IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 125 1^ IM Hi i^ 12.2 lit w 140 M 1.8 U ill 1.6 i^ /i Va /a Ol 4W ^- /A >• y ^9> R? •L .1^\'"^ 4^ iV CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductione Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical Notes / Notes techniques The Institute hau attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. Coloured covers/ Couvertures de couleur Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur L'Institut a microfiimd le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6tA possible de se procurer. Certdins difauts susceptibles de nuire A la quality de la reproduction sont notis ci-dessous. 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The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire fiimd fut reproduit grflce d la g6n6rosit6 de I'dtablissement prdteur suivant : La bibliothdque dei Archives publiques du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour dtr't reproduites en un seul cliche sont filmdes d partir de Tangle sup6rieure gauche, de gauche d drcite et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Le diagramme suivant illustre la mdthode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 w QUEBEC ISSUES DISCUSSED AT NICOLET BY THE MINISTERS. rN?'> Hon. Mr. FI^NN -ON — . ' ' ^r-- " V. "':.'. FINANCES TELLS WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO RESTORE RIGHT ., f ::.■■''/. ■■ ' ^ ■' CONDITIONS '%: ':>■ r' - ■:• . WORK OF AGRICULTURE. Hon. Mr. BEAUBIEN Delivers a Most Interesting Address on an Interesting Subject ;%-:.'. : •■ ■¥ ! i. (HI ^^r?^ DISCUSSED AT NICOLET BY THE MINISTERS HON. MR. FLYNN ON FINANCES Tells What Has Been Done to Restore Right Conditions— Work for Agriculture— Hon. Mr. Beaubien Delivers a Most Inter- e^ing Address on an Interesting Subject. (From The Gazette, Montreal, 6th Oct., 1896.) NicoLBT, October 5.— Hon. E. J. Flynn, Prime Minister, Hon. L. Beaubien, Oommis- •ioner of Agriculture and Colonization; Hon. T. Chapaia, President of the Council, arrived here yesterday from Three Rivers, on Mr. J. A. Oagnon's pleasure yacht, and held a snoceasful meeting in the afternoon. Before leaving Three Rivers they paid a visit to the venerable Bishop Lafleohe. Afterwards, in company with Mayor Cook, Mr. P. E. Panneton, President of Exposi- tion; J. A. Frigon, Secretary of the Exposi- tion; Hon. Joseph Royal, ot Montreal; N. S. Dnplessis, M.L.A., and several prominent citizens of Three Rivers they visited the Ex- position Oronnds. His Worship the Mayor welcomed the visitors. Hon. Messrs. Flync, Beaubien, Chapais and Royal spoke a few words each, appreoiative of the wel- come extended to them. *< •-- On their return, the party proceeded to Mr. Gagnon's yacht, accompanied by Messrs. P, E. Panneton, J. A. Frigon, of Three Rivers, and C. P. Beaubien, of Montreal. On arrival at Nicolet, they were met by Messrs. Ball, McCaffrey and Camirand, and, af visiting the residences of Messrs. Mo- C ey and Mayor Ball, the party repaired to the Roohette Hotel for dinner. They afterwards visited the College and its grounds, and paid a short visit to the Bishop's Palace. The meeting took place at the Town Hall, at 3 p.m. The hall can contain from 1,000 to 1,200 persons and was filled to its utmost capacity. An address was presented by Mayor Ball, who presided at the meeting. He con- gratulated Hon. Mr. Flynn on the wisdom displayed by the present Government, and wiAlcomed, for the first time, a Prime Minis- ter to the town and county of Nicolet. ■:(f ' .' THB PREMIER S SPEECH. Hon. Mr. Fly no made an eloquent and ■ oirited addre'ia. He dieolaimed any doaire tc recall the scandalB of the last Liberal Adminlatration, bat jiutice exacted certain refereiices to some of the results of these acts. The Prime Minister referred to his visit to Three Rivers at the time of the Exposition and the cordial reception ac- corded to aim there. This was the first time he had the pleasure of addressing an audience in the town of Nicolet, but he had followed the history of the grand institution of education of this town. He thanked Hon. Mr. Beaubien, whom he designated as the "Apostle of Agriculture," for the occasion offered of addressing this large audience. He then addressed himself to the politica] questions of the day. The people, he said, had a right to hear the result of the Con- servative administrations, which had sue* oeeded one another since 1892. It was need- less to go beyond that date, as the electorate had pronounced a verdict, with no uncertain sound, on the former administration, and as the leader of that administration was gone, it was not becoming to them to attack the memory of the dead. He would deal with the acts of the De Boucherville and Taillon Governments, as well as the administration of which he himself was chief. They had come to power, and found a deficit of over a million. This had been converted into a sur- plus of $286,000 for the last fiscal year. Their opponents accused them of taxing and borrowing, but the people of this Province must know better. Those who had caused the expenses, and contracted the obligations which rendered the taxes and loans necessary were responsible for these taxes and loans. In December, 1891, they had taken charge of the ship of state, and found it stranded on the reefs of exhausted credit, completely dismantled, while today, this ship was full- rigged, and ready to meet all the gales and tempests raised by the enemies of the Pro- vince. He could speak more particularly of the Department of Crown Lands, of which he had the direction during four yean. He had recovered $91,000, of which the Department had been defrauded during that lamentable administration. The taxes which had become necessary were imposed on those who could best bear the burden. Most of these taxes had been abolished, and that on transfers would be