; and
every increase was in the public interest where the matter was within
our control. j^,,.,
Allogod Defloita.
You see it sometimes stated in Opposition newspapers that we have
been expending more, annually, than we have received for the year of
the expenditure ; and to a certain extent that is not only true, but we
intended and proclaimed it from the first. Thepeople could not have had
those large sums expended amongst municipalities, and for railways,
and so on, if we had absurdly and weakly determined to spend no
more in a year for any purpose whatever than we should receive in
that year. The position of the Province was this ; We had a sur-
plus revenue from other years, and it wai avowedly upon
that surplus that we were drawing. But what has been
the practice of these opponents of ours, who talk and write
so glibly about our so-called annual deficits 1 I have a mem-
orandum here which has been taken from a return made by tlie
officers of the Dominion as to the practice of Sir John Macdonald's
Governfnent during his day. And what does this return show ?
Why, for the year ending 3l8t December, 1858, he spent mere than
the revenue by $3,375,317. , ... . - ■-. ...
In 1859 by $1,494,744. - V, r.-' V- '^o^u.i^t.
In 1860 by $1,973,989. :^ i - i •.• : .v< ..{i '/' /.aifuH -.M • • v.
In 1861 by $1,999,008. ; .^t ..s^j .^m wlj :
In 1862 the excess was $2,064,-331.
And in 1863 the excess was $870,490. For this last year my friend
Mr. Sandtield Macdonald was the Premier, and he and his Govern-
ment were responsible. The reference of our opponents to so-
called deficits is made chiefly, 1 suppose, to confirm credulous followers
of their own ; but the figures which I have given ought to convince
even them of the fallacy of the talk about our deficits. Indeed, one
cannot but wonder at the simplicity of those who make it a charge
against the Provincial Government that we have sometimes expended
more than was received during the year, as we had it to spend ;
while their own friends Ubed to spend far more than the revenue,
though they could only do so by borrowing the money. (Cheers.)
\imbt' hah
Affiioultnral Legislation.
Some of our expenditure and some of our legislation have had to do
\r\ a special way witlj the> farming community. Our general
1 !
20
exponflituro, like our gonoral lo^iiiilutu/ii, directly boncfils all claBses
eqxially ; but our iucroHHed exjiendituro ou iiiattura which have
a special interest for farmers has been a portion of that gen-
eral increase with which we aro absurdly charj^od as mani-
festing thereby extravagance and incapacity. In 1871 the vote for
Agricultural Assnciatlons, »fcc., was $05,100; in 1878, our last year, it
was $97,00 J for the same objects. As we had extra money, why should
we not give some ol' itto those objects? We have advanced 50 per cent, on
the vote which I have mentioned. Let us look at some of the particu-
lars included in tliis item. The Legislature voted for dairy associations
in 1874, $700, and since 1874 $2,000 a year. In 1872 there was voted
for the first time for sundry services in connection with agriculture
and the arts, such as the investigation of the diseases of animals and
crops, the ravages of insects, and other objects not otherwise pro-
vided for, the sum of $1,000, and ever since 1874 the vote has been
$2,000 a year for the same objects. luast year we a^jpropriated for a
bureau of agricultural statistics, $1,000. ' We have doubled the
amount voted before our time to the Fruit- Growers' Association.
We have added 60 per cent, to the customary grant to the Entomo-
logical Society, established for investigating the habits etc. , of insects
— a subject unfortunately only too important to our farmeis. We have
provided for the expenditure of $200,000 in the purchase of drainage
debentures to encourage the draining of portions of the country,
through the Municipal Councils, by buying from them the debentures
issued for this purpose at the low r.ato of interest of five pc^r cent.
The sums which we have paid in that way for the purchase of drain-
age debentures under an Act of our own, and for drainage works which
have been executed by the government in diflferent localities under
an Act which was passed in 1871, and which provided for the repay-
ment of these sunis to the Province, amounted up to 31st December,
1877, to $328,380. With this money there have been 200 miles of
drains built, and ftn area drained of 203,100 acros. • x
Last session the Legislature went a little further in the same
direction, and appropriated the further sum of $200,000, on our recom-
mendation made at the instance of leading farmers in the House and
out of the House, who were connected with agricultural associations
and otherwise ; the money to be expended in tile drainage. The sums
. advanced are to be repaid to the Province by annnal instabnerits in
twenty years, and are lent at the low rate of five per cent, f/^
Then we have for some years paid nothing towards immigration in
the way of bonuses, except to farm laborers and domestic servants.
There has always been, with the exception of a short period during
the spring of the present year, a demand among our farmers for a
larger number of farm laborers than could be supi^lied ; and all
of you know the difficulty of obtaining domestic servants, particularly
iuthe country.
We have also made provision for giving the franchise to farmers'
sons, and the propriety of doing so will be obvious to' those who are
acquainted with agricultural life in Ontario. We had already provided
an income franchise, by which residents in cities and towns were
chiefly benefited. Now, it is the well-knoAvn custom in this country
for one or two of a farmer's sons to remain on the homestead, after
9oming of age, to assist their pareuta in. working and managing th^
,t gon-
mani-
oto for
^'ear, it
■ - ■«
farm ; an oxtromoly cl»»flir;iblo ntratiffomont, and ono to ho pticoitrft^ea
both for tho comfort of tho old people and tho benefit of the sons.
Theao farmer's soiia aro, as a class, woll educated, und quilo as
intolli<;jent as either inconio voters, or as thoso who live on farms
of their ovfix ; havinpf had tho advajitago of our excellent school
system, which perhaps their fathers had not. The Legifilature
thought, therefore, that no snlUcicnt reason existed why that class of
persons, living aiid working on their father's farms, and being practi-
callj* partners therein, should not bo permitted to voto^ though they
might have nc se| n-ate jiroperty. •* **,''.',""!'"..
Wo hard also, in the interest of farmeTs, Kn Agticiittiipal College
and a Model JTanu, iu successful and bencticlal operation.
,. r ,ili?ii{t ' Gott Of Civil Oovsmmentt
In dbiincicWon with tho matter of expenditure. Opposition journals
point to the cost of civ*il government as having been greater
since Mr. Sandfleld Macdonalds time than it had been in his time.
But it id manifest that as a, country advances, as its population in- j
creases, as its wealth increases, a,nd as its public affairs extend and |
beoomio com])licatod, tho cost of civil government must increase, and !
always does increase every where, (Hear hear.) To illustrate this,,
take a single fact connected with tlie expense of the governmental
departments in tho ol»l Province of Canada. In 185IJ, the year before
Sir JoW A. MacdonaUl and his friends obtained the power which they
held so long, tho expense oi. the governmental departments was only
$144,415, but it' ran up thenceforward year by year until in 1802 it
amounted td more. than three times that sum. or $486,020, audit
cannot be protendied that ours has even doubled in amount. You see,
therefore, how absurd it is for ihose who believe in the men und^r
whom that increase took place to pretend, or to consider, that it is a
decisive argument, o^ any argument, against a Government that there
has been an increase xu tho expense oi" Civil administration. There
aro various reasons wh';^ some increase would have taken place in On-
tario, even if there had been no ihci^iso in the business done ; but
without dwelling upon these, and assuming that there had been no in-
crease in the cost of living, that wo had been able to retain in the
service every officer without any increase to his salary, and that there
was no reason why tho same amount of work should not continue to
bo done at the same cost, I affirm that the increase in the work
has far exceeded the increase in the expenditure. If you fa,rmers or ■
merchants, brother employers have to get double the work done, you
expect (cither thmgs being the same) that the cost of doing it will bo in
creased likewise. If you cbuld manage to get double the work done,
while only increasing the cost of it one-half, I think you would con-
sider yourselves pretty f ortunato men. To what extent has the work
of civil government increased i Take for instance the
N' / 1 M J • rill " i ■ "i ' iv-^Ajf iki I *M ^ . •*
Department of the Attorney-General H
and the Executive Coiineil. You will easily understand that there
must have arisen a largo amount of new business from (for example)
our surplus distribution,, which was one addition to all the old classes
of work. All the municipal by-laws had to be examined to ascertain
that they corresponded with the Act. and this often entailed a great
deal of consideration and correspondence. Tli^n the aid given from
time to time to railways was the result of an examination of every case
in wliitJi aid had been asked for. We have to eiamine in every case,
the capabilities of the road, and all other facts which bear on the pro-
priety of assisting it Railways apply to which we give no aid, but
the rejected applications as well as the successful applications involve
lab(mr to several of the departments, including my own. From these
and various other causes the work has greatly increased, both to the
head of the department and to its ofScers ; to what extent you may
understand from one or two facts which I will mention. There is a
separate official file kept for every important matter which' passes
through my department ; one file may embrace a large number of
documents and papers. In 1871, the last year of Mr. Sandfield Mac-
donald*3 administration, the number of official files in this department
was b06, tij.enext year it was 1,454 ; and in 1877 it had risen to 1,707.
Orders in Council in 1871 numbered 237 ; the following year 298 ; in
one year of my time the number was 703 ; and the average duriRg the
period subsequent to 1871 has been double what it was before that time.
Again, the comparative number of letters written in a department or
office or business in successive years is generally a very good index of
the comparative amount of business done. In 1871 the ofiicial letters
of this department covered 230 pages, in 1872 they covered 1,133
pages, and in 1877 they covered 2,594 page?. These figures demonstrate
if anything can demonstrate, that the amount of business done in the
office of the Executive Council and Attorney-General has more thaii
! doubled since Mr. Sandfield Macdonald's time. Now has the expense
doubled ? Far from it. In 1871 the expense of the department was
$10,241, and in 1877, instead of being twice the aralount, or $20,000, it
was only $14,690. (Cheers.) In other words, though the business
had more than doubled, the expense had only increased by one-half.
Again, the i(
Admlnlttratlon of Jnstloe
is another head of expenditure in which there has been an increase ;
and it is one of those matters which to a large extent are not under the
control of a Government ; but, on the contrary, depend on
circumstances which the Government cannot influence in the
slightest degree. That the work must have enormously increased,
cue comparative number of commitments to the gaols will help to in*
dicate. In 1869 the number was 5,656 ; in 1870 it was 6,379 ; in 1871,
6,615 ; and it has gone on increasing year by year, till in 1877 the
numbei' had reached 13,481 . This inerease, I may observe, is no doubt
partly owing to the hard times ; it is found by experience in all
co\iutrios, that during havd times the number of crimes of all kinds
greatly increases. I have said that in 1877 the number of commitments
was 13,481, being more than double the number in Mr. Sandfield Mac-
donald'a last year. From this you will see how impossible it would bo
to administer justice under such circumstances w^ithout some increase
in the expenditure, and you would no* be surprised if the expense
had doubled. Other facts which I might mention would lead to a like
conclusion. But has the expense doubled ? Far from it. In 1871
the expense for the administration of justice was $182,621, and in
1076, instead of being double that amount, or say $365, 000, it was only
$286,591. I will give you another illustration from the
23
Provincial Soci'otniy'E Ofllcc,
From a vavioly of canaos a f(rc;it dcnl more v.-orlc hnshpcn doiiO
tlicrc also tlian tlierc formerly w.n. Sonu; of tlio lf;^'isl;ili.«u vhifh
has taken place, ami whitrh lias received llio approljatinu of tlio eonii-
try, involved a conaiderablo amount of additional labor on the pari,
of tho Provincial Secretary ami Ids Departmfnt. The matter («f
municipal iitaiistica was formerly in charge of tho Donnnion Cinvern-
mont : they abandoned it in 1874, and it has since been amom,' the
duties of tho Provincial Sccrctaiy. Then tliere was a change of tho
law with regard ' marriage licenses, which were also formerly attend-
ed to by tne J)on\inion Government. That subject was taken in hand b}''
the Provincial Government in 1874, and 850 issuers of licenses in tho
Province have been appointed, with wiiom tho Provincial Secretnry
has to correspond. Tho number of licenses issued from tho Dejiart-
ment in 1877 was 12,957. Tho Provincial Secretary had the jileasuro
of making nearly that number of couples happy in that year. Tho
Departmental work incidental to this legislation is work tliat Jilr.
