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iTiowat Joins

Laurier.

Ontario's Premier Writes to the
Liberal Leader Stating: That
Intention and Qiving:
His Reasons.

The following letter has been addressed by Sir Oliver
Mowat to Hon. Wilfrid Laurier :

Toronto, 2iid May, 18«.M».
My Dkak Mu. Lat'rikr,—

Wliou hrHt t)iu itpplioitioii was iiifule tu mo some weeks a<^o
to give up my position as Pieiiiior of Ontario and hecouie a candidate for a
seat in t)ie House of Commons, witli a view to accepting a position in the
Dominion Reform Governmoiit, wliicli is conKdently expected to follow the
general elections, the proposal seemed to me to he out of the ((uestion, tliere
being in Parliament, undir your leadership, many ahio men, and the general
elections being likely to add to their number. I disliked what was proposed,
because, lirst of all, it involved severing my connection with Noith Oxford,
which has si,ood by mo at so may elections, and where I have so many esteetned
personal friends. Then, again, no jtositiou which practically couUl be assigned
to me in the Dominion Government would be ecpial in popular estimation, or in
my own, to that of I'remier of Canada's greatest province ; and there were
other reasons important to myself and my family which appeared Vo forbid my
making the change suggested. Oneof these was that the assumption of now duties
in a new held would involve un increase of work and worry, while a pidilic man,
nearly 7<) years of ace, however full of health and stiength ho may be, might
reasonal>ly be looking for less work and less worry rather than voluntarily
taking upon himself more. While I am now abundantb' e(|ual to my ]u'esent
duties, and my medical adviser tells me that if I do not take too much upon my-
self 1 may look forward toyears yet of active life, it seemed to me that! could not
count as nothing the addition of a contested election in a new constituency, and
aftervvards acntial sessimis of I'ariiameiit twice as long as in Ontiirio, and with
much later hours. To remove to some extent this objection it has l)een sug-
gested that I might take a seat in the Senate instead of the House of Commons.
1 perceive the advantages of this, both as regards myself personally and as re-
gards the consideraticn of future constitutional changes which would add to the
u.sofulness of that body, assuming that a Second Clnunber for the Dominion is
to be retained. How a Second Ciiamlier consisting so largely of the nomineoH
of one party as the Senate now <loes can lie just to a new CJovernment of an-
other party remains to be seen ; and the necessity of early constitutional
changes maj' dtpend on this.

IJesules my corresjjondence with yourself and my |)ersonal interview with
you, I have during the last few weeks had many conununications from and ci>n-
versitions with other represent.it ivo Libi-rals ; and it has been ni.ide plain to UjO
that it is the general opinion of the party to whose favor and (!ontidenco are
owing my U.'J years of the Premiership of Ontario, that the crisis is so grave that
every personal sacrifice has to ho nmde. and every incidental risk run. if the
country is to be rescued from the inisgovernnuMit which the Dominion has so
long been suffering from. From the reasons laid before me I perceive that my
long experience, and my success in ofticial life in this province, are thought to
bo a guarantee that I could render useful service in tlie new (Jovernment iind
I'arlia!:if!!t (sf the Domini"!!. ! fHe! that I have to c(»nsider liie matter in the
light of these opinions.

1 ain Iiiippy i.. ^^ll(.\^^tITi.l y..u ,iii.l I ,iiv. .-111.1 1 MIMW MVf- ■AWm \M'\\,
ill Huhstiiiiliul ucconl us i'ul;:ii'<Is |)tiiiiiiiiiiu (|iiosti(iii.s. Our iiiitional ori^'in is not
tlie siiiiio ; our icIii^ioiiH creeds iire (liflercnt ; but we aro hotli of ('aiMdiiiii
birtli ; wo liotli love Cuiiu'lti iiiul tliu Kinpiro, iinil wu Ixitli rejoicuiti our liritisli
coiinectioii. We botli desire tlio prosperity of (''inudH mid tho well-hcin^ of all
classes, conditions and creeds in its population; and 1 liolieve tiiiit we M<{reu as
to the l)est ino.iiis of securing these objects.