abolished next session. Thore would then remain only the tax on rich successions and corporations. The loans had not exceeded the amount voted by the previous Administration to pay railway subsidies and other obligations amounting to about $13,000,000. They had to do this to uphold the honor and credit of the Province, which had been placed in danger by the extravagance of the former Government. He touc)ied on the agricultural and colonization policy, leaving the details to Hon. Mr. Beaubien. In the Crown Land Department revenue had been between six and seven hundred thousand dollars, and had been raised to over a million, while the expenses had been reduced over $100,000. The fish and game reserves produced a revenue of $30,000, where nothing had been collected before. He touched upon the primary declaration in his programme that the present Government wished to preserve order, stability and jus- tice. The former Government by issuing letters of credit and other crooked transac- tions had violated the constitution, and they had been signally punished. The present Gk>vernment wished to do jastice to all, without exacting pay, nor charging toll for settling questions in justice to friend or foe. THE 'QUESTION OF EDUCATTON. They wished to help-primary education, as they considered that the teachers were not sufficiently paid. The system of education jrtioalarly of da, of which uring four $91,000, of D defrati.ded ministration, loeaaary were eat bear the « had been ira would be 'bore would IX on rich The loans int yoted by pay railway ftmountiog to to do this to credit of been placed ^nce of the touched on >tion policy, [r. Beaubien. revenue had ren hundred m raised to sec had been ish and game of $30,000, id before. He iration in his Government ity and jus- b by issuing ced transac- ttution, and ished. The io justice to charging toll to friend or TTON. iducation, as era were not >f education in the Province waa t;ood in the main, but susceptible of improvement. Agricultural education would also receive a large share of attention irom the present Government. He next referred to their success in obtain- ing a decision in their favor with regard to the northern and northeastern frontier of the Province. By this move they had secured about 32,000,000 acres of land to thf Province. They proposed to make this new property produce enough revenue to continue to govern the Province without new taxes. He touched upon the reorganization of the different departments, so that work would be more evenly divided among the Ministers. He repeated his statement on the railway policy. They would recognize engagements already contracted, but would make no more engagements. The question of Federal grants was next brought up. The Province should receive a grant in pro- portion to the population at last census, and three of the members of the Federal Government had expressed their approval ot this principle at the interprovin- cial conference. This question hfid been raised by previous administrations, and was not now brought up to embarass the present federal administration, but as a matter of justice to the Province. Some people have begun already to warn the Quebec Govern- ment that they can prepare i o decamp, in view of the result of the federal elections in this Province. This result is not at all a necessary consequence. The provincial ad- ministration is altogether distinct from the Federal Government. The people of this Province are intelligent enough to make a distinction, and they can see that, al- though as citizens we uphold the same principles, the two Governments are inde- pendent of each other. The present Govern- ment appeals to the reason of the people, not to prejudice nor passion. Their law is that of love, not of hate. By union alone we can save our province. The Prime Minister was repeatedly applauded and his closing re- marks produced a storm of applause, which continued for several minutes. MR. BEAUBIBN'S address. The Commissioner of Agriculture, after acknowledging the applause with which he was greeted, said :— Now that I have the happiness of meeting in this place repre- sentatives of every part of the County of Nicolet, devoted friends with whom I have already encountered many a contest, allow me to thank you with all my heart for the firm support and devotion you have invari- ably manifested towards the Conservative party. Happy am I to have this oppor- tunity ot introducing among you these my energetic colleagues, who will find them- selves quite at home in this lovely town of Nicolet, where our numerous friends have not been sparing of their enthusiastic expres- sions of sympathy. Doubtless, it would have been better, in answer to the request of the whole county, had the meeting been held in the usual centre of the county, that is, Becancour. But, so late in the season, I hardly dared to convoke frn Msemblage in any place where we could not find any shel- ter in case of a shower. As soon as we oan manage it, you may be perfectly sure that we shall hold our meeting in some other place in the county, so as to satisfy the de- sires of all our frieu "s. Before long, gentK '>en, you will have to determine if your member, and the mem- bers of the Ministry, of which he has the honor to form a part, have conscientiously discharged the duty with which you entrust- ed them. Meanwhile, we have felt that it was our duty to visit you and discuss mat- ters with you, to meet our friends, whom I need hardly say, it is a real pleasure to see once more. I shall not compare our Ministry with that which preceded it, before March 8th, 1892. I shall leave that task to my hon. colleagues, who will address you on the sub- jeot of our finances, and on otb' r matter* of politic* in which yon are interested. But I may aay, and yon know this aa well as we do, that from the 8th March the era of scan- dals