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PUHLISHEl) BY THE BUDGKT PRINTING & PUBLISHING Co. 1893. iw ff- ' s'*-.:«ii.".i- :'■ ■;.:^'»i OFFICIAL REPORT n^^. ;i OK THK Liberal Convention HELD IN RESPONSE TO THE CALL OF MlON. WILll^ID LATRIHR, LEADER OF THE LIBERAL PARTY OF THE DOMINION OF CANADA. OTTAWA, 1UESDAY, JUNE 2()TH, AND WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2 1ST, 1893. PfMLisHi'.i) itv THK 15ci)(ii;r I'kiming iS: I'ihi.imiinu Co, 1.S93. '^ Entered accoidiiiR to Act of the I'ltrliatnent of Canada in the year one thou^^aml eight hundred and ninety-three, by The Budget Printing and P\d)li8hing Cmnpany, in the oHioeof the Minister of Agriculture. HON. WILFRrO L/>URIER, MP. LliAlJtK OK THl. I.IMKK\L HAKrV. riil'I.KV I'HOTiP. dTTAWA. THE CALL. The foUowhi)^ ap/^ear^d in t/ti- lAheral />nss imniedi:i/t/y after the close of the session of the Dominion Parliament of /Sgj : Coiiformibly to a resolution adopted by the Lilv-ial nieinbers of the House of Commons last session, a convention of the Liberal party is called, to take place in the City of Ottawa, on the 20th day of June, next. The Convention shall bi composed as follows: Each Elector;:', District shall be represented by the Liberal member sittinji for the same, or the Liberal candidate defeated in the last election held therein, and by five delejrates appointed by the Liberal Association of the district. In an Electoral District entitled to elect more than one member the number of delegates to be appointed shall be as many times live as the district returns members. The Liberal press throughout the land is especially and earnestly invited to attend. WILFRID LAURIER. Artiiahaska\ ii-Li;, Aprh, ioth. DOMINION LIBERAL CONVENTION. Ottawa, Ji nk 20th, 189;<. FIRST DAY— AFTERNOON SESSION. Tho delegates HSflembled in Rideau Rink at 3 p.m. Mr. Ai.BXANDRK McLean, Chairman of the Local Committee said : All Liberal members of the Privy Council, Liberal memt)er8 and ex-memberg of Parliament are invited to take seat** on the platform. There will be no further preliminaries, but at once a resolution will bo moved. Hon. Wilfrid Laukikr : Gentlemen : We have the good fortune to have amongst us in this vast audience one who is a veteran in the cause of Reform, who has been associated with all movements that have taken place for the last thirty years for the ad vancement of the people of C'anada, who has been a successful leader of the Liberal party in the banner Province of the Dominion. [ submit for your choice as Chairman of this Convention, Sir Oliver Mowat, Premier of the Province of Ontario. I may say that this motion is seconded by Hon. Mr. Marchand, leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Quebec. All in favor of that nomination will say " Aye." The response was unanimous. I need not ask if there is any opposition, the motion is carried unaminously. The Chairman's Opbnino Speech. Sir Oliver Mowat, on taking the chair, said : Mr. Laurie- and gentle- men : I thank you for the great honor you do me in calling on me, and I suppose I may say unaminously, t > preside at the great Convention of the Liberals of Canada. I congratulate you, my brother Liberals, that you have chosen fo>- the day eo auspicious an occasion as the present ; I con- gratulate you, loyal as I know you all are, that you have selected for this great Convention the anniversary of the accession of our most gracious Queen. I hope that the Reform party may yet be in power as long as Her Majesty has reigned over the British Empire. There ha\^3 in my time been important conventions of tho Liberals of my own Province, and with gond results. The present is the first Conven- tion of the Liberals of all Canada since Confederation. I hope and believe that good results will come of this Convention also, in consolidating the party for its patriotic work, and preparing for victory at the next general election. In this work we have the comfort of knowing that there are good grounds for the hope that, with proper eflFort on our part meanwhile, the next general election will place at the head of Canada's Federal affaira I ' I 1 1 > the distinguished Canadian who is our cherished Dominion leader, whom all men, without distinction of party or race, admire, whose purity ot pur- pose and conduct all recognize, and who has the well-founded confidence in all respects of the Libaral pirty. A prospejt so hipafal to our country may well animate every on"? of us to the greiteit p3 fact that year after year so great a sum is obtained from Canadian pookets, however to be depreciated, illustrates in a striking way the immensely greater wealth of C*nada at the present time than the United Slates had with about a like population a century ago. Take some further facts : -The imports into that couatry in 1790 amounted to $23,000,000 only; the imports into Canada in the year ending 30th June, 1891, amounted tt five times th»t sum (or $119,967,638). Their exports in 1790 were $20,000,000 only ; ours in June, 1891, were nearly six times that amount (or $119.- 967,638). In 1790 the United States had but 75 post offices in the whole country ; Canada has 500 times that number, or about 40,000. They had not a single steamboat ; the application of steam to the propulsion of vessels had not been invented ; and while they were consequently without a steamboat they had but few sailing vessels. Canada in 1891 had 1,348 steam- ..nd 5,085 sailing vessels. In fact, Can ida had in 18!>l more sai' ^ssels and three times more steamboats than even at that date the United States had. Their vessels were larger on the average than ours, but the tonnage owned by their 63,000,000 of people was in 1891 little more than twice the tonnage owned by our 5,000,000 of Canadians. Again, our neighbors had no canals. We have about 80 miles of canals con- structed at a cost of $57,000,000 ($57,214,292). They had not a mile of railway. Their other roads are described as having been " bad beyond description," and communication was so limited that one stage a week was sufficient communication between any of their cities. I find this statement on the subject of their roads in an article in The Encyclo- pedia Britannica, written by a professor of Princeton College, New Jersey: — "The communication between the cities was as bad as could be. The traveller was subject to every danger or annoyance that bad roads, bad carriages, bad horses, bad inn<) and bad polije protection could combine to inflict on him." Many of our Canadian roads might be better than they are, but the average of them is better than the average in the United States at even the present day. While their four millions of population had no railways, our four or five millions have now no less than 14,633 miles of railway, These railways have cost many millions of dollars (the exact figure, which I have seen, is $816,647,758); and instead of one trip by stage in a week, there are many railway trips every day of the week between some of our cities. Further, telegraphing and telephoning were unknown then; Canada in 1891 had 27,866 miles of telegraph lines and many miles of telephone lines. I wish thit a comparison of our public debt to-day with the debt of the United States at the close of the last century was equally satisfactory from the Canadian. standpoint. T observe 10 that the net amount of the debt of Canada in June, 1S91, is stated at •$237,809,030. The largeness of the amount shows at nil events that our credit in the P^nglish market has been good, if we cannot truly say that all the mon(iy borrowed was well spent, or that all the debt wa? reiisonably and properly incurred, or if we cannot boAst about the amount otherwise. Let me mention one other significant fact before 1 drop my compari- sons. At (he period at which 1 am comparini^ our present condition with the United .States, that nation had not a single bank or a dollar of bank capital ; while I observe that Canada had ia 1891 piid up bink capital of nearly $60,000,000 (^r more exactly Sr)9,r)G7,7Gr)), and the assets of its banks amounted to four times that amount and more (or, to spsak precist'ly, !?l*09,491,l.')3) Many other comparisons to the same elfect might be stated. In connection with all these fasts it is also interesting to know that the shortest route for passengers and freight between America and Europe is from or through Canada. Such facts as I have mentioned show in pait wh*t Canada has accom- jilished while reaching its population in 1891 of 4,8;V2,(i79, as compared with the condition of the United States when they had a like population. They fihow how enormously in all those elements and indications of comfort anil pro.sperity wliich these facts sug.;est, our four or Hve millions of people are (in spite of mistakes) aheail of those four millions that a century ago formed the nucleus of the nation now owning the other half of North America, and having now a population of (53,000,000. While we are at peace with them, our having those 03,000,000 of people on our borders to trade with, so far as we do trade with them, is a further advantage in our favor as compared with the Americans of the last century. Why, in view of all such lacts, shoula noi a century do as much for Canada as a century has done for our neighbors ? May it not do more 1 The resources of Canada for the purposes of agriculture and commerce are immense, and are unsurpassed by any comjietitor. We have probably the finest forests in the world and the richest fisheries ; our country abounds in minerals, too ; we have treasures of coal and iron and cop,)er and silver and gold and nickel. Two-thirds of the wheat area of North America are in Canada. We have climate and soil specially adapted for raising the best wheat, the best barley, the best horses and the best cattle in the world, and for producing the best cheese. At the world's exhibitions of London and Philad-ljihia and Paris and Chicago, Canada has held its own, as respects its principal exhibits, in competition with all the nations of the earth. More important in our favor, however, than all I have mentioned, is the acknowledged fact that our climate, with all its varieties, is specially adapted for developing an active and a hardy race of men and women. Canadians who, either in mature life or in early manhood, go to the United States as afiording a larger field for their activity, compete success- fully there in every walk of life with natives of that country who have had like advantages of education and otherwise. There is no future among the nations which such a country as Canada is may not attain, if only her 11 as sons, whatever their origin or their birth, continue truo sons of our dear Canada, and pursue as its citizens the path of righteousness and patriotism. We adm>re the energy of our neighbors as a people, and we admire the success that they have accomplinhed in almost every department of activity to which they have applied themselves. Most, if not all of us, may be against political union with them, but we all respect them as a nation, and esteem very many of their people. None will infer from ray mentioning the facts of which I Iiave been reminding you, that I want you to believe the time to have come when (/anae, and through me, the Province 1 represent, in having named me as one .of the vice-presi- dents of this great Liberal Convention. I desire to endorse most cordially the wise words of counsel with which our President concluded his address, when he warned us that we must be careful, that we must not permit our- selves to 'be divided. There are gr at questions upon which we hope to unite, upon which we kn >w we can unite. There are others upon which there are dillerenct s of opinion, and upon these we must have liberty to diflfer. In a Liberal party at least — perhaps not so fully in a Tory party — there must be the fullest liberty of independent judgment. But we must realize the responsibility which that liberty brings. While we should take care that there is no attempt to impose upon the Convention any cut- anddried resolutions, while we maintain the right of the freest discussion, we should also take care that we e-xercise our liberty prudently, so that we may unite our party for the ureat contest that is not far from us. There ia something in the day of our meeting which is more than a mere coinci- dence, more than a happy accident. This date (Tuesday, the 20th of June) is a date of some signiticance to the Liberals in the Province of Nova Scotia. It was on Tuesday, the 20th day of June, eleven years ago, that I first had the honor of being elected a m(!mber of the Provincial Parlia- ment. That is a mere personal n miniscence. But there is more than that. It was on Tuetday, the 20th day of June, eleven years ago, that we Nova HON. W. S. FIELDING, Premier ok Nova Scotia— Vice-chairman of the Convention and Chairman of Committee on Kesolutions. 17 Scotia Liberals defeated the Conservative administration and placed iiv power a Liberal Government which has held its place down to the present date. Well, what of that 1 That is a mere Provincial reminiscence, with which perhaps you are not concerned. But there is one point more in which you may be interested. The Government that was thus defeated on Tuesday, the 20th day of June, 1882, was led by a distinguished Nova Scotian in whom you have some interest, for he was no other than the present Prime Minister of Canada. It is more than a happy incident, it is an augury and an inspiration to united and determined action, that on the anniversary of the day when Sir John Thompson's Government was defeated in Nova Scotia, the Liberals of Canada at large have come together to formulate a policy and arrange an organization which is to de- feat at an early day the Federal Government led by the same gentleman. Election of Vice-Chairmen — Quebec. Hon. A, G. Jones, Halifax • — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : The very pleasant duty has been entrusted to me of naming a gentleman for associate vice-president of this Convention, and that pleasure, I assure you, has been very largely enhanced by the fact that the gentleman whose name I am to announce is one in whom the Liberals of the Dominion at large take the liveliest interest and the greatest pride. I refer to our worthy and honor- able friend, Hon H. G. Joly, of Quebec. This resolution is seconded by Mr. C. W. Weldon, ex-M P., St. John. Our friend, Mr. Joly, as you are well aware, has been engaged in all the political contests in that grand historic Province of Quebec for many years, and he has done the Liberal party great service during the long course oP his public career. It is therefore fitting and proper, that his name should t»e associated with the names of the leading men who control the public affairs in the Provinces of the Dominion of Canada, headed by our venerable friend the Chairman, Sir Oliver Mowat. Mr. Chairman, you will find that Mr. Joly and the other gentlemen who are to assist you in the chair are gentlemen whose names command the attention and the confidence of the Liberals of this Dominion and, assisted as you will b{- by their ability and their experience, I have no doubt that the proceedings of this Convention will not only be harmonious, but that they will tend to consolidate the interests of the Lib- erals from one end of the Dominion to the other. The Liberals of this Dominion, Mr. Chairman and (Jentleraen, have had a hard fight for the last thirteen or fourteen years, since, under our old and revered friend, Mr. Mackenzie, who has now jtone to his long rest, they preferred to sacrifice office and their own emoluments rather than to sacrifice the principles in which they believed. The country at that time was suffering from ills which such political medicos as Dr. Tupper and others of that day attri- buted to a Liberal administration, and they went to the country declaring that if you would dismiss the Mackenzie administration and put them in power, they would introduce a system that would enrich every man throughout the Dominion, multiply manufactures, increase the population^ 2 (c.) 18 add to our wealth, and make us a prosperous, happy, and contented people. The country has had fifteen years of Tory rule and we find that from one end of this Dominion to the other, the cry is going up that this Govern- ment is absorbing the earnings of the people and turning a large portion of them into the pockets of the protected classes, and everywhere the people demand a change of Government and a return to the principles which the Liberals have advocated and under which alone the people of this country may expect permanent prosperity. As I came along in the train the other day I met four of my old colleagues, who, with myself, formed part of that administration, five of us members of the old band which stood by Mr. Mackenzie on that occasion. Seeing them, though older in years and less active in the political world, yet still earnest in the cause for which they then contended, I was reminded of those historic words spoken upon a historic occasion, "The old guard dies but never surrenders." No, Sir; we never surrender, for we advocate the same principles which we foun;ht for of old, and we believe that the moment is auspicious for carrying them to victory. I have great pleasure in moving that the Hon. Mr. Joly, be one of the associate Vice-Presidents of this Convention. Mr. C. W. Weldon, ex-M.P., St. John: — I am glad to have the op- portunity of seconding the nomination as vice-president of one whose name has been such a source of strength to the Liberal party in Quebec and throughout the Dominion. The resolution was put and carried unanimously. Hon. H. G. Joly de Lotbiniere, Quebec : — I am completely taken by surprise at the honor you have done me. Though withdrawn from public life for a good many years, I never forget that I am a Liberal, and it is gratifying to ?ee that you have not forgotten me. I am grateful to you for the honor you have done me, and hope to be still able to render some service to the Liberal cause. I sincerely hope that this meeting will result in the greatest good 1 3 our country and the greatest honor to our party. Hon. Mr. Joly then repeated his remarks in French. Election of Vice-Ohairmen — New Brunswick. Dr. F. W. Borden, M.P., Kings, N.S.: — While I recognize the fact that there is no man in Canada less in need of assistance or advice than yourself, Mr. Chairman, I am in sympathy with the idea that has been put forward here that the other Premiers and the leading men in the Local Governments of this country should have a share in the meeting, and, iis there is safety in numbers, I have to suggest the name of another gentle- man to be added to the list of vice-presidents, one not less distinguished and not less able than those already proposed. I refer to Hon. A. G. Blair, Premier of the Province of New Brunswick, and I beg to move that he be one of the vice-presidents of this Convention, the resolution to be seconded by Hon. Senator Pelletier. One word more. We cannot be blind to-day to the signs of the times. Never in Canada, either before Confederation or since, would it have been possible to bring together such an assemblage as 19 9 we have to-day from the remotest portions of the Dominion. I believe we have here representatives from almost every district in Canada. I know that gentlemen are here from the easternmost counties in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. We have here the leading members of the Pro- vincial Governments of many of the Provinces of the Dominion, men who have held office for many years, the most successful politicians and the ablest men. They have been in sympathy with the principles of the Liberal party, as we know for many years, but 1 believe that they have never before come so prominently before the country to assist the Liberal party of this Dominion to turn out of power the corrupt Government that at present holds office. I do not wish to. detract from the good motives of our honorable friends in coming here, but their presence I hold to be a sign of the times. They are in touch with public feeling and public sentiment ; they have baen successful in gaining and in holding office. And they are here to-day, because, in a sense, they are compelled by the force of public opinion to be here. I have much pleasure in proposing Mr. Blair, as one of the vice-presidents of this Association. Hon. C. A. P. Pelletier, Senator '--Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I am taken by surprise in being called upon to speak to you to-day, because it was understood that no speeches would be made in nominating vice- presidents. I shall not depart from the rule except to express my ac- knowledgements of the honor done me in calling upon me to address you. There is no need of an endorsement on my part of Hon. Mr. Blair as vice- president, but I have much pleasure in seconding the motion, because Mr, Blair is so well known, and because he has done so much good service for the Liberal party, and for these reasons, I am sure, you will heartily approve the nomination. The resolution was put and carried unanimously. Hon. Mr. Pelletier repeated his remarks in French. Hon. A. G. Blair, Premier of New Brunswick : — Let me, in the first place, thank you, as I do most cordially for the distinguished honor you have conferred upon me and upon the Province I have the honor to re- present. I do not wish to be understood, Mr. Chairman, as subscribing to the correctnees of the inference which Dr. Borden has drawn as to the reasons why the different Provinces have been represented in such force by members of their respective Governments. I do not wish you to infer that, because I am not going to express my dissent from that proposition he is correct in his statement as respects our motives. I have long, or perhaps I ought to say, I have for some years past, had a very strong feeling that it would be in the interest of the Liberal party of Canada and therefore in the ii.ierest of Canada itself, thit a representative gatherinjf should be convened from all sections of the Dominion to meet in council together and deliberate upon and set before the country in explicit terms what was the policy of the party. I do not feel that in this way I and those who share my views manifested the slightest want of confidence in the ability or in authority of the gentlemen who represented us at Ottawa to put the plat- 20 . form of the party before the country, but I did feel that such a meeting would strengthen the party and would give an impetus to the Liberal cause in the Dominion which it had not previously received. Believing that, I have not hesitated to put myself in communication with the leader of the party on this question. I very well knew that there were difficulties which now and then surround conventions of this character, but I had faith in tho judgment, the discretion, and the patriotism of the Liberala of Canada which led me to believe that they would not allow dissensions to arise, that though they might have strong opinions on many questions, yet with a view to presenting a solid front for the next campaign — and how long before that may be neither you nor I can tell — we should lay aside our differences and unite in putting forward the strong, important issues upon which we are united and asking the acceptance of our policy by the people of Canada. I am not going to ask you to listen to anything that I can say at this stasje of the proceedings. We have met for the transaction of business, and I am heartily glad indeed to have had it put forward on no less authority than that of the Chairman of the Committee that the people are here to determine what the policy shall be and put it before the coun- try of their own free will. The matter is to be left to the people. I am glad of that, and I hope there will be a nominating committee of some sort, and that that committee'may select, say twenty or thirty representative men from each section, men of experience and judgment, the large committee to meet and agree upon the resolutions to be put forward to the Convention. The committee ought to be fifty or sixty in nu nbprs and I would not even limit it to that. Let this committee deliberate upon the resolutions laid before them and report to the Convention, and the Convention itself will then deal with them as it thinks best in the interest of the country and the interest of the party. I again thank you sincerely, gentlemen, for the distinguished honor you have conferred upon me. Election of Vice C'hairmex — Prince Edward TsiiAND. Hon. Robert Watson, Commissioner of Public Works, Manitoba : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : As a representative of the West, the honor has been conferred upon me of nominating a vice-chairman from the East. It was stated by Sir Richard Cartwright, in moving the appointment of the first vice-chairman that he thought it advisable to appoint a number of chairmen to keep this meeting in order, and as I believe the Province of Prince Edward Island have a large delegation here, and, knowing some of the members from that Province, I think it necessary that some person who knows their peculiarities should be selected as one of the vice-chair- men. I have pleasure, therefore, in moving that Hon. Fred Peters, Premier of Prince Edward Island, be elected associate chairman of this Convention. I am sure it must be a matter of congratulation to all Liberals present, especially to gentlemen who occupy a position on this platform and who have been fighting the battles of the party for years, it must be gratifying to Mr. Laurier, our leader, to see so many people 21 gathered, not to make a uew platform, but to declare the principles weal, hold, and to organize for the purpuae of mstking those principles tri- umphant at the next general election. I do not think this gathering is for the purpose of speech-making, but I was thinking while sitting here and looking over this audience, that it would be hard to find a finer body of people assembled than wo have here to-day. I think that Mr. Laurier exercised his usual good judgment in making Ottawa the place of meeting. I have a suggestion to make. No doubt you will take the opportunity to see the capital and especially to inspect the Parliament Buildings, that handsome pile of buildings belonging to us as the people of Oanada. I have no doubt you will be pleased with their appearance. I would suggest to the chief representatives from each section, that they should go to the Parliament buildings and select their seats to the right of the Speaker, for I have no doubt in my own mind that we are on the right track to win those seats in the next election, I have no doubt that the numbers that have iret here today and the enthusiasm displayed indicate a coming victory for our party. Hon. L G. Power, Halifax : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I have much pleasure indeed in seconding the motion moved by my honorable friend from Manitoba. It affords me jjeculiar pleasure to second this resolution with regard to the honorable Premier of Prince Edward Island. In 1878 we held but one Province, thtt was the Province of Ontario. Somehow, Mr. Chairman, you could not be dislodged. The enemy cap- tured all the other Local Governments ; that of Ontario they could not caj)ture. A voice : — And never will. Hon. Mr. Power: — But wo won back the outlying fortresses one by one. First the Province of Nova Scotia, then Manitoba, and the other day our friend, Mr. Peters, gained the Province of Prince Edward Island. There remains only the Province of British Columbia. I think that after the next general election the Provincial and Dominion Govern- ments will all be harmonious, but in a different way from what they were in 1878. The Province of Prince Edward Island is the smallest of the Dominion, but it is one which any member should be proud to represent. It is a Province which has done better for us in the Dominion Parliament than any other. For over eleven years it has sent a Liberal majority to Parlia- ment ; and in the last Parliament we had a solid delegation from that Province. Through some mishap we lost two members in the last election, but these will be regained when an appeal is next made to the people. The motion was carried unaniniouply Hon. FuED Peters, Premier of Prince Edward Island: — I did not expect when I came to Ottawa more than to have the opportunity of look- ing upon this grand C/Onvention, which in my opinion would have been sufficient reward even for a person travelling so far as I have travelled to see it. We have been told that the Liberal party is almost a dead party. We came up here to see whether that was true or not, and what we have 22 seen and heard shows us that there is life in the old dog yet, shows that the Liberal party is still ready and willing to fight a battle which we hope on this occasion will be successful. It has been said, I thought a little meanly by my friend from Nova Soctia, Senator Power, who has kindly seconded my nomination, that Prince Edward Island is the smallest Pro- vince of the Dominion. But it has often been said that the most valuable goods are done up in the smallest parcels. I have to remind you that we stand alone amongst the Provinces of the Dominion, in baing able to say that in the last Parliament we did not have one single blot of Toryism on our political map. We returned every man to support the Liberal party. We were not so successful in the last election, though our record was still a good one. But we hope that, now that we are able to go back and tell the farmers of Prince Edward Island that the farmers of Ontario are in accord with them and have come here to say so, our little Island may bfr able to do what it did the election before last, and send every man elected to support the Liberal party. I thank you most heartily for the great honor you have conferred upon me by giving me the position of Assistant Chairman of this Convention. Election of Vice Chairmen — Manitoba. Hon. J. W. LoNQLEY, Attorney-General of Nova Scotia : — Mr. Chair- man and gentlemen : I think you will agree with me that we must have just one more vice-chairman to round out the number and that he must come from the Province which has not yet received representation by the election of preceding officers. I think it will be a matter of universal re- gret amongst us that Hon. Mr. Greenway, Premier of Manitoba, has not been able to be present. But, I hope and I know that, though not present with us in person, he is with us in spirit, and is prepared to cooperate cordially with us for the advancement of the great cause which has brought us together. Though Mr. Greenway is not here, I am very happy to be able to announce that two very distinguished members of his Government are present, and I would propose that one of them, Hon. Clifford Sifton, At- torney-General, be vice-president representating, the Province of Manitoba. If I cared to say anything, which I do not at this late hour of the after- noon, 1 would say that in my opinion there is peculiar fitness in this re- solution being proposed by one from the far east seeing that the beneficiary is from the west. It is gratifying in the presence of such a large and re- presentative gathering as we have here to-day, to feel and know that, from the extreme east, where the waves of the Atlantic have our boundaries to Jhe extreme west, there is not an inch of soil, not represented by men pre- pared to co-operate with others for the common purpose of placing the Liberd party in the position it ought to occupy in guiding the destinies- of this great Dominion. Hon. David Laird, Prince Edward Island : — I have much pleasure in seconding the nomination of Mr. Sifton as Vice-President for Manitoba. As Mr. Watson, of Manitoba, has proposed a vice-chairman from Princfr 28 Edward Island it becomes my duty to return the compliment, and, as a representative of Prince Edward Island to propose a vice-president from Manitoba. And not only as a representative of Prince Edward Island do I make this proposition, but being myself so long indenti6ed with the North-West, I have much pleasure in seeing Manitoba so well represented. I regret that my dear North -West Territories are not better represented at this meeting. The Chairman : — All in favor of this resolution will signify their assent by saying " aye." The vote being taken the Ohairman said, I declare the resolution carried. An Invitation. Mr. James Sutherland, M.P., North Oxford : — Mr. Sifton is not pre- sent at the moment to respond, he will be here soon. The following letter has been sent to the Convention : Thk Ottawa Electhio Stbkkt Railway Co., (Limitkp). Ottawa, 20th June, 1893. H. A. Bate, Esq., Secretary Reform Association, Ottawa, Ont. Dkak Sir,— We would be pleased to have the company of the members of the Reform Convention now in session in this city at the opening of the R ickliffe extension of our Electric Mailway service on Thursday foreni on. Should they favor us with such, arrange- ments can be made for time of leaving the Langevin Block and tickets issue 1 for distribu- tion at to-morrow evening's session of your Convention. Awaiting your reply, I have the honor to be, Your obedient servant, J. W. McRAE, Pioaident. An Open Convention — Preliminary Committee. Mr. Laubier : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I appear before you now simply to confirm what has already been stated by Mr. Sutherland, that this Convention is not a convention to ratify cut-and-dried resolutions, but that the work to-day remains with the members of the Convention itself. This is in every sense of the word a Liberal, a democratic Convention. I am anxious, and my friends who are associated with me in leading the Liberal party are anxious, tha.. in the policy to be adopted, all the sug- gestions should come from the people themselves who are here represented. I therefore propose that a committee be appointed consisting of two mem- bers from each Province, as follows : Ontario, Sir Richard Cartwright, Mr. James Sutherland, M.P. Prince Edward Island, Hon. L. H. Davies, Hon. F. Peters. 24 Nova Scotia, Hon. W. S. Fielding, Dr. Borden, M.P. New Brunswick, Hon. A. G. Blair, Mr. A. H. Gillmor, M.P. ] Quebec, Hon. Mr. Laurier, Hon. Senator Pelletior. Manitoba, Hon. Robert Watson, Mr. J. A. Richard. This committee to have power to select a large representative committee whose instructions shall be to prepare resolutions to be submitted to the Convention. It is also suggested to announce, and I may do so now, that any of our friends in this audience who have propositions to make or reso- lutions to offer, are invited to present them now, and their resolutions will be referred to the committee which will report upon them. It is proposed that as soon as that is done, we should adjourn to meet again at eight o'clock this evening, when it is to be hoped the atmosphere will be a little cooler than it is now. The committee I have named will draft a large and representative committee, and probably to-morrow morning we shall have the report of the large committee in the form of resolutions to be submitted to you. This evening the time will be occupied in a discussion by those 'who are on the platform and others, of the general propositions which in their judgment ought to be considered by the large committee and sub- mitted for adoption to-morrow. Before 1 take my seat allow me to speak a few words in French. Mr. Laurier then repeated his remarks in French. The Chairman put the resolution which was carried unanimously. The Chairman : — Those who desire to submit resolutions had better do so now in order that they may be considered by this committee. I desire to let you know that amongst the speakers to-night will be Mr. Laurier himself. The meeting then adjourned. FIRST DAY— EVENING SESSION. The Convention re-assembled at eight o'clock. Sir Oliver Mowat in the chair. The Chairman : — I have much pleasure in announcing to you that we are now about to hear our distinguished leader himself. The Leader's Address. Mr. Laurier : — Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : I would vainly seek to find, even though I attempted to do so, words adequate to convey to you a sense of the gratitude of myself and those entrusted with the fortunes of the Liberal party toward you for the kindness with which you have responded to the appeal which I made a few weeks ago in my capacity as ofHoial head of the Liberal party of the Dominion of Canada. It is most encouraging that there should be such numbers present, and not only that there should be such numbers present, bat that we should - .1 P AH\ IS, I'lliilil, IITIAWA. HOX. ANDREW G. BLAIR, Prkjiier of Nkw Brinsw ick— Vict'-Chairinan of the Convention. 