Sandficld Macdonald'a Government had neither tho pleasure nor the
trouble of performing. There arc charters and commissions issued
from tho same Department, and perhaps some other work occasionally
done, for which fees are paid by tho parties interested. Of these fees
Ihcrc were received in 1871, §2,283 ; but in 187G, §5,431 ; and in
1877, §5,235, being an increase of more than 100 per cent. Another
occasion of increased work was the new Act passed to aflerd increased
facilities for persons to become incorporated by obtaining letters ])a-
tentfrom the Lieut. -Governor, instead of having to subimt to the delay,
expense and trouble of getting special Acts of Incorporation froju
Parliament. TJio consequence of that legislation has been, that a far.
large number of i.he.^e charters has been obtained than formerly, through
the Provincial Secretary's Department; the time of the Legislature has
been saved; and tho country spared tho o>penso which tho old method
involved Tho number of letters patent issued for tho Incorporation of
Companies, under tho general law which existed before ours, was 120
for the ten years, from 18G4 to 1874 ; while during tho years subse-
quent to tho passage of our Act, say from 1874 to 12th of Oct., 1878,
the number was 212, or nearly twice the number in four years and a
few months, that had been issued in the ten years previous. In
other words, during the former period the annual avorago was 12.
while in the subsequent time the annual average was more than 40.
Many other Associations have been incorpt»ratcd under our Act
respecting Benevolent and Provident Societies, liut for these Acts
and our policy of opposing special Acts when unnecessary, there would
probably have been an addition of more thaix 50 statutes to every
volume since 1873, Again in 1871, tho number of returns niado trom
thisoOicoto the other departments of the Govcrnn\ent was 912; but in
187G the number was 2,979, or three limes as many. 'J'he nmuber of
reports from other Dej^artments in 1871 was 47<', and in 1870 it was
1,288, or neaily throe times as many. Tlio number of lettcr.s received
in this Department in 1871 was 1,090 ; and in 1870, 3,300 ; or nearly
tlouble. The number of letters sent in 1871 was 1,230, and in 1^70 it
was 3,240, or noarly three times as many. You will see by these
figures that the amount of work in this Department is at the very least
J
i
u
(lou^jlo whfit it Was in Mr. S.iiiflfielJ Maaloiiald's time. And h;i:} tlio
expenditure also moro than doubled ? No ; lor in 1871 it was $1'J,170,
and in 1877 it was only .S22,5r)2. (Hoar, liear.) In fact, the increased
revenue from one small branch of tho work in tho Provincial Secre-
tary's oflico, ns mentioned a moment ago, is abo\it §3,000, and
therefore, has nearly covered tho whole additional expenditure of
the Department. So that notwithstanding the dnormous increase of
work, the country pays about the same for tho adrainisti'ation of thd
Pi'ovincial Secretary's Department as was paid in 1871.
I may review elsewhere tho case of some of - .
Tho other Departments .-
iBut I think I raust have satisfied everybody, from the statements
•which I have already made, that an increase in tho expense of civil
government was absolutely \inavoidable, and that tho wonder is, not
that tho increase of expense has been bo great, but that it has not been
far greater. (Hear hear, and cheers). Kno<\vJng tho amount of neces-
sary business that we liavo been doing, I am greatly surprised
that wo have been able to accomplish so much with so little additional
expense. AVo should not have been able todo so but that I have able
colleagues in all the departments, and that tho ofRccrs in tho various
departments havo been becomhig more and more elficiont. As they
become more efticient and entitled to an increase of salaiy, we havo
recommended that they should receive the increase. If we had refused
it, we could not have expected useful officials to remain ; or if .some
remained, wo could not expect them to work as heartily as tho public
interests require that they should do. Most of these ofticors were
appointed by our opponents, snd the sjTupathies of most of them havo
been with our opponents. But for their increased salaries they have
done more work ; and, as a rule, tho increase in tho work that they
havo done has been equivalent (o more than the increase of tho
ealarios which the Legislature has given to them. So much for tho
finances of tho country. ;^
Our IiCglslatloa,
I have already referred to our legislation, and have spoken of
some of the subjects which havo occupied our attention. I had some
thought of givin;' you to-night an enumeration of our principal
measures, and explaining soivie of tliem; but it would be tedious to
do so now. "\Vo liavo not, I think, been charged with inactivity
as legislators ; we have not been afraid of largo questions ; we havo
not refused to deal M-ith important subjects ; we liave not shrank
from ditlicult ones ; the whole history of our legislation showa thi.s.
At tho last Provincial general election, so thorough had our previous
legislation been, so completely had we exhausted tlie subjects v,-liicli
our people had theretofore been interested about, that I think tho
only charge of legislative omission which our oiJiJonents protended
to make was, that we h;id not up to that time passed a lusv for tho
payment of Crov/n witnesses in criminal cases ! Tliat was vatlier
a strango charge to bring ug.vinst us as a reason why tho peoplo
ehouldnot place confidence in us ; for our opponents or their lead-
ers had liekl the Government of the country in their hands almost
continuously from 1S51 uiitil 1872 ; and they had failed all that
timd t(
out of
BO anx
out by
for the
tal out
admit,
had n(
lature ]
as soon
collect(
guards
always
amoun
has fe
countit
have n
Sin
that hi
either
preaen
we ha^
munic
the sti
cantui
portio
exemf
to do
given
againi
' longei
Theq
terost
withii
the q\
now c
sion,
Muni(
subjei
regar<
we n
meet
p.irti(
ii sal
alreai
dicati
labori
I
whid
that
timd to deal with the subject. But some time after their party went
out of power they began to represent such a law to be so urgent,
so anxiously demanded by the people, that it should be thought
out by us, and framed, and passed, at once. But one can account
for their eagerness. There was nothing substantial to make capi-
tal out of ; and for the sake of not admitting, or nut seeming to
admit, that such was the case, they brought the charge that we
had not provided for the payment of crown witnesses. The Legis-
lature has since passed such a law. We framed a Bill for the purpose
as soon as we had thoroughly considered what was necessary and had
collected the needed information ; and our Bill provided such safe-
guards and restrictions that, though considerable apprehension had
always been entertained that a very large sum would be required, the
amount under our Act has turned out to be so moderate that nobody
has felt it a burden. The amount is paid, partly by the municipal
coiinties and partly by the Government, and in proportions wliich
have met with approval.
Bzemptions ftom Taxation.
Since the last election we have disposed of almost every subject
that has been suggested as demanding legislation. We have done so
either by legislating, or by making clear that the subject did not at
present demand legislation. There is but one agitated subject whicli
we have not dealt with ; and that is, l.e existing exemptions from
municipal assessment. The present law on that subject has stood on
the statute book in nearly its present form for over a quarter of a
century. The party of our opponents was in power during a large
portion of that period, and they did not attempt to put an end to th»
exemptions or even to modify thorn. Even supposing we should fad
to do so, even supposing that we have been wrong in not having
given due attention to it hitherto, certainly no point can be made
against us on that account, since our opponents had been very much
longer in power than wo have been, and they did not dispose of it.
The question of exemptions is a difficult one. It is one of especial in-
terest to cities where Government property is situated, and to towns
within which county property lies. Lut thero are other aspects of
the question which are of more extensive interest, and whicli we aro
now considering. A committee was appointed by the House last ses-
sion, at the instance of the Government, to collect information frOm
Municipal Councils, and from all persons taking an interest in tho
subject. This Committee has obtained and reported informaticn with
regard also to what has been done in other countries; and I hope that
we may be able to devise and submit some measure which may
meet tho difficulties of the case, and give satisfaction to all
parties. But when there is but one general measure which it
ia said we ought to have brought forward, besides those which havo
already beon placed on the statute book, the fact is a pretty clear in-
dication that we have not hitherto neglected our duty as legis-
lators. '
I have touched on some of the most important of tho affairs
which the present Government has had to do with, and I do not feol
that I have the strength to occupy much more of your time to-night.
Personal.
:! •.^^
dH'*f i-ii^^ij O.^ Ja-utJ't
It comifineH to be sometimes said that I did an unjustifiable thing
<^' when I gave up the office of Vice-Chancellor in order to take upon nio
the office of Premier of Ontario ; and my acceptance of this office h
still spoken of occasionally as a descent on my part. I do not regard
it as a descent, but the contrary. Political life has been spoken
•<= of in this connection as a slough, by some who attack mo
on account of having left the Bench for public life. It may be a
slough to those who make the charge (hear, hear) ; but in nny
judgment there are no duties more important than those that belong to
one occupying the position which I now occupy. I left tlie office of
i!» Vice-Chancellor with great reluctance, because I liked its duties ; ami
'V it was a permanent office ; a good salary was attached to it ; and ii
• pension for old age ; and it was an office which secures for its holder
the respect of the people. For personal reasons as well as others, I
left the Bench with reluctance ; but I ieel now that I did well iu
leaving it. (Loud applause.) If the position which I took involved,
as it did, some personal sacrifices, I think that by good fortune I have
been enabled to do a larger amount of good to my country than 1 could
have done had 1 remained Vice-Chancellor. (Great cheering. ) It is
*. i a country of great promise, ,.....-,- « ^ .->.-. ;. .;, . . ...,i . ,.,
■• ■'' ' • :a^,-^;i';^'•! '{■■' JmlJiii.
• \ 'V .i.,1 r. ;•»,;... THIS OXTAEIO OJ* OURS, ;: ] i^iusioi) iivfuhiv,
(chaers), and its present good government is of great importance to its
future destiny, it is my own native Province ; it is the Province with-
in which my interests and my affections lie. It is the richest, and the
most populous of all the Provinces of Canada. Its territory extends from
the Ottawa on the east to the Lake of the Woodson the west ; and reaches
from the St. Lawrence and the great lakes on the south, aAvay back to
Hudson's Bay on the north. (Cheers.) Its extent from oast to west
is upwards of a thousand miles. Its area is more than twice that of
<3reat Britain and Ireland together. It has unbounded undeveloped
wealth in its woods and forests, its fields, its fisheries, and its mine:?.
(Cheers.) Its population is increasing with a rapidity that is almost
wonderful. At the time of the union with Lower Canada our popula-
tion was not half a million. In ten years it had doubled ; in
lonother ten years it had trebled; in 1871 it amounted to the larfje nuni-
'|ber of 1,G20 ,851 ;and it has been increasing ever since. This population
is from nearly all the countries in the world. A large proportion arc*
natives, like myself, of Ontario ; a large proportion also are natives oi
the old lands. The sturdy Englishman, the thrifty Scotchman, ami
the warm-hearted Irishman have a large representation among us. \\ o
' have many who came, or whose fathers came, from Germany, Franco
,a:"i other countries of Europe. There are no people in the world bettt-r
'tbed. better fed, or better educated than the people of Ontario aro
.• immigrants are, as a rule, the more energetic and sanguine of
t :. ...xK rides to which in the old lands they belonged. (Hear, hear.)
- " ere is no conntry in the world better adapted than Ontario is
Lk eloping a thrifty, hardy and energetic race. Our Province has
'" thus a glorious future before it ; ftn immense population is yet to occupy
its territory; and in the position in which your confidence and the confi-
dence of the people of Ontario have placed me, I have done my best,
jrld bettt-r
hitario aro
27
In conjunction with my colleagues, and those who have given to us theii*
support in the Legislature, to develop the resources of this country
of our aflfection, our pride, and our hope (cheers) ; to administer ef-
ficiently its public affairs ; and to provide good laws for the govern-
ment of its people ; and for the prosperity of all its interests. 1 ven-
ture to think that, in the judgment of our friends, and of a great,
many who aro not our political friends, we have not been entirely un-
successful in this work. And for myself, with whatever increased
efficiency experience has given me, I purpose, with God's help, to
pursue in all respects the same course in the future, that I have fol-
lowed in tiie past. (Loud cheers.)
'! I At the conclusion of Mr. Mowat's speech the following resolutioh,
moved by Mr. John Douglas, and seconded by Mr. Henry Parker, was
carried with enthusiastic cheers : —
That the ra^ip lyersi of North Oxford at this meeting as' ^ibleil express
the pleasure that we have felt iu list Jiiing to thtt cluar, able, and couvmc-
ing exposition which our ropre-jentative, Hon. Oliver Mowat, has given of
the policy of his Oovdrnmeiit, and oar perfect confi'lence in liis ability and
the intCijiity with which he has administered the affairs of this Province,
anil wo pledi^e ourselves to do all in our power to maintain in (jovvur the
bcist uuil purest administration that Ontario has ever had. We desire to
ha lie him for visiting his constituents at this time, nod to express the
id.vsarci waich we alw.ivd feel iu seeing him in our midst.
The meeting was concludedVith the u&Uil cheersr.
K
,..v
■UW^'
1
■ <:Vi,
^
f *.
» "
; i» 1 i
" -'■■ *
* ■ -• ■
;;
"^■■^k
■ t
■:• T
.\i\
.?ii(;»'
'"■■ ¥
,
,'
'',( •
1. !
;.-.'l)
■:-^^\
y'-^.'h
% til
: ;m;,v
•if
:
,• .1!
V.'
VA ■•!
■ 1
■t/i i
■> *
"' ' 1 1
-}..■ .'i
;!.;•*•
\ ;
.-
1 .
f ■
' » ' ^ » ' i
'■■ >'. ■
ii
>■
!5i no h^-ip)'')
»»'•.