came to an end. * THE OOVTBRNMBNT'd WORK. We have re-established order in our hnances, and that without having recourse to the system of three-column budgets em- ployed by oar predecessors — one oolamn for ordinary expenditurn, another for special ex- penditure, and a third for expenditure to be charged to capital account. No, we have proceeded quietly along two columns, re- oeipca and expenditure. You will observe that in spite of the extraordinary state of things we were called upon to encounter, we have succeeded in presenting to the Province a reasonable surplus. I hear our opponents exclaim: "True, but you have taxed the people to obtain it." I do not conceal it; we had the courage, after having Bubjectt>i ourselves as well as our employes to the impost, to in- vite the people to aid us in filling cp the past deficits and to repair the disasters caused by our predecessors. The debts of the province had to be mot. ' It could not be allowed to go into bankruptcy. But now these new burdens are being oast off, one after the other, as fast as our economies, practised with prudence and persistance, permit us to make fewer applications to the funds of the public; as fast as the resources of our various departments increase, as we foord this year they did in the Department of Grown Liands. WORK FOR AORICULTUBE. As for me, my friends, I came to the con- clusion that it was my part to set to work in earnest persistently, and I constituted my politics finally of agriculture wi b. very little politics mixed up in it. I visit' /d the agri- cultural meetings as often as I felt that I could do any good there. I kept my at- tention fixed on the end to be obtained, calling in the aid of all the sincere friends of agriculture; and bow I have to relate to yon that which I think has been realized. Not that I arrogate the merit of this to myself; the electors in due time and place will de- cide to whom the merit belongs; but it is my duty to lay before you the progress accomplished, the success obtained. As I now, of necessity, enSr into details, I will confine myself to the subjects of agriculture and colonization. We have been severely economical in every department, and I congratulate, on this point, my honorable colleagues as well as the Speaker of the House. But, in both agriculture and coloniza- ^on we have been careful not to hinder pro- gress in any direction whatsoever. I thank my honorable colleagues, as well as the House, for the latitude that has been allowed to my Department. We have certainly not abused it, and I beg you, gentlemen, after seeing the statement I am about to lay before you, to judge yourselves whether or not we have made a good use of the funds entrusted to our charge, and if we have, or have not, been worthy of the confidence reposed in us. farmers' clubs. The first, the chief, measure adopted for the improvement of our agriculture, was the act establishing farmers' clubs. It placed at the disposition of the farmer an entirely novel organization. Up to that period, there had been but few clubs, their existence was not recognized by the law. By these clubs, members of the same parish of the same place, can meet together without diffi- culty, and this is not so with the agrionltoral societies, that embrace a whole county, and their members can hardly find an opportunity of attending the meetings. Bat in a club, every one can attend the sessions, at least once a month. All the people in a parish ova unite to prove the truth of the proverb. "Union is strength." They can combine be obtained, lere friends of I relate to yoa ealised. Not lis to myself; plaoe will de* longs; bat it ore you the 3ce88 obtained. into details, lie subjects of We have been ipartment, and my honorable Speaker of the e and ooloniza- to hinder pro- ^er. I thank well as the I been allowed I certainly not atlemen, after t to lay before )her or not we nds entrusted , or have not, reposed in us. adopted for ture, was the It placed at an entirely that period, leir existtoQce By these arish of the vithout diffi- a agricultural county, and 1 opportunity in a club, ions, at least in a parish the proverb, ban combine their resources for the purchase of imple- ments, artificial man'ires, breeding stock, and plaoe all these t.t the senrioe of the members. Thus, thf action of the clubs on agriculture, on the 'mprovement of pastures, on root crops, grejn fodder, vegetables, on the improved farm buildings required by our long winters, the diffusion of good farm practice, the use of chemical manures, has been most efficient. The clubs have greatly aided, too, the progress of dairying. Never has any organization so rapidly revealed io- self by the benefits it has spread abroad* An implement maker told me, last year that, thanks to the clubs alone, he had sold 300 more chaff cutters than usual. Mr. Dawes, of Laohine, Mr. Greenshields, of Danville, say, that every week they are visited by delegates from the clubs, anxious to buy breeding stock of different kinds. Allow me, on this important occasion, to make use of the newspapers that doubtless are represented here, to announce to our clubs that have en . abled us to travel so rapidly along the path of improvement, that I will invariably do all that lies in my power to aid them. There are today 650 clubs. They had no legal ex- istence before 1893. There were then about 23 that were carried on with greater or less ret^uiarity. In these associations the best theoretical and the best practical men of the district — aye, even from abroad — mecu and exchange ideas. It was stated that the clubs were antagonistic to the Agricultural Societies. Allow mo to cite a law proposed by the zealous member for the St. Louis division of Montreal, Mr. Parizeau to allow the dubs to form a Co-operative Association with the the County Agricul- tural Societies, so that the presidents of all