95 liave upon thii platform the leaders of Liberal thought in so many Pro- vinceR of the Dominion, from the veteran of Ontario to the yoang fighting Premier of Prince Edward Island. Sir, if you would allow me a personal thought upon this occasion, I would say that, proud as I am to day in the presence of Sir Oliver Mowat, Premier of the Province of Ontario ; of Mr. Fielding, the Premier of Nova Scotia ; of Mr. Blair, the Premier of New Brunswick ; of Mr. Peters, the Premier of Prince Edward Island, and of Mr. Sifton, of the Manitoba Govt rnment ; if you will allow me here to speak of myself, I would say that I value still more, from a personal ])oint of view, the presence amongst us of my old friend, Mr. Joly de Lotbiniere, under whose leadership it was my good fortune a good many years ago to serve my apprenticeship when I had thte honor to sit in the Local Assem- bly of the Province of Quebec, when he was leader of the Opposition. He has told you here to-day that he has retired from politics, but when he heard the sound of the bugle, and got the smell of the powder, he had to fall into the ranks like an old soldier. I am proud to tell you, gentlemen, that we have to-day representatives from nearly all parts of the Dominion of Canada — from the Provinces by the Atlantic, from the valley of the St. Lawrence, from the region of the great lakes, even from the prairies of Manitoba and the North-West. The only Province which is not repre- sented to-day officially is the Province of British Columbia, and yet to some extent it is, for this morning the Chairman of the Convention received the following telegram : — " Although not represented, British Columbia takes warm interest in " the proceedings of the Liberal Convention. Sentiment here favors a " policy of freer trade relations with Great Britain and her colonies, espe- *' cially Australia, and reciprocity of trade with all other nations." Nothing like this Convention has yet taken place since Confederation, and to find anything of the kind or approaching it you must go back to the days of old Canada — to the famous Liberal Convention which met in Toronto in 1859. And, Mr. Chairman, you will allow me the pleasure of saying that this meeting is presided over by one of the leaders of that Con- vention in that year. Sir Oliver Mowat was one of those who helped on that occasion to shape the policy which afterwards prevailed Sir Oliver Mowat belongs iu more senses than one to the school of that Grand Old Man who to-day, under the gaze of an admiring and wondering worlH is struggling against many odds to relieve a country from a regime of oppios- sion, and to give it good government of the people. With Sir Oliver, as with Mr. Gladstone, age seems to have made no impression on his faculties ; his mental activity seems to increase with years. Sir Oliver Mowat better than any of us remembers that the Convention of 1859 had for its object the meeting of difficulties then prevailing. Canada was suffering from severe ills at that time. These ills, howeve/, were of a constitutional nature. For years an imperfect constitutional system had prevailed in Canada. There was the union of Upper and Lower Canada, an English and a French Province, with all the disadvantages of a federal and a 26 legifllative union, and without any of the advantages of either form. You know that the principle which woe then adopted as a solution of the woes which Canada was then RuflftM-ing was representation by population. This principle was gradually extended until it became the origin of Confedera- tion, until it became the means whereby the four Provinces of British America were united into a Confederation under the sanction of the Mother Land, with the object that it was to extend all over the British por- tion of the continent. We, the Liberals, at this late day, are again assem- bled in order to discuss the present position of the country. I am glad to say that, though Canada is Rulfering many ills and woes, thoy do not arise from constitutional defects. I am glad to say thlit the constitution, though not perfect, still is such that it should command the respect and love of all Canadians. I want it to be known at the very outset of our proceedings that, while coming here from all parts of the Dominion to discuss the political situation of the country, to remedy, if possible, the ills from which our country is suffering, we do not come here in any carping spirit, with any revolutionary words. I say, we come here with our hearts full of love for our Canadian country, with pride for its past and hope for its future. Mr. Chairman, it is undeniable that today the position of Canada is not what it ought to be. In the eyes of many of us — I sho'.ld say in the eyes of all of us — the position is such as to make a good many of the people of Canada feel anxious for the fate of the country. We are here to discuss the situation of our country. Whenever we meet, as we do upon this occasion, to discuss the situation of our country, we ^^re met by our opponents with a very singular objection. If we speak of the situ- ation of the country, and if we do not represent it in roseate o. iors, we are told at once by the Conservative party that we are decrying the country. This is a very strange objection. It would mean that the party in power have the right to do anything they please, and the only thing left to the Opposition is approbation. The position of the Opposition under this rule would be u slavish one, and it would never dare to speak i^he truth. There .is but one answer to make to this, and it is that the trulh, whatever it is, must be told. It were a crime undoubtedly — it were a national crime — for anyone to speak ill of his country if he spoke falsely. It would be a crime, and a great crime, if the colore under which tho country is pre- sented were not true ; but I submit that it would be more a crime to con- ceal the truth for fear of causing fear or shame. There is but one thing to do, sir, and it is to speak the truth on every occasion. It is not perhaps within the bounds of human nature to expect that every page of the history of a people should be free from blots, but I assert that a people's history will be freest from blots where you find a -strong and healthy public opinion to denounce every crime and outrage. I submit the only possible condition of the success and grandeur of a people is that all moral offences should be denounced, that all crimes should be denounced, md that the truth should be spoken upon every occasion without fear or favor. If any one were to look at the history of the country for the last twenty-six S7 18, le's yeara, that man must admit (and I may say here to begin with, thut Canada has made great and substantial progress) that our progress has not reached the legitimate expectations of the Canadian people. No man can say, I do not care to what party he belongs, that Canada has roalizHd in these twenty-six years the hopes that we had twenty-six yearH ago. ff our hopeH had been realized, the population of Canada would be at least 7,000,000 of souls. It ia today about 5,000.000. . If our hopes had been realized, we would to-day have upon the soil of Canada 1,000,000 of our fellow-Canadians who are now to be found in a neighboring country. It is not too much to expect that in a country like Canada, with so many resources of every description, every child born upon the soil should remain a citizen of Canada for all his life. When the Ministers of the Crown speak of this matter they atlect to treat it v^ry liijhtly. I submit to you that there is nothing of i^reater importance than this very question. Why, Sir, it is a well-known fact that the growth of population ia the measure in many instances of the development of a people. Not only that, but so important ia it considered, that, not aatistied with the natural growth of our population, we have spent thousands and nullions of dollars in the last fifteen years in order to bring in immigrants. It is a matter of regret to think that, though we are spending ."^200,000 or .$.'J00,000 every year in order to bring in immigrants, we cannot keep our own people amongst ourselves. Is it to be supposed, is it to be expected, that if those born on the soil cannot remain attached to the soil, this foreign popu- lation will become attached to it? Is it to be expected that if we cannot keep our own people, those we bring from abroad will remain 1 There is only one conclusion to be arrived at, and it is this, that if a country like Canada, which can maintain a hundred millions of men, cannot keep a paltry population of 5,000,000 there must be something wrong with the policy and with the Government. The conclusion is irresistible. When the Ministers of the Crown deal with this question, they do not impugn the conclusion, they simply deny the facts. They tell you that the country is prosperous and that there is very little emigration, that the statement that there is large emigration is a Grit lie. There was a few days ago a meeting in Orangeville, which is situated in the county of Cardwell, and you know it has been rumored that the Government were contemplating rewarding one of the faithful, that the Government were contemplating removing Mr. White, the representative of Cardwell, to another .sphere of usefulness, to make him the collector of customs in Montreal. But before they came to that conclusion, they had heard that perhaps it would not be safe under the pre.sent circumstances to open Cardwell. Therefore, they made a descent upon the faithful of C irdweU. One of the Ministers who was taken up for his eloquenc>-:, and perhaps for something else, was Mr. Clarke Wallace, the Controller of Customs. He opened his remarks by expressing his great admiration for the beauty of the surroundings of Orangeville. He spoke in glowing terms of the appearance of prosperity of the farm houses, and of the farms, which he 28 I 'I saw in all directions. I have no doubt Mr. Wallace had good reason to speak thus. Orangeville is one of those localities which, like many others, claims to be the garden of Ontario and of Oanada. Mr. Wallace said that if the "Grit croakers," as he called them, had been there, they would find evidences of the error of their statements regarding the Qondition of the country. But if the " Grit croaker " had been there he would have told Mr. Wallace what was a fact, that every one of those farms had decreased in value 30 or 35 per cent, during the last fifteen years, He would have told Mr. Wallace : Yes, this is a fine country. The sun does not shine upon a better in its course. Yet on every one of those farms the}' deplore the loss of a son or daughter who has gone to the United States to find what his own native country does not give him. This is the strongest possible arraignment of the policy of the present Government, that, with the undoubted advantages we have, these people of Orangeville and sur- rounding country cannot keep their own children at home. The Minister of Finance also said on that occasion that the country was prosperous to a degree, and the story of the exodus was invented simply by the Grits. There might be, he said, a few emigrants now and then, and what, think you, was the caubo Mr. Foster told them of these people leaving the country ] You who have not read the speech could not possibly divine it. What little exodus there may be out of the country is caused, according co Mr. Foster, by the articles in the Globe newspaper. According to Messrs. Foster and Wallace, those who leave the country leave it simply because they read the Gloha newspaper. Well, sir. the Globpj is a very good piper in many ways. I commend the Globi^ and 1 commend the editor of the Globe, who is on the pUtform to night. I am glad to see a compliment paid by an opponent, but I am a Frenchman, and must show the chivalry which is credited to my race. I must stand up for the Conservative press. It is not fair for Mr. Foster to discount its influence. If the psople around Orangeville read tiie Globe, is it possible they do not also read the Empire.^ If the 6706-? tells them they are not prosperous, is it possible they do not read the Empire, which tells them they are prosperous 1 Is it possible the people of Orangeville and vicinity are so stupid as to believe the Globe, when it tells them they are not prosperous, when they are? Are they such geese as not to know their own circumstances, but must rely upon the Grit papers to tell them ? Sir, such arguments do not deserve t'.ny answer. There was another meeting held elsewhere. At the present tiirie there is a roving commission going from place to place to find fliwp, if flaws there be, in the National Policy. A few weeks ago they were in the city of St. John, N.B., and his admirers gave Mr. Foster a banquet. To this I have no objection. At this banquet, a fellow-country- man of mine, who happens to be Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Angers, made a speech. He proved that he could be, on any occasion, the equal of an Englishman, that he could be equal to his predecessor. Sir John Carling. He gave figures to his hearers, and spoke of the exodus and prosperity of the country, and told the people assembled that the exodus r a iry- jrs, ual ihn 29 ♦' was not of a very great size." He spoke in a city which in ten yeiirs has not increased in population, but has actually lost 2,000 souls. The population of St. John under Mackenzie's regime exceeded 40,000 ; by the last census the population was reduced to under 40,000. That is to say, that the whole of the natural increase had been swept away, and 2,000 souls more. He spoke in a Province in which the whole increase during the ten years Avas thirty-seven ; that is, thit the whole of the natural increase had been swept away, together with every iiumigi-ant except thirty- seven. Yet Mr. Angers said the exodus was not of a very great size. We read in the Sacred Book that the Lord one day sent His angels to smite the first born of a people to punish them for their cruelty. But here not only the first born are swept away, but the whole issue of the people is extinguisiied. Yet Mr. Angers says that the exodus is not of i very great size. The newspaper report did not say that this statement wa3 received with any cheers, but if they did not they did not do him that justice to which he is entitled, because it must have been something new to them to know that the exodus was of no great size. What would be the condition of New Brunswick and of the city of St. John if the exodus had been of a great size? There would have been nothing left of the city ; the whole population would have been swept away. Under Mr. Mackenzie the city of St John was swept by a disastrous fire. I assert in your presence, without fear of successful contradiction, that the National Policy has done more to injure the city of St. John than that great fire, and, in the face of this, Mr. Angers could tell them that thee.xodus was of no great size. Once a missionary went to preach the good news to a heathen city. From the first house which he passed he received the contents of a pot of boiling water. He did not go further, ffe thought he had gone far enough, and went back and told his friends what had occurred. Ho was asked " What did you say 1" and replied, " 1 thanked them," " For what? " " Because," he answered, " they did not send the pot as well as the water." Well, sir, the people of St. John must thank Mr. Angers for knowing that the exo- dus was not of a great size. The statement was made at a dinner given in honor of Mr. Foster, who, as you know, is, or was, a cold-water man. He is still a cold-water man, I 'relieve, yet of not the same degree of intensity as in form' r days. In former days I remember, in the House of Commons he wanted every man to be a cold water man like himself. He seems to have changed his view, but for that I have no remark to make, save this : that the statements of Mr. Angers requires a good deal of cold water to wash down, and perhaps something stronger as well. But, Sir, the ills of Canada to-day are not constitutional ; they are altog >ther of an Mconnmic nature. In my humble 0|)inion we should set it do»vn at once that this is an assembly of plain and practical men, met tjgether to deal with plain and practical (jue.stions. I agree with every word of the Chair- man of to-day. We might be tempted, and the occasion would be a tempting one, to enlarge the political horizon, to enter new fields, and per- haps direct a policy to the future destiny of Canada. Some people — per- 80 haps they are represented here — favor closer union with the Mother Country ; some want Canada to take rank with the other nations of the earth ; and there are some to-day who would favor the union of the two great branches of the Anglo-Saxon race on this continent. Sir, I respect all the^e opinions ; but listen to me when T say that we should not indulge in speculative politics. This Convention ought to be confined to plain and practical questions. It is not when the house is on fire that we should think of needed improvements. Our first duty is to arouse the people to a sense of their immediate danger, and the immediate danger is the tariff which now oppresses Canada. There is, as you well know, a universal consensus of opinion among all classes, nay among all parties in this country, that the tariff which now prevails in Canada is a burdensome tariff, that it is an oppressive tariff, and that what was known at one time as the N.P. has been found to be a fraud and a failure. I say there is this universal consensus of opinion amongst us that the tariff has to be reformed. What do you see in Ontario to day ? A large section among the rank and tile of the Conservative party openly declaring that they want to undo the evil they helped to establish in former years. Look in the ranks of the faithful, those who are ministerial to the backbone. Last session we saw man after man rising in his place in Parliament and pro- posing amend aients to the tarifif, men like Messrs. Cleveland, of Richmond, Pope, of Compton, and others, proposing to take one brick here and another there, until the wall was threatened with destruction. Sir, the feeling became so unanimous among the Conservatives themselves that the Government had to come forward and promise that they would deal with the question and reform the tariff. That was the |)romise extracted from them, but what reform can you expect from men who tell you that the country is prosperous and that there is no exodus ; who tell you that their system is perfect and hardly in need of modification 1 Look at what took place a few months ago. Sir John Thompson, at the Board of Trade banquet in Toronto, told a large audience that the Government would be prepared next session to lop off some mouldering branches. When we came to the session we were fully prepared to see the Government lop oti these mould- ering branches ; but we found that the Government had changed their view, and wliat were mouldering branches in January, like the rod of Moses, became Howering boughs in March. They had no alteration to make. Gentlemen, you have nothing to expect from them. Apart from the logic of events, you have the word of Mr. Foster himself, who has declared again and again within the last few weeks that tarift* reform would consist in this, that there might be a few changes here and there, but that the principle of protection in the N.P. would be maintained. This simply means that the Government are going to scratch off the paint, and put on a new coat of varnish, and call it tariff reform. Mr. Chairman, again upon this occasion, 1 want it to be well understood that we take direct issue here and now with the Government. The Government tells us that the principle of the N. P. they are going to maintain, and we 31 answer to the Government that the principle of the N. P. is vicious and must be taken off — not only the branches. Sir, you remember what took place previous to the defeat of Mr. Mackenzie. At that time we had for Premier, as you well know, a man of unbending rectitude. There never was a purer or a greater man in my estimation in Canada than Alexander Mackenzie. He would not stoop to pander to what he supposed to be popular prejudice. He thought that the country could not be made prosperous by high taxation. The people believed otherwise. I have no fault to find with anybody, and no criticism to offer. The time for recrim- ination is gone. But I appeal to your judgment in the face of the experi- ence of the last fifteen years under the system which was introduced by the Conservative party, which was dubbed the N. P., to say if thac system is not vicious in principle, iniquitous in its terms and darigerous in its consequences. I say that it is vicious in principle. I want to know — and I put the question so as to be heard through the length and breadth of this country — by virtue of what principle will you tax a man to enrich his neighbor ? By virtue of what principle will you tax the farmer in order to give work to the workingman ? On what principle will you tax the workingraan in order to give better prices to the farmer 1 We were told in 1877 and 1878 that by adopting a policy of. high taxation we should create labor, and if we created labor, those who bore the burden would be recouped in some way. All these promises have been found to be falla- cious. If the principle had been true that by high taxation we would create labor, we would see the result to-d'-y, our population would be increased. And you were told that you \v id have a population of teem- ing thousands in the cities of Canatla. What are the results ? I am going to give you just a few figures which are, in my estimation, a most eloquent arraignment of the N. P. During the period from 1871 to 1881 in the Province of Ontario there was an increase of 342,071 souls. In the following period, from 1881 to 1891, the increase of population fell from 342,071 to 151,553, a decrease of more than fifty per cent. In Quebec during the previous period the increase of population was 167,511, and in the following period the increase was 130,035, or a decrease of 37,000. In Prince Edward Island in the former period the increase was 14,870; in the following period the increase was how many ? Not even 1,000 ; not even 500, nor even 200, but simply 189. In Nova Siiotia the increase was in the previous period 52,772, while in the following period it was 9,920. In New Brunswick the increase was in the former period 33,639, while in the second period it had fallen off to just 37. The whole increase was swept away. Sucb figures as these are the strongest possible arraignment of t^e National Policy. It is true there has been an increase in Manitoba in some respects, but Manitoba has been peculiarly situated. The fine prairies of the west have, to some extent, attracted immigration, but we know by the figures of the census, which have been taken from time to time, that not more than fifty per cent, of the immigrants who went to Manitoba remained there. There is not, I may say, a single Province 32 throughout the Dominion which clamors so much and so loudly to be freed from the incubus of the National Policy. I appeal to the farmers who are now before me if it is not true that the most difficult period for the farmer is the period following the first settlement. This is the period when, if the farmer is to be favored, he should be assisted, but the farmers of Manitoba have been forced to pay tribute to the manufacturers of the East. Mani- toba would hail with joy the day when it would be freed from the incubus of the National Policy. We are told that we cannot say that the National "Policy has been the cause of the exodus, because when the people leave the country, they go to the United States, which has also a protective tariff. The argument is a captious one. It is true that the National Policy is nothing but a servile copy of the American system of protection. The Conservative party, the loyal party, left the example of the Mother Country and went ovrr to the other side for a policy, and they brought it back singing "God Save the Queen." They advocated that policy in 1878. In 1879, after they were returned to power, they introduced an American nostrum and gave it to the loyal people of Canada. When they were told by people like myself, who claim to be as loyal as they are, but whose loyalty is in the heart, and not on the lips, " You are endangering British connec- tion," they said, " So much the worse for British connection." They adopted the policy, but the result whs not what they had expf cted. The policy did not stop the exodus, as they said it would. The exodus under their policy doubled and trebled. What is the reason the policy prospered comparatively in the United States and not in Canada 1 The reason is that the great variety of climate to the south of the line, their increasing population and the great accumulatiim 6f wealth, were a protection agiinst protection. They had free trade amongst an ever-increasing community, and were saved by free trade notwithstanding the high protection. But there was more. You know very well that this wisdon which was bor- rowed by our Government from the United States has been condemned by the American people. You know very well thao this Yankee system has been condemned by a majority of the states and a majority of the popular vote. Last year there was a Democratic convention,. and on that occasion they declared : *' That we condemn Republican protection as a fraud and a robbery of the great majority of the American people for the benefit of a few." That condemnation was endorsed by the i^raerican people at the first opportunity following, and they declared in the most emphatic language that the sys- tem of protection over there was a fraud and a robbery. Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, I submit to your judgment that the servile copy of the American system which has been brought amongst us by the leaders of the Conservatives, is, like its prototype, a fraud and a robbery, and I call upon you one and all to pronounce at once and give your emphatic support to the proposition that we shall never rest until we have wiped away from our system that fraud and robbery under which Canadians suffer. But, Sir, there is something more. We pronounce to-day in favor of tariff ^ned by it year jlared : of the That rtunity bhe sys- iairman of the of the 111 upon Iport to ly froiu But, If tariff HON. H. C. JOLY dp: LOTBIXIERE, kx-Pbexiikk of Quebec— Vice-Chairman of the Convention. 33 reform, and our opponents have borrowed the word from us. You know it has been the system of the Conservative party more than once, whenever their clothes became dilapidated, to steal the clothes of their opponents, and present themselves before the people decently attired. This is what they want to do again, and on this occasion I do not object to their steal- ing our clothes, but I do object to their appearing before the country in false colors. They want to reform the tariflF and still to retam the principle of protection. I submit to you that the ideal fiscal system is the British system of free trade. Sir, my loyalty, as I stated, does not ooze from the pores of my body, but I do want to go for an example to the Mother Country, and not to the United States, much as I respect and love the people on the other side of the line. I say the policy should be a policy of free trade, > uch as they have in England, but I am sorry to say that the circumstances of the country cannot admit, at present, of that policy in its entirety. But I propose to you that from this day hencefor- ward it should be the goal to which we aspire I propose to you from this day, although we cannot adopt the policy itself, to adopt the principle which regulates it ; that is to say, that though it should be your misfor- tune for many years to come to have to raise a revenue by custom duties, these duties should be levied only so far as is necessary to carry on the business of the Government. I submit to you that not a cent should be extracted from the pockets of the people, except every cent goes into the treasury of the people and not into the pockets of anybody else. I sub- mit to you that no duty should be levied for protection's sake, but levied altogether and only for the purpose of filling the treasury to the limits required. I submit to you that every cent that is levied should be levied first and foremost upon the luxuries of the people. I submit to you, therefore, that the system of protection which is maintained by the Gov- ernment, that is to say of levying tribute upon the people not for the legitimate expenses of the Government but for a ])rivate and privileged clas?, should be condemned without qualification. Let it be well under- stood that from this moment we have a disdnct issue with the party in power. Their ideal is protection, our ideal is free trade. Their immediate object is protection ; ours a tariff for revenue only. Upon this issue we engage the battle from this moment forward, and I ask you once more never to desist until we have achieved victory, until we have freed this couutry from the incubus which has been weighing it down for fifteen long years. Nothing is more difficult — tbat is one of the evils of protection — than to wipe away protection, because under it interests have been estab- lished which every man who has at heart the interest of all classes must take into consideration. It is always easy to increase the tariff, because by so doing you increase the private fortunes of ci^rtain individuals, but whenever you decrease the tariff it has always to be done with careful consideration, and I am sure that when the Liberals are in power they will not be indifferent to this primary truth. Anyone in this audience, any Conservative in the country, if I ask : Do you crave more markets for 3 (c.) 81 I your produce 1 would answer : "Yes." If I wet-e to tell him : There is on the other side of the line a nation of 65,000,000 of the Anj^lo Saxon race, that is the greatest commercial race in the world, would you not like to trade with them untrammeled and unfettered ? he would answer •* Yes." Years ago we had a treaty of reciprocity with the United States con- fined to natural products, it is true, but under it trade developed rapidly, and you know that was the golden era in the history of the trade of Canada. Again and again the wish has been exi>ressed that we should obtain that market if possible, but it has become a settled fact with both the great parties in the United States that they will not renew the treaty of 1854 ; that is to say, a treaty confined to natural products, but manu factures have to be included as well. In 1888 we adopted a policy of untrammelled trade with the United States. This policy was distorted by the most wicked perversions of our opponents. They afcserted on the platform and in the press that what we wanted was uiirf'strictfd recipro city, and nothing else, and that we would not take anything else, whereas the fact was that we were prepared to negotiate upon a basis of unrestricted reciprocity, but we would have been happy to obtain any possible measure of reciprocity in natural products and manufactures. The Liberal partv when it formulated the policy of unrestricted reciprocity, never disguised that there were difficulties in the way, and that when we came to negotiate the treaty several lines of manufactured goods would have to be eliminated, but what we wanted was to send a commission to VVashini^ton to lay down a basi.s of negotiations for a treaty. We would have supported cur opponents in any similar policy, but, while professing a willingness to go to Washington and negotiate a treaty, they never had any such intention, and while with one breath they told the people tliey wanted to negotiate a treaty, with the next thty said we were disloyal because we wanted to negotiate a treaty. You know the part disloyalty playfd in the last election. I am loyal to the Briti.sh crown. I have often stated in the Province of Quebec, and I am happy to repeat it to-day when so many of my fellow countrymen of French origin are present, that we owe a debt of gratitude to the Bi itish Crown for the way it has treated us in the last fifty years. Loyal although I am, I do not think it would be ray part to say that the interests of a colony are the interests of the Empire. Take the best families in the land, there is often a diversity of interests between the members of that family, and there is a diversity of interests between the members of an empire. The commercial interests of England are not the interests of (Canada, and the commercial interests of Canada are not the commercial interests of England ; and there is no Conservative who can gainsay this doctrine, for the fact that England is free trade and the Canadian Conservatives protec- tionist shows that there is in their opinion a diversity of interests between England and Canada. Sir, I want now tc say this, if the interests of Canada clash with the interests of England, is it in any part of my loyalty or yours that we should make the interests of Canada give way to the . I I I i ■■.rr.--7.