^■'*o V
■'. J,
; ^ , . t
"},1V .
-: r
• ■■
■■•W;*.(ii ■
- itSJrf'sr ■I)''*'
>•
'•'"Hvu:
-!
n ,1 ■ *
,,..
.,
■■; •
■ ''- ,
;^
r '^*
',
:^%'JH it')?!
i *. '*
: -■■: '•■' .
' \ "•
.% i r- ,
■■■:, -id
'tt^-
•>>">tVt^j^'.» wA
V
-■t.---<
' f-
■■~.X\-
.'.
•' ,*:. T ' -
ii* i
)''■':'
« * ■ •
-. »ljfjMf
1' '
^ -^ ' ^ -
■ '^
V ;
■ ' . .—
■, ..,.. i'Jjj,!-!
■-•••.
"' • •■
.■"-!- ' ■
.ri.H»- ,. >»,»v '.■
i*id>
.'M»
1 ; 7
THE PREMIEE'S SPEECH
BEFORE THE
TORONTO YOUNG MEN'S
REFORM LITERAR! AND DEBATING CLUB'
^^BDNESDAY EVENING, JANtJARY 8th, 1879.
:ii
a
j^
-»<^»^»*-
The following ia a full report of a speech delivered by the Fremiei
of Ontario on Wednesday, 8th January, 1879, before the Reform Literary
and Debating Club in Toronto: — ^>'--~ » ;
Hon. Mr. Mowat, on coming forward, was warmly cheered. He said : —
Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, — It gave me very great pleasure some time
ago to accept an invitation from your President to be present at one ol
your meetings and to say something to the Reform Literary and Debating
Club, and I regret exceedingly that circumstances trom time to time pre-
vented my naming for this purpose an earlier day. I rejoice to learn
that the Club is in a flourishing condition. I am glad to know that you
have been zealous in acquiring political intoriuation, and in acquiring the
skill to set it forth, that you may be able to render greater service in the
cause of gcort government than you could otherwise do. I understand
that many of you were active in the recent Dominion elections ; I hope
that at the next general election for the Local Assembly your work
will be more successful than it was then. (Cheers.) Of course the issues
are entirely different. Those things which led many of our friends on that
occasion to vote with their former opponents were matters with which tlie
Local Legislature has nothing to do. There is not the slightest reason
why those friends who so voted on that occasion should not vote with
their old associates in politics at the coming Provincial elections, and I
hope that they will all be found doing so. (Hear, hear.) As ons of the
objects which you have in view here is to get familiar with the subjects
which will be under discussion at those elections, I suppose that I cannot
do better than to avail myself of this opportunity to review some of the
legislation accomplished under Reform Government in the Province, and
to say something' of our administration of public affairs.
^ The Importance of Legislation. ^
You do nothehrbr read much against the legislation of the ileform
party. More is said in regard to our administration of public affairs;
though 1 venture to say that there is as little reason for attacking our ad-
ministration as there is for attacking our legislation. (Hear, hear, and
cheers.) Legislation is quite as important as administration. (Hear,
bear.) Our legislative jurisdiction is large. It embraces the subjects to
— .j-t.i»i a ■ ^1 ^ -»
'aU^eaST/a^tSik^iirr-^mT^
^2. -.v..—*!. -^
20
which the greater part of the legislation of all coimtrieg relates, and nearly
all the subjects embraced in the civil codes of civilized nations. We are
in a new country; we are surrounded with now circumstances; and no
Government does its duty which does not keep a walchful eye fur all
ameliorations of law which may serve to promote the well-being of tlie
people. I purpose occupying your attention for a little while to-night in
Hpeakiug of what wo have uoue in the way of legislation. 1 will particu-
lavi'Ao a few of our measures, and I shall do so that you may be reminded
huw extensive and benetictal the legislation has been ; for as it is not a
tiubject of attack, i)eople are apt to lose sight of it. (^Hear, hear.) They
may be familiar with those things which are kept before them b}' con-
uuver^sy, while those matters which are not discussed are apt to be over,
looked, though they may be the more important of the two.
Perhaps the most important Provincial session under Keform rule was
that in which Mr. Blake was the leader, after the fall of Mr. Sundfiuld
Macdonald's Government, Oi the important measures then passed I may
refer Urst to tha •/
^ Abolition of Dual Representation.
the disqualifying of members of the House of Commons from being mem<
hers of the Provincial Assembly. The two jurisdictions are distinct and
unconnected, and demand so much time that it was thought impossible tor
the same person to discharge satisfactorily the importaut amies of both.
That was strongly felt by the people, and something was done by Mr.
i3andfield Macdonald to remove the grievance. He procured the passint;
of a law that no iSunator or member of the Privy Council should be a
member of the Provincial Assembly, and that no member ot the Bouse of
Commons should be a member ot the Executive Council of the Province.
He stopped there, however. Under Mr. Blake's leadership the Legislature
went lurther, and passed a law disqualifying members of the House ot Com-
mons from sitting or voting as membr^rs of the House of Assembly alter
the then next election for the House of Commons. (Hear, hear.) Before
that time arrived, and to prevent Mr. Blake and Mr. Mackenzie from
remaining in the Local Assembly for another session, Sir John Macdonald
and his party passed an Act disqualifying members of a Provincial Assem-
bly from being even candidates for the House of Commons.
There is nothing more importaut than to secure by every proper
means the «% <* '
Independence of the House of Assembly;
and the abolition of dual representation had some effect in that way. An-
other of the measures of the session was directed more closely to that ob-
ject. It has in all countries and at all times been found by experience
10 be unfavourable to the independence of a representative of the people,
and therefore to the public interest, that he should hold an office under
the Crown yielding any coMsiderable pecuniary advantage; and while
some officials had been disqualiried belore Mr. Blake's time, there were
others who had not, as, for instance, officials who were paid by tees, such as
registrars. The public sentimentbuing strong that placemen of this class .
should, no more tHan placemen paid by salary, occupy seats in the
Assembly, Mr. Blake swept -iway the last vestige of the evii relerred
to. (Hear, hear.) Anotner beuehcial Act of that session was tho "^
Power given to Committees of the House to Swear Witnesses.
The duties of such committees are very important ; a large part of tho
legislative work depend:; on the effijiency of the committees; and we can
hardly underc^tand Iww sy long a time Wfts suffered to elapse in this
80
counfry — "nd tho same observation applies to tho Old Country — without
piving to committees power (subject to reasonable restrictions) to ex-
amine witnesses on oath. Under tiie former system they called witnesses
ftiul examined them ; but, tljough it might bo essential for getting the
truth from some of them that thev should be sworn, yet that common safe,
guard, recognized tor other purposos to bo necessary, was not permitted,
and witnesses gave their testimony without any sucn guarantee of ver-
mitv. Another measure of tliis session ot mucli practical value was tho
authority given to tlio Government to invest a considerable sum — $200,-
000 — lu tho purchase of municipal draiuagu debentures for tho purposo of
Enoouraglng tbe Drainage of Wet Districts.
These debentures ore erood securities to the Government, and th« disposol
of them enables municipalities to increase the value of the farms ana
otiier lands in their territory, adding to tho wealth of tL-fi^wner , and, at
the same time, making the country more health v. Another vaiuabie mea-
sure of the sumu sesiiion was that concerning the
Rights of Married Women,
with respect to their property. You know how barbarons the old English
laws on that subject were. They had been modified from time to time
lu Canada, but until this time a married woman was not entitled to her
own earnings ; a dissolute, drunken, or thriftless husband might tako tho
whole, unless she went before a magistrate, proved her husband's miscon.
duct, and obtained an order of protection. That was a proceeding which
fcXi)ciience showed tiiat few women cared to take, even though they wore
great suiierers, and it was unjust to require that a poor woman, besides
tlie misfortune of having a bad husband, should be compelled to exposo
to tl)e world the uniiappy condition of herself and her children. A law
was therefore passed wnich removed the injustice, and gave to a married
Woman a ri.u;lit to her own earnings without that previous process. (Hear,
bear.) Other useful and benuticial measures were passed during the samu
SL-Sriion. ^
My Piemib<-ship followed Mr. Blake's, and during the period I have
occupied this position, the Legislature has continued the work of reform .
(Loud cheers.) I will not dwell upon our measure lor settling the didicult
question of tiie Municipal Loan Fund debts ; nor upon our measure lor dis-
trilmting several millions ot tlio surplus funds of the Province amongst the
municipalities, to be expeude:"ng with their parents^
working on their farms, practically their partnoxs, ^-.nd intended to be the
inheritors of the land, may have a vote althiuq/'i they have no separate
property. By means of these two acts we haVo enlarged the electorate of
the country. -^y
The Voters' Lists Act. '- '
There used t!b be great difficulty at elections in knowing with cor.
tainty who were entitled to vote; and much fraud was the result in vari-
ous ways. Honest men of both parties felt the evil, and were anxious
that some remedy should be found for it. We, therctore, prepared a
Voters' Lists Act, and provided in it machinery for judicially settling the
voters' lists before an election, and for having questions decided beforehand
by as impartial a judge in every county as it was possible tor us to find,
viz., the County Court Judge. That measure received the approbation oj
new
let ion
|«ighc
ad-
Itbese
IS in
kbia
to be
sfTect
^d we
)ith«
tiOQS.
33
ftll pfirUoB at the tim«. A moro stiinffcnt Act wag «ub(!equ«ntl7p»nii«ed.in
coiiHcqiumcd ofitn beiiif^r found by tlio proceedings in tbe Lincoln cjiko
Unit liwtlior Ifginlution waH ncccssaty to uccorapliRh the end in view.
Ti)o dtliiy in tiiut caso was iu spite of our llrst Voters' Litits Act and
nii^lit luivn bi'on moro easily accomplinbod by the liliprants if that law
liiid not Uuuu la uxiotuuce. Dut sometijing muio was uuedud iu the saiuo
dirtcliuu.
Flnalty of tbe Lists.
To moot the diffioulty wo passed an Act making these voters' lists finab
and tliureby nmking impossible sugh scandal as had occuired in the LtD<
cola case. (Cbeeis.) We nave jiassed various Acts lor
Improving tho M:>ahinery of the Courts,
for prcvcntjnc unnecessary dela. • for removing old anomalies, and for
diminishing the danger ot cases being disposed of upon matters of form
instead of on their merits. We have passed an Act also for Itxo
Paymont of Witnesses
in criminal cases. Until timt time witnesses in such cases bad to bear
their own exponses unless they wore too poor to do so. The effect was
mat tho administration of justice was often hindered. Personn avoided
giving evidence, because of the expense put upon them for, that purpose,
and the ends ot justice were tiius sometimes frustrated. By caieful pro-
visions we have been able, while removing this evil, to make tlt« burden ot
bearing the expeuse much smallei; than had been expected. Wo have
also <»-' J.-. ,.,.. >,.. .
. r ■ : rn Repealed tbe Stamp Dntles »
on proceedings in the Division and (^outity Courts, to tbe great relief of
the suitors iu tliose Courts. We have passed an
Act Respecting tbe Blaglstraoy,
removing their liability for acts done by them in good taith, but which
turn out not to bo strictly in accordance with the law. This relief had
had special reference to questions of jurisdiction between the Doniiaion
and t\kv Pi'oviucti.
".,;,;_, Revision of BInnlolpal Law. •• = •». .y;^':w
In the first session we mado provision for facilitating the work of self-gor.
ernment by collecting all the various Acts relating to our municipalities.
These Acts were scattered through the statute books of several years; con-
siderable difficulty was consequently experienced by the people, who were
not lawyers, and who had to carry out these laws ; and it was evident
that the simplest law possible on the subject was desirable. My colleague
and friend, Mr. Crooks, undertook that work, and during the first session,
of my Premiership a new Act was passed consolidating and revising all ^
the old'Acts, and producing a result of which, in connection with the
Assessment Act, the late Chief Justice Harrison — who probably was more
faiuiiiar with the subject than any otlier lawyer or judge — said " that these
Acts were the most complete and perfect code of.the kind that he know of
in any country ot the world." (Cheers.) |.»..
Revision of tbe Sobool Laws. '^'
In the second session a similar work was performed for the School Laws«
which had been in a similar state ot chaos. An «xtensivo revision of
those laws was then made, so tliat tho Chief Suoerintendeut, liov. Dr.
Byerson, though he did not approve of some of our amendments, yet pub-
licly stated that he regarded the additions and changes which wo had made
as on the whole so important and valuable as to constitute a new era lu
iichooMegislation,
\ ' . ■ , •* t ■ '
*, •■*.•* - %^-« ■-
"I
d4
II, ■ >
i^* i
f; ^!
/"
Appointment of a Minister of BdneatloB.