the clubs shall compose the Board of Direct- ors of the County Agricultural Society. In this way all the parishes in the county are represented, and the old County Society may be kept going more efficiently than ever. The County of Chambly is organized on this plan. THE •• JOITRNAL OF AORICrLTTTRB." in 1892 this periodical had 7,000 sub- scribers, it now has 62,000. I can state, of my own knowledge, gathered in my numerous travels throughout the Province, that it is read in every farmer's family, it is not allowed to accumulate in heapi at the Post Office. On the contrary, complaints are soon heard if a man's number has not ar- rived in due time, and we know something of these complaints. Many belong to the clubs solely for the sake of receiving the Joumcd, and there is not, no, not in the whole world, any farm journal that has such a number of readers. What an immense ad- vantage is this for the Province. The use- fulness of it is attested by the numerous letters from subscribers that relate to our De- partment what excellent results they obtain from their crops from following the advice of this publication. THE DAIRY SOHOOU For the encouragement of our dairy indus- try, the sole business that in the past, as well as in the present, and for the future, offers itself to us as the chief source of pro- fit and prosperity, to enoouraG;e this udus- try we need good makers of bat- ter and cheese, as well as well fitted up creameries and cheeseries. Almost all this was in its infancy. I turned to the Dairymen's Association, which re- plied, that there were not enough inspectors, nor enough makers either; that they, had to import them from abroeid. The Cabinet yielded at once to the Dairymen's Aijsooia - tion, and founded the school at St. Hyacinthe in 1892. Look how success crowned the ex- periment. The first year, 1892-93, the school received 214 pupils; in 1893-94, 268; in 1894- 95, 312; and this year 300, making a total of Jl,094 pupils in the four yean! I am de- -i-.»xy: f 8 lighted to acknowledge the signal aervicea of thoae who asaiited ua in placing this school on auoh an excellent footing. The Miniatry ia determined to neglect no means of main- taining this nursery of our makers in aach a atyle that we ahall have no reason to envy oar neighbors. AORICULTURAL LECTCRERS. Every olub ia obliged, to obtain a right to ita grant, to have at least two leotars: a year; and the Miniatry was therefore anzioua to have a sufficient number of leotnrera to supply all demanda. We are asked to increase the number, and it ia with pleasure we find that people are earnestly attentive to the lecturers, and are vastly anxious to gather all the good they can from their lipa. CREAMERIES AND CHEESERTRS. In 1891 we had 114 creameriea and 568 oheeseriea; in all, 682. In 1895 we had 302 creameries and 1,417 oheeseriea; in all, 1,773. According to the census of 1891, the produc- tion of butter and cheese in 1890 did not reach $3,000,000. In 1894, according to the statements of the makers, the value of the two articles exceeded $7|50O,000. In comparing the production of thia year with the production of 1890, we find that the farmer received for butter and cheea« npwarda of four millions ot dollars in 1894 more than they received in 1890. Allow me to quote to you the commercial review of the Montreal Herald of 21st November last:— " The exports thia year, up to date, have been: Cheeae, 1,058,172 boxea; last year, 1,052,593 boxes; increase, 5,575 boxes. For butter, up to date, 90,636 tubs or boxes; last year, 30,904 tubs or boxea; increaae, 64,692." So, the production of butter seems by this to have nearly tripled. Let me show you how useful the Department has been to the makers of butter and cheese, by quoting the words of a leading banker of Montreal, Mr. Hague, General Manager of the Merchants Bank, in 1895. He spoke thus: — ' " The Government of thia Province sent, laat year, to Denmark a commission to study the subject of butter-making. The report ot this oommiflsion, or extracts from it, ahonld be in the handa of every farmer, not only in thia Province, but throughout the Do- minion." You know that thia comMiaaion was com- posed of my asaiatant, M. Gigault, and M. Leolaire, the head of the Dairy School at St. Hyacinthe. All the agricultural aaaocia- tiona in the Province have received copies of the report Mr. Hague so warmly praises. COMPETITIONS OF THE BUTTER AND CHBESK FACTORIES. To stimulate our makers, the Department instituted competitions on this plan: No warning being given, the makers of batter and '>heeae receive, from the department, a letter asking that a cheese or a tub of butter be sent, the next or following day, to a cer- tain addreas in a certain town. The cheese or the tub of butter in question is bought by the Department. These goods are judged by specialists, medals, diplomas, or money prizes are given to those who obtain the highest number of marks, no prize, of course, being awarded to the inferior articles. To the makers of second-class goods, informa- tion and advice — eve> blame — are sent for their goods, but this ia known only to them- aelvea. The prize-winners while the un- lucky ones are makini; good resolutions, publishes the award he has won, and relates the event of the competition to all his acquaintances. We, therefore, have a right to say that these competitions can do no harm to any one not even to the inferior maker, but, on the contrary, may help him to improve, and are calculated to raise con- siderably the level of oar manu- facture. This is one of the improve- itreal, Mr. Merchants finoe seot, n to atady e report ot it, ■hould r, not only it the Do- I was com* i, and M. Sohool at ral aaaooia- 1 copies of iraiaes. {fj} CHKESE )epartment plan: No I of batter artment, a b of batter to a oer- !he cheese bought by ejadgedby or money obtain the , of course, idea. To