^-T^- tEIi^L^ 2» jmpn itish ough of a and, lily, l)ire. and iS of , for tec- v^een s of alty the interests of Great Britain 1 What ia the reason, I want to know, that my ancestors left the shores of France to come to this then savage country 1 Simply because they were not satisfied with th^ir condition in France and thought they would better it in Canada. What is the reason your own fathers left the shores of Great BritHin, of England, Ireland and Scotland 1 Simply because your own fathers were not satisfied with their condition upon their native soil, but believed that by coming to this country they would build up for themselves and their families a better and more pros- perous condition of things. And are we, their descendants, to be told when we find our interests clashing with those of the Mother Land, we must stand by the Mother Land t I do not admit any such loyalty as that, and 1 am quite sure of the position that would be adopted in any part of Great Britain. I would not hesitate to go upon any platform there and state the same thing that I say to-night, I am a British subject, and if it were my lot to have been a member of the British House of Commons I would speak like an Englishman and stand up for England in preference to Canada every time. But I am a member of Her Majesty's House of Com- mons of Canada, and I leave it to Englishmen who represent the interests of Her Majesty's subjects in the Imperial Parliament to deal with the interests of the English nation, and I call upon the people of Canada to stand up for the interests of Canada. And if there be any man in this audience — no there is no one in this audience, but if there be any man outside of this audience — who .sfiy-s he stands up in preference for the inter- ests of England, I tell him "Go back to fciUgland, that is your home." And, in speaking as I do, I claim I am perfectly loyal, because Hei Majesty the Queen does not expect that any of her Canadian subjects should abase themselves or should refuse to stand up for the interests of their country ; but she expects from us upon every occasion that the inter- ests of Canada .shall be paramount. Again I say, this is loyalty such as I understand it. But there is more than this to satisfy the conscience, the supercilious conscience of those extreme Conservatives who, [ am afraid, will not be satisfied with anything except the posse.ssion of power. Let me tell them this, that if a treaty is negotiated by Canada with a foreign country, that treaty will have to l)e ratified l)y the Government of Her Majesty the Queen in England, and if the Britisii (Government object that we should make such a treaty, then, Sir, and not sooner, it will be time to raise objections. What I claim i.s that upon this policy of reciprocity, it should be well known and well understood that, while claiming to do the best for our country, we know full well that our action is subject to the approbation of the Government of Her Majesty the Queen. These two questions, in my judgment, ought to constitute mainly the programme of the Liberal party. The battle in which we are engaged at this moment is a battle for the welfare of Canada, and the welfare of Canada depends upon her fiscal policy. But there are other ([uestions still. One of the evils of the National Policy and the system of protection has been here, as everywhere else, to i 36 I i I lower the moral level of puVjlio life. It in a subject, however, into which I do not deBire to enter at lenj^th. I speak of it more in sorrow than in anger ; but I tell j'ou this, if you want to purify the political atmosphere not a cent is to be levied except what is necessary to carry on the legiti- mate expenses of the Government economically administered. I speak of this subject more in sorrow than in anger, but there is not a man who has in his bosom a patriotic heart who does not see with shame that the name of Canada has become the by -word of corruption among the civilized nations of the earth. There are otiier questions, but we have not time to take up too many. One or two, however, ought not to be forgotten. We should endeavor to retain in every election an honest expression of the public mind and of the public will. We must be governed by the majority. I do not say that the majority is always right, but until we have something better we must abide by the rule that the majority must govern. What I want is a true and honest expression of the public mind. I object, therefore, to those laws which have been placed on the statute book by the men in power, not to have an honest expression of the public mind but to distort the true expression of the public will. I denounce it to you as infamy. I say that the best and safest principle is to revert to the old policy we had in former years of having a Provincial franchise. This system prevailed for eighteen years after Confederation and I never heard a single complaint against it. In ] 885 this infamous Act was passed. So infamous is it that the men who promoted it dare not put it in force because the law requires that there should be revision of the list every year. But a revision every year costs so much that the Govern- ment are begged by their followers not to put that expense upon them. But the Act is put in force on the eve of an election because it gives to the party in power an unfair advantage. Again I denounce this other infamy, the system of gerrymander. Under our own system it is neces- sary that there should be after every census a redistribution of seats. There is but one basis to adopt, the basis of the Mother Land. There have been redistributions in the Mother Land, but there has never been a word of complaint, because the redistribution takes place upon a well know., basis and jirinciples, and that is that the boundary of no county should be interfered with. That is a principle which ought to be adopted here, and I hope that upon this we shall have a most emphatic expression from this Convention. There are other questions, and it would not be fair on ray part not to deal with them. Within the last tifteen days I have received several applications from different parts of the country asking me, " What are you going to do about Temperance 1" " What are you going to do about Prohibition 1" T ought to speak frankly upon this. I don't pretend at this moment to give you any more than my views. On a former occasion I already announced that this was a free, democratic Convention, in which no cut-and-dried resolutions are to be placed before you. You are free to move upon Prohibition or anything else that you choose, but I ask 87 at n in re you simply to allow ine to give you my viewH, You are awftre that two years ago, against our protest, however, the Government of the day appointed a commission to investigate the liquor question, not only in this country, but in other countries as well. This was done against our pro- test. We believed — I still believe, for my part — that we have all the information we require on which to form an opinion upon this subject. The Dominion Alliance, which is the great Prohibition Parliament of the country, has a representative to speak for it upon the floor of the House of Commons. That gentleman is Mr. Dickey. You know very well that not upon one occasion, but during two sessions — thesessionsof 1892and 1893 — the Dominion Alliance, by theraouths of its spokesman and the other mem- bers of the Alliance upon the floor of the House of Commons, declared that until that commission had reported the (juestion ef prohibition should be left in abeyance, so fur as the Dominion Parliament is concerned. Well, Sir, for my part, I do not see how, as long as his report is to come, as long as this investigation is to proceed and as long as the Dominion Alliance professes to be satisfied with it, the Liberal party in Parliament can deal with it. Let me go one step further. As far as I am personally concerned, I am prepared to give my views now and at once upon this question, and as soon as it is removed from the state it is in now I shall not hesitate to give my views with no uncertain sound. It would be premature to say how I would speak or vote, but my mind is made up and I will be prepared to give my advice to the Liberal party for them to act upon it or not, just as they please. As long as the commission is deliberating it would be impossible for us to frame a policy. If they did the Government would go to their friends and say : This is not fair towards us, wo are seeking information at your request, and therefore do not ask us to have an issue on this. We could not have issue on this subject and, gentlemen, I want to have an issue with the Government on every qtiestion that comes up. Now it is my duty to refer to another matter which is an irritating subject because it touches questions of creed and race. I refer to the Manitoba school question. I have received sev- eral communications urging me to take a course upon that question. Different persons in the various Provinces have asked me to take opposite courses To them I have given no answer. I give it now, Gentlemen. I wish the question wtre in any other condition. Those of you who follow political events know that last sesbion Mr. Tarte on the one hand and Mr. D'Alton McCarthy on the other agreed that the Government were a pack of cowards, that they did not deal with that subject in a manly way. For my part I spoke in the same sense, and I now say that the Government acted in a cowardly way and did not dare to speak either one way or the other. It was their bounden duty to say one thing or the other, but instead of acting like men of courage they allowed passion to be inflamed in Manitoba and Quebec and never dared to stand up like men and put an issue of the question. They are to be blamed for this. They shunted the question to the courts, where it is now. The Opposition are not in a 88 position to take any action until suoh time »h a report has been givcrn by tUe courts, and until the courts have decided whether or not the Govern- ment have the right to interfere. Then, Sir, it will be time for us to say we will act or not. In my estimation it is not prudent now that the ([ucstion ia before the court, to deal with it, because it would beappeili to prejudices which it would be better should be left aside. For my part, on the temperance question, I say it is possible the time may never come to speak on this subject again in Parliament, because, if the courts decide that the (iovernment have no right to interfere, thit will ba an end of the question forever. One word more. It is now twenty- six years since Confed- eration. It was openly said at the time ttiat the object of those who framed the constitution was to make this Canada uf ours a nation under progres- sive British institutions. For my part I have always regretted that, upon that occasion a Province was trampled on, instead of an appeal being made to the beat instincts of their hearts. Siuli an appnal mide t) tho people of Nova Scotia would have reconciled them long, ago to a aysteia which, in my estimation, is a noble ooe, b^-cause it has a preat aim. N )w and forever, whether we are in opposition or ia power, it will ever be our aim upon every occision to appeal to the generous heart of the peopln and not resort to force or coercion. We are divided in this country as to race and creed, but I am glad to see that in the high aim we have • view there is no creed or racial division. There is woinethin^ broader at more lasting upon which we desire to build ui> a nation. But is it sum cient to have a moral basis for a people 1 Wo must have material pros- perity, and the prosperity of the people deprinds upon our HscaI policy. We are probably on the eve of a general election. When ic will com^ is among the secrets of the gods whose Olympus is upon Piirliiinent Hill yonder. It is possible we may have a repetition of the dec-^it of th" lust dissolution and it, therelore, behoves us to be henceforth prepared for the fray, whenever it comes. Let us resolve, here and now and henceforward and for every moment from this day until the battle hKs been won, that we will never cease our efforts, and for my part m this t)trug!»Ie I will endeavor to do my duty to the be^t of my ability, and [ hope, uiiy, I am sure, that every one of you, general, colonel, captain and private, when- ever it comes, will always be found at his post. I would now claim the privileije of a feA^ words to ray fellow country- men of French origin. Mr. Lauiier then spoke briefly in French. II Committee on Resolutions Appointed. The Chairman : — I have now to call upon the committee appointed to strike committees to carry on the work of this Convention. Mr. Sutherland, M. P. : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : Your com- mittee, considering th^tthe Committee on R-^solutions was the most import- ant and should be first at work, hive only baen able to tind time to report the names of those to constitute that committee. They will, as early as possible in the morning, recommend names for other committees, such as m nil nil 3n- led those on Credentials, Transportation, Printing and Literature, and Organi- Z'ttion. I will ask those present, who are named on this committee, to re- member that they are called to meet at nine o'clock sharp to-moirow morn- ing at the Reform Club. It is most important, gentlemen, that this com- mittee should meet sharp on time to consider the varioua resolutions that have been submitted to tlie secretary, so that we may have a report early in the day. Your committee appointed to strike committees beg to report recom- mending the foUowin;; gentlemen ai a Committee on Resolutions : — Hon. C. A. P. Pelletier, Hon. W. Rosa, Hon. K. Langelier, Hon. F. G. Marchand, Hon. D. A. Macdonald, 0. Beausoleil, M. P., P. A. Choquette, M. P., 0. Deschene, M P.P.. Dr. Guay, M.P., A. Turgeon, M.P.P., L. H. Brodeur, M.P., Dr. Christie, M.P, J. I. Tarte, M.P., J. Scriver, M.P.. S. A. Fisher, ex-M.P, Dr. Rinfret, M.P., Jules Tessier, M.P.P., George Carroll, M.P, Dr. Godbout, M.P., C. R. Devlin, M.P., Dr. Vaillancourt. M.P, Hon. F P. Thompson, Hon. A. H. Gillmor, W. F. George, Georf,'e G. King, G. Had dow, J. L. Cai leton, G. F, Gregory, J. U. Ellier, Jas, Domville, James O'Brien, Hon. J. A. C Pr^^ndergast, ''on. Hobt. Vv'atson, F'rs. Bechard, M.P., Hon. J. H. H088, Hon. James Richards, Hon David Laird, Mal- colm Macdonald, Hon. L. H. Davies, M,P., Hon, B Rogers, J W. Car- michael, W. H. Chase, M. Dwyer, Hon. A. G, Jones, George J. Troop, G. H. Murray, D. C. Fraser, -M P., Hon A. McGillivray, Mayor Keefe, Mayor Allan, Dr. Borden, MP Hon. R. W. Scott, Sir Richard Cartwright, Hon. David Mills, M.P, Jol... Miarltoi,, M.P, John McMillan, M.P., George C. Gibbons, James I). Edgar, M.P., U. C. Clute, D Burke Simpson, James Sutherland, M.P., James (.'onmee, M.P. P., Hobt. Jafl'ray, W. Mulock, M.l'., W. Patterson, M.P., W. D. Balfour, M P.P., Andrew PattuUo, Hon. James Young, Chas. Mackenize, M P.P., F. T. Frost, A. T. Wood, J, R. Stratton, M. P. P., T. O. Anderson, James McMullen, M. P , T. P. Gorman, Hon. J. M. Gibson, N. A. Belcourt, E. D. O'Flynn, W. R. Aylesworth, Joseph Tail, M.P. P., W. Gibson. M.P. Your comniitt'"'i further recommend that Mr. Laurier and the j)resi- dent and vica presidents elected by this Convention be exojficio members of all committees. (Signed) Jamks Sutherland, Chairman. The.se gentlemen ae chosen from every portion of the Dominion and we hope that they will meet with your approval. The Teaolution was carried unanimously. Letter from the Mayor of Ottawa. Mr. C. S. HvMAN : — I have been requested to read the following letter : — Ottawa, 20th June, 18i)3. To the Chairman and Members of the Liberal Convention. Gentlkmkn :— It affords me very great pleasure to congratulate youiself and friend-< upon the brilliant and gratifying .success which has attended the meeting of your Conven- tion. Although we may not be all agreed in the objects of your visit politically, we can still agree in thia, viz., in the hope that the results of your deliberations will be for the benefit of our common country. 40 1 I' i! i! 'ii Amongst thf many friends now here from all parts of the Dominion, I doubt not there are many connected with municipal matters. To these gentlemen, mayors, reeves and otlier members of municipal corporations, I desire to -proffer a reception in the City Hall, at the hour of 1.30 p.m., to-morrow, (Wednesday) and shall be glad to meet them with all who can possibly be present. In order to afford an opportunity to all visiting friends to judge of the fire appliances of cur city, it will afford mo great pleasure to have a parade and test exhibition of the fire brigade, which will take place in front of the City Hall at 9.30 o'clock. O. DUKOCHER. Mayor. Sir Richard Cartwright's Address. The Chairman : — We have had an inspiring speech tonight from our distinguished chief. Such a speech as became the leader of a great party, and such a speech as especially became the leader of the Liberal party of Canada. There are in Parliament in both Houses many able representa- tives of the Liberal party, some of whom we have to hear tonight. The first I shall call upon is one who has no superior in Canada in regard to all matters of finance or trade and who has no superior either in the forcible and eloquent and instructive way in which he can set forth the truth in all such matters. I have much pleasure in calling upon Sir Richard Cart- wright to address us. Sir Richard Cartwuioht : — Mr. Chairman and Ladies and Gentlemen: Both for your sakes and for my own 1 would like to make my remarks to- night as brief as may be, but at the same time, looking round upon this Convention, I cannot but feel that we are met together for no ordinary oc- casion and that this is no ordinary audience that I have the honor to ad- dress. I have the pleasure to-night of speaking to the chosen representa- tives of the Reform party from one end ot" the Dominion of Canada to the other. I speak to the men who have toiled and f mghb and sicrified for the good cause and for the sake of honest government, or to those who have not yet had the opportu'iity but who by their presence here to night give their pledge that they on their part will be willing to imitate the example of their predecessors, and to toil and sacrifice and suffer in their turn for the same objects. Now, it is not a mere figure of spaech to say thit the people of Canada at present are standing at the parting of two ways. For a period of fourteen years or more, as our public records only too clearly testify, Enlarge portion of the people of Canada have been consenting parties, if not willing instruments, to what has proved to be nothing leas than a c*rnival of corruption. For fourteen years a very large portion of the people of Canada have been chasing a will-o'-the-wisp, which, as is the custom of that wandering spirit, has ended by leading them into a very foul quagmire. I do not know when it will be the fortune of Ca' t, .a to have a historian who will truthfully depict the events of the last fourteen or fifteen years, but I am afraid that in stating the facts he will be obliged to state that the people of Canada during that period have been duped and plundered as few 41 other peoples ever have been. He will be obliged to state that, so far a? a great part of the people is concerned, they desired to be duped and plundered. I am glad to say that there are now sigas of a better day. The very extremity of the evil is likely, to a considerable extent, to work its own cure. I do not mean to say that you are going to have an easy victory. You have a great task before you, and you have a great tight to fight. You may rely upon it that it is a political as well as a physical fact that all low organizations die hard, and, though, it may be true enough that the organization which is opposed to you is one which his no great number of principles to boast of, although it is true of them, by their own admission, that their principles are to have no principles, nevertheless you musi not deceive yourself with the idea that on that account they are going to fight any less hard. They may not have principles to fight for, but they have plunder to fight for, and, depend upon it, thoy will struggle hard to keep what they have got. Now, as ray esteemed predecessor has said, on the great majority of questions which come before us there is no material difference of opinion among members of the Liberal party. I think. Sir, we all agr»ie that the constitution of the Senate, as it at present exists, is a blot upon popular government and free institutions. I think we all agree that it is the duty of the Liberal party to do our utmost to pre- serve the rights of the several Provinces and to see that in their sphere the provincial authorities shall have the same rights accorded to them as the constitution grants the Dominion Lei»i3lature in its larger sphere. I think we all agree in denouncing those frauds which we know under the name of the Franchise Act and the Gerrymander and which have contributed so largely to defeat the will of the people during the past few years. We all agree in desiring hone&t government and economy .ind in denouncing cor- ruption. Besides all these things, we are likewise agreed in desiring to remedy as well as we can those evils which we know to exist throughout the length and breadth of Canada to-day, and it is more particularly to the consideration of the remedies which can be found for the present state of affairs that this Convention should direct its energy. Now, I myself on the present occasion, do not intend, nor, to say the candid truth, is it much my habit, to indulge in saying smooth things for the purpose of flittering either you or our opponents. It has been my painful duty for a good rainy years to face the facts, and very unpleasant facts I have found them to be very often. Gentlemen, I have always desired, as far as I could, to respect all my opponents whom I found any reason to believe to be actuated b}' honorable purposes. And I do not mean to say that in the ranks of our opponents there are not a very considerable number of worthy, but utterly mistaken men. But, on the other hand, [ have to say to you, in order that there may be no illusions on our part as to the character of the foe with whom we have to deal, we are practically face to face with a vast and well organized consipracy, with a conspiracy which controU a very large portion of the press of this country, which controls a very large part of the active wealth of this country, which has the entire resources of the Government of 42 f i. Canada at its disposal, a conspiracy whose motto is robbery, and whose arms are fraud and bribery. Sir, it is too truly the case that the folly in former times of a majority of our own countrymen has raised formidable ramparts against themselves, and it is a deplorable thing, as Mr. Laurier truly told you a thing to be spoken of more in sorrow than in anger, that at this moment throughout Canada there exists a most unusual degree of political corruption. And I am sorry to have to say that in Canada, as Canada exists to-day, public opinion is but a small and weak factor in remedying the evils with which you have to deah Sir, I have sat in many parliaments, and I am sorry to say that the Parliament of which I am now a member has attained a most evil pre eminence, even among several very bad parliaments that I can recollect. It has remained for this Parliament, deliberately and publicly to condone the very vilest corruption that could be committed in a country having free institutions. It has remained for this Parliament to trample under foot the most fundamental principles of law and justice, to make a mockery of judicial trials of ministers, t) allow those ministers to be tried by judges of their own selection, upon charges of their own preparation. Sir, I doubt whether there is any English-speak- ing country possessing representative institutions where a similar drama could be enacted to that which you saw enacted but a few weeks ago in the buildings on Parliament Hill in this city. Turning to the other side, the material injury of which we have to complain is hardly less in magnitude, than the moral degradation to which I have alluded. If you add together the sum which has been put into the treasury and the larger sum which has been extracted from the pockets of the people for the benefit of a few privileged and favored individuals, you will find that the total for the last fourteen years is hardly less than a thousand millions of dollars. Sir,. when Germany levied her enormous war indemnity upon France twenty years ago the total sum which the victors dared to exact from the van- (^uirihed country hardly amounted to the sum which has been levied from you and taken out of your pockets for the purpose of entrenching your oppressors in power and enabling them to defeat the wishes of the people. Looking at the relative population and the relative resources of the two countries it is safe to say that the sum exacted from us in that time is equal to eight times the enormous war indemnity exacted from France. And I would that that was the most or the last of the evils which have resulted from this policy. 15ut grave as is the loss of a thousand million dollars, a still graver loss is that shown by the census returns in this coun- try and in the United Stales, which prove that not far short of a million of our own countrymen have been virtually driven into exile, and, more, if there be any truth whatever in the official returns laid upon the table of Parliament, that very nearly a million of immigrants who in these fourteen years were brought to this country at our cost and charg> s and alleged by our Government to have settled in Canada, have, by that same policy, been driven out of the country to help to swell the numbers and the wealth of the United States. Sir, our opponents are fond of telling us that this is a 43 trifle ; they are foad of telling us that if the peo(4e do not like to stay in Oanada they had better leave it. Now, I submit to you and to the intel- ligent people of Canada, can there be, after all said and done, a better test of the general prosperity of the people than this — whether people are seek- ing to come to the country, and whether people who are already there desire to stay ? For my part I know of no test which will show better whether the country is really prosperous or not than the simple fact whether the people who are in that country prefer to remain thero or prefer to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Now, I have no doubt that one of the chief causes of their loss to Canada has been the operation of the pro- tective system, and it is, perhaps, a matter of regret that in the discussions which from time to time have taken place on this subject, we rather ignore the political working of that system, and perhaps dwell a little too much on the material injury it has done to our country. I think it must be obvious to every one who will give the slightest attentive consideration to the working of the protective system in this country or elsewhere that the moment you introduce that system you make legal provision for corruption on the most extensive scale. The moment you introduce the protective system you create a class whose interests are essentially different from those of the people at large and who become the ready contributors to corruption funds, sharing with their masters the plunder which they have been enabled to take from the people. More than that, I have always held that in Canada protection was not only a crime, but a blunder. I have always felt that there was absolutely no excuse for introducing such a system in a country like this. There is no factor in the condition of Oanada whic'h would ever justify us in expecting that we could thrive by taxing our people or that by isolating them from the rest of the world we would be able to increase their prosperity, improve their resouri3e3 or in- crease their numbers. What is the [>osition of Canada 1 In two words it is this — we are a small country of sparse population, and having small diversity of production to form the basis of trade between the countries making up the Dominion, indicating that our most profitable work is in carrying on commerce with other countries, and more particularly with that country which lies alongsid-i of our own for a distance of nearly three thousand miles. There is no doubt that in past times great opportunities were vouchsafed to the people of Canada. [ cin myself recall no less thin three occasions upon any one of which the exercise of a little prudence and foresight would have vastly improved our position. Sir, we had a graat opportunity almost at the commencement of Confederation in 1868. We had, I think, another in 1878, and another in 1888. There can be no doubt that the best possible policy for us would have been to adopt that pursued with such success in the Mother Country, the policy of free trade;, as far as our position allows us to adopt it. And this policy could have been adopted with great success in 1868 We started in our career as a nation with great advantages over the people of the United States. At that time our taxation was about one-third that of the people of the United States 44 and our debt per head about one third of theirs. There wag no immediate occasion for any great increase of our expenditure or our debt and it would have been a comparatively easy task at that time to have introduced a system almost precisely similar to that which obtains in the Mother Coun- try. That opportunity was allowed to pass. In 1878, when, after great difficulty, we had suceeded in making provision for the enormous engage- ments which the preceding Government had burdened us with, when wo had ))rovided for those heavy additions to our expenditure consequent upon their desperate attempts to bribe Parliament into condoning the first Pacific scandal, we had the opportunity of maintaining a revenue tariff, which, though not as favorable as the tariff we min;ht have adopted in 1868, still, with some slight exertion, would have enabled us to provide for all the requirements of the country without in the slightest degree adding to the burdens of the people. I believe that if the advice given by the Liberal party in 1888 to open negotiations with the government of the United States for the purpose of obtainins; a reciprocity treaty with that country had been adopted, we might, within the last four or five years, have succeeded in obtaining such a reciprocity treaty on fair and equitable terms as would have put almost a complete stop to the exodus of our people which we so much deplore and would have added enormously not only to the population but to the general wealth and re.sources of the country. However, Sir, th( se opportunities are gone, and it is our duty now to face the situation as best we may, and I believe, with Mr. Laurier, that the first duty of the Reform farty, the duty which lies next at hand, the duljy which is most clearly within their power to perform, is at once and completely to reform the tariff" of this country, to reduce it to a revenue basis, to see that no money from this time forth shall, so far as we can prevent it, be taken out the pockets of the people for any other purpose than for the hgitimate needs of the whole community. Gentlemen, as regards protection, I may say at once that I think that no man who has taken the trouble to examine the working of the protective system will fail to endorse the statement I make that liberty and ])rotection are a contra- diction in terms. You can have no true liberty under a protective system ; you can have no true liberty under a system the function of which is to create a privileged class and to concentrate an undue proportion of the wealth of the community in ^he hands of a few individuals. I contend that protection, bes des being the cause of the worst political corruption, is the deadly foe of all true freedom and therefore the deadly foe of every Liberal who desires to see his country a free country. Now, T would like to say a word or two as to our Conservative friends who of late have become free traders, or perhaps more correctly speaking, the advocates of a revenue tariff". I have noticed in certain quarters a disposition on the part of some of our friends — a natural disposition perhaps — rather to jeer at those gentlemen, who, after all said and done, have merely come back — or forward whichever way you choose to take it — to the position the Re- form party occupied in 1878. That may be true and yet be no reflection 45 )ose as has [fail Itra- 'm; Is to Ithe md ., is Jery like ive l)f a the 3er le- lon upon them. It is hardly a reproach to an advanced Conservative to say that after half a generation he has come forward to the place occupied by the hindmost Liberal ranks fourt-en years ago. It is an advance for them ; and I would have you remember that men who have seen their mistake, and have paid bitterly for that mistake, are less likely to backslide than even our own true and trusted friends who have not erred. You must rememder that there is more joy among the angels over one Conservative sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just Liberals that need no repentance. Now, from whatever cause it springs, or what- ever may be the reason for it, I am exceedingly glad of the change in these men and I welcome with the greatest possible pleasuie the signs of awak- ening at long last in the Conservative ranks, and I believe that great results to Canada wi'l flow from that spontaneous movement which seems to be taking place among them. There can be no doubt that the damning facts set forth in the census returns have had their effect upon the more intelligent of our opponents, and also that the example ot the United States has had its effect among them. The knowledge of the condition of a large mans of their fellow-countrymen must have brought them to a realizing sense of the wrongfulness of the policy which has been followed in the affairs of Canada. I have no wish to inflict statistics upon you, but when you remember that within the last ten years, according to the clearest possible evidence, 440,000 of the best of our people have quitted our shores, and that within the same period, if the Government records are to be relied upon at all, at least 760,000 of the immigrants whom they alleged to have brought to this country have likewise left us, you cannot be surprised that men of sense and intelligence understanding what this means, seeing that this has occured in a country which scarcely contains five millions of people, which, if its resources were properly developed, could support with ease from fifty to one hundred millions in peace and plenty, feel, as we all feel, that the occasion is one which calls upon every Canadian who has the slightest regard for the welfare of this country to put aside party considerations and join with us in devising measures to stop this outflow and to enable Canada at least to retain her own popula- tion upon her own soil. Now, I believe that you will all agree with my esteemed friend, Mr. Laurier, in declaring that an overwhelming case has been made out for a general and decisive reform strictly on the lines of a revenue tariff, a reform which will provide that for the future not one cent shall be exacted from the people of Canada, except for the needs and uses of the people who contribute to these taxes. l>ut, gentlemen, this is but one half the battle. As I have said, we have had great Ojiportunitios and w^ have lost them. A few years ago a return to the revenue tariff would of itself in all probability, have been sufhcient to restore prosperity, to put a stop to the exodus of our population and to give us again a fair start in the race of national life. But I am sorry to say that the evil has extended to such a degree that mere negative measures are hardly sufficient to undo the mischief that has been wrought. Tariff reform is an excellent 46 thing beyond all question. It is a good and necessary thing. It will reduce the burdens of the people, it will lesson the cost of production ; it is a thing to be striven for, to be fought for. But I believe I should be trifling with the question if I did not say that something more is needed, and that that something is to be found, and is only to be found, in taking vigorous measuresi to obtain access for you to the markets of the great country which forms our almost sole neighbor on this continent of North America. I believe, Sir, that tariff refoira is a good thing, but that no rapid development and recovery can be looked for unless in some form and shape you obtain also access to the markets of the United States. Now, you have been reasonably successful in instructing the more lational and intelligent of your Conservative opponents in what I may call th« A.h.G. of economic reform. They are beginning to understand that it is not the best way to enrich a people to double or treble their taxatioii. They are beginning to understand that it is a radically false view of the duties of the Government to suppose that it is part of its mission to take from one portion of the community in order to enrich the another. But over and above these rudimentary eci nomic facts, it would be well that they should learn a few physical facts as to the geography of Canada ; it would be well that the> and the people of Canada should bear in mind that Canada is, by the jessitj' of its position, an integal part of this continent of North America, and that we have, to all intents and pur- poses, no other neighbor than the United States, and that to reach any other country we must cross at least three thousand miles of ocean. These facts indicate that if we desire to promote our own interests, if we desire to see Canada develop as it ought, if we desira to stop the excdus and keep our own people here, it is of the highest importance to the well- being of the people, that no honorable means should be left untried to obtain the largest possible measure of frre trade with the United