Rincc then, on the recomnjendatjon of Dr. Rverson and others interesfej
in the work of education, we took the responsibility of havinc: a Minister
ot Kdiicatiou instead of a Chief Superintendent; and all the proceedings
of tlie Education Department are now subject to bo challenged in the
Hou8<\ and there the Minister ol Education must defend whatever he does
or omits to do in regard to school matters. We selected tor Minister a
R(Mitleman of ability ; of hip:h moral character (cheers) ; and ia every other
way litted to be the head of tne educational system ot the country. (Hear,
hoar.) Mr. Crook« is a graduate of the Provincial University, and had
taken hii;h honours in his university course. His administration of his
Department has received public approbation ; it has given satisfaction not
to liis own party oniyt but to all parties. (Hear, hear and cheers.) The
school law has been further extt^nsively revised under bis advice. Training
and Model Soiiools have also been established at a small expense in almost
every county. The management of the Provincial University has likewise
been popularized ^y giving to its graduates a voice in its government.
Laws for tbe Benefit of tbe Working; Classes.
Wo have pfissed laws securing to mechanics, labourers, and others a lien
for their pay on the property on which their labour is expended or'their
materials used, so far as this seemed practicable without preju'iica to per-
sons not oonoerned in the transaction. We have passed laws, in the in-
terest of masters and workmen, for facilitatintr acreements between them
lor sliarltio: tlie profits of the business in which they may be engaged. The
objuct ot that law is of great importance to the working clasues. It is by
huch means that tlicir status is to be raised. Those who have given atten-
tion to tiiir, subject seem to be unaware ot any method by wtiicb so large
un amount of good can be looked lor to the great mass of our working
'population as some method which may enable them somehow to share thu
jirolits of the business in wliich they are employed. (H< nr, hear.) In
iraming those laws we had the advantage of what had b..en done eise-
wiiere, and we have placed on the statute book tbe best laws that the ex-
ample or «;xpcriuuce of otlier places enabled us to devise. We have also
passed a law to facilitate, by meaps of a machinery found usefii» .Isewheru,
tbe amicable settlement of disputes between employers and employed.
Perhaps I may mention in this connection that, having in view the well-
being ot the people, we took .in early opportunity to reduce the Provincial
tax on muiriage licenses — (hear, hear, and laughter)— so that instead of $6.
the only fee now is $2 to the issuer. To the rich this difference is no-
thing. To the labouring man, at a time that his expenses are to be in-
creased, the sfving ol $4 is an oDjt;ct. We have kept in view thw import-
Hiico of enct iging .mechanics' Institutes everywhere; and while ilie
grant tor that purpos^e in 1871, the year before Mr. Blake became Premier,
was $10,000, so many new Institutes have from time to time since been
estubiisliod all ov<>r the country that the legislative trrant had risen tw
$123,000. (Hear, bear.)
General Incorporation Aota.
Ikfore Confederation Reformers made it a prominent plank in their
platfoim that general laws should, as far as practicable, bo p;uised to mo.
vide for the establishment of corporations, insteaa ot special Acts being
Ironi time to time obtained. \Vh have carried out tnaC sound Reform ^am-
iple, and have passed various Acts tor tbe purpose. Tiie object of these
genonil Acts of Incorponuion is not only to prevent the expense aud
delay iucidcni to obtaining iocorporatiou in the old way through the
35
inistcr
edings
in the
le does
ister a
other
(Hear,
d had
of bis
on not
The
fining
almost
kewiso
nt.
Legislature, but is to avoid other difficulties which are independent ot these
two evils. In connection with these Acts, we adopted the policy of resist-
ing special Acts wherever the parties calling for a specialAct might be-
come incorporated, with the powers needed, uuder a general Act. We
passed a new Act for the incorporation of companies bv letters patent ; a
new Act for the incorporation of Benevolent and Provident Societies with-
out letters patent ; and an Act for establishing Immigrant Aid bocioties.
By means ot these Acts a large number of companies and hocieties have
since been incorporated, and much expense.has thereby been saved to the
parties and the ProvlQce. I may say a word here with reference to
Tbe Orange BUL
We were of opinion that that influential Association, the Orange body,
should obtain its incorporation under the appropriate general Act, as others
have done since our Act was passed, instead ot insisting on a special Act ;
and we have therefore resisted a special Act in their case as we have
resisted special Acts in other cases, leaving the parties to obtain under the
general law the advantages for which a special Act is sought. In order
to make poUtical capital, the leaders of the Orange body have refused to
take advantage of this course, and have diligently endeavoured to create
ihe false impression that the Orange Societies are suffering some griev-
ance at our hands, while the truth is that the object in view could be
served just as well by their becominf; incorporated under the general law
as in the way their leaders profess io preter. There is no special Act in-
corporating these Societies in Great Britain or Ireland ; none that I have
heard of in the United States: and but one instance ( so far as I know;,
and that a recent one. in any other Province or country. r
r The Marriage Law..
We have passed Acts amending tho marriage laws. There was an
increasing number of marriages in the Province which were probably illegal
in consequence of irregularities unknown to the parties at the time of
marriage. Tbe evil was well known ; it had long been before the Courts
in some of its aspects. The doubt was not only as to the legal status of tbe
husband and wife, but as to that of their children also. The attention.ot
previous Governments had been called to the subject in vain. We had
the good fortune by a few simple provisions to meet the whole difficulty
in regard to both the past ?ind the future ; aud the result of our legislation
is, that for the first time in the history otour country, marriages by clergy-
men ot all denominations are now on precisely the same footing. (Cheers.)
Then, by various Acts we have provided for the
Besnlatlon and Uanagement of onr Provineial InstitntionB,
most of which were formerly carried on in a hap-hazard way, without any
legisla Jve direction. We have passed laws regulating the management
of the !<)eaf and Dumb Institution, the Institution for the Blind, aud the
School of Practical Science, and providing for the inspection of charitable
institniions receiving public aid. We have passed an Act also revising
and extensively improving the former Acts as to our lunatic asylums.
Grants to Cbarltles. « '
A large sum had annually been granted for many years before Confederation
and afterwards to various hospitals and public charities, but the grants were
made on no fixed principles, and as tue necessary consequenco, it was
apt to be importunity and influence which regulated rvhat institutions
should receive aid and how much they should receive. That was an
objectionable state ot things, and we applied ourselves to the task of
devising a remedy,. The public svntimout was against withdrawing tho
86
Ik, '-
r ■ \
Ai
grants— Jind I entirely Bympathized witli that sentiment —from these
humane institutions : but we adopted a system by winch the amount to
oe received bv each institution should depend on the amount ot worK oon©
and the amount ot contrioutions recei vea Dv the institute irom other sources.
Sitjco xno passing Ox our Act for this purpose all increases of the former
grants have been made on the principles laid down in the statute, and
tavouiitipm as to amount has thereby been put out of the question.
There art» a very few of these institutions which were not entitled after
the Act to so large a sum as they had previously been receivinf?, but
we have not thought that it would be well to reduce the amounts during
t. lime ot depresftion, and when the poor and afQicted would be the only
sufferers. (Hear, hear.)
The Public Healtb.
Then we have passed Acts niakinsr legislative provisionlor maintaining
the public health when contagious diseases threaten the country; and last
gfcssion we had a iSanitary Committee, to enquire whether there might
not with advantage be further legislation and assistance for the all-im-
ix>rtant ooject of promoting the public health at ordinary times as well as
in seadous of special danger. (Cheers.) We have given
X ' Kepose to Land Titles.
By materially shortening the period after which a man's title to the
property he possesses mav be free from danger. It was constantly
happening that defects were discovered in a man's title to property oi
which he had been in possession for many years, and the man and his
family were in consequence suddenly deprived of, perhaps, their all. To
V>revent such hardships Statutes of limitation hart been passea irom time to
lime. In England the period had lately been reduced from twenty to
twelve years ; wo reduced it from twenty to ten years ; and the result is that
every man possessing property holds it now more securely than he did
before. An equally short p:;riod has beeu adopted in various other colonies,
and in some of the United States. We have passed laws to give greater
Security to Policy-Holders, - u . .
in consequence of the Courts finding that some insurance companies had
adopted unjust and unreasonable conditions, and had sometimes taken ad-
vantage ot theSe after a fire to raise objections which it was unjust, in th«
iatcrest of the public, that, they should be permitted iomake -, ^^
^^ Settlement of New Districts.
• While most of the matters to which I have referred are matters affecting-
every part of the country equally, wo have feiven special attention to the
outlying and unsettled districts, with the view of increasing the facilities
for thelj* bettleraent and also ot rendering them sources of increased
revenue. Just before 1 came into the Government, there was considerablo
territory which had for the lirst time been placed under license. Bonusos
^ere obtained amounting to something like halt a million of dollars, and
the sales added to our annual revenue about $40,000, besides the timber
dues. The transaction took place at a most favourable period, and much
higher prices were obtained than could have been got oefore or since, iio
Katisfaetoiy in that respect was the transaction that one of the Opposition
Joailers has' declared that the Province had got more than it ought from
the puicliaseis, and that in fact it was a fraud to take so much. (Cheers
and laughter.) One advantaL'e which we had from the sales was the crea-
lion of an interested and unpaid agency which would be helpful in prevent-
ing fires in the territory. Large sums of money have been lost to the Pro-
vince through tires in these districts, and uf course it is the interest of all
1
these
n\int to
"K oon©
ources.
foinier
te, auci
estion.
Jd after
n>?, but
duriritr
10 only
'■in.4
37
licensees that these fires should be prevented as lar as possible from occur-
ring. We passed a special Act with the same object last session.
In a word, I may say that under every head of legislative jurisdiction
which we possess we have been active, wherever thcie was any law by
which the well-being of the country could be advanced, or any defect in
the existing laws which could be removed, or any provision that could be
made by which the security of our people and the safety of their property
miglit be secured. We have been so active and careful that it has very
seldom happened that any plausible objection has been made to what we
have done. (Cheers.) Our opponents, as well as our friends are getting
from year to year and from day to day the advantage of our work. (Hear,
hear.) So much in regard to our legislation. X siiall now occupy a little
time in talking about ».
Our Administration of Public Affairs.
The position ot our public aflairs, and the prospects m connection with
tljcm. are such as to give ground tor joy and hope on the part of our
whole people, whatever political name they may bear. It requires but
a very slight consideration of our position to perceive the accuracy ot
that statement. I might contrast our position with that of any of the
States of the American Union — and I refer to them because they are near
us, we are in constant communication with their people, and these States
are often referred to as models of economy; but I claim that our system
of government is a irood deal better than theirs, and that our affairs are
conducted with a truer economy (Cheers ) X^'ow evcrv State of the Union
has to i,40vide by direct taxation Avhaiever is necf^ssary tor carrying on
its atiairs and for the erection of its public works and buildings. That is
the case also to a ceitain extent in otner countries. The
Position of the Provinces of the Dominion
was from the outset verjr much in advance of that. At Confederation
each of the Provinces started with the ownership of all its ungiantea
lands, forests, mines, and minerals. These under the American system
belong to the General Uovernment. Then, by the Britisli North American
Act, we receive annually about $1,333,569 from the Domiuiou,
%n The Revenue *"
which we derive from all sources, and which we have to dispose of
from year to year, is somewhere about $2,500,000. This revenue is far ;
more than sufficient to pay for the cost of tne great governmental purposes
of legislation, civil government, and the administration of Justice. In
tfact tliess — which alone are essential functions of Government — do not
take up much more than one-lifth ot our revenue. What should be dono
with the balance? What was the best thing to be done with it? It would
bo the absurdost policy in the world for the population of the present day
to reserve permanently the whole of that balance in order to benefit our
successors at our expense. (Hear, hear.) The couutrv is getting richer,
there will be a larger population in it by and-bye, and the generation to
come will be better able than we are to bear whatever expense it may be
necessary for that generation to incur. (Applause.) There is another reason
why we who are poorer siiould not be hoarding money in order to give it
in the form of money to those who will bo richer — a wise employment of
our money not oniv benelits ourselves in the meantime, but beuclils our
posterity more than it we hoarded the money for them. If we spend
nioney on public works, railways, and like useful objects, not only tho
population of to-day but the population of ten years hence, and of a
longer period than that, will bo richer tor tho wise employment ot public
money now, and will be bunehted more, than if we had hoarded the money
38
Iti
that they might spend it in their day. (Cheers.) That is the view acted
upon iu all couutries iu the world. «
Tbe Surplus.
II is not to be forgotten that a large permanent surplus Is an anomaly,
an exceptional state of things, and that in all self-governed communities
it is telt by all classes of the people and by all parties to be in genc-
FHi a wise thing to expend usefully from year to year the whole revenue.