I, informa- ■e sent for y to them- le the un- resolationa, and relates to all his we a right can do no he inferior r help him raise con- ir manu- 9 improve- ■•^^^F^' ments dne to tbe trip to Europe, on which the Manager of th^ Merchants Bank compliments us. These competitions have only been in operation this year, bnt we aee at once what encouragement they now give to a ^ood maker who takes the trouble to atndy and will take the ordinary meana required to produce a good article. The judges of these sompetitiona are aeleoted from among the principal ezportera of dairy goods. DIFFERENT KINDS OF CHEESE. The old saying that " it is not safe to put all the eggs into one basket " may alao be interpreted as an advice not to mak? invari- ably one and the same article. Up to the present we have always made "Canadian Cheddar," and it may be said that no other kind ia made in the Province. Still ,we have aimed at preparing the road towards the making of new kinds. Why not make Oruyere Camembert? It is true that we have long had those capital *' fromage raffini" from I'lle d'Orleans and Boucher- ville, cheese so well liked by the gourmet; but tneir manufacture has never equalled the demand, so we think the making of new sorts should be encouraged. I am happy to aay here in public, before the appearance of the prize liat ot the Montreal Eihibition, that the Rev. Perea Trappiats, of Oka, won a gold medal, and M. L. Chagnon, of St. Paul I'Hermite, I'Aaaomption, a ailver medal for a good and auperior Grayier cheese, made in this Province, from the milk of our cowB. There, then, is a novel trade, one which I hope will soon increase. The lads whom we have in the Farm School at Oka cannot fail to spread over the country the true method of making goo«l cheese. WINTEB BUTTEB-MAKINO. During the last three years the Govern- ment has been giving a premium for butter- 6 a making in winter, and in that time the pro- duction of butter at that season has tripled. You remember when the Messrs Houle told us that in spite of having to draw their milk a long distance, winter butter-making had doubled the returns from their herd. In '93, the first year of the premium, was made winter butter worth $31,727; in '94, |60,094; in '96, $115,011. Thus, the trade being established, and able to stand alone, we diverted our efiforts to a new industry, the exportation of butter in a fraah atate, immediately after it ia made, and aent over in refrigeratora. Laat year Government began the grant, and we find by the reporta in our poaseaaion that the exportation of butter since the opening of navigation thia year has been thrice as great as it was last year during the same period. Now, this increase occurred more eapecially in thia Province, though the num- ber of our creameries ia not ao great aa else- where, and in this Province we have no rea- son to envy our great neighbor, to say nothing of our 1,400 oheeseries. FARM SCHOOLS. We now have five farm schools for lads and one for girls at Roberval. Since 1892 the number of pupils has increased from twenty- four to 100. i^t this very time two special and distinguished lecturers, one a member of the clergy, the other Dr. Grignon, are engaged in what I might call a crusade, goin^ round the country and teaching farm- ers that it ia high time their children should be instructed in their noble profession. Their success is far beyond what we had a right to expect. One parish alone furnished thirteen pupils. I was lately reading the re- port of a meeting held in a parish south of the St. Lawrence. St. Michel, Napierville. There the zealous Cure, after the visit of the Rev. Pere Lacasse and Dr. Grignon, de- clared to the audience that he was about to leave for tbe farm school with thirteen lads, 10 all Bona of his pamhiobera. Another thing that enoouragea me greatly ia that St. Martin, Laval, a pariah that until now has famiahed the greatest number of pupils, i.e., nine, learning that St. Michel had beaten it, has not tamely submitted, but has sent enough additional pupils to regain its pris- tine majority. I ask myself, and with rea- son, have I not a right to expeot that St. Martin, with its energetic vim, will not do its beat to retain the palm. Our farm ■chools will be filled as our clasaical coUegea are, and, thank €rod, after having gloried in the fact of clasaiual education being ao widely apread, we shall be able to say that the other course of inatruction, aa important, as sup* plying a prudent, honest people like the Ohriatian population of the rural diatricts, is also appreciated. Our farm schools are regularly visited by inapectora, and I may aay we are thoroughly aatiafied with the auo- ceaa obtained in them. IMPBOVEMENT OF THE ROADS. In order to have the feweat poasible fao- toriea, i.e., to secure that the greatest quan- tity possible of milk should be aent to one maker alone, we need milk routea, good roads. The curse of our dairying is, indubit- ably, too many small factories; that receiv- ing only a small quantity of milk each can- not possibly turn out so good an article as a factory where milk is abundant. If we could persuade our municipalities to atart making good roada our farmers would have less dis- inclination to draw their milk longer dis- tances for the sake of delivering it at a large .central factory. To assist this, the Depart- ment has thought fit to undertake the im- provement of the roads. We announce, then, at this important meeting that in future, either for the benefit of the municipalities or for the sake of individuals who shall combine to ask for the aid of this Department, we have established as a branch of our Ministry that of the roads. An inspector haa been appointed whoae duty will be to visit differ- ent localitiea and give lectures on road man- agement, to decide on roads to be made or alterations to be carried out, and to explain the mode