Wo are, I believe, at one with respect to the tarifl". 1 think with you
that the introduction of the protective system was a mistake on the part of our
peojile. So you, like myself, are a Ileforiiier and ni>t a revolutionist, and you
recognize tlie necessity of legislation on the tariff being gradual and cautious.
Adopting that policy, I am glad that you see your way meant iinu to cliaiiges
which will bo a relief t > our farmers, and at the same time will not injuriously
a£fect but rather benefit manufacturers and their workmen. A (jovernment
owes a duty to all classes of the people

I (juite see that one ditticulty in legislation on the subject is the fact that
considerable ca|tital his been invested in maiiufactoiies on the faith that a
system wiiich our people, unfortuiiatelj', have sanctioned for 18 years would not
be abrogated hastily or without due r»!g;ird to the interests which have arisen
under that system, 1 4111(0 see also that the ditticulty of legislation is gieatly
enhanced by the enormous debt which the present Government has created
during the last 18 years ami the largo ri'venue which is needed for the i).iy-
nient of the annual charges incidental to the debt. Almost every year millions
have been added to our liabilities, while hundreds of thousands of dollars of the
people's money have been going into the election funds of the party, and still
more been wasted by extias, and by indifference. iiici)m|ietency or worse.

The INIanitoba school (juesiion will occuj)y a good deal of attention during
the elections. In the light of jiast events, I should not despair of the <(uestioii
being settled in a manner ficci'ptable to the reasonable people of iManitob.i, and
the reasonable IJoman Cat holies of the Dominion. My ojtinion in regard to it,
and that of the Liberals of the Ontario Legislature, was expressed in the resolu-
tion passed on the sul»jeet, during our last session. W»! have had in Ontario
(juestions of various kinds which seemed as ditticult of solution as this (piestioii
is, and thoy have been dealt with by the Jntario Legislature satisfactorily.

On these (juestious, and on most, others, intelligent Conservatives now
agree with Reformers, whether thoy will vote for Reform candidates or not.
If the Jieform platform were less accoi)table than it is to intelligent and inde-
pendent minded non-Reformers the scandals which have come to light attbrd
more than surticient ground for all men to condemn, and to j(jin in displacing all
men who were parties to the scandals, whatever they arose from. In view of
all such facts, it is ulain to inany Conservatives that the usefulnes.s of a Conser-
vative Government under its nreseiit leaders is gone, and that a few years of
opjtosition would do the party and the country much good. I venture to con-
cur in that opinion.

For myself, in the interest of Canada, I desire greatly to see a Govern-
ment ill power under your leadership, being ooiitident that it would be a good
Government, honest and economical, thoughtful with respect to every province
and to all classes of the people, giving to all their just rights, and promoting
harmony and goodwill everywher.;, It would be an honor to assist you in this
patriotic work; and, therefore, in deference to your opinion and that of so
many other representative Liberals I have made up my mind to forego all con-
siderations of a persfuial kind to the contrary, and join you in wliat will be the
second Reform Government since Confederation, if such should continue to be
your wish. Kvorycjiie recognizes the merits of the first Reform Government, of
which the pure-minded Alexander Mackenzie was leader, and which unfortun-
ately for the country the hard times overthrew in 1878. Permit me to say that,
in common with my fellow Liberals throughout Canada, and in conniK^n also
with many candid Conservatives, 1 have the same confidence in you as wo all had
in Mr. Mackenzie; and in the interest of the country I trust that you will have
a much longer term of political power, for th ;ood of the people of Canada,
than fell to the lot of our lamented friend.

• Very faithfully yours,

O. MO WAT.
The Honorable Wilfrid Laurier, M.P., Etc., Etc.