States, whether that be done through the medium of a treaty of reciprocity or by mutual legislation in the direction of free trade between the countries. And here let me remind you that the Liberal party have always advocated reciprocity with the United States as a means to an end, or rather to two ends. Our object was, first of all, to de.stroy the protective system which was doing such infinite injury to the material as well as to the moral interests of the country, and our second object was to obtain ftee access to the markets of the United States. Whether that is obtained in one way or the other is a matter of no consequence to us and to the people of Canada, so long as the object is obtained. When, in 1888, we proposed that a mission should be sent to Washington for the purpose of securing a treaty of reciprocity with the United States, we did so with the knowledge that at that time the people of the United States were fully disposed to enter into such a treaty, and were hardly prepared to consider any other proposal. It may be, since the recent political revolution in the United States, that another method could be suggested to obtain that desirable end. Here let me say that I attach no weight whatever to the declara- 4fr to ler led ^le ra- tions which have been made recently or at any time by tlie Ministers of the Crown that it was impossible on fair terms to negotiate a treaty of reciprocity or to obtain free trade with the people of the United Stated. Sir, out of their own mouths and upon the judgment of their own acts I convict these men of utter hypocrisy in their dealings with the United States. I say, Sir, that no men ever went down to W',.ihinglon more clearly and manifestly with a lie in their right hand than did these mini- sters when they went there pretending that they desired to negotiate a treaty of reciprocity. I speak as having thrice in the Prtrliament of Canada proposed to these men to send a mission to Washington to ascertain on what terms the Government of the United States would treat with the Government of Canada. Thrice over did these men deliberately refuse not merely to accept our suggestions, but even to take the slightest steps whatever to ascertain whether a treaty was possible. And on the third occasion, in 1890, speaking by the mouth of one of their own colleagues, Mr. Colby, they had the audacity to tell the House and the people of Canada that they did not believe in the slightest degree in the value of a reci- procity treaty, even in the matter of natural products only. Now, Sir, that is on record. And it is also on record that they deliberately deceived the people of Canada in the election of 1891 by falsely pretending that they had good grounds for believing that they could at once negotiate a treaty of reciprocity with the United States if they were fortified by a fresh man- date from the people. It is within your recollt ction, as it is within mine, iu what manner they wore received and how they were rebuked for their impudent violation of all iniernational and diplomatic courtesies and of all the rules and regulations which ought to govern the intercourse of two nations upon that occasion ; and to our shame be it said, it stands upon record that, before the late Mr. Blaine would allow them so much as to enter his presence, he compelled the High Commissioner for Canada, Sir Charles Tup| er, over his own signature, to decUre that the statements that he, Mr Blaine, had made were literally in accord with the fact, and that the statements made by the ministers from Canada with regard to what had passed between them with respect to these negotations were the reverse of the fact. Sir, the plain truth of the matter is this : their paymasters and owners had no intention at any time of permitting them to negotiate any treaty with the United States on fair and equitable terms, and no man who beard, and I think no man who has read the explanations which were tendered by the ministers on their return from Washington can fail to see that these negotiators went down to Washington not for the purpose of negotiating a reciprocity treaty, but for the express purpose of so conduct- ing the aflfair that they might be able to return to the p(;ople of Canada and declare that a treaty of reci,)rocity could not be negotiated. Who erer heard of diplomatists dispatched on so delicate and difficult a mission as the negotiation of a reciprocity treaty, beginning negotiations with a formal declaration that the difhculties in the way were so great that they did not see how it would be possible to negotiate a treaty at all, and that they 48 would be obliged to Mr. Blane if he would explain to the Canadian Finance Minister how he was to make good the revenue which would be lost through the operation of the treaty ? It is undoubtedly and in the highest degree to the interest of the people of Canada to go into the battle which awaits us with the most distinct declaration that we de:iire in the first place to lower the taxation of the pe"ple to the lowest point, consistent with carrying on the Government of this country in an honest and eco- moniical fashion, but that at the same time we wish it to be understood in the clearest manner that we desire and will use our best endeavors to secure for you a'j the earliest possible moment, the freest possible access to the markets of the United Statefi I, for my part, cannot take back one word of what I have said at any ime as to the enormous importance to the people of Canada from one end of the Dominion to the other of obtaining access to the markets of North America. 1 hold, and I think the more you study the question the more clearly you will see, that the true home market for the people of Canada is the market which is to be found, not on the other side of the Atlantic, but on the Atlantic coast, and in which the nineteen-twentieths of our population from Sarnia to Halifax will find the best market for the disposal of a very large part of all they can produce, including as it does that great area of population stretching from Chicago to 'Baltimore and having Boston on its nothern bound. I believe that there you will find a better, a larger, a more rapidly increasing, and a richer market than is to be found in any other part of the world, and one in which, from your geographical position, you will be able to trade at great profit to yourselves as well as to those with whom vou deal. I would like to say a word or two upon the pretence so oftei put forward that it is impossible for the people of Canada and impossible for the Liberal party to advocate fiiendly relations with the greatest English speaking nation on earth without at the same time weakening materially our loyalty to the British Empire. I believe that there is no greater treachery, not merely to the British Empire, but to the British race at large, than for any man, be his position what it may, to allow himself, for political gain or advantage, to do anything which can tend to alienate the people of the Unitt d States and the people of the Mother Country. There is no English statesman who is worth his salt, who is fit to advise Her Majesty, or to hold a place in the councils of the Empire, who would not second the declaration that the greatest service that tlie people of Canada can render to the British Empire is, as far as in them lies, to remove all possible cause of friction and quarrel between Britain and her descend- ants on this side of the ocean. And I say there is no more effective way of doing this than by promoting the closest and most friendly trade relations between Canada and the United States. I admire the virtue of loyalty. Be loyal by all means ; be loyal to Canada and to the Queen of Canada ; but above all and before all, be loyal to the moral and material interests of your own country. Remember you are here as Canadians, that we who hold places in the Parliament of Canada are the representa- -■■'■•'Ai(v>s, I'l.nn., orruvA.' HOX. FRED. PETFR'? VK-e-Chairman of ti:e Convention. : 49 tivea of the Oanadian people, that in taking otlice and becoming members (! the executive committee of the Privy Council wn hold our positions as Cabinet Ministers of Canada, and it ia our duty to advise Her Majesty in I uch a manner as l)e8t to promote the interests of the people of Canada. iet the people of England choose there own representatives and let them dvise the Queen of England as to thoae matters most likely to promote he welfart! of England. I claim for myself as a British subject, I claim tor myself as a man, the right to do as much for my own country as Englishmen have always made it their boast that it was their right and duty to do for their country. And I think that is a nobler loyalty thi*n he sentimental twaddle we so often hear of the necessity of our consider- ing the effect on British policy, even though the interests of the whole population of Canada may be sacrificed thereby. Moreover, I believe the material interests of England would be better served by making Canada as a whole a prosperous country than by insisting too strongly upon the question whether or not a small portion of the comparatively insignificant trade now carried on between the two countries will be affected by any legislation we might have recourse to. I always hold that it is our right and our duty to look not to how a certain measure may aflect a few English manufacturers or exporters, but how it will afTect the masses of the community here, and how it affects those who deserve more considera- . ion at your hands, the million or more of your fellow-countrymen who have been expatriated within the last few years. Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, there are some other questions upon which 1 would like to have spoken, but the condition of my voice and the lateness of the hour prevent me from dwelling on them at length. But let me say a word or two upon one point. Such conventions as this are good, platforms are good, agitation is good, public speeches are good. But you must remember that you have a severe task before you. Over and above all these things, there is an immense amount of hard, downright, prosaic work which can- not be done without the expenditure of time and without a considerable amount of funds being placed at the disposal of your organizing body. You cannot expect to co"auer unless you ( nter the struggle as a trained body. "V^u must have organization if you are to have discipline, and if you are to hive discipline you must provide funds, without which no poli- tical party can maintain an adetiuate organization. I know that there are men in Canada, perhaps many among those whom I am now addressing, who have made and are still making great sacrifices for the sake of their party. I know there are many constituenc's that do their duty and perhaps more ; but I am aware also that for a considerable number of years back, the party, speaking collectively has not done what it ought to have done in the way of providing an aiecjuate organization. You will stand but a small chance of victory unless ttiat error be repaired and some adequate organization be provided in the period between the present moment and the approaching election. For the rest, I have only to say that you now go before the people with such proofs as I think were never 4(c.) 60 laid before any cvmiiiiunity in the world aa to the; result that have followed the syHtein of protection and of the corruption which has prevailed in Canada for so many years. Vou have simply to turn to the records of the proceedings of last session, in fact of the last two seasions of the present Parliament, to show any intelligent and fair mind<'d man in OAnada proofs of the deliberate and shameless veiaiity witli which our public alftiirs hav(i been managed. You have only to turn up the censu4 to give proofs of the injuries don(» to the people of the country. I cannot, for my part, believe that these proofs svill be offered in vain ; I cannot believe that the people of Canada will show themselves so dead and lost to everything that ought to move a free penplo to action as to allow these statements anil evidences to pass unnoticed. However that may be, however deeply the taint has penetrated in the last fourteen yeais, I believe there is good ground for thinking that if you will organize yourhelves, if you will train and discipline yourselvep, you have now a better chance of having victory perch upon your banners than for many long years past. This very Convention is a proof of it ; it is evidence that there are in Canada seven thousands of good men and true, who have not bowed to the knee to ]3aal. And the records of the last general election show that these seven thousand were able to muster nearly seventy times seven thousand at the polls in protest against the system under which our country was being depopulated and our property destroyed. I have never pretended to say that you will have an easy victory, but I do believe that if you are true to yourselves, if you will discipline and organize, if you choose to make use of the facts now accumulated, if you choose every man to do his duty during the succeeding year or so which will elapse before you are called upon to uuei your enemies at the polls, that I shall be able to congratulate you upon having freed yourselves and your country from a tyranny, which is none the less, but all tho more reprehensible because it is carried on under form of law, and because it has made no small portion of our people the accomplices in their own degradation. Address iiy Mk. A. H. Gillmor, M.l:'. The Chairman; — I want your attention for a few minutes longer. There has been a feeling that you are satisfied in regard to thei^ ' brought before you, but you will not regret to hoar for ten or tif' utes something from Mr. Gillmor, of Charlotte. Mr. A. I£. GiLUiOR, M.P., Charlotte, N.B.:— Mr is a tine way for the Prime Ministers and orators of t. vinces to get rid of a difhcult matter, by calling on me t audience at this late hour of the evening. I could not interest t' is audi- ence very much, even if they were not weary with much speakin.; And although many have left on account of the lateness of the hour this is the largest audience I ever attempted to address. I should feel more inspir- ation in addressing you if you had brought your wives and sweethearts with you. Sir Kichard anticipates an election shortly. ' I do not, but even so, it his ditfereii .^'ro- iddress a tired il- 51 Ih a matter of Hinall iinportancK to inn. I hav(! got UHcd to olectiona, I have been running thrt from abroad.. You, gentlemen, are as v/ell able to judg;e of that as the so called statesmen who maintain this policy. Is it the I'act 1 Especi lly is it advantageous to us to pay twenty-fivri or thirty per cent, more for our goods rather than import them from abroad. In a farmi ig community such as this, we should be allowed to import agricultural implements free of duty. I know from personal experience, especially from what I saw in Manitoba, that the raHnufacturer.- in Canada do not take advantage of the high duty to improve their own goods for the benefit of the peopU: of Canada. They take that thirty per cent, and put it in their own pockets, and that is the main result ot the National Policy. In 1878, I did what I could to sup- port Mr. Mackenzie, though I was tempted to hope far some good results from protection, as I always, from his first appearancfi in public life until his death, trusted his integrity and wisdom. But [ found that in too many cases the people were led away by the specious promises made by Sir John Macdonald and his friends. Experience has proven not only that Alexander Mackenzie was honest in his efforts, but that he was right in his conclusion that the adoption of a protective policy would be injurious to the ^country. On every hand we see indicationfi that the people are no longer to be decei\ ed by mere promises which cannot be fulfilled. We will return to the policy of Alexander Mackenzie, We will do justice to his memory, and we will follow in his footsteps under the leadership of the Honorable Wilfrid Laurier. The Member for LTslet, 1\[r. Tarte. The Chairman : — We shall now be addressed by another gentlemen of the French race. Our French-Canadian friends have the advantage over us, in that they speak equally well in both languages I am now to have the pleasure of introducing to you a gentleman whom I am sure all will be glad to hear. He has become well known in recent years through every l)art of the Dominion. We have not always agreed with him in the past, and I have no doubt there are matters on which we shall not agree with him now ; but, nevertheless, we shall V>e delighted to see him, and delighted to hear him speak. He is known to us »H as an able, independent, fearless and -ersevering politician, and a loading member of Parliament. I need hardly tell you that I now refer to the honorable memb-r for L' Islet, Mr. Tarte. Mr. J. Israel Tarte, M.P., L'lslet (Translation): — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I thank you for the cordiality of your reception. I have the honor to represent the County of L'Islet, which, in my case, reversed the decision it gave in the general election of 1891, and was the first to give the signal of triumph for the Liberal party. Vaudreuil followed, and these two victories have given the keynote for this great demonstra- tion. Permit me to congratulate you, my fellow-countrymen of every Province, upon the splendid success of this demonstration, which includes represe.itatives from every part of the Dominion, Permit me to con- ♦ 68 gratulate you, my compatriots oi' tlio French race, tliat we are so well represented, and that among the leaders are men of our own race of whom every delegile in this Convention is justly proud. This Convention has attracted no little attention, and the people throughout the Dominion are waiting with eagerness to see what decision we shall give upon important matters of public policy. So great is this interest that yesterday a pamphlet was sent out, written liy Arclibishop Tache asking this Convention to pro- nounce upon questions upon whicli, thus far, the Covernnient has not said a word. But we proposed the solution of this qu^stion in Parliament last session, which tht^ Government did not see fit to accept. Tiie (lovern- nient of Sir John Thompson misled the Catholic hierarchy on the iinestion of the schools. But our attitude last session did not mi et the approval of those who come forward to speak now, or these who publish pain phlets, We have the advantage of them in this that we propose to put at the head of aflairs in the early future a man who ha.s th(^ c ntidence not only of the Catholic minority, but of the Protestant majority as well. We have as our allies in the Province of Ontario men in whom the lioraan Catholics of Quebec have every reason to feel confidence. We have us one of our allies yourself, Mr. Chairman. (Jentlemen, I need not fell this audience that Sir Oliver Mowat is one of the j^reatest leaders that Ontario ever had. The French-Canadian population should reraemV)er the courageous stand Sir Oliver took on the question of the schools in his own Province. If we have our Separate Schools in Ontario, if we have the French language taught in the schools we owe these things so dear to us, to the courage and fairmindedness of Sir Oliver Mowat. I\Iy presence among you to day, gentlemen, is proof that I have changed my party allegiancfi ; it is not proof that I lepudiate my past Nor have I any reason to feel any doubt or i egret with regard to the position I now take. The Dominion cannot be governed by one [class or race regardless of the rights or wishes (f others. I find in the Liberal party men from every Province with whr m I can work cordiailly and without fear that my rights will be invaded. Jt is some years ago since I began to realize the weak- nesses of Mr. Clarke Wallace and to understand that the allies in Ontario of the Conservative party were not men with whom any could work who were not prepared to give up everything at the behest of these men. The firm hand of Sir John Macdnnald alone could check those who desired to abolish separate schools and the teaching of the French lang- uage throughout the Dominion. Not desiring to be a party to such inter- ference with the people's rights, [ could not agree to an alliance between the Fn nch-Canadians of the Province of Quebec and the Conservatives of Ontario. But I believe that Mr. Laurier and his allies are in a position to do justice to all clas&es. I have demanded of the French Canadian ministers what they have done with the French language in Manitoba I have declared to them : You might have disallowed the Act passed by the Manitoba Government, but you have not done so. In return they only ask us what Wfe would do with the question which they have so deeply t 59 , compromised. They ask Mr. Laurier, who has no responsibility, to give them counsel on thut (juestion The bishops intercpcled with thp Govern- ment to prevent the abolition of the separate schools. A voice: — Sliaine. Mr. Tartk : — Not shame on the bishops for they are men of honor and dealt with tht; Oovernment as such. But, being men of honor, they could not bind the ministers upon whom considerations of honor had no effect. Mr. (Jbapleau was the man to whom we looked for the ilefence of our rights. With his prestige and his splendid elonuoiice he might have played a great part. But lie lacked energy and ileci.sion of character. 1 am ghi 1 the leaders of chat day have disappeared and have been replaced by ihose now in the ministry. First, there is .Mr Oaini'it, the Minister of Public Works. Mr. Oaiinei is a f.^llo\v six: feet hi^^li .md the greatest man among the French-Canadians in the Cabinet. Mr. L.vuHiKP. : — If not the greatest, at leafst the longest. Mr. T.VKTK :— Mr. Ouimet went to war in the North- West and returned without any wounds of which we have heard. But documents will see the light some day which will show that if he hid wounds they were not those received in battle. Mr. Ouimet sol mnly promised Mr. Chapleau that he would not accept a portfolio. But as soon as Mr. Ohapleiu's back was turned, Mr. Ouimet tiled an appearance in Ottawa, and accepted the portfolio of Public Works. Now, let us pass to another of these ministers, Sir Adolphe Caron. He is a military man also, but he has also made cor quests of which history does not speak. At this moment the situatio-i does not setm very comfortable or the prospect very bright for him. But he has arms in his hands which make him formidable, at least to his col- leagues, pnd enable him with etfect to threaten that if thej turn him out he will batter down the whole fabric of the Government. Othrrwise he is without weight and without influence. The third minister of the French race is Mr. Angers, Minister of Agriculture. Mr. Angers is a man of whom at one time i entertained great hopes. We were comrades in the great Letellier fight for the sacred principle which was then affirmed that the Lieutenant Governor was not greater than the Queen and that he had no right summarily to dismiss his ministers. But it is only a short time since Mr. Anders himself, as Lieutenant-Governor, did th^ very thing which he so strongly condemn' d in Mr. Letellier. Mr. Angers put him- self on record as being in favor of a constitutional governor, but when he himself was appointed governor be made hims;if dictator. He passed over his responsible ministers and accepted for his guidarice a report from the Senate on the Bale des Ohaleurs matter, and upon that report he dis- missed his advisers. If Mr. Angers believed he did right in that matter he had the opportunity to win the endorsement of the people by facing me in the contest in L' Islet, as many of his friends wished him to do. But he avoided facing the paople in that ir any other county by betaKing himself to the Senate. He did well not to appeal to the people in L'Islet, for had he done so he would have been rtbuked by overwhelming GO n i i defeat. Those three men, now in the Cabinet, Hupposed to represent the interests of the Frfuoh-Oanadians, are men without influence, without weight, and it is not to be wondered nt, tlierefore, that the rights of the people have been sacrificed in the Province of (.Quebec. But I have already talk( (1 too long. Let rae say this before sitting down — that it is time for the French element in all the Provinces to unite, not in menace of the other races, not with ill feeling toward any, but to enforce the recognition of their own rights. [ do not think the Tory party in Ontario wishes to respect the rights of the minority. But I am sure that aggression and unfairness will avail them nothing, for, after all, as our English friends say, " Honesty is the best policy." iIon(!.sty is the best policy for races and creeds as well as for individuals. The desire of the French race to-day is only to hold those institutions that are dear (o them and scrupulously to respect the rights of others. We have been the pioneers in this country; we have done our share in making the country what it is, and surely it will not be denied that, we have some rights here. The Conservative party in the Province of (Quebec seek to make it appear that 1 am in alliance with Mr. D'Alton McCarthy. That is a calumny. They say that I presented a resolution in the House on the subject of the schools, for which motion Mr. McCarthy voted. It is true that Mr. McCarthy voted with me on that occasion, but he had his own reasons for doing so. The Tories in the House have voted to sustain the scandalous position of Mr. Clarke Wallace, who declared that the men of Ulster would rise against Home Rule and would rebel against the Queen if the bill was passed, and that he approved their course and would help them to carry on war against the Sovereign. And Mr. McCarthy approved of that posiiion. It is hardly likely that 1 would form an alli- ance with a man of such opinions. I took part in the organization of this Convention, and I found much enthusiasm manifestrd everywhere. We have only to advance steadily, making no error, and victory is sure, for the Conservative party no linger has the confidence of the country at large. We have a policy upon which all LiV)erals can unite and a leader in whom all patriotic and honorable men have unbounded con- fidei ce. There were cries of "In English." Mr. Tarte, speaking in English, said : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I don't speak very well in French, and I am very sorry to say that I speak very badly in English. Still, as you are kind enough to call upon nie to f-ay a few words, I must submit. Gentlemen, you all know that I am an old Tory, that I have committed many sins, but at the same time I am bound to say that I have made up ray mind to do a little better if I can. For the last two years I think I have to a certain extent made up for the past waste of time. My friend, the Hon. Mr. Laurier, and myself have been, even in the past, on very friendly terms. I have not always been in accord with his political views, but I have always found in him a man of honor and a man of great ability. One good morning 61 1 camo when I aaw the errors of my past, and I found in myself enough courage to tell my associates of the past that I could not any more work in harmony with them. I suppose I could not bo accused to-day of hav- ing gone from the weaker to the stronger party. A voicf! : — Stronger in honesty and the right. Mr. Taiii'k: — But I have come over to you when brilliant offers were made to me to remain. A voice : — We welcome you. ]\lr. Taktk : — 1 came over to you, as my friend, Mr. Laurier knows, when, if I had been a corrupt man, I would have been able to make a good thing out of remaining with my old party friends. But I found in my neart and conscience enough courage to tell me that it was better to follow the path of duty and the path of honor. I think if the Conserva- tive party of tlie Dominion had had representatives at this magnificent gathering the result of the next election would be already decided. Wo are making for a platform and a programme that will be acceptable to any honest man. The platform will be open to the acceptance of any man who has at heart the welfare of the country. I have spoken in I'Vench of the rights of the minority. Although I cannot express myself in Kng- lish with the same facility as in French, I must .say to you in English what I think, because, as I said a minute ago, " honesty is the best policy." I appeal to you, my English fellowcountry men, to give me rt,ve minutes of your good attention. We are accused by the Tory papers of the Province of Ontario of raising prejudices and religious hatred. The motion 1 have nmde in the House of Commons on the school question is attacked upon all sides. I have been represented to you as a fanatical man. (Jentlf men, I feel that I am not that sort ol man, but I feel that I am a man who has enough courage to say in French and to say in English what he thinks is right. I feel, gentlemen, that when the French element have acquired rights they must not be trampled upon. I feel that all citizens of this Dominion have the same rights on this broad soil of America. We don't ask for anything more than that, but we won't take anything les^i, and we f< el that with the Liberal party we are safe on that ground. On that school question we are in no way responsible for the difliculties existing to-day. We are not in power. We did nothing to make us responsible for the pre.sent position of allairs. Before the elections of 1891 (and what 1 am saying now 1 am prepared to prove) Sir John Macdonald, the then Prime Minister, sent to Archbi.shop Tache the Hon. ^Ir. Chapleau, who was Secretary of State, with full power and authority to negotiate with Archbishop Tache about that school question. What was agreed was this : It was agreed that Sir John Macdonald should not disallow the law, because it might injure the Toronto element ; but INlr. Chapleau, who is still living, who has read my words uttered in the House of Commons, and who does not deny any one of them, pledged himself that after the elections were over, if the courts of justice, to which the case was then submitted, decided against us, the Governmi>nt 62 would tak« tho matter into its own ImndH. Thorn was thn plcilge. We Haid at tho tiin»>, annty years his political life belonged to the Conservative party. No one knows that better than I do. We went to college together and were friends there, but when we left college our paths ia political life diverged ; I entered the Liberal party and he identified himself with the Conservative party. Gentlemen, ^Ir. Tarte followed tho example of St. Paul, who, as 03 you know, commonoed his career hy perHt'cuting thts of the wliole people ; every step tnken by the Conservative party is a step to advance the interests of a certain por- tion of the people. I am not going to detain you. My parting word to you and to myself is that we must go from this Convention completely convinced, if we never were convinced before, that the principles wo light for are worthy to succeed and determined that the work that is entrusted to us shall be done by us. For after all v/e are more interested in this matter than Mr. Laiirier or the men upon this platform. This is your battle ; it is not the battle of the few. This is the battle of the homes of the people ; this is the battle of the toiling men, of the patient mothers, of the children in the cradle. It is a bittle to assert the ri;'hts of those who toil and labor to enjoy the products of that labor, ami to overthrow th^ pretence that the wealth thus produced shall be tithed and tolled by Par- liament for the benetit of a few. I lielie\e that you will return to your several counties to start an intelligent crusade ir this cauH(\ For that reason 1 am glad we have bpgi:n so early, before the bitterness ot party strife shall tend to close men's minds to the truth, and whih v»-e are still able to appeal to the consciences of our fellow citizens to join with us in affecting such changes in the laws as will secure justice for the toihjra of 68 this country, so that thus we may lar broad and deep the foundations for a nationality whicli shall ensure to us and to our children the benefit of every blow we strike, of every effort we put forth, giving to the laborer the rew ard of his labor as tJod in liis wisdom and justice designed. Mr. Tait, M.P.R, Toronto. The Chairman : — We shall now have the pleasure of hearing Mr. Tait, of Toronto. Mr. JosKi'H Tait, ]\I, P.P., Toronto,— Mr. ( "hairmun, Ladies and Oentle- nien : In some re.'^pecta F am rather pleased to have the opportunity of looking upon this Convention from the platform, but in some respects it is not wholly ])leasant to try and speak to an audience that is waiting for important busine.ss. Besides, you know f am not very well adapted to do anything in the professorial line, in teaching those who are to teach others. My education in that line has been rather neglected. So far as I have been al)le to do anything, it has been rather in the way of missionary etlbrts amont', the political heathen who still sit in durkness. Coiisecjuently on an occasion of this kind, my work would rather be in listening to others in order to pick up material for these missionary enterprises. I am glad to have bten here to see so many Liberals; I never saw so many (represent ing the different I'rovinces) togethei- in one place before. Those of us who live in Ontario, and those who live in other portions of the Dominion are apt to tliink that we are the whole Liberal purly and to forget the number of good liiberaltj who live in other parts of the Dominicn. It does us good to come togetlicr, to see in the (le.