of using the various machines, of which the Department has several, and will get more, if more are required. There is a stone-breaker, a roller, and machines to shape the road-bed, making the ditches at at the sam3 time as the rounding of the bed. Each of these machines is entrusted to a foreman who is under the direction of the Department. The management furnishes the maushine as well as the foreman, the munioi- pslities or individuals having to supply the hoises and the laborers that may be re- quired. This plan has only been decided upon during the last month or so. The municipalities that derive the benefit by it have only to make an application and, in their turn, they can take advantage of what we offer to them. Since we inaugurated the system of coming to the assistance of the municipalities, I am happy to say that more than one of them hM hastened to buy one of the machines, whose excellent work they are in a position to prove. In Denmark farmers have to furnish broken stone along that part of the road they have to keep up. During the long winter months they break the stones, and, in summer, the municipali- ties, after having rounded up the roads with the machines, lay the sto: '4S on them. In this Province, the municipalities after having prepared the roadbed, have a right to demand from the taxpayers that a certain quantity of them be placed alongside the road in proper places; then the steam crusher and roller which we possess will come and break the stones, the only thing remaining to be done to them being the spreading on the roadbed. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. I have plready, on aa occasion like the present, publii^ed figures that prove, I think, nait differ- road msD- I made or to explain achinea, of 1, and will There is a achinea to I ditches at of the bed. listed to a bion of the imishes the the muaici- supply the may be re- en decided ir 80. The enefit by it ion and, in kge of what naagurated banco of the r that more buy one of work they I Denmark stone along At keep up. they break municipali- up the lay the ivinoe, the epared the id from the ty of them oper places; which we ) stones, the le to them sd. rs. ion like the Dve, I think, • -',..■.'■- thatwe can againcongratulate ourselves on the own name in this place, and I was loath to progress realized in the Province of Quebec; do so. Still I must repeat to such devoted that the people have really entered upon a friends as I have in this county the praise new era. Allow me to recite to you some of bestowed on their member. I did not seek these figures. The prosperity of a people is for it, and I cut it out of a newspaper with determined, and reasonably so, by the de- a pair of scissors. Last winter the represen- posits made in the Savings Banks, which re- tative of the great firm of Ganlt Bros., Mont* present the sums that the people have been real, said of our Province at a time when able to lay by after having supplied their business was not too dourishing : wants. In Ontario, to compare the two "Payments are being made pretty resin- Provinces, on June 30th, 1894, the deposits larly, and in this point the Province of Que- in the Savings Banks were $18,580,884; on bee is at the head of the Dominion." June 30th, 1890, $16,803,777, an increase of $1,698,071, or 10.05 per cent.; in Quebec the deposits were, on June 30th, 1894, $17,262,801; on JuneSObh, 1890, $14,650,060, an increase of $2,606,741, or 17-78 per cent. TESTIMONY OF MEN OF BUSINESS. Now, it will be a good thing if you would ask yourselves if the aooomplishment of all this progress may fairly be attribvT products. Even now we arc better oflF than our neighbors. This is what is said by the Boston American CvltivcUor, September 19th, 1896:— "Everybody is complaining of the hard times, and no wonder. Butter is at 15 cents of Mr. Wolferstan Thomas, manager of the Molsons Bank; and I mention him the more readily, because he is not one of our political friends. On the 2nd December, 1895, h spoke as follows : "In none of the provinces has prosperity a pound, pork at 2^ cents, for cows $15 to been more manifest than in Quebec. This is $20 a head, and labor as dear as ever." due to the prudence and economy of the i, not our state better than theirs. Our French-Canadians, and to the enlightened cheese today is worth 9 cents; our butter 19 policy of the Hon. Louis Beaubien." cents. We, of the Province of Quebec, do The press has already published this pas- not complain. In spite of our rather rigor- sage, and, I must confess, that I told Mr. Thomas that I should make use of his words when any fair opportunity, such as the pre- sent, should present itself. To this he re- plied, that he was perfectly willing that I ous climate, we are better off than those be- low the line 45 degrees. Let the land be in- telligently cultivated, either after a study of the Journal of Agriculture, or after an exam- ination of the procedure of the best farmers. should do BO, and that he was happy in being and prosperity will be ensured to the oulti- able to see that such progress had been made, vator. I was nearly forgetting to tell you I feel that I was wrong in mentioning my that several bankers, in this year's report to I I i1 m their ahareholders, state that the generally aatisfaotory oondition of affairs is in great part due to the impulse agriculture has re> ceived during the last few years. Mr. Hague, whom I mentioned just now, said, in his re- port of June last: " A silent revolution COLONIZATION. . ' ; •; ,; This year we have devoted to colonization a larger sum than usual. In addition to that which takes place in the neighborhood, round the old established districts near the foreste, and which we have encouraged and in the management of agricultural affairs directed as carefully as possible, with aid in this Province, leading to the adoption of more