I say to expend usefully, for itwould beabad thing to expend uselessly any
part of what we have. Butiftiie whole is useluUy expended, and with
requisite care, we have the testimony of the world that ii is bettor that
tlie annual revenue should as a rule be employed and not hoarded. (Ap-
plause.^ Tlie testimony of tl)e nations goes further. Nearly all the
countries of the civilized world find it for their interest, not only to expend
all their revenue from year to year, but for the sake ot adequate public ob-
jects to incur debts, and debts oiten of great magnitude. Take the Ameri-
can kStates . Wiien they incur these debts the debts have to be paid by direct
taxation, yet I do not tltink there is a iState in the Union which has not for
the sake of public improvements and other public objects incurred large
debts. I am npt aware of a single British colony that has not done the
same thing (with the exception ot Western Australia, which has a population
of some 24,785 only, and has no debt). The same observation applies to
the various independent ccninunities of South America and elsewhere ;
and It is our own experience too. Perhajis our people are too much
inclined to go into debt through their municipal Councils, but still, to a
certain extent, it is often a wise thing to do. Most of our counties incur
debts for public objects; and so do our cities and towns. Many of our town-
ships act upon the same principle. The common sentiment ot the people
everywhere is^ that not only is it prudent to expend the whole of the
annual revenue, provided it is spent useiully, but tliat it is often for the
permanent good of the country that money should bo borrowed for this
purpose. (Cheers.j What is i,,. •
Our Position
In that respect? Immediately after Confederation had been formed, the
Legislature ot theProvince granted sums to various objects — sums as large
as had been giv«n to like objects in former years by the Province of Canada.
Not only was there from the first abundance of money in the Provincial
Treasury to pay for the three essential objects of Government already re-
ferred to, and to make othercustoniary grants, but there was also more than
enough to build and maintain various new institutions — the Institute for
the Blind, the Institute for the Deat and Dumb, tiie London Lunatic Asylum,
the Central Prison, &c. — and after all thig had been done, there was left
from year to year a considerable part of the revenue unemployed. There
were various reasons for such a state of things. Borne of them related to
the peculiar character of Mr. Saudlleld Macdonald as a public man, as for
example his aversion to spending public money ; and there were other rea-
sons. Mr. Macdonald never intended to keep the whole of his surplus
unemployed, and he stated on various occasions the reasons why he, for a
time, delayed disposing of it. His policy is constantly referred to by our
oppouents as if in this matter it was the opposite of ours ; but that was not
BO. I will show you that he never had the slightest intention of perman.
ently maintaining the surplus which had accumulated from tbe unemployed
revenue of his four years, and that he retained his surplus for temporary rea-
sons only. One of these was this: By the British North America Aet the
dobii; of the various Provinces were assumed by the Dominion of Canada.
borne of tlie Provinces were largely in debt, while others owed but little.
«*--^'.''f''»*.',R*/mif
Tr
A
89
The principle of the Act was to treat them all with equal justice. The
Province of (Canada owed moretlian itsproportionofthe debts to bo assumed
by the Dominion, and the new Provinces ot Ontario and Quebec had to
repay to the Dominion the difference. The amount wljich these two Pro-
vinces had a right to be relieved from was $62,500,000. It was doubtful how
much l)eyoi.d ttiis sum the old Province of Canada owed, and ttie reason
that Mr. Kaudfield Macdonald ^ave for not expending the whole revenue
from year to year on public objects was. that he did not yet know what the
debt of Ontario was, and that it would be unwise to expend all before it was
ascertained what amount Ontario would have to make good. There was
an arbitration between Ontario and Quebec, and it lab'<'Xl » considerable
time, but by means of its Investigations before the award was made it came
to be discovered pretty nearly wbat the amount of the debt was. Ultimately
it was found to be about !l)10,568,080 over the $62,500,000. Thisis the snm
ittated in a statute passed on the 26th of May, 1873, which was after Mr.
Macdonnld's time. But from what was known on the subject previously to
that date, that gentleman proposed in his last year that $1,500,000 of his
su.plus should be expen'^ed upon railways. It was contended by my friend
wbo is in the chair (Hon. Mr. McMurrich) and others that lirovision should
at the same time be made cut of the surplus to benefit other portions of the
country which did not want new railways. How did Mr. Macdonald meet
that contention ? In the debate which took place on the 1th February,
1871, and which was reported at the time in the newspapers, Mr. Macdonald
mude these observations : — -^ ' ^
For the firnt time in the history of this country the Honee had to dear with a surplus
which bad accumulated in the Treasury of Ontario. • * • * The position on the wikole
was an anomalous 4ne. and the task of distributing the sttrplua was a formidable one.
* * The GoTerunient had been blamed for not disposiUR of this surplus before, but
they had felt it would be very liazardous to anticipate in advance the ascertainment of the
liability which this Province would be exposed to as respected the j' reputable sum of the
public debt as assumed by the Dominion Government. iyt
That was the reason Mr. Macdonald then gave for not disposing ot his sur-
plus — because it would be hazardous to deal with it until the amount otthe
debt was ascertained. He continued —
The Government had ascertained that its proportion of that debt was not so large as
to justify the withholding of that portion of the surplus which has to be devoted to the
development of the resources of the Province, commercial and agricultural. There being
such a surplus on hand, the House would be recreant to its duty if it did not provide
means for opening up the country. It had been urged that a portion of the surplus ought
to be appropriated to purposes other than those proposed Tliere were, no doubt^ a number
of other things which were worthy of consideration, * • As to the other questions which
hon. members in the interests of tlieir constituencies had brought under the attention of
the House, while he admired their zeal, they must not hope that the Government would
be in a position this year to deal with these other matters. The feeling of alarm wiiich
would be justifiable if it was proposed to devote the whole of the surplus to aiding railways,
had no real ground, since it was proposed only to deal with a portion of the surplus, and
still leave ample mean^ wherewith to treat these other claimants with full liberality, and
meet every contingency. « • «> l mean to divide all I can this year, but I do not know
with sufficient accuracy what our public debt is to apply it all.'*
His speech shows that while he was to apply a million and a halt to railways
then, he meant at a future day to dispose of more of the surplus. That
was his position and that of his Governi^ent. Mr. E. B. Wood was then
Treasurer, and he spoke for his Government in the same way. He said: —
They had $3,600,000 ready cash now lying in the Treasury. * * They had in trust funds
over $3,000,000, making $7,000,000 lying in the Treasury, by means whereof, with the aid
of l^videnoe, and by a judicious expenditure, to make this Province — as it ought to De —
one of the greatest countries in the Dominion, and a rival to the great Republic lying to
the Goutb. * * * The six millions they had now in the Treasury was owing to this
Province having got its rights at last; and now they had this surplus, let them expend it
HO that it would lea\e behind a monument worthy the first years of this growing and pro-
■peroiu Proviuoe,
40
II:
We have expended a portion of the surplus with that very view — namely,
for the permanent benefit of the Pi-ovince. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) But
the surplus must, in the public interest, be dealt with cautiously and dis-
creetly, and for permanent objects; and we have been acting on that policy.
^ Otber Uses for tbe Surplus.
Havinf]; a balance M ^he former surplus, and having an annual surplus be-
sides, what have we been doinp: with them? Beuides the large sums granted
to railways and Municipalities, we have, with the sanction of the Legisla-
ture aud the approval of the country, been usinj? the money in part for
bailding and enlarging our public institutions, giving increased accommo-
dation for the deaf, the dumb, the blind, the insane, etc. These objects
commend themselves to tbe humanity of our people. The existing institu-
tions were not capable ot receiving all who needed to have entrance to
them, and, having the money, we made provision for as many as possible
uf these afflicted classes to receive the benefits which tlie institutions were
intended to a£fordi We gave more also than had previously been given for
tbe construction of colonizstion roads in the territory from which much of
our revenue is derived; as well as more to hospitals and charities'; to
We need not iiavedone all this, but we considered
.: "on of the money than it' we had-left it in the
' ock with it; and no part ot the public with-
< :y. (Cheers.) Kotwiihstauding all expendi-
tures out of the annual revenue in our time, there was au uuoxpeaded
surplus every year up *-^ 1877 inclusive : — nnsavki y
mechanics' institutes, etc
that It was a better i^ppl'
banks or bought Lomv
held their approval of ^i
Inl873 .$1,212,791
"1873 ..., 602,10$
" 1874 „ 804,283
" 1876 444,.i68
" 1076 225,703
" 1877 88 271
.a («Rw
I iltit*'
Two or three items or heads of expenditure are ppecially laid hold of by
the enemy as affoiding reasons why tlie public should withdraw lb ir^eon-
fidence from the Keform party and Government. Such items are civil
government and the administration of justice. T may say with regard to
these that they must increase as population aud wealth increase. It is so
in all parts ot the world, and under every kind of Government, and it is a
deceptive pretence to say that such increases are a proot of want of good
government or want of economy. The Provincial Treasurer of Ontario
speaking for his Government in 1868 declared with truth, "Our expenses
will increase every year, do what we may to prevent them," (Hear, hear.)
Double tbe Work at Increase of balf tbe Cost. . I',
I wish, however, to say, with regard to civil government, that the work
done by the various departments of it greatly exceeds the increase of ok-
pense, and that, instead of extravagance, the facts show that, having reftr-
ence to the amount ot work done, we have been more econouiical than our
predecessors. (Cheers.) If we do twice the work, while the expendituie
iias increased one-halt only, can there be better proof, ot our econoiiiy ?
(Hear, hear, and cheers.) In my Woodstock speech the other day I illus-
trated the increase of business by givinsr facts relaiitig to the Provincial
Secretary's office and my own. On this occasion I will give you au ilius-
tratiua fioui the
Crown Lands Department. "^^
In discussing this subject our opponents sometimes point to the adop-
tion of a system of free giants, and to the consequent decrease in the
bums received from the sale uf Crowu lauds ; and that fact is suggested
mi
41
namely,
But
and dis-
tijolicy,
ins bc-
gmnted
Legisla.
part for
omnio-
objects
insiitu-
tance to
possiblo
)n8 were
iven for
much of
ties-; to
nsidered
it in the
lie with-
expendit
xpeadcd
(fa sflW
♦ <»■■.'
•.'j.'!f.if-ir
Old was 304 in 1871, against 680 in 1877. 1 luigiit
give you various other figures illustrating the same thing, but what 1
have said will suffice to show you the increase in the work.
Legislation is another head of expenditure which has been increasing,
and in the Opposition newspapers reference is constantly made to the
Increase in tbe Allowance of MemberSf
which is ovie chief cause of that increase. Apart from the propriety o*
that increase — which I will not discuss to-night — anything more unrea-
sonable than the conduct of our opponents in endeavouring to make foi
their party political capital out of the fact, I can hardly imagine. (Heat
hear.) You have had the matter under discussion at one of the meetings
of this club, and X would like to have been present to hear what was said.
1 speak of the conduct of the Opposition outside the House as most unrea-
sonable, because the increase arose from a demand made by the whole
House, includiug the Opposition members, leaders as well as followers.
(Hear, bear.) The general idea at the time was that the public would ap-
prove of the increase. The country had approved of giving $1,000 to
the members of the House of Commons, while the increased sum for the
members of the Assembly was only $800. There is little or no more time
taken up by the deliberations of the House of Commons than by ouik, nor
is the time of its members more valuable to themselves, nor are iheir ex-
penses as members greater,, But if members of the Ontario Assembly
were wrong in supposing that the people would approve of an indemnity
to them of $800, there is no more capital to bu made of the error against
one bide than against the other.
Blr. Cameron's Opinion.
I will read to you some observations that were made by Mr. Cameron,
leader of the Opposition, alter that matter had been forced upon the Oot-
^rnmeut by tbe almost quauiuious opinion of the House* A Qoycvnvaeat
4S
m
must respect a reprcsenttttion made by tho whole Houce. Mr. Cameron
said, in regard to Mmibters' salaries and members' indemnity:—
In consequencs of c«rtain gtatements in the pvpsa, ho confliclcred ithin duty to state
thikt he himself had suggested the increase of Miuiste.ra' nalurics. He believed tha*
the iriembers of the Government were not »ufllciently paid.
1 may observe liere tliat the Ministers' sala-iics were increased at the
instance' of the whole House ; and had been uiyed npon us repeatedly be-
fore we acted on the suggestion. It was well known tiiat the expensdfl
attending the office ot Minister were very largo, and a strong opinion was
expressed on both sides of the House tliat tho lucroaso should bo mado.
Mr. Cameron contiuufd : —
With reference to the indemnity to mcmhers, $8(1 > w.is, in his juflgment, not more
than adequate tocorapunsato tiiem I'or tliuir labnm- and nttendunce, and in many caDes it
was too Jittle. • * • In every othc^ resiioet, ho diil ao» consider $800 too
niuoli. 'J'herefore ho wished to nssuiuo auy rubpousibiiity that attuuhud to tUu Govoru>
meat with reference to the matter.