-h those men with whose names W(^ have become familiar through their noble efforts on behalf of the Liberal cause. I am .sure that we shall go from this Convention aminated by the spirit so forcibly expressed by the last spraker, and that we shall go forth with one voice demanding the removal of the evils of which we complain in order that we nu»y substitute Government for the benefit of the whole people of the countiy. It is quite certain that the Convention will arrive at conclusions ■which will not fully meet the approval of some of us as individuals. But hs we are a practical people, and as united action is neces,sary to success, I have no doubt that we shall unite upon a practical pflicy that will command the support, the hearty support of the people throughout this entire Dominion at the coming election >vhenever it may be brought on. Of course we do not know when the election will be. Our leader — and let me .iay to you French-Canadians that you have by no mennR a monoply of admiration for the leader of our party. He is no more popular .tny where in Quebtc than he is wherever he speaks in Ontario, atui all that we regret is that we have not yet been able to get him to make a thorough campaign of our Province, because we know that for him to do so would be an assurance of success. Our leader says the tiflM) of the election, if it is known at all, is the secret of the gods whose paradise is on the Hill yonder, the Hill that gives them their living. I do not '.ant to detain you. (Oriea of " Go on, go on. ) No; under some cir- 69 cumstances it would be delightful to go on, but we hive to get through our business and go home. I congratulvte everybody in connection with this grand Convention. I have not had the pleasure of attenling many Con- ventions, but I have not read the record of any in this country that can compare in magnitude, in importance, and in success with this. And if we do not content ourselves with eflervescing and "enthusing" here, but will Settle down to business and then go homo to our different constituencies, re- port to our friends the grand success of tlie Convention and straightway begin work, hard, constant work, that will leave no stone unturned, we shall at the next election have the satisfaction of hailing our glorious leader, Wilfrid Laurier, no longer as leader of Her Majesty's loyal Opposition, but as the admired and trusted Premier of the Dominion of Canada. Du. Landehkin, MP. The Chairman : A few moments ago there was a call for I)r, Landerkin. I have now much pletsure in introducing^ him to you. Dr. TxEORGE Landerkin, M.P., South Grey, — Mr Chairman and Gentlemen ; — I am very glad to be at this Convention to-day and to see the large numbers that have assembled in response to the ciU of our leader. Looking over this Convention, I would be led to think that there must be a very large delegation here from Grey ; you are such a respectable looking lot of people. The Reform party has always been a national party ; this Con- vention is a Reform Convention, and it is formed on national lines. From one end of the Dominion to the other we have representation hero. As our friends on the other side say, it is a warm day for the Convention. But I tell you it is a cold day for the people on the Hill. They under- stand the significance of this event and they will at once get their com- missariat officers at work in force, and they will make heavy drafts upoa your railway subsidies in order to defeat the will of the people which is shown by recent events to be in favor of tne policy of the Liberal party. The gentlemen who come here from the North, from the South, from the East, and from the West to thi.s Convention, have come because they love Canada, because they are devoted to Canada. There was no combine brought them here ; no combine could produce such a meeting as we have here to-day. The members of the Reform party unite only on a platform which is designed to do good to the whole country. Now, I see. Gentlemen, that some of you have your coats off, and I hope you will keep them off until after the next election. Those who have not got your coats oil" now, take them off when you go home and set to work with all your might. T have been a considerable number of years in Parliament, (aud, by the way, why they elected me 1 never could (]uite make out) and long as I have been there, I have never doubted the soundness of our platform. It is true that an era of demoralization followed upon the adoption of the system of protection, as it follows that system everywhere ; but [ believe that that era is drawing to a close. I l)elieve ^hat the people of Canada will sweep away the combines. I believe that ., 70 this Convention is at once the signal of the awakening of the people and the death knell of protection fraud. I was very glad indeed to hear my friend, Mr. T^rte, here to-day. I admired him very much. He adrait.s that his past career has not been all that it ought to have been. He knows that now. But I knew it before, and so did you. But we hold out our hands to him, and we will take by the hand every man who ac- knowledges that he has been in the wrong and that he is willing to work with us for the benefit of Canada, our common, our beloved country. Our friends of the Tory press were very anxious about some people they expected to see here today, and I believe they are somewhat disappointed because these people are not here. It is very hard to please our friends on the other side. I have been trying for many years to please them but have never succeeded yet. And I am disposed to be amiable. The Reform party, as its history shows, will condemn wrong in Reformers an well as in others ; we do not draw a line of distinction in that respect. If an act is wrong, we condemn it, no matter where it is done, or by whom. Some of our own friends were led astray by this N.P. bubble. You all know now what it is and what it ever has been. It is a fraud, and a curse upon the people of Canada. I can tell you here as a member of the Liberal party, and I believe every Liberal will say the same, we are ready to hold out our hands to the men who went astray, and welcome them back again, if they will acknowledge their error and try for the rest of their liv«^s at least to be honest. Mr. Chairman, it affords me great pleasure to see you in this chair. One thing is certain, that when we have Sir Oliver in the chair we know that everything will be done as it ought to be. He will be just as careful in the chair here as he is in the chair at Toronto, where he has been ever since I was a little boy. And then our leader, our noble gifted leader. I have followed in my time several leaders of the Liberal party. I have followed George Brown, I have followed Alexander Mackenzie, I have followed Edward Blake, and Wilfrid Laurier, they are all men I am proud to have followed in my time. Brown and Mackenzie have gone to their reward, but their works live, and will live for ever for the benefit of the people of Canada. Edward Blake I followed with perfect fidelity and I am proud to know and to believe that he is worthy of all the fidelity and all the admiration I could give him. And I believe that had the people known him as I know him, they would have bestowed upon him unbounded confidence. It is a delightful thing to be a friend and follower of Wilfrid Laurier. He has the ability to guide the party right, and there is no doubt in ray mind that at the first opportunity the people will call him to the highest office in their gift as Premier of the Dominion of Canada. ^ Report of Committee on Resolutions, There were cries of " Fielding, Fielding ! " Hon. W. S. Fielding : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I do not rise for the purpose of responding to the call you have so kindly given me, but 71 for a business purpose. The Oommittee on Resolutions has done me the honor of naming me its chairman, and I am here on behalf of the com- mittee to present a report upon the work of the Convention. A number of resolutions have been submitted to the committee, concerning which there has not been sutlicient time for deliberation, and therefore it will be necessary to make a supplementary report before the platform which we respectfully submit for the consideration of the Convention, can be com- pleted. My duty in to present on behalf of the committee the resolutions 80 far as they have been adopted. They will be read to you in their entirety, and then, as 1 nnderstand the procedure, they will be taken up seriatim, and each will be moved and seconded, and will then be open for the consideration of the Convention. The first resolution, I may say, relates to the question of tariff reform. The committee instruct me on that question to report a resolution in the following terms : — The tariff— We, the liiberal party of Canada, in Convention assembled, declare: — • That the custoii s tariff of the Pominion should be based, not as it is now, upon the l)rotective principle, but upon the requirements of the public service ; That the existing tariff, founded upon an unsouf.d principle, and used, as it has been by the Government, as a corrupting agency wherewith to keep themselves in office, has developed monopolies, trusts and combinations ; It has decreased the value of farm and other l^inded property ; It has oppressed the mass'-s to the enrichment of a few ; It has checked immigration ; It has caused great loss of population ; It has impeded commerce ; It has discriminated against (!reat Britain. In these and in many other ways it has occasioned great public and private injury, all of which evils must continue to grow in intensity a^ long as the present tariff system remains in force. That the highest interests of Canuut it is unnecessary, I take it, to discuss such a question at length. I see before me a represen- tative gathering of the Liberals of the Dominion ot Canada from eaat to west, and I take it that in such a gathering the men are thoroughly posted on all the questions of the hour in the country in which they dwell. I was thinking as I viewed the vast assemblage last night, made up of Liberals who, by their presence here, declare that they are not ashamed to say they are Liberals, of remarks we hear made sometimes in these days that party is not an unmixed blessing in this country, and that it would be well if men thought more lightly of their party ties. It would seem as if it was thought in some quarters that a man would be a better citizen if he was not identified with any political party in the country. To that. Sir, I take exception. It may be true with reference to some parties, but so far as the Liberal pirty is con- cerned, I want to ask anyone what there is to be found in the past record of the party, I want to ask anyone what there is to be found in the plat- form that has been advocated by the Liberal party, to justify such an opinion, and to justify any man in severing his connection with a party work done on behalf of what ia that has such a glorious record of good IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 .' 1132 IIIM 12.2 1^ '""^ 1.4 1= 1.6 I V] V ^ \. ^\ 7, \ o^ 74 JTiBt and true 1 Why, Sir, we to day are living in the enjoyment of liber- ties won for us in times gone by by the men of the Liberal party. I speak in the presence of men who know, many of whom have gone through the battles of former days and who know, as we all know, that every liberty, every justice we enjoy has been secured for us by the self- sacriQoing efforts of Liberals in former days. And we are here a free people, dwelling in a land favored by Providence, a land rich in varied resources. But, while that is the case, and while we rejoice and are grateful for all that we have, we feel that we have not made such progress as a people blessed with such advantages as we are blessed with ought to enjoy. And, Sir, the Liberal party feel that our failure to come up to our just expec- tations in the way of national development is due to the fact that wrong principles have been recognized in the administration of our affairs by the Government. And to-day you have had laid down in clear and emphatic language, what] Not a new principled You havn laid down and emphasized again the principle held by the Liberal party in this matter of trade and commerce, that in the levying of the taxes of the country, regard should be had only to the necessities of the revenue, and that the Government should not seek by tariff legislation to favor any particular class in the community. I say this is no new principle. A revenue tariff was in force when our late leader Alexander Mackenzie, who has gone to his long rest, held the reins of power ; and he and his Govern- ment fell because ho would not yield to the cry for a protective tariff. From that day to this the Liberal party have not ceased to proclaim that they believed that it was not right or just that protection, as a principle, should be recognized by the Government of the country, and that they believed that the duty of the Government was to raise the necessary revenue to discharge the duties devolving upon the Government and to leave the people free to work out their own destiny, giving no undue advantage to any one portion of the community over another. ^- And today. Sir, you have embodied that principle in the resolution now before us. In that resolution you declare for freedom of trade as against restriction of trade. I consider that these two policies are clear and distinct. Our Conservative friends believe in restricting trade, but the Liberal party believe in the expansion of trade, holding that it will bring greater prosperity to the country and greater satisfaction to the people. The Liberal party hold that as a principle it ia right and correct and sound because it recognizps the equality of all the Provinces and of all the different interests in the country, and because it declares that no one shall by legislation have an undue advantage over another, but that with a fair Held and asking no favor we may go on each one of us fulfilling his own duty and each one of us, as far as his ability goes, trying to build up into a great, a prosperous and a free nation, this Dominion of Canada in which Providence has cast our lot and of which we are all proud. Gentlemen, I thank you for your kind attention and I have much pleasure in seconding the resolution. 75 The Chairman :— I have now pleasure in introducing to you Mr. P. A. Choquette, M.P. Mr. P. Aug. CHOgUETTB, M.P., Montmagny (Translation) :— Mr. Chair- man and Gentlemen : I am very glad to have the opportunity to discuss, however brifly, so important a resolution as that now before the Conven- tion. The question of tariff reform is and must be the paramount issue in the forthcoming contest, for it is the error in relation to the tariff that makes the policy and administration of the Govern me:nt wrong. The Conservatives were voted into office by the people because of the great promises they had made of increasing the prosperity of the country and inaugurating a policy of letrenchment in the administration of the coun- try's affairs. But every promise they made has been falsified by their own acts. They made a great outcry about the exodus from the country, and declared in tho very resolution demanding a change of policy that they would give employment to Canadians at home, and by keeping " Canada for the Canadians " they would cause Canadians to remain in Canada. You have already had quoted to you the figures of the last census, which show that instead of stopping the exodus they have increased it until it has become such a drain upon our national life that Conservatives them- selves are alarmed at it. We do not merely find fault with them for per- mitting this increase ; we declare in the most emphatic terms that their |>olicy of restriction and high taxation has actually driven people from Canada who, under a wiser policy, would have remained. How can people remain when they are prevented from selling what they produce to those who would buy 1 How can they remain when they are com- pelled to pay monopoly prices for what they consume in order to benefit a few wealthy men or corporations? How can they remain when the taxes they are compelled to pay are greatly increased 1 The expenditure of the Dominion has increased from twenty-four millions in Mackenzie's time to thirty-eight millions, and the taxes, which under the Liberal regime were eighteen millions, have increased to thirty millions. These increases of taxation and expenditure have not been made necessary by the growth of the country ; for the country has increased but little in population. Immense sums thus taken from the people have either b(>en wasted in wholly unnecessary enterprises or handed over to favorites and henchmen of the Government in return for the'sapport of these people in keeping the Government in power. And so the protective system has led to boodling and extravagance which we so strongly condemn and which would be impossible were the people's money left in the pockets of the people instead of being taken from them under the name of taxation. First, we must change the fiscal system, and that can best be done in accordance with the policy laid down in the resolution, which I have great pleasure in supporting. The Chairman : — I have much pleasure in introducing to you Mr. H F. Gardiner, of Hamilton, Ont., who will speak in support of the resolu- tion. 76 Mr. H. F. Oardiker, Hamilton, Ont. : — Mr. Chairman and Gentle- men : J would be somewhat at a loss to know why, at h time when you are anxious to hear men of standing, men prominent in public life in the coun* try, a simple private citizen like myself, who has never been in Parliament, and has no parliamentary anpirations, should be permitted to speak at all, except upon the principle that all sections of the Liberal party are to be heard from. Those of you who know me know that I belong to that class of Reformers who think they have something to reform, to the Ratiicals who believe in finding the root of an evil and taking it out, to the Liberals who believe that freedom means a man's right to do as he likes, and that no right is clearer tJian the right of a man to own and i.ontrol and freely dis- pose of the products of his own labor. We of the younger generation, for you see I am but a youth, honor and admire the men who have <;one before us ; we glory in the achievements of Papineau, Baldwin, Lafontaine, Dorion, Brown, Mackenize and others whose names are not inscribed upon yonder scroll. There is one name there that attracts my attention, Dorion — one who, when I was a very little boy, about forty years ago, started out with the advanced wing of the Reform party. He was, if I mistake not, one of those original " Clear Grits," who, about the year 1850, adopted a platform of principles, not so elaborate as the one to be presented for your consideration to-day, but one for which I have great regard, because one of the planks was Free Trade and Direct Taxation. Now, I do not say that I am disappointed that the resolution (which I only partially heard, ab I was unfortunate enough to sit behind the speaker) does net go so far as I think it ought to go. I am not disappointed. So long as the resolution is in the right direction 1 am ready to acquiesce in it. But, for my own part, 1 believe, and fully believe, that that porticn of the platform of the Clear Grit party of forty years ago is just as good to-day as it was then, and nothing could have been better then. Those men did their work, but when they died, when their work was completed, the political millennium had not come. Take our country as it is to-day. No doubt it is prosper- ous, no doubt we ought to be thankful that as compared with Russian despotism or German militarism, the lot of the Canadian is indeed a happy one. But, even in this Canada of ours, as every man can testify of his own knowledge, there are men and women — sober, industrious. God-fearing men and women — who have to struggle long and arduously simply to obtain the bare means of living. This thing ought not so to be. It is very well, in forming your platform, to take care that a man worth his million may not run the risk of losing a thousand by the reform of the tariff ; it is very well to consider the interests of the rich merchants and manufacturers. But, for my part, I care more for the lot of those to whom life is such a struggle as I have described. If our policy means anything, if it is worth while to maintain our party organization, let us legislate so as to benefit those whose condition calls for our assistance. If I had time I would like to say something with regard to the disappearance of the yeomanry of Britain caused by the substitution of indirect of crooked , 77 1 taxation for the direct taxation introduced by William the Conqucrer, but the subject is too large. But this yeoman class, as Goldsmith calls them, a country's pride, Which, once destroyed, can never be supplied, was wiped out by a few hundred years of class legislation. I have no doubt, as the resolution says, that protection is an evil thing, but I believe that indirect taxation of any kind is evil, that the taxation of goods is a thing that has injured England, and that it was this that brought about that state of poverty which has been partially remedied by Peel and Gladstone, and the other financial reformers of the last half century. I believe that in this country a similar progress of decadence and degradation is going on Within ray own acquaintance, for instancp, are muny farmers who, a few years ago, owned the land they worked. Rut this National Policy tariff came into force, and in the course of time, through a process I need not describe, the j^ricea of farm produce fell, while the prices of other goods were kejit up by the taxes upon them, the farmer got beliind with the store-keeper and was pestered and bothered with debts he had no means of paying. After a while, on the same principle as thit followed by many municipalities, the farmer " con- solidated ■' his debts by putting a mortgage on his farm, and so, from being the owner, he became in effect the tenant of the mortgagee. Some of them were comjjelled to sell outright, and become tenants in name as well as in fact. That is the effect of taxing goods. The plea is that it pfotects native industries anil so secures employment and improves wages in towns. But it does not benefit tfie towt.s. I live in a town myself, and I know the effect upon wages of this tariff, and especially the evil effect upon the amount of employment provided for workmen. When the farmer is hard up, and is not able to buy goods, it must follow that there is little work for the peojtle in the towns. And so the workingmen's wages are cut down. We want a state of affairs in which the farmer will be abk' to buy freely, and then we may be sure that the workingmen will have constant employment and fair wages. My time having expired, f would just emphasi/e the point that the taxation of goods makes goods scarce and dear, and, business being the exchange of goods, taxing goods must necessarily reduce the prosperity of the country. Take the taxes off these good things — the products of labor — and we Canadians can then revel, if not in luxury, at least in abundance. The Chairman : — The question is now before the Convention and is open for discussion. (Cries of " Question, Question.") You who are minded that this resolution shall be the voice of the Convention please mainfest the same by rising. The resolution was carried unanimously. Second Resolution — Rkciprocity. The Chairman : — The next question will be on the subject of recipro- city, and will be presented to your notice by Hon. L. H. Davies, of Prince EMward Island. 78 Hon. L. H. Davirs, M.P., Queen's, P.E.I.— Mr. Chairman: Some eleven years ago I had the honor of being elected a representative in the Dominion Parliament. I had the further honof.' on my election of being entrusted by my then leader with an important resolution favoring reci- procity with the United Statea To-day, after eleven years strvice, I have the distinguished honor of being selected by ray leader here to move that resolution in another form before the Convention preceding the inaugura- tion of the Liberal party in power. I need not tell you I feel proud of that. During all that time we have beeu in opposition, and I wish to make one remark as to the conduct of tlid Liberal party during these eleven years. The condujt of the party has been such as challenges the admiration of all lovers of free institutionn. Although we were fighting battle after battle at the polls, and were Jefeated election after election, we felt and knew, and our opponents fe/t and knew, that we were not bung defeated by the voice of the peopl'j, but by legislative enactrjents carried through by at3rannical majorit/ for the purpose of keeping an impure party in power. Notwiths anf-'ing that in 1882 they j^errynian- dered the constituencies of Canada and kept us out, notwithstanding that in 1887 they passed the infamous Franc nise Act and kept us out then, not- withstanding these attempts to stifle tie voice of the people, the Liberal party, recognizing the responsibility of their position, proceeded within the lines of the constitution to advocate ) leasurea for the benefit of the great mass of the people. We have never spoken of rebellion, of resistance to the laws, although God knows if there ever was a country in which, or a time when resistance would be justif'ed, it would be in opposition to such measures as we have had to contei) 1 against. We stand today in the proud position of men who, I belie e, are about to receive the reward of their labors at the hands of the pp r>ple. Well, Sir, there was worse than that. Not only have the Govern; lent kept their opponents out of power by such legislative enactments, b/tt they have resorted to corrupt means of a character which has 1:)rought the blush of shame to the face of every ('anadian, and made our fellow-citizens of the Empire hang their heads when the name was mentioned of the fairest daughter of Great Britain. These diHiculties and obstacles we have had to submit to, but now the time has come when the principles we have been advocating quietly but persistently are about to be e Jopted by the people. We have already moved and carried a rosolutioii denouncing that protection, which is the twin sister of monoplies and combines, the robber of the many for the benefit of the few. We have advocated a reduction of the tariff, and such freedom of trade as is consistent with the raising of the revenue necessary for carrying on the (Jovernment of the country. We propose to you to-day our scheme for enlarginfj; our traiie relations wi'h the United ►States, and let me say just here, that while this has been one ^f the freest Conventions that ever met in convention in America, while every man has been asked freely and frankly to come forward with any suggestion he might have to make, this Convention of Canadian Grits, assembled from 1 ' 79 one end of the Dominion to the other, has not had a suggestion made to it which the strongest supporter of British connection could construe into the faintest shade or shadow of disloyalty or disaffection. If there is an annexationist in Canada he is not in this Convention. We have never had the 8US|)icion of a suggestion in that direction. We are prepared to work out our own destiny within the lines of the constitution. I am sick and tired of the cry that our opponents bring against ua Loyalty to the Queen 1 Yes, as a citizen of the Empire, I respect and honor that good woman. And loyalty to the British Empire / Yes, 1 love and revere the mother from whose loins we sprung, and who has given ua free speech, iree conscience, a free newspaper press and free representative institutions. We draw our inspiration from her, and the freedom we enjoy to-day wa owe to the Mother Land. But much as I respect and love her and her institutions, there is one I love more. I love the country in which 1 was born. I love the country in which my children were born, and in which they must make their living. For that country I reserve my specixl love and special favor, and if, unfortunately, it should ever happen that we shoold be called upon to make choice between the two, I hope we will stand for Canada. The resolution which I propose to you is rne favoring enlarged trade relations with the Uni'ed States of America. Do not be led away by any clap-trap. South of you lies th«» greatest republic the world has ever seen, people who are spring from the same stock as yourselves, worshipping before the same altars, speaking the same language, discussing the same ijue.stions and looking,' forward with almost the same hopes. Can you doubt that the greatest good that any man can confer upon Canada will be to cultivate such friendly relations with that people, that war between (ireat Britain, the Mother Lmd, and the neighboring republic would become an impossibility >' The resolution expresses the idea that the period of the reciprocity treaty extending from 1854 to 186G was one of marked prosperity. I cannot speak with the same assurance in regard to the other parts of the Dominion as I can in regard to that part from which I come, but I say this, that since the Maritime Provinces were peopled there never was a deeadH when pros- perity WAS so marked among all classes, when land rose in value so quickly, when the wharves were so lined with shipping, when the work- men had such steady employment, when the fanners had as good a market, as between 1854 and I8G(>, when we hail reciprocal trade with the United States of America, We look back with longing eyes to that period of free trade with our neighl>ors, and we look foiward with hope that the Liberal party, coining to tlieir own again, shivil l)ring back the prosperity of that period to us. This resolution affirms that the Government have been guilty of misleading and dishonest statemei'ts, with the deliberate object of deceiving the electorate. They went before you the last time with an official document in their hands, declaring th^t they had been invited by the United States Government to discuss reciprocity, and thousands of people said : The Government have now been asked to go 80 there to discueg a treaty ; we will give them a chance to do it. They deceived the people, they made dishonest and miHleading statements, and they got thousandH of votes by it. But when the representative of Canada went to the United States, in pursuance uf a resolution which was passed by Parliament, the first thing he had to do, to the humiliation of this land — Sir ('harles Tapper had to go in and on bended knees declare to Mr. Blaine : I am obliged to say that the statements Sir John Macdonald and I myself made to the effect that the invitation to discuss reciprocity had emanated from the United States, were not correct. Such a sp(tctacl(^ aH thi8, so humiliating to Canada, could never occur under a Liberal Government. They made no sincere effort to obtain recipro- city. Mr. Foster declared time and again that there were three essential requisites in obtaining reciprocity — one, that the tariff of the United States and of Canada must be a uniform tariff on all subjects ; secondly, that that tariff must be detfiuiined upon and settled at VVashingfon, and as a corollary to that, he said it meant the surrender of the fiscal inde- pendence of Canada (Cries of " No, no '") ; and thirdly, that we must discrim- inate against Great Britain. I hold in my hands the official statement of Mr Blaine to the President. Our Mr. Fost«'r says that he completely misunderstood Mr. Blaine. I am not concerned as to what Mr. Foster understood, what I am concerned about is the official record of the terms upon which Mr. Blaine stated the United States Government was willing to n<'20tiate a reciprocity treaty, and I say deliberately in this Convention that It never was understood, either directly or by implication, that the tariff of the two countries should be uniform, should be framed and regu- lated by the United States, or that Canada's control of fiscal questions should be interfered with. Mr. Bliine sitys that the Canadian commiss- ioners refused to discuss the question on any other ground than that of a treaty confined to natural products. He says that, on his p:irt, he asked that a list of nianufactureg, carefully considered, should be included. I say that this is nothing but a fair and reasonable demand which they make, and that it would be as much for the benefit of the people of Canada that a treaty j-hould be negiotated upon these lines sus it would be for the benefit of the United States. When George Brown went, at the inhtance of my late revered leader, Alexander Mackenzie, to Washirgion in 1874 to negotiate a treaty, did he confine it to natural products? Take the treaty, which I hold in my hand, and you will seH that, in addition to natural products, there are forty distinct articles of manufacture which he was willing and agreed to negotiate a treaty upon. Was CJeorge Brown disloyal 1 Not at all. No friend or foe has ever dared to make that charge against him in his life, and his bitterest enemy would be ashamed to make it; against him now. What more do we say ? We say a fair and liberal reciprocity treaty would develop the great natural resources of Canada Is it sol The country has natural resources excelled by none in the world, and they are lying here dormant, awaiting development at the hands of capital and labor. By a treaty such ALKXANDKR M( LEAN, E.S(,t., Chainnan, Ottawa Local Comniittet' of Arrantfements.. \ \ §1 B« we arc desirous of obtaining, capital wilt come in and your dormant resoiircps will )>e developed and there will ha a flood of prosperity over all this land, brightening it as a burst of sunshine illumines the landscape. We say that a treaty of reciprocity would enormously iaoreA8<) the trade and commerce between the two countries. Our trade with the United vStates, the volume of which was $13,000,000 in 1854, increased by leaps and bounds in 1866 to the enormouH sum of $80,000,000 [t reniiined sta- tionary for many years. Give us a f^ir, honest, liberal treaty, a free and fair exchnngn of products — it is in the interest of both countries to exchange — and you will have a return of that period when your commerce and trade will rise and mount till the best sou of Oanada will stand amazed at the dgures, and rejoiced at the results I move : That, having regard tn the proaperity of Canada and the United Stated aa adjuinin^; countries, with many mutual intereat«, it in desirable that there Hhntild be the moat friendly relations and broad and liberal trade intercourse between them ; That the interentit alike of the Dominion and of the Empire would be materially ad- vanced by the establishinf^ of such relations ; That the period of ths old reciprocity treaty was one of ..larked pru8|ierity to the Uritinh North American colonies ; That the pretext under which the Government apiieaUxi tu the country in 1891 re- Hix>cting negotiation for a treaty with the United States was misleading and dishonest And intended to deceive the electorate ; That no sincere effort has been maeaGe and prosperity ; That the Liberal party is prepared to enter into negotiatiims with a view to obtain- ing such a treaty, including a well considered list of manufactured articles, and we are satisfied that any treaty so arranged will receive the assent of Her Majesty's Government, without whose approval no treaty can Ix- made. The Chairman : — If I am to cut oft' such eloquent speakers as Mr. Davies, I am afraid I shall become a very unpopular chairman. But business is business, and I must carry out the rule of the Convention. This resolution will be seconded by Mr. Charlton, M.P. for North Norfolk, Ontario. Mr. JoHS Charltox, M.P., North Norfolk, Ontario :— Mr. Chairman and < rsntlemen : It affords me very great gratification to be selected co second this motion in favor of reciprocal trade between this country and the United States. For many years I have taken a fjreat interest in this question. For many years I have believed th*t it is the moat important 6(0.) question that has been presented to the people of Canada, and I bolieve that to-day you are called upon to express your opinions and take action upon no more important (question than that embodied in this resolution. Sir, we have in America a great theatre for the operation of the mighty forces that have been brought in*x> play by the Anglo Saxon race. We have a continent with resources almost limitless, a country extending from the Uulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, with boundless opportunities for the creation of wealth, and unrivalled advantages of lake and river for internal navigation. We have a continent evidently destined to be the seat of Kiiipire inhabited by two nationalities, both speaking the same language, belonging to the same race, essentially the same people. These peoples are separated by an imaginary line ; they are prevented from liold- ing communication with one another by arbitrary fiscal regulations, and the benefits that would result from free commercial intercourse betw<3en these two great sections are scarcely dreamed of to-day, because these })eoples have never participated to the highest extent in the advantages which free communication would give. We did have a partial scheme of reciprocity, confined to natural products, and we can infer from the benefits which tlowed from that arrangement during the twelve years of its exis- tence what would be the result if all the shackles upon trade were broken, and uninterrupted and free communication between these two peoples existed. The exports of this country to the United States in 18")4 were ten and a half millions of dollars, the exports in 1866 were thirty-nine and three quarters raillionH. In round numbers the exports had increased fourfold in twelve years. The exports from this country to the United States in the last fiscal year wern thirty -nine millions, or almost one mill'on of dollars loss than in 1806. While they increased fourfold in twelve years under reciprocity, they have shrunk by one million in twenty- seven years under the system of restriction upon trade. And this is in the face of the fact that the population of the United States increasoJ in this latter period by two and one-half times, and the wealth of the country by at least fourfold. Now, Sir, if our exports to the United States had increased only to the same extent that they did from 1854 to 1866, we should have exported to that country last year $104,000,000, in place of $39,000,000. That bald statement of fact will enable you to realize how enormous are the losses that this country has sustained through restriction and hostile tariffs. Sir, I can name twelve articles of farm produce, and I would give the names and figures in detail if I had time, in which the exports in 1890 to the United States were ten and a half millions of dollars, and in which the exports in 1892 were but four millions of dollars, a shrinkage of six and a half millions in two years, due to the hostile and unfriendly tariff known as the McKinley Act. None of you need be told tliat this country is blessed with boundless resourses. No man needs to be told that it would be an advantage to this country to reach the mar- kets of sixty-five millions of people at our very door. No one needs to be told that this great Province of Ontario would benefit if it could reach the 88 r «ix miUioDS of people living in cities within four hundred miles of its own borders. The Canadian Provinces may be divided into four geographical groups. First, the Maritime Provinces, having natural tradn relations with the seaboard states ; second, the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec, forming part of the territory whone main artery is the Hi. Lawrence and the (Ireat Lakes ; third, Manitoba and the North-Weat, forming part of the Missis- sippi Valley country ; and British Oolumbia, part of the Pacitic Slope. And there is not one of these groups but would he enormously benetited by throwing down the trade barriers and |>ermitting each to trade with those States with which it has business and geographical athnities. Our friends who are now in power have been giving to you various noetrums to get over the ditHculty under which you labor through being shut ut from your natural market. They have been advising you to embark in various operations to insure a market for the results of your labor. They have told you to raise fat stock of a superior quality for the English market ; they have advised you to raise two-rowed barley for the English market, and these have been failures. Their position reminds me of a story of an Irishman in Saginaw who had the misfortune to have his place Hooded by the bursting of a city water-pi|)e. He went to the city clerk to complain about it, and to claim damages. He said, " My cellar is flooded, and the things I had stored there are floating around." "That will be all right," answered the clerk, "we'll have the Hater pumped out, and the place will soon be dry again." "But my lot is Hooded and my garden destroyed." "We'll drain off" the water, and the lot will be all ri^ht." " But my gar- den is under water and my chickens are all drowned." " Then," answered the clerk, " why in thunder don't you raise ducks?" That is the solution you get from these fellows, they want you to " raise ducks," to raise two- rowed barley, to go into expensive operations of that kind to compensate you for the loss of your natural market. We propose to give you the market for ducks, as well as for everthing else, to throw down the barriers to the trade between these two countries and give the people of Canada access to their natural market. I am told that my time is pretty nearly up, but my subject is by no means exhausted. In brief, my friendp, the policy that is foreshadowed and described by this resolution will benefit the agriculturalist, it will benefit the miner, it will give a marked for our iron ore, our copper ore, for our structural material, for all this natural wealth in our mines, which to-day is almost without value. It will give prosperity to our lumber trade ; it will benefit our tiaheri»'8 ; it will benefit all the great industries of this country, except, possibly, some lines of manufacturing industries. 