intelligent methods of pro- ducing greater and better crops is evident everywhere." The conclusion at which I arrived at all the meetings of farmers at which I have been present, is that all over the country we can succeed in making farm- ing pay, provided we stick to the system im- posed upon us by dairying, that is, having still permanent pastures sown thick and well cared for; growing green fodder to fill up tb i and advice of those interested, we have tried to realize the policy adopted of late years, which consists in preparing the dis- tricts which a larger inflow of settlers is in- vading. Before long we shall have thus fur- nished four or five large districts, compris- ing our choicest farms, with roads and im- provements likely to attract a greater number of settlers. I of the region of Lake Ht. John, of the Northwest of Montreal, of Lake time when pastures fail, and to help the Temisoamingue, of the Valley of the Meta- cattle in winter; and lastly, the growing of p^dia, and of certain towuEhips in Beauoa roots. Make up your minds to remam or to become graziers, forget for the next few years that you are farmers; cultivation will be less costly, and the income will be larger. Since I have had the honor of occupying my present position, I have endeavored to perfect my knowledge of farming, to acquaint myself with every- thing that may improve the lot of the farm- and the neighboring counties. These regions have been, and will be, the objects of our attention until they shall have been thoroughly organized. Let me tell you, briefly, what we have already done. AT LAKE ST. JOUN. There, the establishment of the Trappist Fathers, dates from '92. More than a hun- er, and give a fresh impetus to our business; dred families compose the settlement on the if I have succeeded v>r not, that I leave to banks of the Mistassini. Bridges have been your decision, gentlemen. I spoke of what built on the larger rivers, tributary to the our Ministry had done, not to bring out an Lake, and on the Saguenay; bridges on the eulogium on us, but to bring before you the Grande Decharge, the Mistassini, the As- efforts that we have made and the degree of chuapmouchouan, at St. Felicien, on the success we have obtained for the prosperity Tikoucipe at St. Mithode, and on Lake of our rural districts. But, for all that, we must not relax our efforts; on the contrary, I, for my part, shall continue to ask aid from all those competent to give it, only re- Bouchette. These bridges have cost ^43,000. A boat on the rivers Ashuapmouchan, Peri- bonca, and Mistassini would ascend them twice every week, thus putting the settlers serving to us of the Ministry the merit of on their banks, and even those in the in- bringing to act together all the energies, all terior of the Townships in communication, the good will in the country. Success then direct and frequent, with the terminus of the will follow, provided we deserve it. railroad at Roberval. The Government has . ,: ; r . -■ . . ' -■ -\ promised to support this boat, which will ' ' . afford all the comfort desirable, with a grant ' :,-' 13 I t colonization tion to that ighborhood, ita near the luraged and 9, with aid ., we have pted of late ng the dis- ittlers is in- kve thus far- ia, compris- ds and im- attraot a settlers. I at. John, il, of Lake f the Meta- in Beauoe lies. These the objects il have been le tell you, one. .he TrappiBt t)han a hun- nent on the s have been tary to the dges on the ini, the As- ian, on the id on Lake 308t 343,000. icban, Peri- acend them the settlers in the in- imunication, minus of the jroment has which will with a grant of $5,000, and to provide for its maintenance an annual sum of $2,000. This is, of course, exclusive of the roads improyed and opened every year as usual. NORTH OF MONTREAL. To the northwest of Montreal we have made fit for wheeled carriages the Chapleau high-road which ext<3tida from the end of the railroad, Lachnte and Iroquois, to the Riviere du Lievre, about 45 miles; this road, the greater part of which was only sketched out, is now a principal artery; it is, in reality, the extension of the railroad. We have also rendered trafficable the roads in the townships Clyde, Joly, Minerve, Marchand, Loranger; and we have opened new ones in the townships Turgeon, Mousseau, Kiamika, Campbell. I may mention the road of the Monlagne Tremblante, four miles long, through the bush, and leading from the railroad to the spot selected for the estab- lishment of the "Sanitarium," an establish- men sufficiently noticed by the press to spare me the trouble of any further mention of it here. I hope the enterprise will be success- ful, and that many settlers will find habit- able abodes in its neighborhood. The road to the Montagne Tremblante was finished at once. ON THE TEMISCAMINGUE. At Lake Temiscamingue we opened a road, 12 feet wide, for sleighs, in summer there is communication by water. This road is 52 miles long, and joins la Bale de Pins to the fertile townships Ouigues, Duhamel, Fabre and Gordon Creek, the terminus of the railroad. For this road, a bridge over the Kippewa had to be made at a cost of $2,000. We have, besides, pushed on vigorously the opening of the roads in the above townships. IN THB VALLEY OF THB METAPEDIA we began operations by ereoting two large bridges over the river Metapedia; one at Causupscal, the other at St. Alexis, and opened roads to give access to them. A large bridge was alao built, last year, at St. Ludger, Beauce, this was the only one not carried away by the spring thaw on the Chaudiere. We shall continue our opera- tions in this region, as well as in others, as far as our resources will permit. MOVEMENT OF THE POPULATION. As to the movement of the population in these great regions, I will only quote to you a few figures I have at hand. As I said, the n^ttlement at Mistassini has