The other leaJers of the Opposition, including Mr. Meredith, Mr. Scott,
Mr. Creighton, Dr. Boulter, and Mr. Macdougall spoke to tho same effect ;
and Mr. Lauder concurred in tho observaiions of his colleagues. Our
own friends spoke in the same way.
I am not giving you those extracts as of themselves shov/ing that tht»
increases were light ^for that point I do not now discuss;, but to point out
the absurdity and injustice of those who, in face of the facts, endea-
vour to make a point against one side for the political benctit ot the
other side. The increases would never bavo taken place unless boih
parties had desired it and approved of it. .
m Maintonance of Public Institutions. ^
Reference is sometimes made to iho lucreHsed expense m maintainini?
our public institutions. One sutitioiunt reason of tiiat increase is that wo
we more institutions to maintain ; that those previously in exislonce
nave been eniaigeU ; and that our institutions contain a greater number of
inmates than betore. I will give you a iaw i-^ares shov/iug such to bo the
case. These figures our opponents say notliing about. The number of in-
mates in the asylums ior the insane in 1871 was 1,3G6, and in 1877 it was
2,027. In the institution for the blind in 1871 thu number of inmates
was 11, and in 1877 it was 130. The number of inmates in the Deaf
and Dumb Inietituto in 1871 was 124, and m 1877 it was 238. The nutn-
her of prisoners in the Provincial llelormatory in 1871 was 155, and in
187'? it was 203. The Central Prison, anew institutiun altogeilier, x-eliev-
ing largely the gaols and lightening expense to counties, contained at the
date ill 1877 up to which the last report was mudo 343 iumates. Uui? '
opponents are fond of pointing to the mere fact of these increases, as if that
alone constituted extravagance. But expenses of this kind uecussaiily ad-
vance no matter what ecunomy Is practised.
Comparison with otiicr Countries.
With respect to the general subject of the cost of legislation, I may ob«
serve tnal tlio direct cost is less in some of the States of the American
Union than in Ontario, though in others it is more. In iMassachusetts,
with a population of 1,457,357, the cost of legislation iu 1871 was $326,-
762; ours, with a mucn larger population, was $122,301. In New Toik
tile expense of legislation iu 1875 was $G03,060. i give the figures for
these years because 1 have no otiiers at hand. But the indirect expenses
of legislation m most of the Anierican iStates appear, by the testimony of
their own writers, to be enormous, and fionicauses iruui which, happily,
•wo have hitherto been nearly free. ^
To illustrate tho BUbject further, I vvilr take, for the benefit of our
|t'(
43
opponents, the case of commuuitieR in which the Government stm of
tlieir own political stripe. In the Province of Quebec the cost of le|fi«.
lation in 1871 — I take 1871 because that is the year with which our op.
donentd are fond of comparing our present expenditure — was $128,921,
Hrid in 1877-8 it wttB|156,969. The coat of Civil Uovernnient in 1871.2'
was $128,673, ard in 1877-8 it was $165,273. The Administration of Jus-
tice in 1871 cost $271,212, and in 1878-9, |409,790 . .>
Take, again, tno Province of Cunada during tlie time that it was under
Conservative Government, and wo find the sanio thing. I have some figures
which I have taken from documents which were published in 1862, and
wliich I believe to be correct. Legislation cost in 1853 — the year before
Hir John Macdonald came into power — $264,949, and it ran up to $432,.
048 in 1862, when Mr. Sandtield Macdonold became Premier. The Pro-
vincial Penitentiary cost the Province $28,000 in 1853, and it ran up to
$155,612 in 1862. The Governmental Depaitments cost $144,415 in 1853,
and went up to $486,620 in 1862. The collection of revenue from Cus-
toms and so on cost in 1853 $366,345, and it ran np to $832,391 in 1862.
In 1853 the aggregate expenditure tor ordinary purposes was about $4,000,.
000, including capital expenditure, and it ran up in 1862 to $10,218,863.
Pcriiaps some of those increases by Kir John's Government were too iargtj;
perhaps they partly arose trom extravagarice j but no doubt some increase
was unavoidable, and our oppoueats have always assorted that no part of
it was extravagant, bo much for thesit particular items of expenditure.
Let us look for a moment at the aggregate expenditure of the same period.
When Sir Francis Hincks left oHica in 1853, he left a surplus of $5,188,-
136, which had accrued from the ordinary revenue of the Province after
l)aving all ordinary expenses. When Sir John came into power that was
changed. There was tlionceforword an annual deftcit, which in 1862 Mr.
Gait estimated at $5,000,000, and there were besides large increases to the
taxation. But the expendture in 1862 exceeded even the increased rev-
enue by $9,311,000, which had to be made up by borrowed money. Our
exi>endituie in Ontario is simply drawing upon the revenue of the year,
and to a certain extent upon the surplus revenues of former years. Again,
the Provincntl debt under Conservative management rosein six years from
$29,922,748 to upwards of $70,000,000. I am not at present disputing the
propriety of any part of that expenditure ; I am only calling your atten-
tion to the fact that under Conservative Governments there was also an
increase, and I hope tiiat it can be accounted for as satisfactorily as the
increase in Ontario m our time. (Cheers.)
I have hero details which show that the experience was the same dur-
int; the period from 1862 to 1868, and again from 1868to 1874. There
•was constantly an increase in the aggregate, and an increase In the various
items which 1 have mentioned. The ag^jrogate figures from 1862 up it
Confederation appear to be these • —
For year ending Slst December, 1?62 $ 9,441,497
Do., 1803 9,472,»o4
Kext six months 4,423,2Sl
lor year ending 30th June, Ii3u5 U,!>63,9a7
Do., 18i)6 10,831,612
Do., 18u7 11,381,960
Beaig an increase in five yeai b of 1,940,403
Again, take Canada under Sir John,
In 1867-68 his aggiegate expenUiture was $t,%480,092
■ 1868-69 14,(i38,i)»4
l8b9-70 14,34.0,509
1870-71 : •• lu,<'^3,06i
1871-72 17,68'J,4U«
1872-73 19,174,047. .
1873-74 „M,{»;e^3nj
1. , -■'
w-^
m'^
44
, I
The increase between the fliat vedr of Confedemtion and the last for
which Sir John took a vote was $9,830,224. I believe that the responsi-
bility of Sir John's Government for 1873-4 is now universally conceded
tlioufrh it was for a time disputed. But whether or no, Mr. Tilley's esti-
mates In the session of 1873 and the statutory Increases of expenditure
show provision made for an aggregate expenditure against revenue of $23,-
685,000, or $370,000 more than was actually expended. The table which
I have read to you excludes sums expended on what is called capital
account. Adding these, and we have an aptrregate of $14,076,243 for
1867.8, and an aggregate of $19,768,847 for 1872-3, the last full year of
Sir John's administration.
liook at some of those items at the same date in Canada which cor-
respond with the items as to which the Ontario increases are absurdly and
falsely denounced as unnecessary and wanton : —
1867-8. 1871. 187S-4.
Civil Government $694,411 $642,300 $883,686
AdmiDiBtra'n of Justice , . . 291,242 814,411 469,037
Immigration and Quarantine ,00,396 71,700 818,672
Take a few more items of a special uharacler fur the first and last of
these years : — \ ^
1807-8. T873-4.
Customs .•..'. $47.5,603 $668,299
V Excise 78,9.S9 206,935
Culling Timber 69,4.30 82.886
Post-office 616,802 1,387,270
1 presume I have now given you as many figures as you will be able to
retain in your recollection. (Laughter.) And perhaps I should avail my-
sclt of this opportunity to say something about
A Certain Pamphlet
which was distributed in very large numbers in this city during the late
eleetion, to help Mr. Morris. (Hear, hear.) The pamphlet bears the
name of a certain Hich Tory Senator, who, when it suits his purpose,
claims to be a no-party man. The pamphlet professes to be written in
no party interest. But it is rather extraordinary in that case that the
pamphlet should come out just before the late election, in which Mr. Leys
ought CO have been the successful candidate, and very nearly was the
successful candidate. (Cheers.) I hope that at the next election he
will be the successful candidate. (Clieers.) In truth, the Senator is one
of the most pronounced party men in all Canada. (Hear, hear.) With
all his professions, I do not know a man who is more blinded by party
feeling than he is to the merits and measures of his opponents. (Hear,
hear.) In this pamphlet he grandly declares that he has an "appalling
revelation" to make in regard to our local affairs, that he has discovered
something which will " astound the people to learn," and that he regrets
that the duty of making it known to the people has devolved upon him.
(Laughter.) I wonder what my late opponent, Mr. Cameron — who has now
reached the Bench, which I have no doubt that he will adorn — 1 wonder
what ^« thinks of this charge against him of ignorance and incapacity, or
unfaithfulness. (Hear, hear.) According to the venerable Senator, there
was a great wrong being done before Mr. Cameron's very eyes, and it ap.
pears that, po^" fellow, he was unable to see it ; it was reserved for a very
^ Amateur in Provincial Politics ^
to perceive the wrong and to reveal it. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) I
wonder what Mr. Macdougall thinks — who has left the Provincial Assem-
bly for a higher sphere — I wonder what he thinks of the slap in the face
which the Senator administers to him 7 Mr. Macdougall has hitherto
bcUevcd himself able to perceive what was going oq and to explain an4
45
dettotince what deserved condemnation ; but money was being publicly
Avaflted by a Government which ho was elected to oppose, and it seemH
that he never knew ot the waste or told it to the country. He left the
appalling fact to be "revealed" by the tormer representative of Saugeeo.
And 1 wonder what Mr. Meredith, who is expected to be the new lender ot'
the Opposition, or Mr. Scott, or the other lights on that side of the House,
will say to the charge of blindness and stupidity which is brought against
them, iiut what is the '* appalling " discovery made by Mr. Macuherson?
Why, that the surplus now. after all the expenditure out of it, is not
what it was in 1871. (Laughter.) I do not know who but the Senator sup-
poses that that assertion is new. I do not know what intelligent politician
iu all Ontario has not long been aware of all the facts in reference to the
surplus. The Senator had no other means of learning the facts than tho
public had been long in posf "isionof. The Public Accounts were pub-
lished every year; the members received copies; the newspapers received
copies ; the accounts were from year to year discussed in the House und
in the country; the very subject of the surplus and the effect of our
legislation on it were an issue at our lust general election, and have
been a matter of fierce debate during every session, and of invective in
nearly every Opposition newspaper, from the year 1873 to the present
time. (Hear, hear.) The Public Accounts have from time to time
given tables of comparison much more full and minute than the tables
which the Senator has compiled or got compiled from them, in a form
that (he thinki:<) may serve his party tor electioneering purposes. The
i'ublic Accounts for 1871 gave such a table of comparison for the years
1868 to 1871, The Accounts for 1872 gave \ like table of conjparison
between the expenditure of 1871 aud 1872. ^rhe Public Accouutii of
1873 gave a similar table ot comparison bt^tiveen the expenditure ot
1872 and 1873. In 1874 Mr. McKellar got tables prepared and printed
unofficially, and distributed, showing the comparition for all the years
'i.r. from 1868 to 1873, and giving also the railway expenditure and surplus
,! distribution. The Public Accounts for 1874. 1875, and 1876 had tables
'. of comnarison similar to those ot 1872 and 1873. These tables of com.
parison were of the annual expenditure in respuctof the annual appropria-
tions. Tlie exuenditure on railways and /or suiplus distribution was
not inciuaeu in tUtiSe tables because they were not annual votes ; but
they were known to everybody; the particulars appeared in other oJaces
in the Accounts; and there liiad been no expenditure in tiic early years with
. which to compare tlie sums paid under these two heads iu.t^o r.ubsequent
years. In a table laid before the House by the Provinoial Treasurer in
connection witli his last budget speech, and afterwards published iu an
appendix to his speech, there was given a comparative statement from
the year 1867 to tiie year 1877, inclusive, of most of the items of expen-
diture, and of the annual average for the two periods, viz., Mr. Sandlield
Macdonald's administration and the subsequent period to 1877. This
table included the administration of justice, colonization roads, asylums
and public institutions, municipalities, hospitals and charities, <>^ / ;ul-
ture and literary and scientific institutions, education, public bu'.'ngs
aud works, railways, and surplus distribution. (Hea»-, hear.^ Another
statement printed with the same speech gave the assets, including the
surplus, and unpaid appropriations, and liabilities. Similar information
had been given from time to time in previous years.(^>Vet Mr. Macpbersun
fancies that he is the first to have discovered the'true state of afiairs.