1 take no stock in the talk we hear about Canadian inferiority, and I hold that our manufacturers, if they am get free access to the American markets for their wares, can compete with the Americans, and can extend their operations in a number of lines. All I want to inquire about with regard to this policy is : Is it loyal to Canada ; will it promote the interests of Canada ? Britain is looking after her own interests, and we may look after ours, and if we do so we shall earn her 84 good opinion. It is said that this policy will deprive us of a lar);e amount of revenue If it increases the prosperity of the people, it will increase importations, and this will tend to make up the revenue. We can make up $3,300,000 of the loss from sugar by raising the duty one-fifth of a cent, and arranging it so that the money thus taken shall go into the treasury instead of going into the pockets of the refiners. Other increases and savings would easily make up the rest of the loss. I conclude — for my time is nearly up — by saying that reciprocity with the United States is not only desirable, but it is essential to the prosperity of Canada. I contend that this is a question of the utmost importance. It is an arrangement that tba Jiiber.il party can make, and it is an arrangement that the Con- servative party never have honestly nought to secure. They have trifled with the people of this country ; tliey have deceived the people , they have sent bogus missions to Washington proposing impossible terms for the express purpose of not getting reciprocity, for they did not want it, and would not have taken it upon any obtainable terms. They went down with a proposal foreordained to failure, that of reciprocity in natural pro- ducts alone, because for twenty years American statesmen have declared that such a proposal never would be entertained. They have insulted your intelligence, they have trifled with your interest, and now if you desire reciprocity place your confidence in a party that will make honest efforts to secure it, and I stake my reputation will securo it if they are given the opportunity. The Chairman : — The reciprocity question is a question of very great interest to manufacturers. There are manufacturers in Canada so timid as to fear that if a breath of the air of free competition should touch their factories, those factories would crumble into the dust. But there are manu- facturers, and they are within the ranks of the Liberal party, who have the courage that ought to belong to Canadians, and who declare that all they ask is a fair field and no favor. We have some of tho.se manufacturers with us to-day, and I am going to call upon one of them who is now in the body of the rink. I am going to ask one of the largest manufacturers in Canada, Mr. W. J. Copp, of Hamilton, Ont, to come to the platform and speak on this question. Mr. W. J. Copp, Hamilton, Ont. : — Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle- men : For a plain, ordinary manufacturer to be culled upon to stand in the ranks of the educated politicians and discuss for one moment a fiscal (juestion of such vast importance as the question of reciprocity, I can assure you causes such a man to shrink from the ordeal. But I sup- pose this (juestion is one that has faced every Canadian, it is a question that has faced every manufacturer. As has been intimated by our Chair- man, manufactuier.s in many instances shrink from the possibility of com- petition, in dread of Canada being overwhelmed by the American manu- facturers. It is true that the Americans are vastly in advance of ns in their specialties. They have for many years now had an immense market in their own country and they have still, to a very considerable extent, 85 access to the market in Canada. I realize that this ({uestion of reciprocity with the United States is a very erave question. But while I realize the gravity of the (question, when I looK around upon my fellow countrymen, I feel that they are equal to any emergency when they are placed upon an equality with their competitors. I cannot conceive for one moment of a people such as we are, brought up under conditions of a rigorous climate, men, certainly, constitutionally equal any day to the Americans, having mentally all the advantages of our splendid educational system, having before us the fact that our young men who go the United Slates take a prominent place in every avenue of life upon which they enter, can fail in competition with any men on the face of the earth. It is true. Gentlemen, we have labored under great ditHculties. Our trade relations have been very much curtailed. We have heard a great deal about the burdens of the farmer and others in various branches of trade. The manufacturer also has been burdened heavily and, if you were in the manufacturing business, you would find yourself very heavily burdened by the fiscal policy of the country. I know that policy has to be handled with very great care. I know, as our ex-Finance Minister (Sir Richard Cartwright) stated, we have a strong enemy to fight, and I know that we have to enter into the battle with a policy such as the country wants. And to get into that position great care has been taken. I am pleased. Sir, with the resolution that has been offered here to-day. I am satisfied that if the lines of these resolutions are followed, and if we hold our face steadily in the direction of free trade, we shall, in time, arrive at the goal. But, gentlemen, we must not forget that there are still important interests to be taken care of. It is very well to talk about the millionaire, but we have the small manu- facturer and the large manufacturer, wa have the small business man and the large business man scattered all over this country, and when changes are brought in they must be brought in gradually but surely. But, having entered upon the revision of the tariS, there must be no looking back. Then, I believe. Gentlemen, that if the Americans will open up their markets to us, though for a short time, for a year or two, it might stagger us, we have the energy to make our way in their markets and thus make gains that will abundantly recoup us for whatever we relinquish on this side. I have much pleasure in supporting the resolution. The Chairman : — I am somewhat a politician myself, and not likely to underestimate the importance of the class, if you will call it so, to which I belong. But I can for that reason say with all the greater assur- ance of being believed that one speech such as we have had here from Mr. Copp is worth more in its effect upon public opinion than any speech that a politician could make. Now that we find manufacturers who have that pride in themselves as Canadians and belief in their ability, with a fair field and no favor, to meet on even terras their competitors in the United States, let ua hear from some more of them. I have pleasure in introducing to you Mr. F. Boas, the largest manufacturer of knitted goods in the Dominion of Canada. Mr. Boas comes from St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. 86 Mr. F. Boas, St. Ilyacinthe, Quebec :— Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : I am somewhat in the position of the man who was looked upon as a crank because he, apparently, at least so it was said, acted con- trary to his own interests. But I am glad to find that, if I am a crank, I am not alone as a crank in believing thsit it is possible for this Oanada of ours not only to open her markets to the rest of the world, but to enter into competition with the rest of the world in manufacturing. Now, the first condition necessary for the successful carrying on of a manufacturing business is a good labor market. That stands first and foremost. Next is good power, that is cheap power if possible, to drive the machinery, and, finally, a large enough market to dispose of your products. Now, it is a well known fact that in the first respect the American manufacturer has no advantage over us, in fact that the American manufacturer, especially in the Eastern States, makes it his business to draw from us in Canada, particularly within the Province of Quebec, as much labor as he can, for the simple reason that there is no class of population better suited for factory work than those born and brought up under this northern climate. Their labor is appreciated because they are capable, intelligent, and not easily disturbed in their everyday routine as long as they are fairly well treated. Advantage is taken of this labor to a very large extent by the American manufacturers and you can hardly enter a factory in the United States but you find a larger or smaller percentage of our French-Canadian fellow-citizens, who ought to be employed in their own country. For my part, I am most fortunately situated. I have about me an ample labor market, and I therefore do not consider for one moment that 1 could suffer, not merely if we had American competition, but if we went to the full length, which I would advocate every day of my life, and established free trade with the world. There is no question about it for a moment that this country, which has immense natural resources still undeveloped, which has great mineral belts that are hardly known, this country that has grevt forest wealth, and resources of every other kind almost unknown to the world, if this country were treated as it ought to be treated, if the people were given an adeijuate market and allowed to buy where they could buy to the best advantage, manufactures suitable to the climate and natural conditions would grow with great rapidity and wiih strength that would enable them to compete with the whole world. ^Now, I have in ray expe- rience o( the labt few months had a very gratifying example of what we are capable of doing in Canada. I had occasion to go all over Europe, introducing a Canadian invention in the shape of machinery, and I found that this invention was superior to anything to be found throughout all Europe. Later on and within the last few weeks, I had the same experi- ence in the United States. Some American manufacturers in the same lino of business, who learned that a machine of the kind that had been invented, came to St. Hyacinthe to see it in operation. And what was the result ? Instead of saying that they would like to have free conditions of trade so as to get the benefits of our market, they said that, with such factories as •al 87 we had, they thought it would be to their advantage not to open their markets to us. They were afraid, and they had reason to be afraid, because we have better labor, we have ample water-powers, and the only thing that the Canadian manufacturers do lack, in those cases where they lack anything is a market. ' Now, Gentlemen, it is not a question to be considered whether or not I individually am capable of competing with the rest of the world, it is not a question for this Convention to decide whether a few of us are in a position to compete with our neighbors It is a ques- tion as to what would benefit the people of Canada at large. If I may speak for the class to which I belong, I would ask of you not to regard us as imbe- ciles. Treat us as men who are capable of carrying on their own business and do not mix us up with the monopolists who to-day, under a protective tariff, find it necessary to earn a revenue not only upon the machinery naturally required in their business, but upon a vast quantity of machinery far beyond the requirements of the country. They have been put in that position, and they would like to remain in that position. I say, for one, that any industry naturally suited to the climate and conditions is able to take care of itself, and that a revenue tariff, such as, unfortunately, we must have, will afford ample protection for every industry that is willing to be satis- fied with fair treatment. I do not claim that we need even that ; what I do claim is that we ought to develop this country, to make Canada as pros- perous in every respect as possible, and, in order to do that, there is only one policy to pursue and that is the policy laid down in the platform pre- sented to you, a policy that will lead on to free trade with the world, a policy that will enable us to develop our natural resources to the fullest extent, and enable us to fill this country with a people in whom every one of us may take pride. I have never been a party man, I plead guilty to the accusation of having paid but little attention to party, but I am satis- fied to stand on the platform of Hon. Wilfrid Laurier as long as it is in the right direction, the only direction in which Liberals and Radicals can look, towards free trade, towards direct taxation, and towards a graduated tax. We have no right, as under the present system, to lay upon the masses the the heaviest burden. I can enumerate article after article in which the burden of taxation is thrown upon the people, while the wealthy classes, to a large extent, are exempt. The reason of it is plain. It is that there are more of the people, and that, as they pay the tax indirectly, they do not feel it ; they only know that mortgages begin to inci-ease, and that year after year it is more difficult to make both ends meet, so that after a time, they are compelled to seek their homes elsewhere. As a manufacturer, I favor a policy that will put us in a position to compete with the rest of the world, and I promise you that when the day comes that the Canadian manufacturers have to take their part in a fair fight with the world, they will find their way to victory. The Chairman : — Before I call upon the next speaker, I wish to make an announcement. The Committee on Resolutions will meet now to facilitate business, and I will call upon the Hon. Mr. filair to take 88 the chair. Before leaving I -will introduce to you the next speaker, whom J am sure you will receive gladly, not only for his own sake, but for the sake of the honored name he boars. I will call upon Mr. Charlas Mackenzie, of Sarnia, brother of the late Alexander Mackensie. The Hon. A. G. Blair, Premier of New Brunswick, then took the chair. Mr. Charles Mackenzie, M. P. P., West Lambton :— Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : At this late hour in the afternoon it would be unbecom- ing in me to attempt to detain you for any length of time. Neverthe- less, I am glad to avail myself of the opportunity and of the privilege of speaking to this vast assemblage, an assemblage of the Liberals of Canada that has never been equalled in my lifetime, and I think not during the lifetime of anyone here, an assemblage representing the far east and the far west, an assemblage so great that it will be an encouragement to us to work in the future. This Convention tells us the hold that freer trade has taken upon the public mind. The feeling roused upon that question has given us the opportunity to meet our friends from different parts of the Dominion and to welcome our glorious chief. Hundreds of us from the West have to-day had the privilege for the fir-t time of hearing him speak, and I, for one, shall go home filled with enthusiasm to work for the party under the leadership of so noble a man. This Convention has given us from the West an opportunity to meet many of our friends from the Eastern Provinces ; men who are an honor to the country that gave them birth, and who, by their self sacrificing work and their high char- acter, have infused energy into the whole Liberal party. As regards this resolution,*^! believe that reciprocity with the United States would bring prosperity such as this country has never seen. And it is an encouraging feature of this meeting that we have two manufacturers who have come forward to declare boldly that they do not fear such a change. It is a great thing for us to know that there are many other manufacturers who hdve the courage to say that they have nothing to fear from the competi- tion of any men in the world. Give them a market of sixty-five millions of people, and all the opportunities such a market would offer, and what have they to fear 1 Cannot they rise as rarly, work as long, and live as frugally as others, and have not they the brains and skill equal to others? Assuredly they have. Consider, for instance, the eflFect upon the mineral interests of the great West. Look at the business that is being carried down from the Great Lakes on the other side ; while our ship yards are idle, and of the vast tonnage that comes down not one ship in fifty flies the Canadian flag, while in the great mineral region on our side of the lake is solitude broken only by the occasional tourist or the Indian in his canoe. Give us reciprocity which will insure to us the markets of the United States and you will find our mineral regions opened up, you will find that country covered with swarming population, and a business developed which will give great scope to the energy of every Canadian "■ Tiecially to our young men.)k I am exceedingly proud to be with To those who fought the battle in 1878 it is an immense inspiration 89 to meet bo many sound Liberals here to-day. It is a solemn thing to think that so many of the noble spirits who fought that battle have gone to their long rest ; it Avould have been a great gratification to them to have seen this assemblage and to have heard the policy which they advocated, after fifteen years of silence, declared again with an enthusiasm which is an assurance of victory. The Chairman : — We intend to make just one more special call. We intend to invite Mr. Frost, of Smith's Falls, a leading manufacturer, to ■address a few words to the meeting. Let it not be supposed that we are limiting the speaking. After Mr. Frost has finished the question will be open for discussion. Mr. F. T. Frost, Smith's Falls, Ont.: — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : It is a great pleasure, though quite an unexpected one, for me to be called upon to address this large Convention. As a manufacturer I have never been able to discover why manufacturers under a Liberal Govern- ment, with free raw materials, would not be in just as good a position, if not a great deal better, than under the Government of our opponents. A large number of industries throughout Canada were built up and estab- lished, and a large proportion of the prosperity which in the past years came to manufacturers was due to the excellent start they made under the regime of Hon. Alexander Mackenzie and the low tariff which existed in his time and previous to that period. I cannot understand, therefore, why, •"■•' a return to a moderate tariff, the industries of Canada should not .sh again just as well as they did then. As to the (juestion of recijjrocity, what we are all looking for in this country is not fewer cus- tomers, but more customers ; what we want is the opening up of larger markets, so that our products may not only go throughout the length and breadth of this country, but into the section south of us, and thus enable our manufacturers to secure a certain portion of the prosperity which an increase of trade is sure to bring. I was very well satisfied with the remark made by one of the previous speakers, that there was no disability attaching to the manufacturers of this country. If they are to-day meet- ing foreign competitors on the common grounds of other markets, and meeting them successfully, if they can do this in England and Australia and Germany and South America, why cannot they meet them in their own country just as well 1 I say they can. Holding these views, I have much pleasure in supporting the reciprocity and tariff reform resolutions that have been brought in here today. And 1 think that when these resolutions are well understood, every manufacturer in this country whose views with regard to protection are not warped, will be quite willing to do as I am doing, that is support these resolutions and so help to bring about the prosperity of all classes which we believe will come from a lower tariff and a more equal distribution of taxation upon the people of this country. Mr. D. McCrae, Guelph, Ont.: — I am glad to be able to support the resolution submitted on the question of reciprocity. I do not believe that the advantages of reciprocity between Canada and the United States 90 would be oae-sided. There are many things that can be grown and some things that can be manufactured more cheaply in the Unitt^d States than in Canada. There are other things in which our people excel. Therefore^ a mutual exchange would be to the profit of both countries. With reci- procity we would have near at hand a great population able and willing to pay the highest price for the very best articles of farm produce. Farmers in Western Ontario have nearer at hand than the City of Quebec a larger population than that of Great Britain, 1 believe, therefore, that it would be for the benefit of our farmers if a policy were adopted which would give us free access to this market. I aip glad that this is the second and not the first plank in the platform. We have already adopted a reso- lution in favor of freer trade with Great Britain. I had the honor during the past winter of attending a gathering of representative farmers in the Oity of Toronto — the Central Farmers' Institute of Ontario — at which a resolution was unanimously adopted declaring in favor of an immediate reduction of the duties on British goods. It is a pleasure to meet with gentlemen in this Convention representing all parts of the Dominion and to have it known far and wide that the farmers of Ontario favor the policy of freer trade with Britain and feel that the time has come when the heavy duties of the N. J', should be reduced. We have adopted here a policy which, when carried, will take this burden from the people ; which will not only lop off the mouldering branches and closely trim the others, but which will lay the axe at the foot of the tree, and when it is down the next thiug will be to have out the farmers' stump machine and have out the roots — destroying it root and branch. I wish also to fay that the farmers were not afraid to face the question of direct taxation. If the taxes are raised for necessary revenue only, and the mode adopted which is used in Britain, there is no farmer or mechanic who need fear direct taxation. I was pleased last night to hear the address of our noble chief — glad to hear him declare he was following British lines in his trade policy, and will be pleaised to hear him declare that he is also ready to follow British plans in the mode of raising the revenue of Canada. Gentlemen, I thank you for your kind attention. Mr. J. E. WiLDB, Caistor Township, Ont. : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I am a farmer brought up away back in the southern wilds of Ontario. I was raised there when it was no uncommon thing to hear the wolves howling around our place, and I have farmed under the old reci- procity arrangement and under the present National Policy, I am glad ta stand here to thoroughly support the policy that has been put forward to- day. I am convinced by practice as well as by theory that free trade with the Americans as well as with Great Britian is a benefit to the backbone, the right arm of this country, the agricultural class. The agricultural interests of Ontario alone is three quarters of the interest of the whole Province. There is no other industry which taken alone can at all coin- pare with the agricultural industry, and this National Policy has trimmed it down almost to the ground. Free trade or reciprocity of trade with the United States would vastly enhance the interests of the agriculturists and 91 horticulturists, and to encourage this industry is to benefit every industry in the Dominion of Canada. We should put forth every energy to bring about reciprocity with the United States. If the farm?r is oppressed, if the farmer is not making money, no other profession in the country can succeed ; it is from the ground we all get our raaintenince. As a humble farmer I would work strenuously to bring about this policy of free trade, first with the United States and ultimately with the world at large. I do not fear for the result, if there are no dissensions in our own ranks. But our opponents just previous to every election begin an undermining policy and seek to work up dissensions in the Reform party. Moreover, they pretend to think that they are certain of being beaten and so lull the Liberals into a feeling of confidence which leads to carelessness and this means defeat. That is one of the great drawbacks to our Reform party. They have not the organization or the spirit or the enthusiasm at the time of the election to go to the polls and put their candidates in In the com- ing day let the Liberals join hand in hand and fight this battle to the very last. The OHAIRMA.N : — We will have to ask your indulgenci a little while that gentlemen may be heard whom I am sure you will be glad to have address you. This resolution and the one preceding are the two most important resolutions put b.^rore the Convention, and therefore we can hardly devote too much time tc their proper discussion. I shall now call upon Chief William Smith, of Brantford, One, to address you for a few minutes. Chief William Smith, of the Six Nation Indians, Brant County, Unt. : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I do not intend to make a speech upon the general questions of the day, but simply to say a few words with regard to the ReJ men of this country. No doubt you are all aware that a few years ago the present (iovernment saw fit to extend to the Indians of this country the privilege of voting in the Dominion elections. We Indians can easily see the meaning of granting this privilege. It was not to do the Indians good, but to do themselves good, by gaining more votes for their party. But we Indians have a little brains, too ; we cin see which is right and which is wrong. And when the political (juestion was intro- duced among the Indians, we studied carefully and listened cirefully to the political speakers and soon saw that the Libsral party was on the right line. For that reason we took our stand with the Liberal party, and those whom I represent, in the south riding of Brant, on the Six Nations reserve, gave a majority of votes to Mr. Paterson. And we Indians endorse and will support in future the policy which the Liberal party advocate. It affords me great pleasure to be able to be present at this great Convention, as it will afford me pleasure to report to our people the bright hopes for the future which this Convention shows to exist. I thank you, Mr. Chairman, and the audience for the privilege of speaking these few words. The Chairman : — I will now call upon Mr. F. P. Savoie, of Somerset, Quebec, an important manufacturer of agricultural implements, who will speak to you in the French language. Mr. F. T. Savoie, Somerset, Quebec (Translation) : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I am very glad indeed to come forward and take part in 1 92 the discussion, if a few words of mine can have any weight. We ei^tablish- ed our factory eighteen years ago in the county of Megantic, and, if we have had prosperity in our business, it is not due to the so-called protection we have had. Before protection was adopted we did business, with a smaller capital it is true, but with dividends at least as satisfactory as they are to-day. Free trade odors as great advantages to the manufacturers as it does to any other class in the Dominion. If the farmer sells to advantage the products of liis farm, there is no trouble about the manufac- turer selling his plows. When there is prosperity among the farmers, there can be no doubt prosperity will be the portion of the manufacturers. That is about all I have to tell you, but I would like to add that I am delighted to be able to come here, and delighted to find myself so completely in accard with the reciprocity and^tariff reform platform of the Convention. The Chairman : — I am told that we have in the Convention a grand old veteran Irom the county of Kent, Ontario. I understand that he has reached the age of ninety years. I have no doubt the audience would be glad to hear from him. Mr. John McFarlane, Kent County, Ontario : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I am very glad indeed to have an opportunity of saying a few words in order that I may mention some matters that I have had under consideration for many years while living in this grand Province of Ontario. I was at school as many as eighty-four years ago. I have had occasion to pay a very great deal of attention to matters in connection with education, and one of the changes I have been proposing wherever I have had an opportunity and where I have met with tho3e disposed to con- sider these questions, was to provide better postal accomodation for the bene- fit of the farmers with a view to the spread of education and the increase of intelligence in the country. We have already made great advances in this direction, but still further improvements are needed I have been living in Canada for fifty-eight years, and have taken deep interest in everything likely to improve the condition of the rural population, for amongst that class I have spent most of ray life. I believe also chat our municipal laws couM be improved so as to beneficially affect the intellectual condition of our population. I do not wish to occupy your time, but I am glad to have had an opportunity to mention these points, and I would be very glad indeed if the Liberal leaders would take up these subjects with a view to improvements on the line I have suggested. The Ohaikman : — We have learned from a very old Liberal and a representative of the veterans. We shall now call upon a representative of the younger generation, one of the young Liberals of Ontario, Mr. W. G. Raymond, of Brantford. Mr. W. G. Raymond, Brantford, Ont. : — Mr. Chairman and Gentle- men : I have listened with the greatest attention and the greatest respect to the remarks of our venerable friend who last addressed us, and I can only say, as representative of one of the Young Liberal clubs of Western Ontario, that we aspire to the same breadth of Liberal principles that he has ex- pressed here to-day. We believe that as the twig is bent so the tree is 98 inclined, and therefore we have throughout our various ridings Young Liberal clubs, which, I believe, do much to assittt in political contests and in forming the political opinion of young men who are growing up and for the first time talcing part in political affairs. It is as a representive of one of these clubs that I have the honor of saying a few words to you on behalf of the young Liberals of Western Ontario. Throughout the West the feeling among the young Liberals of Ontario is that we havd in the leader of our party today a man whom we can thoroughly and entirely trust, a man whom we can implicitly and confidently follow, and whom we believe we follow to a certain and a glorious victory. It has been said by a great statesman of the Old Country that, while political parties seek the assistance of men of gonius, they will only consent to follow men of character. We are glad to know that we are following a man who combines in his own person both character and genius. I think, too, I might be per- mitted to remark that I am glad our leader today hails from the Province of Quebec, because in him we find the chivalry, the courteous, polished manners of his own race, and yet we 6nd that in his mouth our native English language takes on beauties that our own leaders even have not de- veloped. And behind his polished speech we find a brtudth of Liberal opinion that would do credit to the greatest Radical in Old England. You know that our party has sometimes been accused of being an annexation- ist party, but we in the West have felt that the words of another great statesman were true when he said that