already 100 families, with a chapel and a school. This will give some idea of the rapid increase of population in the townships round the Lake. Monsieur Christin, agent for the Crown lands, north of Montreal, in a report dated last 5th of December, tells us that in the preceding year 300 fat dlies settled in the nine parishes forming part of the territory under his jurisdiction. The census on which M. Christin relies was a "house to house" census. Monsieur Carufel, colonization agent at Montreal, in his monthly report of last September, states that 285 settlers were passed by his offices, of whom 211 went to the north of Montcalm, 54 to Lac Temis- camingue and 20 to Lao St. Jean. He adds that the wealthier settlers are those from the States. L'Abbe Therien, Cure of la Baie des Peres, declares in a report made to the Department that sixty families have settled at Temiscamingue. Mr. Miohaud, agent for the Crown lands of the Valley of Metapedia, sold 167 lots in the months of April, June, July and August. As to the latter region, I may add that Mr. Pinault, M.L.A. forMatane, and our politi- cal opponent, declared, last session, that 300 families had recently settled in that Valley. 14 In many other diatricta oolonization is making marvelloiu progreaa, and promiaea wen for the fatore of the Province of Que- bec. MB. CHAPAI8 SPEAKS. Hen. Mr. Ohapaia apoke briefly, owing to the advanced hoar. He referred to hia ainily'a relatioiia in the pcjst. with Nicolet, and b^i(?8a of the pleaani-e he felt in ad- dreesiDg the people of tb'a Ooncervative atronghold. He contraated in a atriking manner the reigc of pillage and boodle under the laat Liberal Government with the preaent prudent adminiatration of afifaira. He apoke of the accuaationa of beins; taxera and bor- rowera, and branded aa tazera and borrowera thoae who had kept up for yeara a per- manent oonapiracy againat the puraea of the people of the Province; thoae who had ob- tained $100,000 of Bay Chaleur Railroad Company'a aubaidy, to aupport Liberal papera, and to help secure electiona of Liberal candidatea; those who had dealt in the scan dala of Ottawa & Montreal Railway affair of $14,800, the Langlaia affair ot $60,000, and the $28,000 taken from Bay dea Chaleura Railway also. Thoae peo- ple had f eaated and drunk champagne and enjoyed all the luxuries of life at the ex- pense of the ratepayers for a abort time, but when the occasion came the ratepayers awept them away. He referred to the large de- ficit, now replaced by a surplus, and gave particular credit to Hon. Mr. Flynn whose administrstion of Grown Land Department had gone far towards helping the Govern- ment in their arduous task. The expenses of Legislative Assembly controlled by Hon. Mr. Marchand had increased enormously, and were now diminished. This gentleman is reaponaible for the increased expenditure, but still he aaka the people to put him at the head of the Province. Hon. Mr. Marchand ia personally a very honeat and eatimable man, but the people must remember that he haa behind him Meaara. Daohene, Turgeon, etc., and, in the baokgronnd, aa keeper of the toUgate, Mr. Emeat Paoaud. If the people wiah to aee the reign of waste and aqaandnring recommence, they may entruat theRe men with the reina of power, and the bacchanalian orgiea of their palmy daya of power will recommence. The election of June 23rd, which he regarda aa a national crime, ia no criterion of the reault of the present struggle. They have not the same interests in the Federal Govern- ment, and are altogether distinct from it. Just as in 1873 the Province gave only 15 Conservative members to the House of Com- mons, while in 1875 they returned Hon. Mr. De Boucherville's Provincial Govern- ment with a majority of 35, deapite the efforts of all the leading membera of the House of Commons, they will this year re- turn the Flynn Government to power with an increased majority. Nicolet, he hoped, would return Hon. Mr. Beaubien by ac- clamation, as a reward of his devotion to the great cause of agriculture and coloniza- tion. Mr. Chapais was very successful, and received round upon round of applause. • . OTHBR ADDRESSES. Mr. Milton McDonald, M.L.A. for Bagot, a practical farmer, spoke briefly in support of the Flynn Administration and that of his two predecessors, Hon. Messrs. Deboucherville and Taillon, reminding hia hearers that they were the first to appoint a practical farmer as Minister of Agriculture. > ^ , Hon. Joseph Royal, of Montreal; Mr. A. A. Mondon, of Yamaska, and Mr. C. P. Beaubien, of Montreal, briefly addressed/ the meeting. Mr. Camirand closed by propos- ing a vote of thanks to the Hon. Prime Minister and his colleagues for the interest ;ber that he «, TurgeoD, s keeper of iud. If the wMte and may entrast er, and the my days of election of i a national i result of have not ral Govern- lot from it. rave only 15 ase of Com- irned Hon. 3ial Govem- despite the «rs of the is year re- power with , he hoped, )ien by ao- levotion to nd ooloniza- iceaaful, and ilause. L. for Bagot, in support I that of his boucherville rs that they tical farmer eal; Mr. A. Mr. 0. P. Idressed/the by propos- Hon. Prime he interest 18 hey have manifested in the County of S^icolet. A vote of thanks proposed by Hon. Mr^ riynn, and seconded by his hon. ooUeas^es ras unanimously tendered to Mayor Ball, 'resident of the meeting. The party, after upper at Dorval Hotel, returned, through he courtesy of Mr. J. A. Gagnon to Three livers, where they took the boats for their espective destinations. The meeting can be considered an impur- tant success for the Flynn administration, as it united a large audience, and the effect will be widespread. Meetings will be held at St. Hyaointhe on October 10th, and at St. Hughes, Bagot, on the 11th. A reception will be tendered to Hon. Mr. Flynn on Thursday by the Ckinser- vative Clubs of Montreal.