(Laughter.) He thinks, innoceat gentleman, that the people had never
before been told that the surplus of 1871 was not all in hand still, and ho
suggests that the people have been under a delusion as to the fiuaucial
III
46
n^Tairs of the country. Sir, tho peopio have Deen unr.cr Do delufllon. (Hear,
hear, and cheer«.,» It in Bermtor Alucpher«on who is Jindei- a deluHion.
(Renewt'd cheers.) Ho has (liRcoverea a marc's n«»t. He has been fancy-
mi? that to DO a novelty to every one which was a novelty to no ono but
himself. (Hear, liear. ond laUf^hter ) After havinj^ read the pamphlet, I
should not bo Hurprised if I HhonJd t^oinetinio hooo read in tlie proceediny;^;
ot gome grave and ienrniid l)()dy, that Senator Macplierson hud read a imper
to annonnci? aa aHtartlini? discovery of his that tlie ami rose in tiie eaHtiiiid
set in the west. ^Loud lau;> liter.) The Senator in a publislied leltir
speaks ot my colleagues and myself as bein^f " political pigmies." I am
afraid there is somebody else who belongs to that category. But what
A poor set of rnen, according to this great Senator, tijero must be in public
lite hero. Ontuio must b« in a very bad wav. Its Local Ministers uie
mere political pigmies, but they are |?reat wronfj-doers ; aiid the Opposi-
tion leaders are such Lilliputian pigmies, (laughter) that, while all the cor-
ruption and extravagance, which tliis amuveuv in Provincial politics lias
discovered, have been going on under their eyes they have not known it.
(Hear, hear.) But the cliarao is a mere piece of presun»ption and vanity
on the part of the Senator. The Opposition leaders are not chargeable
with any such ignorance or incapacity as his pamphlet implies and as-
sumes, and as made him fancy that a necessity e.x.i8ted for obtaining a new
Opposition leader in the person of the new member for East Toronto. 1
houe that none of tho Opposition leaders may soon get into office; I hope
that the country will not have the misfortune for many >ears to be
governed by any of them, oi by politicians of their stripe. (Cheers. >
But I must say of them ail that they are wiser men and better informed
men than Mr. Macpherson is. He is a tyro in Provincial politics, while
they are veterans. The reason that they have not succeeded in making
tho people believe that they have been badly governed is that tho peopio
know the facts. ^y
"'! The Senator pays a good deal ot attention to me in his pamphlet, and
he invites me to discuss his charges on the lloor of the House. Well, I
do not think that the pamphlet is worth discussing there, and I do not
purpose accepting the invitation which he gives mo in that respect.
(Hear, hear.) in this pamphlet of his he talks a good deal about party-
ism and Its undehirableness. Amongst other things, referring to the
period of Confederation, ho says that
Partylsm, Wiokod, Solflsb Partylsm ^
(laughter) ?*ad done much to mar the happiness of Canada, and that tho
good men of ail parties hoped that its discordant voice had been hushed."
There was a goodly number of men sent to our Local Assembly in 1867
who had no confidence in the Government which had been formed, and
who therefore, in accordance with the opinions and wishes of their constit-
uents, did not hold it to be desirable that tho old party lines should be
destroyed — who believed that, in our system of Government, opposition
was a necessary and valuable feature, and that the old historic parties
afforded a basis for tliat opposition which should uot be disrciiarded.
(Hear, hear.j
The Truly "Good" Men.
^ But these constituencies and th§ir members were not "good" men.
(Laughter. ) They were not " good" men, like Sir John — (renewed laugh-
ter) — or the Senator himself. (Hear, hear and laughter.) True my friend
Mr. McMurrich, who is presiding here to-night, was one of those members,
and if he were not present I would say that people generally regarded him
as one of our very best men. (Cheers.) But he does not belong to the
class of "good" men, such as Sir John and Mr. Macpherson. (Laughter.;
47
. (Hear,
Iclurtion.
ri lancy-
ono but
iplilt't, I
1 a imper
eaHtiiiul
(I leltii-
" I ntn
jut wlmt
li puliliu
stt;r» ai«
Opposj.
the coi-
itics lias
nown it.
d vanity
inrgcublL'
aitd Hs-
ng a lU'w
•onto. 1
V, I hopo
,1-8 to bo
Cheera.;
infornied
C8, wliilu
I mailing
iO pecplo
hlet, and
Weil, I
I do not
respect.
lit paity-
ig to the
1 that tho
hushed."
vin 1867
med, and
r conKtit>
jbouid bo
ppoaitioa
ic parties
•c^iurdcd.
d" men.
ed laugh-
tny friend
members,
irded hiui
ng to the
au^hter.;
Mr. Bhike vftxa also a parly man, he was leader of the Opposition in IM
rtrHt AsHenil>ly, and liirt cliuiacter in a npotluHSone — (loud gIimms)— theio
JH not tiio Mlinhtest Btaiu upon ii. lint he iM not a «' good " man, U8
S'r John and .Mr. Macphi-rson are. Mr. MauUenzie alno was a memlier of
tilt' UppoHJtion in tiieJionil AKHcr.jbly.and is u man against whoHe lionenty
and iiitt'};rity no onu hut iiiri political udvcrwariuH hanever utt« red awoni.
(Loud theerH). Hut he Ih not one ot tlio "j;o()hertion. (Hear, ht-ar, and iauyhler.) All those w|»o sent Mr. Mc-
Murrit'h, Mr. Biakc, and Mr. Mackeuiiiu to the legiiflativo Assembly —
and all the mLinbors of that body who voted with them there, and uU
their consiitiionts likowisu — must have been bad men too. (Renewed
lauKhLir.) I venture to say that the testimony ot thu future will bu
the roverne ot all this. (Loud clieers).
Mr. Macpherson, though a no-party man, euIoKisog the Conservative
party leader. Sir John ; and what tor? itecause 8ir John did all cuuhl he
to prevent u division ot the people into parties after Confederation. And
why? That all parties might bupport him. (Hear, buur, and laughter.)
I do not see much patriotism in that, though thu Senator does. I do nut
know what party leader would not willii^Ay di«puuse with partieit on the
jamo terms. (Ihar, hear.and cheers.) ^
A little farther on tho Senator gives a so.ctf''led hifclory of the proceedinga
which led to the fall of tho tirst Local Govurn.^ient and to Mr. Blake'a acces-
siou to ofiii e, and he ascribes the change to " the absence ot a number of
membt'i's who had gone to their constituents for re-election." (Laughter.)
It' he had looked at the Joinnals he would have found that Mr. Sandfield
Macdonald's c;ovRrnment didnot resign until there had been a vote against
them ot 44 to 25 — nearly two to one. The House consisted ot 82 members,
so that a majority ot the whole House had voted against the Government
— (hear, hcnr) — and during the subsequent proceeding, . of the session, after
the gentlemen who had gone to their constituents liad relurned to the
Hoube, all the mensuies ot Mr. Blaku'ii Government were supported by im-
mense miijoritiea. (Hear, hear.)
Wixo GovoniB the Government. ''
Mr. Macpheraon is very fond of stating that Mr. Brown is the head of tlie
Provincial Government, and was tlie head ot Mr Mackenzie's Government.
(Laughter.) Now Mr. Brown has many admirers, and if he was the head of
either Government, or believed to be, it would perhaps add to its slreiigtti.
But I may take this opportunity ot mentioning one or two things bearing
on Mr. Brown's occupying or desiring to occupy such a position. Duiine
the time that 1 have been Premier iVir Brown nas never once even asked me
for an appointment for anybody. (Cheers.) He has never even intimated
to me an opinion, so tarns 1 roJollect.as to any appointment. (Hear, hear.)
Further. 1 do not recollect any matter of Provincial policy with regard to
which he has even spoken to nio before our policy had been decided upon
and publicly announced, with the exception perhaps of his favourite subject
ot agriculture — I have had several conversations with him on that subject.
(Cheers.) Of the vast number of other subjects with which we have been
occupied, I don't think there was one in regard to which he has ever endea-
voured ia conversation or by letter to press any paiticulav view upon mo.
(Hear, hear.) But he has given to the Government a generous support in
his paper, as all the lieform press have done. (Loud cheers. ) Tub Globk
has supported us for the same reasons that other Reform journals have ;
and apart from his paper, Mr. Brown has supported us for the same reasons
that other leaders of tlie party have done so. (Cheers.) Now, it is one of
the blessings of a Retorm party that Reformers aro independent thinkers —
i
m
m
\
■ 43
(hear, hear) — and it \% one of our difficulties and weaknesses as a party tliat
we are apt to speak out our ditterences when they exist. In that respect we
diifer from our opponents — (hear, hear) — who make little of their dififerencert
or conceal them. My colleagues and myself have not always been fortun-
ate enough to have our views concurred in by Mr. Brown. He has had his
independent views and we have had ours. When our views differ, we take
our course, anrf he takes his. (^Cheers.) But we don't qua,rrel if we do not
on every subject think jurtt alike. We passed a Farmers' Sons' J^'ranchise
Act; Tub Globr opposed that measure with its accustomed viKour and
ability. Our school legislation had the opposition of Thb Globb in several
respects^ while it had the support of Thr Globb in other respects ; and I
might enumerate various matters in which we have not adopted nis views
nor persuaded him to adopt ours. I do not know whether you think that
when we differed he was right or we were right ; but it is not inconsistent
with holding a high opinion of Mr. Brown, or with feeling gratitude for his
pndt public services, that one should not think that everything expressed in
T.is Globb by Mr. Brown and his writers for the last 30 years and more has
beon correct or to be approved. It would be strange indeed if, during that
lons^ period, many things had not been said, and argued for or contended
against, which some or other of his fellow Beformers did not at the time
agree with, or do not now agree With : but there is no room fur doubt that all
the great reforms which had been accomplished in this country for twenty-
ti ve years or so before (/ontederatiou wde hastened by his able and vigorous
advocacy. There is not one of those reforms that we would have gvt so
soon but for the powerful support of Mr. Brown and Thb Globb. 1> j last
great retorm which was accomplished — the prtting an end to Frenoo Tory
dumination in the local affairs of Ontario, and the principle of representa-
tion by population in matters of common interest — we would not have got
fur years to come Due lor nis persevering, zealous, and selt-denying ezer«i
tion4. (Cheers.) In view of these services Mr. Brown is entitled to the
graliiude of all the people of this country, and even of those who do not
hold, who are far from holding, in all respects the same political views as
he does. But to say or insinuate that he directs the Ontario Government,
or shapes its policy, or is its head, is to ascribe to him a responsibility
which is utjjuat to him and for which there is not the slightest foundation
in the facts. I have no reason to doubt that the case was tue same in
t'egard to the Keform Government at Ottawa: though o^ course I cannot
speak as to it from personal knowledge,
^ Mr. BXaopberson and tbe N.P. '
I had always thought that the reason the late Dominion Government
was unsuccessful at the elections was because of the National Policy. It
IS to that cause that our friend in the chair, in his opening speech, ascribed
the success of Sir John Macdonald and his party at the late elections, but
Mr. Mucpnerson wrote a book auring those elections daughter), and he
does not appear to at all agree that it was the xSational Policy to which Mr.
Mackenzie's defeat was owing. It was " because the public would not bo
any longer imposed upon Dy the professions of spurious Reformers" ; for
you see his book had made these known. (Laughter.) The Senator is very
angry because during those elections I attended a meeting in the county ai
Glengarry where l>uminiou subjects were discussed. He says : — '* A rail-
wav is beiux; built through that part of the country to Uttawa, ana is pcr-
uaps dependent tor its completion upon receiving further aid from the
Province of Ontario. Will Mr. Mowat say that he did not listen to
representations or applications from the promoters ot the railway lor
additional Provincial aid?" I suppose thr.t Conservatives who read the
in
we ,
fort
hea
mat
assc
objt
no
exc(
pasf
nas
oft,
are
SeoJ
deit
fort
obrr
owi
fartj
appJ
tJUef
Th<
five!
X
%#>.
pAinphlet may think the fact to be as in insinuated in that question. But
tlhe trath is, that not a single word was said to me about railway aid during
all the time I was in Glengarry, nor did I say a word about it to anybody.
(Cheers.) I did not knoM^ «nen, and do not know now, that the friends nf
the railway were or are looking for an increase ot the railway bonus already
voted. (Cheers.) And it never occurred to me, in connection with that
visit or otherwise, to give an impression to anybody that the chance of
receiving further railway aid from the Government would be greater if the
county elected one mnn rather than another, and the subject was not even
(Spoken of. We go on no such principle in our railway grants as this pam-
phleteer suggests (Cheers.) In every instance the grant maae to a railway
had been as much desired and as earnestly asked by Conservatives as by
Reformers. There is not one railway that we have aided which has not had
among its promoters both Conservatives and Reformers. What we look at
IS whether ot not the railway is one to which it is tor the public iuteiest
to grant aid, and we a«t accordingly . (Cheers. ) The Senator has a good
deal to say about tho
, ,A ' . ,.71 Admlnlstiration of Justice.