patriotism was inherent in the people of every country. And I say that the Oanidian people are not behind others in feeling that sentiment. If in the face of that you find any lack of patriotism, if you find any desire to join allegiance with an- other country, you must lay it to domestic misrule. If this country had been well governed, as it was from 1873 to 1878, you would not have heard among the people any more than you did then one whisper of annexation. We Liberals have had no part in this misrule which has made some of the people look to annexation. The true annexationists of of Canada, therefore, are our Tory opponents. The platform thit was brought forward before this Convention is one which every man who feels the growing strength of this country and feels the necessity for developing its resources must endorse. Such a man must hold that th^ present policy is no more suited to our country than it is suitable to plant an otk tree in a geranium pot. The present policy of restriction, of holding back, of living in a corner by ourselves, will never enrich the country, and I feel that I voice the sentiment of the younger element in this country when I declare that we must have .'Something more extensive, something sounder in principle, and something more suited to the people of Canada. In con- clusion let me say, that I feel now as I never felt before in ray life, that there is something in the word '• CaniJian." Living in Ontario and in a most desirable part of it, we were proud of our riding, proud of its stead- fast adherence to what we considereil solid Liberal principles. We were proud of our Province of Ontario, and spoke of ourselves with pride as Canadians. But to meet friends here from the distant West, where, looking 94 forward, one sees the prairies meet the sky, meeting friends from the Mari- time Provinces where the air is ever musical with the sound of the eea, meet- ing here our French friends, from old Cjuebec, makes us glad and does much to consolidate the patriotism oi the people and make us feel that there is something in the word "Canadian," and that we can grow and develop into a nation under a sound policy based upon right principles. We have been blessed with a tine country, we have a good people ; the only thing we lack is a government that will put into force those principles that tend to develop our country. I thank you for the kind way in which you have received my remarks, and I can assure you that when I go back to South Brant and tell my friends there of the meeting we have had of Liberals from all parts of the Dominion assembled in convention, I shall be glad to s y that that which struck me most was that every patriotic allusion to the future of this glorious country was met with a storm of applause by the whole audience, and, next, that every time the name of the leader whom we honor was mentioned, it acted like a magic spell in awakening your enthusiasm. The Chairman ; — frentlemen : You need not be reminded that this is a Liberal Convention and that there is no disposition to limit or restrict any gentlemen who desire a few minutes in addressing the Convention. I have a suggestion which 1 am sure you will gladly receive, that you should listen for a few moments to Mr. C. J. Devlin, M.P., for Ottawa County. Mr. C. J. Devlin, M.P., Ottawa County, Quebec : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I hfive much pleasure in endorsing the sentiments expressed by the previous speakers with regard to the policy which has been laid down, also with regard to the leader whom we honor, and whom, those of us who are members of the House of Commons follow with delight and obey without question, and whom we have had occasion to admire, perhaps even more than those who have the opportunity of hearing and meeting him less frequently. I do not feel out of place in this Convention, gentlemen, because no matter what reputation may have been given to me in certain portions of this country, I am a Liberal before everything. Whatever I have advocated, it matters not in what part of the country, it has been doctrine that every true Liberal should preach, and that every true and honest Liberal should stand by. I am a Liberal and that is the reason why 1 support the resolution which is now before us. It is a resolution which means emancipation from the very worst form of tyranny, it means emancipation for the people, it means that the people shall be allowed to trade as they please. It means the opening of the channels of commerce, and that is what we have been battling for, not only in the House of Commons, but in all parts of the country. The fight has been a long one, but why should we despair ? Is it because there are on Parliament Hill a few gentlemen having control of the sinews of war, which we are told has some effect in certain quarters 1 Do we imagine for this reason that we cannot have victory ] I come from the other side of the river ; I come from that section of country that is specially guarded by the buildings on , 08 Parliament Hill ; from a county that supported the Conservative party in the Dominion politics from Oonfederation and in Oanadian politics before that time, and returned its members by majorilies ranging from one thou- sand to two thousand. In fact I am the first Lil)eral member for the Ooimty of Ottawa. The great victory I won was not due to myself, far from it. I do not claim any credit in connection with that victory. Hut in that campaign I held aloft a banner inscribed " Honest Government," " Fair and honest trade for the people," " Wilfrid Laurier our leader." And the electors of the county of Ottawa understood the situation. I am a Liberal because I can faithfully follow Mr. Laurier ; f am a LiVieral because in the past I have fHithfully followed and faithfully fought for the grand old man of Ontario, Sir Oliver Mowat ; because I believe in the doctrines advo:;ated in this country by another who today is Kghting the great battle of true Liberalism on the other side of the ocean, and who, when with us fought hard and well against terrible odds for the Liberal cause, Edward Blake. I am a Liberal because I Hnd myself in harmony with the mottoes I see upon these walls and because I am able to Join with you, my friends, with earnest determination to tight for the cause of Lilteralism as hard as I can, following the great leader whom we honor and whom we expect after the next election to acclaim as Premier of the Dominion of Oanada. Mr. F. (jr. FouHKS, M.P., Queen's, N.S. :— I appear in this Convention a,B ex-o[/lcio a delegate from the county of Queen's, but I am also specially delegated by the Liberals in the Townships of Barrington and Shelburne on the south shore of Nova Scotia. These counties are more interested in the development of the natural resources of the country and the extension of free trade, especially with the United States, than almost any other part of Canada. I can enthusiastically endorse the resolutions now before the Convention, as I believe I am authorized to support any broad and fair measure of reciprocity, as well as all strong measures and resolutions for tariff reduction. I desire to read resolutions from the districts of Barring- ton and Shelburne, and to say that £ heartily endorsed the sentiments therein expressed on behalf of the people of the counties of Queen's and Shelburne : June aOth, 1893. From Shelburne, N.S. Shelburne Liberals wish you to represent th«'Mi at Convention. They endors'^ Mr. Laurier'a leadership. Want freest possible trade relations. Answer. GEORGE A. COX. Babrington, May 30th. —In conseiiuence of the extreme distance and the unusually busy season it was considered impracticable to send a delegate, hut it was resolved to ask Mr. F. (i. Forbes, M. P., for Queen's, to represent the Liberiils of the township and their wishes on the occasion mentioned. The Chairman and Secretary were instructed to say to Mr. Forbes as follows : — That for, and on behalf of this township, we beff to express a lively sense of our ap- preciation of the ability and worth of the Hon. Wilfrid Laurier, the esteemed leader of 90 the Lib-d alHerniitted to expresH their opinions at the polls, they will axHist with all their might to rid the Government of the country of such intolerable nuii>anceH as the Carons, the Haggarbs, and the Ouimets have proved them- selves to l>e. That tariff reform is in the air in this section of the country ; also that our people of all |)oliti(!al stripes are growing every day more and moid desirous of freer tr;ide— of liberty to buy where they can do so cheBi)e»t and to sell without restriction the products of their varied industries where the greatest e(|uivalent can be obtained ; and that the liberty should (mly be restricted by the abiolute necessities for revenue to defray honest, economical, pun- government, which alone can be reasonably hoped for from the great Lilxral party of Canada ; and that we re(|ueMt you to convey to the honored lemler and the Convention these our views herein expressed. The resolution was put and carried unanimously by standing vote. The Chairman: — I think it desirable that you should now consider whether you will now proceed with the business before the House or take a recess until eight o'clock. (Cries of " Adjourn, adjourn.") Is it your pleasure that we take a recess until eight o'clock ? (Cries of " Carried, carried.") The resolution is carried and the meeting stands adjourned un. til this evening at eight o'clock. SECOND DAY— EVENING SESSION. The Convention resumed its sitting at 8.30 o'clock, Hon. A. G. Blair presiding. The Chairman : — In common with you all, I regret the circumstancen which have delayed the commencement of the proceedings to-night until this hour. We cannot afibrd to delay longer, therefore we proceed to thw transaction of business. The first resolution placed before you will be upon the general subject of the corruption which has been practiced under the present administration. It will be moved by Hon. Mr. Longley, Attorney-General of Nova Scotia, and seconded by Hon. James Young, of Gait, Ontario, and will be spoken to by Mr. J. P. B. Casgrain, of Montreal, Mr. William Wilson, of York county. New Brunswick, and others. H A BATK, VliHi; Hon. -Secretary, (^tMMiUuMi 99 trust sees we It I cannot go on speaking. (Criei of " Go on, go on.") No, I am the Crown officer and I am bound to see that the laws are executed. This is the resolution : — That the Convention deplores the gross corruption in the ni.anagement and expendi- ture of public moneys which for years past has existed under the rule of the Conservative party, and the revelations of which by the different parliamentary committes of inquiry have brought disgrace upon the fair name of Canada. The Government, which profited politically by these expenditures of public moneys of which the people have been defrauded, and which, nevertheless, have never jxinished the guilty parties, must be held responsible for the wrongdoing. We arraign the Gov- ernment for retaining in office a Minister of the Crown proved to have accepted very large contributions of money for election purposes from the funds of a railway company, which, while paying the political contributions to him, a member of the Government, with one hand, was receiving Government subsidies with the other. The conduct of the minister and the approval of his colleagues after the proof be. came known to them are calculated to degrade Canada in the estimation of the world and deserve the severe condemnation of the people. I hope that from one end of this Dominion to the other, whatever may have been the discouragements of the past, there is now enough of public sentiment, enough regard for public morality, enough esteem for liberty and the public welfare, to so arouse the people as to sweep from power those who, engaged as public servants, have been false to their trust, and to warn others that they must not dare to violate these great and solemn obligations. Hon. James Younq : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I came to this Convention as one of the rank and file and, as thousands of other dele- gates have done, to endeavor to do something, however humble, to restore the prosperity of Canada. From the resolutions already adopted, as well as from others which are about to be proposed, I am convinced that we have a capital platform, one upon which every true Liberal throughout the Dominion can stand. But, good as that platform may be, it will be useless unless it is the means of driving the present corrupt and incapable Government from power. It affords me great pleasure to second the resolution, and the first thing which strikes rae in regard to it is that, however it may have been with the Conservative party, the Lib- erals of the Dominion have never had cause to blush for their leaders. Although individuals may have made mistakes sometimes, under great provocation from the tactics of their opponents, the Liberal party as a whole, and I can speak specially of the party in Ontario, has been true to the principles of pure and honest government, and the leaders? chosen from time to time have been worthy of a party holding such exalted principles. They have been men of great ability and high personal character, men whose aims were high, whose lives were pure, and whose hands were clean. We had ? *oh leaders in Lafontaine, in Brown, in Dorion, in Blako, in Alexander Mackenzie, and it is noteworthy that Quebec, which in the past gave us two great leaders in Lafontaine and Dorion, has now given 100 us a third in the person of Mr. Laurier, who, by his talents, his upright- ness and his eloquence, is the peer of any of his predecessors. The present position reminds me of the time when (I was then a mere lad) the majorities of Ontario and Quebec were united in a solid phalanx to uphold Liberal principles under Baldwin and Lafontaine, and history seems about to repeat itself. So close was the union at that time that when Mr. Lafontaine was defeated in Lower Oanada, he was elected for one of the ridings of York near Toronto, and should the time ever come, though I do not think it ever will, that Mr. Liurier should suffer dsfeat in Quebec, I feel sure the Liberals of Ontario will offer him the choice of a dozen different seats. In discussing the corruption of the present Dominion Government I am called upon, like the Israelites of old, to make bricks without straw, for how is it possible to treat such a subject in ten minutes? I feel like old Jake, a character in a Western village badly given to swearing. The boys decided to play him a trick one day. As he was driving up a hill with a load of pumpkins, they quietly slipped out the backboard, and the old man turned round to find his pumpkins rolling down the hill, one after another. For a moment he seemed speech- less, but as the boys called out, "Jake, why don't you swear V he drew himself up and called out, " Boys, no language could do justice to this occasion I " Many of the administrative acts of the Canservative party have been proven to be corrupt, and it is not too much to say that cor- ruption has never been so extensively and openly practised in Canada as it has been since they took office in 1878. The Public Works Depart- ment has been proven to be a sink of corruption. To get rid of the odium they have thrown one Jonah overboard, and there is another now in Paris who will likely have to go. The Augean stable, however, cannot be cleansed in that way, and may I not parody the old lines and say : " You may break, you ma^ ruin the vase if you will, But the scent of corruption will linger there still." The Government have spent large sums in public works, particularly in building railways of a local character, to secure political support. Not a few of these works would not have been undertaken had they not been required to secure the return of Conservative candidates, and so openly has the corrupt system been practised of late years, that even post-offices costing fifteen thousand dollars have been erected in small villages, whose total revenue does not exceed four hundred dollars. Besides millions spent on political railways, the Government has made the Senate a mere instrument to help to keep themselves in office. Senatorships have prac- tically been bartered for political support, either to ambitious outsiders or to defeated politicians. What could be more absurd than that, after the people have declared they will not re elect an unfaithful representative, even for five years, the First Minister can, by a few strokes of his pen, make the rejected person their representative for life ? I do not charge all of them, but it has been proven that some of the ministers have bled public contractors as they have never been bled before. The recent inves- 101 tigations made by Parliament proved that contractors with the Public Works Department in one case obtained nearly one million of dollars fraudulently from the public chest, and not a little of this large sum went into the Conservative election funds. This is not mere hearsay. I am confident I am correct in saying that the accountant of the Govern- ment himself s^vore that the sum practically stolen from the public chest in this single instance amounted to no less than $987,000. Mr. Chair- man, either the Government knew that this was going on or they did not. If they did not know it they were incompetent ; if they did know it they were corrupt. In either case they deserve to be driven from power. The most corrupt man mentioned in English political history is Sir Robert Walpole. On one occasion he was charged in the House of Commons with corruption. He promptly rose in his place, pointedly denied the allega- tions, and demanded an investigation by Parliament. But how do the members of our present Conservative Ministry act ? When the Opposi- tion made their charges of corruption against Sir Adolphe Oaron, when they produced proofs of his guilt in the shape of facsimiles of the numer- ous receipts given in connection with corruption moneys, did he or his col- leagues, like Walpole, demand investigation by a Parliamentary Com- mittee 1 No, they not only refused that, although the large majority of the Committee were their own. friends, but they actually altered the charges so as to take the sting out of them, and then sent them to what, I do not hesitate to say, was a partisan tribunal appointed by themselves. My time is up, and I will only add, in the language used by Sir John Macdonald on a memorable occasion : The Governmnnt is steeped to the lips in corruption. And if the electors wish to preserve their own honor, if they do not desire the good name of Canada to become a by-word and a reproach, they will rise in their might at the next election, drive the Tories from office and give us a Liberal Government under Mr. Laurier, which, I hope, will remain in power for the next twenty years. The Chairman : — I have now much pleasure in calling upon Mr. J. P. B. Casgrain, President of the Montreal Young Men's Liberal Club. Mr. J. P. B. Casorain, Montreal : — Mr. Chairman, and fellow-electors of the Dominion of Canada : As I passed by the Chairman he kindly said to me, " You have only five minutes." And yet I am asked to speak to no less a resolution than one deploring the corruption of the Tory administration. How can I do justice to that subject in five minutes 1 It would take a cycle of time to relate even one tithe of the records of corruption of that party. You have heard Mr. Tarte — a man whom Canada knows well and honors — state that when he was divulging to the public of this country the scandals of this administration, he was offered for his silence and refused what every honest man should refuse under such circumstances, position and money. When we consider the corrup- tion of that party, I say we should require a lifetime indeed to speak of it as we should to the Liberals of Canada. And, Gentlemen, let me tell you that these scandals are cropping up all the time. In the city of Montreal, 102 and I am proud to have now the honor of speaking for the Liberals of Montreal who have not been heard thus far this evening, one of these scandals is even now under investigation Th-it latest scandal, I was com- missioned, with a confrere of mine, to investigate ; I refer to the corrup- tion and dishonesty just being brought to light in connection with the building of the Ourran bridge. So glaring is the scandal, that Mr. Haggart himself thought it wise and judicious to adpoint a commission of inquiry. You may judge of the magnitude of the steal and the imp)«ibility of keeping it dark when the Minister, whom we thought lost to all sens^ of shame in public affivirs, actually felt compelled to order a public investiga- tion. I was commissioned as a professional man, a civil engineer, to appear and give expert evidence before that commission. And I have to report to this memorable gathering that though my colleague and myself presented ourselves day after day before that commission, we were invariably denied the right, as citizens, a.s British subjects, of giving evidence on a public question. I have been refused the right of looking into the plans and the contracts. When, therefore, you find the very commissioners appointed to hold a public commission and investigation themselves denying the public access to these public documents, you may jadt»e for yo irs'ilv^s tho nature of their inquiry, I see on this platfotm leading men, members of Parlia- ment, who will not be similarly denied when they demand access to these papers on the floor of Parliament. I believe that these men may be trusted to see that a regular investigation shall take place, when it will be proven that that work has cost the Dominion of Oanada, has cost us as citizens of the Dominion, more than thrice what it should have cost. But, Gentlemen, there have been many bye-elections, and as you know, bye- elections have become very expensive to the Conservative party. Money had to be raised, and that is the reason why the Government gave the con- tract to a well known Montreal contractor, giving him no less authority than to employ an unlimitel number of laborers ; and, though he was j)aid a stipulated price, he paid the laborers only the regular wages, and charged the Government with the contract price. I do not lay the blame so much on the contractor, but I lay the blame on the Governm^^nt, and I take issue with the Government on that subject. The Government had no right to pay the contractor sixty per cent, more for labor than the laborers received from him. Gentlemen, I am reminded that I have only one minute more. Let me tell you that corruption has taken effect from one end of the country to the other, but that the electors are at last awake to this fact. We have seen signs of that awakening in L'Islet, and later, since the vicious character of the Government's policy and the corruption of their administration have been more fully exposed, we have seen the county of N'^Hudreuil return Mr. Harwood, who was on this platform this evening, by the unheard of majority for Vaulrcuil of 196 votes In these two counties the Conservatives had the help of a swarm of public contractors, who spent nrtb their money and their time, and, when the Government cinnot keep two counties in the bye-elections, where will thoy be when the general 103 of saue to ■ed ore. the "act. the leir eep ?ral election comes on 1 Particularly when, in contrast with them we can show for our leader a man against whose character not a single n'ordof reproach or even of suspicion has ever been uttered, and who can inspire us with the watchword spoken by one of the kings of old Frince to his followers : " Suivez toujours mon panache blanc vous le verrez toujours sur le chemin de I'honneur." Mr. WiixiAM Wilson, York County, New Brunswick : — Mr. Chairman, Ijadies and Gentlemen : I am a stranger, 1 presume, to most of those present. 1 have no great reputation, as have the majority upon this plat* form, to recommend me to you, but I can say that ever since 1 was able to form an opinion upon any public question, I have been a Liberal. I identified myself with the Liberal party because it gave to New Brunswick, my native Province, responsible Government, and wrung from the iron grip of the Tories of that Province recognition of the principle that gave to evtry young man, however obscure his birth or humble his parentage, the privilege of aspiring to the hi).'hest position in the gift of the country, if he had the necessary qualifications therefor ; because it gave us free educa- tion, because it gave us free franchise, by which every man is allowed to declare himself on public questions according to the dictates of his own conscience. It was the ado})tion of Liberal principles that lifted the people of New Brunswick to the dignity of citizenship, and gave to it a position of prominence among the colonies of the Empire. When the great move- ment for the confederation of the British North American Colonies was begun, the Liberal party gave it their support, because they believed that it would consolidate those colonies, and build up, perhaps, a greater Britain on this side of the Atlantic ; and if the effect of the accomplishment of that great movement has been disappointing, this result has been due more than anything else to the corruption which has characterized the adminis- tration of the Tory party ever since they came into power. It is stamped upon their railway policy. No man who has the interests of the Dominion at heart could object to the expenditure of public money for railway con- struction to develop the resources of the country. That is one thing ; but it is a very different thing to take public money and aive it to railway con- structors in such sums, as not only to enable them to build the roads, but to buy up constituencies to keep the Government in power, to become rich, cross the Atlantic, and become members of the House of Lords of Great Britain. It is stamped upon the legislation which they have placed upon the statute books, as is evidenced by the provisions of the iniquitous Franchise Act which has placed the electorate in the hands of the Govern- ment and has been used as a means to thwart the public will, as in the case of Mr. King of Queen's County, who, although elected by the [)eople several times, was not allowed to take his seat. The Government simply told the returning otHcer not to return King. Corruption is .itamped upon their every act, until the name of Canada has became a by-word and a reproach among the nations of the earth. And, when an investigation is called for, and it has been established before a tribunal appointed by these 104 people themselves, that they have taken public money to keep themselves in power, we see the people's representatives voting canfidence in the very men who have robbed the country that they may still rule. This is cerCainly a disgrace, and can only be explained upon the principle of the verdict of a juiy in favor of the man who was accused of stealing a hog. His guilt was clearly establiahod, so that even his counsel thought there was no chance of an acquittal. But the jury brought in a verdict of " not guilty." When the accused man was asked by his lawyers to explain so strange a verdict, the reply was : — "There's not a man on that jury but had a piece of that hog." Sd it must be with the representatives of the people who can be induced to exonerate Ministers of the Crown who have been proved guilty of gross corruption. They must have shared in the spoils. The only hope there is for the people of this Dominion is to hurl the present Government from power and place men in control of affairs whose purity of character is an assurance of honesty in their administration. I hope the holding of this Convention is only the beginning of the end, and that the time is not far distant when the con-solidated Liberal sentiment of this Dominion directed against the present administration will hurl it from power, and then, and not until then, in my opinion, will our people, un- trammelled by hostile tariffs, iniquitous legislation, mal-adniinistration, extravagance and corruption, be enabled to place this Dominion in its proper position among the nations. The Chairman : — I have the name of another gentleman to mention to you specially, Mr. H. J. Cloran, of Montreal. Mr. H. J. Clorak, Montreal: — Mr. Chairmin and Gentlemen: I must confess that it is not a pleasant task for a young Canadian to be obliged to address a public assemblage so important as this upon corruption recognized as an existing evil in the administration of public affairs. It is a regrettable thing that the people of this young and ambitious country should be called upon so soon to pronounce upon an issue of this kind. But, unfortunately, this evil which is eating at the vitals of the body politic cannot be ignored more than can a similar disease in the human body. The cautery must be applied. And what will history say concerning Canada during the regime of Tory administrations ? A country's standing is largely judged by the prosperity of its people and reputation of its public men. What is to-day the prosperity of the people of this country 1 Is it the stock of the cotton kings, the iron dukes, or the sugar barons, or do we look for it in the homes of the farmers and workingmeu ] Our stocks may have gone up, but so have the mortgages upon the farms of this country. The condition of the ptople at large is not such as to justify the conclusion that this country has been properly governed. The N.P. was to have given us National Prosperity and National Progress. But instead of these we have had to endure National Poverty and National Peculation. These are the N.P.'s that have developed during the last fifteen years. The National Policy has had the effect of turning the wealth of the nation into the greedy liands of the monopolist ; it is a huge seive through which the wealth of JAMES SUTHERLAND, ES<,>., M.P., North Oxkoko, Ontario— Chairman General Committee of AnanKementn. of 105 the nation drops to the few, while the dregs remained for the many. The Natiotal Policy has created the Red Parlor at Toronto, where the iron dukes, and the coal barons, and the cotton kings meet to yio'd to the administration a share of the wealth which they have obtained through the tariff maintained by the administration, [t has created the shanties those dens of thieves, where the men who had only their daily labor to support them met and drank whiskey, champagne and brandy at the expense of the public. These are the results of this adminiatration which is corrupt to the core. Not only has it affected the character of the people, but it has affected the character of our public men. Under the National Policy our public men have been encouraged and taug-ht to plunder the public treasury by the million, and the same influence teaches the po)r workingman on the public works to steal a loud of wood. The minister Htoals the million, and is condemned by the House. A Langevin goes down, a Rykert goes down, a McGrevty goes down. And now within the last few weeks we learn that half a million, probably even three-quarters of a million, have been squandered on a small canal bridge in the city of Montreal. From end to end of this Dominion the public works have been used as an excuse for s^juandering uselessly large sums of money which should have remained in the treasury, or better still should never have been collected from the people. Such a record is one that should be condemned in a meeting of this kind. Such a record should be placed before the people of this country who should be asked if they are prepared to send again to Parliament men who carry out a system which is degrading our public life and making our people poorer and poorer every day. The resolution was put and unanimously carried. Fourth Resolution — Economy. The Chairman : — The next resolution willl be proposed by Mr. George O. Gibbons, of London, Ont., and will embrace the general subject of the economic administration of the Government. Mr. George Gibbons, Q.O.,London,Ont.: — Mr. Chairman and Gentle- men : I am glad my time is short, knowing as I do, that you do not need to be convinced with regard to the resolution which I have the honor to place before you, for the fact that you are here is proof that you have already been convinced of the truth of the principles advocated by the Liberal party, and about this one there is no dispute. The evidence you have had before you as citizens has convinced you, and you have come here from your farms and shops and offices impregnated with the truth of these principles and anxious to uphold them. I move the following resolution : — We cannot but view with alarm the large increase of the public debt and of the con trollable annual expenditure of the Dominion and the consequent undue taxation of the people under the Governments that have been continuously in power since 1878, and we clemand the strictest economy in the administration of the government of the country. lOG The only people who can afford to be extravagant are the meiiiberft of a protectioni.st (iovernnient. IJclioving, hb tlioy say they do, that the higher you put the taxes the bftter for the people, it is necessary and a blessing tha^ they should have an extravagant expenditure. In the Unitf;d States it was neceshary to have a pension list in order to get rid of the money taken from the people illegitimately by the tariff. If you feel that the tariff is a tax you will watch the expenditure, and it becomes necesHary for the (Jovernment to be economical. But if the people get it into their heads that the more tariff they have the better, they will allow the Government to collect nn enormous revenue and will encourage them to wahte it bj increasing the expenditure in a hundred witys that are wholly unnecessary. This Government have run up the annual expendi- ture, as you know, some thirteen millions since Mr. Mackenzie's time. They made a protective policy an excuse for making the tariff much higher upon goods not made in this country at all, and this enabled them to collect from the people immense sums of money which they have expended extravHfjantly. At the sam'^ time this hystem enabled them to arrange the tariff to benefit their friends so that the msnufacturers collect large sums from the people in respect of which the public treasury gets no benefit at all. This is not a case of mouldering branches ; the trouble is not in the branches but in the tree. The principle of protection, I am glad to say, this Convention has condemned — straight from the shoulder. Our enemies say we have no policy, but they have a policy and we know what it is ; it is to keep in office V)y bribing the constitu- encies, by making arrangements with contractors and manufacturers for the support of those classes. If we have no policy except to turn the ^a^cals out, that is a good policy to begin with. The resolution we have passed is a declaration that the Government is not there to interfere in trade or to enable certain people to rob the masses for their own benefit. We have a policy that has been defined specifically, and it is not necessary for me to discuss it. I wish to say that, coming from a western town, I rejoice to meet here such men as I have met, men like our noble lt>ader, Mr. Laurier, men like our Chairman here (Mr. Blair), Mr. Fielding and many others, and, meeting these men, I feel a greater pride in our common country which has produced them. We have not been discussing here what is better for England, France or the United States, but what is good for our own country, Canada, and Canada is good enough for me. My loyalty is first to my native land, and I am proud of the stand on that matter taken- by our leader. Whatever you may call him he is a Canadian, first, last and all the time. If we are ever to have a country we must have a Canadian natiouHl feeling ; we must have a love for our native land, Canada. We love Mr. Laurier because we know he is thor- oughly Canadian. He is not French because his ancestors were French any more than I am Irish because my father was Irish. One word more I want to say. This Convention is going to do good. We in London think we have a right to speak to you because we believe we have won tha 107 \ right to be conftidored amonj? your best fighters, and we have a represen- tativo after our own hearts in Mr. Hyman, your Hecrntary. Mr. Hvman is higher by far in the estimation of the people than if they hud knighted him. In fact we have a sort of suspicion in tlie Wild and Woolly West that th'-si) holderd of titles in Canada are a benighted lot at best. I want to ask you one thing and that is to go back to your consuituencies determined that there shall be some results from this (Convention. Keep up your organization, keep up your enthutiiasm. The right is on our side. We are not sent here by poopl<* who piid our way ; this is not a Convention of ottice seekers, but a Coiivimtion of the people, and no matter what they say about us, the Conservative ministers will begin to draw their salaries in advance from the rising ot this Convention. The Chairman : — The resolution will be seconded by Hon. CliflTord Sifton, of Manitoba. Hon Cliffokd Sikton, Attorney General of Mani oba : — Mr. Chair- man and Gentlemen : I am pleased to be here as the representative of the youngest Province of the Dominion, a young man myself to be in official life, to meet with the honored leaders of the Liberal |)arty, to listen to their deliberations and to learn wisdom in matters political, as well as to assure them of my support and of that of my brother Liberals in Manitoba. I found it somewhat difficult to make the time to come here, and only succeeded in arriving this morning in time to hear the results of the delib- erations and with no expectation of taking part to any great extent in the proceedings of the Convention. I fancy it is hard for us to realize how much importance is attached to the deliberati jna of this Convention by the people of Canada. Since it was annjunoed that Hon. Mr. Liurier purposed callinj^ a convention of the Liberals, wherever I have been I have met people, both Liberals and Conservative.