Amongst other things^ he states that the Reform Governments at Ottawa
and Toronto have " created two Courts of Appeal — the Court of Error and
Appeal for Ontario, and the Supreme Court at Ottawa." What will you
think of such a statement wheu I tell you that the Court of Appeal was
established as long ago as 1791 ? — (laughter)— and that the Actecitablishiint;
it provided for nearly the same classes of appeals from the Oburt of Kiug'ii
Bench as now ? The Court of Chancery was establisL ed in 1837, and it was
then provided, 30 years ago, that there should be appeals trom that Court;
to tho same Court of Appeal. Some years later (ld49) the Court of Common
I'leas was establiKhed, and an appeal was at the same time provided tor
from that Court to the Court of Appeal, which then received the name of the
Court of Error and Appeal, and retained it till the old name was restored
in my time. Thus, part of the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal wiiich
we are said to have created had its origin over eighty years ago, part of it
forty years ago, and part of it more than a quarter of a centuiy a^'o. (Hear,
Hear.) Tbe Senator expresses the valuable opinion that the law allows too
many rehoarings or appeals, aud he intjinuatus^ if ho does not positivel;^
asReit, that we were the parties who hud made the law to which he thus
objects. You will hardly be of that opinion when I tell you that siuce 1851
nu important classes of appeals have been sanctioned by the Lugishituru
except those which Sir John added— I do not say wrongly added — by a law
passed in his time. So that the whole matter of appeals in ordinary cases
nas been in existence substantially as it now is for many years betore either
of the assailed Governments was in power, and some parts of the system
are owing to his friend Sir John and his Government ; aud nobody but tho
Senator iu his pamplilet has hitherto condemned them. The Senator con-
demns the Reform party also fur the ai>peals allowed to the Supreme Court,
forgetting in his partisanship that tlie Act cstiibliuhingtbe Supreme Court,
oorrespoiided in that respect with the Bills previously brought in by his
own friends, and that the Act of the late Government not only did not go
farther than was done by tho Bills of Sir John, bet cut vft one expensive
appeal which the Sonatoi-'s friends wished to retain, namely, an appeal from
tjUe Supreme Court to the Privy Council inEuglaud.
In 1874 it hau become necessary to increase the
^ ; Number of Judges.
There f.a,d been no increase, in tbe number of Superior Jud:£cs tor twenty^
five year»» During that period there hud been a large inurease la tho
I
50
population of the Province, and in its wealth and its transactions, and the
consequence was that the business of the Courts had so increased that the
judges were unable to overtake their work. Hence the business was falling
into arrear. The judges were laborious and able men ; but there was a
limit to their powers, and sometimes suitors were in attendance at Court
Hfter Court before they could get their cases tried or disposed ot. The
delay and expense occasioned by this state of things were great evils,
and acknowledged by all to be so. Justice Is not justice unless it is rea*
sonabi; speedy. (Hear, hear.) We proposed, tberefoK', the additions of a
certain number of judges, and our proposal was approved of by the Opposf.
tion leaders as well as by our own friends. Our opponents fully admitted
that the measure was one which the public interests imperatively required.
We called the new judires "judges ot appeal," and made tne bearing ot ap-
peals their special duty, though the other duties assigned to them were
greater than their appeal duties. Mr. Meredith, in his speech on our Bill,
declared that the arrangement we proposed of making these judges ap-
peal judtces was probably the best arrangement that could be made. 1 do
not know tl)at I need remark further on what the Senator says when the
members ot his own political stripe who were acquainted with the subject,
which he is not, have expressed strong opinions in favour of tho very
measure which he iguorautly condemns. (Hear, hear.)
Tavern Licenses. ' * ^" -^^ * ^
The Senator says that we have " diverted into the Provincial Exchequer a
portion of the revenue derived from tavern li.'^enses," and that thereby I
"may be said to have inaugurated direct taxaiion for Provincial pur-
poses ;" while the fact is. there has been a tax on tavern licenses for Pre
vincial purposes for more than eighty years, and it wap inaugurated in the
first Parliament of Upper Canada, instead of being inaugurated by me.
I hud noted, for the purpose of remarking upon, a number ot other state-
ments in the pamphlet, but I have occupied so much time already that I
cannot continue much longer. (Cries of «' Go on.")
Mr. Maopberson's Charges. IV' >
The pamphlet is chiefly directed against me and against my colleagues.
Mr. Macpheison entitles his pamphlet, "A trenchant exposure" — very
modest, is lie not?—*' of extravagance, incapacity, and corruption." He
says, I " know what is right," but •♦ can be persuaded to do what is wrong."
(Lauubter.) He pretends to think that I ••yield readily to unscrupulous
men." He charges me, in common with my colleagues, with "making
the wildest misstatements," with " misrepresentation and abuse," with
••unscrupulous efforts," with "flagrant wrong-doing," with "defending acts"
which we "must have known to be scandalous." Ho accuses us with
[ "sacrificing consistency, dignity, and duty." He says we are a ••nariow-
' minded and selfish clique," and •' incapable and reckless." He speaks oi
our accounts for what are called contingencies as the "corruption fund ot'
unscrupulous Ministers." I have not at hand two letters which he pub-
lished in the Mail, and which, I believe, contained more in the same strain
Yet ho does not seem to think that any ot this language is abuse. (Hear,
hear.) And he implores me not to abuse him. (Laughter) His pamphUti
may deceive the uawary, but to anybody that studies it, it is enough to
coudumu him without any abuse on my part, or by any one else. As tu
the things which he says of me, I do not dispute with the Senator their
applicability to one ot us. I leave those who know me and my publiu
conduct to judge whether they apply to me, and I am content to leavu
his pamphlet, or the pamphlet which he claims as his, to tell whether or
not they apply to him. (Hear, hear.) The Senator uundescends, in the
midsi of all his abuse oi xue, to iutruduve a Suuuuve to the t&uat that he
believes I am " personally upright." For my part, I do not see how u man
can be as bad as he says that I am, and yet bo personally upright. But
he and I evidently belong; to di£ferent schools of ethics, as well as to
difterent schools of politics. (Cheers.) While this gentleman ex-
presses so bad an opinion ot me, he thinks a great deal of himself. He
claims to be " intluenced solely by a desire to promote the public welfare
and to purify Canadian public life." I am afraid that if the public wel-
fare and the purity of Canadian life depend at all on him and
his pamphlet, they stand a very poor chance of promotion. (Hear, hear.)
He pronounces partyism to bo " selfish and wicked," and speaks of it as
" pr«judiced and pestilent," and as «' inexorable and dwarfing." These
are strong words. There may be a partyism without any of these things.
There may be a pilre and patriotic partyism ; but the Senator's partyism
deserves all 'Che opprobrious epithets which he uses. (Hear, hear.) And
here, for want of time and strength, I must leave him.
Much as this Tory Senator abuses the Reform party as represented in
the Ontario Government and Legislature, and bitter as henceforward until
the elections the contest will be between his friends and tba Liberals of
the Province, I am glad to know that our legislation and our adrainistra.
tion of public affairs have oeen beneficial to the whole people, and to our
bitterest opponents as well as to our best friends. I hope that v?'^ may be
in a position to do good to our political enemies (in spite ot themselves), as
wfll as to the rest of the country, tor another term of tour years ; and I do
not doubt that the Reform Literary and Debating Club of Toronto will
render good service in bringing about that desirable result.
The hon. gentlemen, on resuming^ bis scat, was heartily cheered.
i #
NoTB — Mr. Macpherson has issued a new and revised edition of the
Pamphlet, with a lon^ appendix, dated 14th of January, 1879, and a differ-
ent title page ; and it is said that a large edition is being printed at tho
Senator's expense, for distribution in every part of the Province, under the
hope on his part of thereby influencing the coming elections and obtaining
some fame for himself.
Mr. Mowat, in his speech before the Toronto Reform Club, gave some
specimens of the Senator's misleading statements ; and the facts mentioned in
his Woodstock speech, as well as in other portions of his speech at Toronto,
afford incidentally an answer to other statements in the pamphlet, and to thH
false inferences of extravagance which the schedules were prepared to lead
the unwary to make. Expenditure is not necessarily extravagance ; nor
does increased expenditure necessarily imply extravagance ; on the con-
trary, increased expenditure may be economical, as well as prudent and wise.
Mr. Mowat has pointed out, that for the essential piirposps of a government,
the expenditure under the heads of Civil Government, Legislation and Admin-
istration of Justice is the only expenditure necessary; and that it does not in
this Province amount to much more than one-fourth of the Annual Revenue ;
that the balance of our revenue may either be kept unemployed, or be em.
ployed in some useful and beneficial manner in the public interest ; that
the cost of of Civil Government and Administration of Justice always and
everywhere increases unavoidably with the progress of a country ; and that,
the aggregate cost of Civil Government in Ontario, including all increases of
salaries and all contingencies, is far less proportionably than the increase of
business done since Mr, Sandfield McDonald's time. Again, the chief item of
increase under the head of Legislation is for the increased indemnity of mem-
bers, and the Senator speaks as if it was incurred against the opposition of
his own party, and was therefore a ground for preferring his to the liberal
party ; while the fact is> as the Senator ktlows woU^ that his liiends and
52
■■■;■ I
leaders were active parties in bringing about tho increase, and in inducinjj
the government to assent to it, and that the same leaders and their support-
ers have always defended the increase as jnst and reasonable, whether
it may or may not be deemed expedient to continue it.
Apart from the three heads of expenditure which have just been men-
tioned, and which do hot amount to much more than one-fourth of either
the revenue or the aggregate expenditure, Mr. Mowat has pointed out
that the other expenditures of a country may be much or little, according
to the means of the country and the wishes of its people ; that in the
case of Ontario, — the revenue having been from the first more than was neces-
sary both to defray the essential expenses of government, and to en-
able the Legislature to make the various other grants which had been
customary before Confederatioii for objects, now within the jurisdiction
of the Ontario Legislature, — Mr. Sandlield Macdonald's Government deter-
mined to build a new Government House at Toronto, a new Lunatic
Asylum at London, an Institute for the blind at Brantford, an Insti-
tute for the deaf and dumb at Belleville, and a Central Prison at
Toronto ; and the same government decided in its last year to appropriate
a million and a half dollars of the s'urplu^i of previous ye^rs for the encourage-
ment of railways.
The works so determined upon by that government were partly executed
in their time, and what was not completed before the change of government
has been completed since ; but the objects mentioned did not employ the
whole remaining revenue or accumulations of revenue, and the Reform
Party are responsible for employing further portions of accumulated and ac-
cruing revenue for other ol)je.ot3. They distributed upwards of three
millions of dollars amongst the municipalities for local objects of a perma-
nent nature ; and upwards of two millions of dollars for encouraging rail-
ways to which the people in the various localities were contributing still
larger sums. The Asylums and Institutions established before Mr. Blake
came into power having become inadequate to ajBFord accommodation for the
afflicted classes for which these Institutions were designed, it was the
public desire that a furth^.r part of the money should be employed on en-
.ilarging and extending the respective buildings, so that there should be room
i| for all. This was do; a. Was it wrong ? IS' obody said so at the time, and
/ nobody ventures to say sojnow. The Central Prison was also greatly enlarged
for a like reason, and the gaols were thereby relieved of an additional number
of their inmates. More also was done for colonization roads and other
Public VVoiks ; more for Education ; more for hospitals and charities for the
relief of the iufum and the poor ; and more for various other objects
of I'ublic interest or advantage.
When our Institutions were enlarged and contained an additional number
of inmates, a corrosponding increase in the annual expenditure for the main-
tenance of these Institutions was a matter of course ; but the cost per head
is less at each of them than at simiiar institutions iu any other part of the
North American Continent, The pamphleteer endeavors by his tables, and
his references to them, to create the false impression that more has been spent
for what could and should have been as well accomplislied for the smaller
sums employed in the earlier years of (,'onfederation ; but the contrary is the
fact. The Senator has manipulated the tables in several respects, in order to
facilitcte this impression. Some illustrations of this manipulatiou have
been given in the newspapers, and iu the debates in the Assembly on the
answer to the Lieutenant vjiovernor's Sjietch ; and a more full account of
tht Senator'.') oriors and mialcuding statements will be giveu hereafter.
\
en men-
either
ited out
scorditjg
in the
?
« IK^
»•> »
iiTDEss:;.
■ " ♦»t-
DOMINION AND LOCAL POLITICS. .^^^^f taqh.
Members cf Provincial Governments interested as oitizens 4
OUR CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM. / ....;-_:/ _^.rL