-*, who have s-iid to me : I wonder what will be done at that Convention. I wonder whether a policy will be laid down that the people will endorde. I trust their deliberations may be wise. I believe [ am right when 1 say that there never was a gathering, certainly not since the father-i of Cjnfed'^ration met, to which the people have attaolied so much iinpirtaica as they di to the present Convention. I was pre:jent this morning wh-n th; (Jommittee on Resolutions wjre discussing the notion i placei before then and, I suppose, like all the o'.her members of the Committee, I found some things in the resolucions which I did not altogether a^rc;) with. Bat f am happy to say that, as presented to the ( 'on vention these resolutions express the concentrated wisdom of the Liberal party of Oanida, and they are ot such a character th\t we have no doubt the people of Canida will uphold and endorse them. Now, Mr. Chairman, I an called upon to second a resolution affirming again the Liberal principle of economy. I do not propose to lecture men who are my seniors in wisdo a as we!l as in years upon the necessity of economy in connection with the i^dministrati jn of public affairs, but I wish to call attention to this fact, that, as Liberals, we hivti the right to say that we are the exponents of economy. Our 108 opponents do not even pretend to be economical ; their principle is to get all the money they can from the people and distribute it amongst their friends. I was particularly impressed with one speech delivered here this evening, that of Mr. Davies, in which he spoke of the struggles the Lib- eral representatives have had in the Parliament of Canada since 1878. You look in vain through the history of Constitutional Government to find an opposition placed under such disadvantageous circumstances making so gallant a fight for the people who sent them there. I am proud to be a supporter of such men. And, not to take up more of your time, let me just say that I am glad to assure our leader that our young Province of Manitoba fought in the last election a gallant fight, though an unsuc- cessful one, and that we trust that the platform of a revenue tariff accom- panied by the promise of economy will enable us to send you a substantial delegation to the next Parliament of Canada. The Chairman : — I am glad to be able to tell you that Hon. Mr. Joly has consented to take the chair. Hon. 11. G. Joly assumed the presidency of the meeting and called upon Mr. Edmund Guerin, of Montreal, as the next speaker. Mr. Edmund Guerin, Montreal : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I am glad to have the opportunity of addressing this Convention in support of a resolution on behalf of economy. Those of you, Gentlemen, who have been living in a large city like Montreal, struggling against adver- sities caused by high taxes and monopolies and doing everything possible to uphold the banner of Liberalism against the exactions of the Tory party, do not require any long speeches upon the subject of economy. To be other than economical would soon lead to one being driven, a.« so many have already been, across the border to earn a living among the Yankees. If there is any argument needed to prove the truth and timeliness of this resolution you will find it in the motto upon that banner. Out of $7,000,000 of the products of manufacturers exported from this country, $1,500,000 was in the shape of household effects. That is an indication of the large number of men who established homes in this country and had to cross the border in order to earn bread for themselves and children. The exodus from Canada is only paralleled by the case of the Jews when they were compelled to go into the house of bondage, and the record tells us tha^ on the day they left they sang songs of their beautiful home, and wakened with the plaintive harp memories of the glories of the past. In the same way men born and brought up in this country are not anxious to leave their native land. Every one of us has dear friends and many have near relatives who have crossed the border, and who are now scattered over the United Rtates. Wherever you go in that country you meet Canadians, and I am glad to say that the Canadians over there still cher- ish the same love for their native land that we do. We have beard over and over again eloquent speeches upon the patriotism which every man has inherent in his nature. T h«\d a touching example of that in my own experience. Two years ago I travelled from Montreal, through the United 109 of of Stales to the Paci6c. In almost every place 1 visited I found old friends, dear friends of my boyhood, who had been obliged to cross the border. In the beautiful city of San Francisco, I remember well, in July two years ago, a number of Canadians were gathered together. We spent the evening talking about our native country In our number were some who were able to sing the old Canadian songs. One song we sang was " Vive la Canadienne," a song familiar to every Canadian and one to arouse his love for his native land. One who was there was an old man, who had said but little. He had lived in this country in his boyhood and had made a fortune in CAlifornia. But when he heard the beautiful song of his Fatherland, the tears dropped from his eyes, and he asked me all kinds of questions about this beautiful Canada of ours and of the changes in his own city of Montreal. This is only an illustration to show that no matter what may be said there is implanted in our hearts a love of this country. Not only do we love Canada, but even those who have crossed the borders and become residents under another flag have still the same feeling of love and regard for their native land. We must check this exodus by some means, and the only way is to make this country a cheaper country to live in than the United States. If we can accomplish that, instead of an exodus from Canada, we shall find an exodus from all the different parts of Europe into this country of men anxious to earn a livelihood for them- selves and their children. We must curtail the enormous expenditures which the Government of Canada has been making. We have just hid a great storm. Some tell me that even the heavens are applauding the eloquent speeches you have heard to-night. But there is a greater storm arising, a storm of public indignation which will drive from the Hill the iniquitous Government who have been depriving us of our property and preventing us from enjoying the fruits of our own labor. The Chairman : — I shall now call upon Dr. McLennan, of Inverness, Nova Scotia. Dr. Angus McLennan, Margaree, N, S.: — Mr. Chairman and Gentle- men : It affords me great pleasure, indeed, if only for five minutes, to address this great gathering. The peculiar circumstances under which I come before you adds greatly to the pleasure I have, inasmuch as I occupy much the same position as the eloquent and gifted gentleman from L'Islet (Mr. Tarte). In explanation I may say that I also sup- ported the Conservative party up to a late date. A few years ago I, in common with several others of my fellow countrymen, became of the opinion that the National Policy, which has a considerable bearing upon the resolution before us — for the Convention will agree with me when I say that it is this policy that has provided the funds for carrying out the corrupt and extravagant schemes of the Government — had survived iia usefulness. In following this line I am glad and proud to say that I am only following in the footsteps of men whose names are familiar as household words throughout Canada as men of distinguished reputa- tion not only in the world of politics but in the world of letters. A 1 no distinguished Nova Scotian, for some years resident in the Province of Ontario, declared a short time after the last Dominion election, that he who wished to rule the political destinies of this country must make up his mind that the National Policy had won its last victory. I believe, with this distinguished gentleman, that such is the case, I have believed it of late more than ever before, but never did I so fully believe it as after having witnessed this great gathering, which shows that public sen- timent has awakened to new life. 1 was glad of the privilege of being present for other reasons than that which I have indicated. I was glad of the opportunity to become better acquainted with the public men of Canada, and also to ascertain whether I could fairly and squarely stand upon the platform adopted by the Liberals of Canada. I am proud to tell you, Mr. Ohairman and Gentlemen, that I shall have no hesitation in going home and telling the people of Inverness that I have taken my stand upon the platform adopted here to-day, and that I intend to con- test the next election upon that platform. This leads me to a reminis- cence of the election of 1891 which bears directly upon the subject under consideration. The gentlemen running in the Liberal interest held a meeting, and I was present in the interest of the Government candidate. We have in our extensive county a French population of about six thousand, and it was in their district that the meeting was held. The Liberal candidate called upon these men to stand by him because he was going to vote to have a fellow countryman of theirs as leader of his party and Premier of Canada. I must say for Mr. Macdonnell, the can- didate, with whom many of you who are Parliamentarians are probably acquainted, for he sat in the House for ten or twelve years, that he said not one word too much when he praised the character of the Liberal leader. In reply I asked in what respect the Liberal leader was superior in character and standing to Sir Hector Langevin, Sir Adolphe Caron and others. Gentlemen, the Government polled every vote in that dis- trict. These men had the names of the French Conservative leaders before them, and at that time no serious suspicion had arisen. But, gentlemen, could I stand at a public meeting in that locality now and make a similar answer ? I could not, and that is one of the reasons why I am here with you to-night. There is another reason. It was well said by one of the speakers that the leading members of the Provincial Government were driven here by public opinion, and that no credit was due to them for being here. I say that I am in a measure pressed to be here by public opinion in Inverness, because the representative of the county in that House on yonder Hill, in speaking of the National Policy, declared that not a brick of that structure must be removed. The people of Inverness declare otherwise, and have sent me here to voice their views in this regard. Even the Government go farther in this direction than their very tame supporter from Inverness, and declare their willingness to pull bricks from the National Policy structure, and even ask the people which bricks to pull. I thank you most sincerely for your patient and kindly Ill hearing, and close by expressing a hope that on a future occasion I may meet some of you at least. 1 can make no more eloquent speech to you than to promise to do what I can to remove at least one brick from the present Government majority. If I can remove the member from Inver- ness from his seat I shall indeed have spoken eloquently to you. The Chairman : — We shall now have the pleasure of listening to Hon. H. R. Emmerson, New Brunswick. Hon. H. R. Emmerson, Chief Commissioner of Public Works, New Brunswick : — Mr. Chairman and Fellow Liberals : I did not come to this feast exactly with my wedding garments on, but I want it to be distinctly understood that I camo here in my true colors. I was born a Liberal and I have continued to be a Liberal, and I have a little matter to settle with the Tories, and that is the reason I came to this Convention. I took two knock downs from the Tory party and I thought it was due to myself aud to my fellow Liberals that I should come to this great gathering o.ud do what little I could to make out a statement of the principles of the Liberal party, in order that we may remove from power at the next election the corrupt administration of the day. I say I was born a Liberal, but I never until yesterday really appreciated what it meant to be a Canadian Liberal. You and I have heard for many years that the Liberal party was dead, but if that ever was so I think our honored leader is a perfect Gabriel to have called us to such a glorious resurrection at one trumpet blast. The 20th of June, let us say, is the resurrection day of the Liberal party, and the Tories will find that it is just the liveliest corpse they ever had any- thing to do with. Now, it is said that we have no platform, that we never had a platform. Down in the Province by the sea, where I come from, I have a little to do with the bridge cor'^racts, and very naturally observed the bridges along the route in travei!-ig up to this Convention. I was pleased to see that the people of Quebec have some very fine bridges, I hope that we in New Brunswick may have as fine before many years But we here have constructed a bridge in our declaration of principles, that will carry us across the chasm into power on the Hill yonder. Our honored leader will be the first man to cross and we will follow him. Jiut I want to know this — if we have no platform, tell me, pray, what is the platform of the Conservative party 1 A Voice : — Plunder. Hon. Mr. Emmerson : — I admit that plunder has been the chief foun- dation, but I mean as to fiscal questions, what is their policy today 1 Some reference was made to the children of Israel. I have read a little about them. I cannot repeat the Scriptural names, but if you will look in the book of Numbers you will see it stated that the Israelites pitched their tents at this place, that they departed thence and pitched their tents somewhere else, and thus it was all through the two and forty journeys of the children of Israel. So it is with the Conservative party, they pitched their tents in Protectionism and the next election they camped at Pretended Reciprocity, and I would like some one to tell me where they ■1 112 have pitched their tents tqday. Listen to one minister and you will think they are in favor of protection. Listen to another, and you would think they wanted tariff reform. Nowhere is this encampment fixed. Somebody said they would steal our clothes. If they ever do it will only be to use them as overalls, to be cast off after the dirty work of deceiving the electors is completed. Neither you, Mr. Chairman, nor anybody in this hall can tell what the platform of that party is, or is going to be. To-day as I stood yonder by the City Hall watching the display made by the firemen, two gentlemen stood by. They were both great Conserva- tives and, no doubt, they both hold good fat offices. They were talking about the great assemblage of Liberals in town. One said, " They are here in great numbers, but they have not driven me to the woods yet." " Why," said the other, " we will have the laugh on them yet, we will steal their thunder." There was one man who certainly did not know what the Conservatives' own thunder would be. None of them know. I can best illustrate their position by a story. Some of you may have heard it, but the idea will b'jar repeating even if the story won't, There was a gentleman who had a Jersey bull, and it was a rather refractory animal. He wanted to tame the bull. He tied a rope around its neck, the other end being attached to his own waist the better to control the animal. He didn't know much about Jersey bulls. Then he led it out into the fields For a moment the bull looked round and sniffed. Then he took it into his head to have a little gambol, and started off through the fields. The man was at the other end of the rope, mind you. Sometimes he was on the ground, and sometimes he was in the air. A friend came along that way, and observing the speed of the man's movements, he asked, " Hallo, Jones ! Where are you going V The answer was, •' I don't know ; ask the bull ! " The Tory party don't know where they are going. If you want to know ask the monopolist bull. My time must be more than up and I shall therefore — (Cries of " Go on, go on.") See here, we didn't come here to talk. For my part I came here to hear others, and I have had more pleasure in listening to the young men from every section of this Domin- ion than from anything else in this Convention. I wanted especially to hear the young men, for in then -^re centered the hopes of the Liberal party. I know they will be guided by the wiser heads. I know they are willing to accept advice, and I feel that we shall have that advice I find myself talking to you as if I were a young man. I sometimes feel that I am. Indeed, I know that I am a young man in years, but I am rather old in politics, having run six elections in six years. Therefore, if I choose, I feel that I can talk to you as an old man. We have a platform in which we can take pride ; we have a leader whom we can honor. I can say this for the people of the Maritime Provinces. He came down to see us a year or two ago, and we were charmed by his manner and by his eloquence. But there were other things that recommended him. His life, which has been above reproach, his name, which is the watchword of honor and integrity throughout the Dominion ; and if there is an exem- ■Tl'T'V I -I- |„ WILLIAM GIBSON, p:S(,)., M.l'., Lincoln and Niagara, Ontahio— Chairman, Committee on Transportation.. 113 plar to whom the yoang men of this country, and especially those who aspire to poRitions in political life, can look with confidence, he is to be found in the leader of the Liberal party. But it is not to him alone that we can look in that way. Sweep your eye around and look at our leaders from all the Provinces. Where can you find their equals 1 The Tory party cannot produce them. But it is not upon our leaders alone that we have to rely for the future of the Liberal party, but upon the sierred ranks of men who, by virtue of their comin;; here from the ends of the Dominion, have shown that there is in them loyalty to the true principles of Liberalism. They have come at their own expense. They are here as patriotic citizens, and as loyal citizens ; loyal, it is true, to our Queen, but above all and over all, loyal to Canada. The Chairman :— I have now the honor of calling upon Mr. Edward Halley, of Montreal. Mr. J. W. Shaw, Toronto ; — I desire to ask a <|uestion, Mr. Chairman. Do you intend finishing to-night 1 Hon. Mr. Fieldin(i : — Yes ; that seems to be the general wish. Mr. Shaw : — If you expect to finish to night, then you cannot have so many speakers upon one subject. The Chairman : — This is the last speaker upon this resolution. Mr. Shaw : — There are other questions to come up and I hope you will allow an equally long time for the consideration of them. Mr. Edwabd Halley, Montreal : — I think it would be wrong for me to weaken the effect of the eloquent remarks of the last speaker by any extended observations of my own. I did not expect to be called upon, but, as one of the official representatives of Montreal Centre, 1 was glad to hear Mr. Guerin speak. We have probably the hardest district in Canada to fight. We have a district in which the great manufacturing interest of Canada are centered, and you can understand that we have put in many a hard night's work to try to win that district for the Liberal party. Under these circumstances you can readily understand that this Convention will be a help and an inspiration to us. Each and every one of us will leave this Convention convinced that we have seen the greattst meeting in the history of political parties in Canada. But, while you are listening to the great speakers, remember, Gentlemen, that your duty does not cease with attending this Convention. You are bound to do all you can to inculcate in the public mind the principles which here you have decliired. You are bound to strike out from the shoulder, to prove to our opponents that we have more than words to aid us, that we have energy aud determination to fight for the principles for which we have fought all our lives. The resolution was put and carried unanimously. Fifth Resolution — For Responsible Government. The Chairman : — The next resolution will be presented by Hon. David Mills. 8 (c.) 114 Hon. David Mills, ex-Mininter of the Interier, M.P., Bothwell : — Mr, Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : I shall solicit your attention but for a tew moments in discussing the resolution put into my hands. The resolutions that have been submitted to you may be divided into two classes, in fact they so divide themselves ; one class referring to the ad- ministration of the affairs of the country in the proper sense, the other class to the character of the machine by means of which that work is to be carried on. It is to the second class that this resolution belongs. In every business in life, if we are to have work well done, it is necessary that the appliances with which that work is carried on shall be of the beat possible character. Now, there is perhaps no system of Government in the world which so well accomplishes the end of good Government as tiie British parliamentary system, when in the hands of men honest in their intentions, and desirous of giving that system a fair trial. Of course we are much more interested in material questions than in questions of a constitutional character when our objections are purely theoretical ; but we should never forget, that the long experience of the Mother Ooiuitry, in matters of Parliamentary Government, shows that every rule and every principle that appertains to the system is of const quence and never can be safely departed from, nor can such departure, without danger to the State, be permitted. One of the complaints we make agi^inst our political op- ponents is that they have departed very widely from the system of Par- liamentary Government which has grown up in England, which we have here copied, and of which they profess to be the special guardians in this country. I say " profess " advisedly. If they had anything like the re- gard for that system which they profess, they never would have degraded it as they have done by tiie many extraordinary departures from its prin- ciples which have characterized the career of their jjarty. Now, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, when mistakes are made in this regard, we must go back to first principles, and there is no principle in Parliamentary Government, better establi.shed than this one — that, in the administra- tion of public affairs, and especially in the expenditure of moneys entrusted to the advisers of the Crown, the House of Commons, the members of which are elected by the people, shall exercise a strict and careful super- vision. The House of Commons never undertakes the work of adminis- tration ; it could not do so in the public interest, but it would be derelict in its duties if it failed to exerci.se a careful supervision over the conduct of the administration, and to call them to account whenever necessary. One of the complaints we make against the Government is that the moneys voted by Parliament for one purpose have been used for another and dif- ferent purpose ; and, when an investigation is demanded to prove this charge and an attempt is made to condemn the guilty parties, the Govern- ment by a departure from sound constitutional rules and principles shielded those who have offended, because the administration in most in- stances profited by this misconduct on the part of one or more of its mem- bers. The Government has said and the Government press has said, in 115 super- minis- erelict !onduct essary. moneys md dif- /e this overn- nciples osb in- 8 mem- aid, in defence of this conduct, that there was a statute of Parliament which authorizes the appointment of a royal commission to inquire into all mat- ters relating to public affairs. Sir^ there is such a statute. For what purpose does it exist 1 Is it to enable the members of the Government to inquire into their own conduct 1 That is supposed to be known to them, if they are in full possession of their rational faculties. This statute is to enable them to inquire into the conduct of their subordinates for whom they are responsible to the public, and to faciliate their work in exercising supervision over the conduct of those subordinates. But such power is never used in the Mother Country for the purpose of inquiring into the conduct of ministers themselves. The first abuse of this kind that occured under this pretense of Parliamentary Government was the case of the Pacific Scandal. The two parties were divided on that, and the adminis- tration, to shield themselvas, proposed a royal commission appointed by themselves to inquire into their own conduct, and to report to them so as to enable them to advise the Governor-General what to do to the ministers who gave the advice. I have only to state the case to show how preposter- ous it was. We insisted upon the supremacy of the House of Commons, and upon the responsibility of the ministers to that House. W e insisted upon the well established parliamentary rules that a committee of the House of Commons should inquire into matters of public expenditure when charges of misconduct were made. We were outvoted. An imper- fect investigation took place and even then sufficient evidence was disclosed to lead to the downfall of the administration. The Liberal administration did not renew that investigation and the general impression is that the failure to renew that investigation and continue the inquiry into those charges was a blunder on the part of the leaders of the Liberal pirty of Canada. Now, Sir, you have had two cases since then. You have had the case of charges relating to Section B. of the Canadian Pacific Railway, when the Government refused all inquiries in any form whatever, and the charges against Sir Adolphe Caron, in reference to which they refused to consent to an investigation by a Committee of the House and insisted on an investigation by a commission appointed by the Government themselves. Well, Sir, the resolution put into my hands assarts the ancient Parliament- ary doctrine. The money voted by Parliament is the money of the people of this country. The House places at the disposal of the Crown certain sums of money for certain specified jjurposes, and if a wrong is done, or if a mistake is made, it is the business of Parliament to investigate the mat- ter, and to see whether the charges against the ministers are well founded or not. There is no other duty of the House of Commons so ancient ; there is no other duty of the House of Commons better eitablished. Well, Mr. Chairman, I am not going to trespass upon the indulgence of this Convention, but I wish to say that it is of the first consequence that we should keep before us clearly the fundamental princi|>le3 of our system of Goverment in order that abuses such as I have mentioned may not be practised with impunity in this country. If the people want 116 to govern we must adhere to these principles, which long experience in the Mother Oounlry has shown to be of paramount importance in the con- duct of public aflairs. I move: That the Convention regretH that by the action of MiniHters and their 8U|)|K)rterw in Parliament, in one case in whicii serioiiH chariest were made againnt a Minister of the Crown, investiffation waH altogether refused, while in another case the charges preferred were altered and tiien referred to a commission appointed upon the advice of the Min- istry con'.rary to the well settled practice of Parliament ; and this Convention affirms : That it is th«! ancient and undoubted right of the House of Commons lo in<|uire into all matters of public expenditure, and ntr> all charges of misconduct in office against Ministers of the C-own, and the reference of such matters to royal commissicms created upon the advice of the accused is at variance with the due responsibility of Ministers to the House of Commons and tends to weaken tiie authority of the House over the Kxecu- tive Government, and this Convention affirms that the, powers of the people's representa- tives in this regard should on all fitting occasions be upheld. Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure in submitting this resolution to this great Convention, not more because you take soecial interest in the case than because your representatives in Parliament feel that the main- tenance of the sound principle of government declared for in this resolu- tion is one of the essential conditions upon which alone good government can be maintained in this country. The CuMRMAN : — Hon Mr. Marchand was to have seconded this reso- lution, but as he has been obliged to leave I will call upon Mr. O. Demarais, M.P.P. Mr. O. Demarais, M.P.P., S. Hyacinthe (Translation ) : — He deemed it an honor to be called upon to second so important a resolution, especially when it was moved by so high an authority on constitutional law as Hon. David Mills. He recounted the struggles at the cost of which Responsible Government had been won. The essence of popular Government was that the representatives of the people should have control of public affairs and should alone be the judges of the conduct of ministers, as the people should alone be the judges of the conduct of their representatives. For the repre- sentatives of the people to delegate their duties in these matters to royal commissions was in clear violation of sound p.inciple. These commissions had served as a moans of white-washing political criminals who controL^d their nomination, and of doing injustice to the opponents of the Ministers. The system of appointment wa3 such as to bring the judges of the land into the political arena and thus to throw discredit upon the bench, against the public interest which required that the magistracy should not only be stainless, but also that it should be held in respect by the people. He hoped that the Liberal party, when it came into power would abolish this practice, and that the Province of Quebec would be treated constitutionally like the other Provinces. He demanded no more than justice. While the majority of the inhabitants of Quebec wore of French origin, they did not forget that they were subjects of the same Sovereign ; and, while they asked that their traditions and beliefs be respected, they were ready to march loy- IIT ally shoulder to shoulder with their oompatriots of a different origin toward thecommon goal, the prosperity of their common country. French-C^anadians were not fanatics ; they respected the beliefd of all and wished to live in harmony with all. The praises bestowed upon Mr. Laurier, their leader, had pleased his French-Oanadian compatriots, and they would rally roond him, because they were convinced that he would respect the Oonstitution and would show himself a worthy successor of Lafontaine and Baldwin, of Dorion and Mackenzie, whose mantle of leadership had worthily fallen upon his shoulders. The Ohairman : — I have pleasure now in calling upon Mr. F. L. Webb, Colborne, Ontario. Mr. F. L. Wbbb : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I wish I could speak to you with the tiuency of the gentleman who has just taken his seat, or with the constitutional authority of the gentleman who moved the resolution, but it is not necessary for me to attempt either and thus take up your time by any further reference to this resolution, for it seems to have met with the unanimous approval of all present. I can and do gladly support every plank of the platform which has been so carefully prepared by our formost statesmen and which is now being so freely discussed and unanimously approved by this immense Convention. I am from East Northumberland, and, as one of the younger representatives, am prepared to sit here and learn from our tried and experienced leaders what is necessary to be done to further the cause of good and honest government. Before I left home I was spoken to by many who have never heard the talented and able leader of the Liberal party, and they made me promise that I would not return without endeavoring to get a promise from him to speak in our con- stituency. The people there are only waiting to see him and hear him in order to honor and love him as the representative men from all parts of the Dominion here assembled already do. I feel sure that if our honored leader can arrange to make a tour through Ontario, so that the people can become acquainted with him, that fact alone will insure his success and the success of the Liberal party at the next election. I had formed an idea of my own before coming here as to the importance of this Convention — I expected it would be a great convention — but it has far exceeded anything I had imagined. The representative character of the meeting and the enthusiasm and unanimity of those in attendance far surpass anything I had allowed myself to hope for. If this meeting can be taken as any criterion of the feeling throughout the Dominion, it certainly augurs well for the campaign of which this is a commencement. The banner before you says, " Laurier expects every man to do his duty," and if we are true to that I am sure the Liberal party will carry the Dominion upon this platform and under his leadership. Mr. C. W. OouLTKR, Cayuga, Ont., ex-M.P., Haldimand : — Mr. Chair- man and Gentlemen: As it i:s so late and as we are in the closing hours of the Convention, it would be wrong for me to take up unnecessary time. Let me say, however, that I sympathize with the resolution. Some may say that 118 it is amorequflstion of aentiment, but we mu.st retneinber that nohln senti- ments do not perish, but live to inspire to noble actions. When wo re- member that the bysteni of parliamentary government under which we live has been won at the cost of the lives and liberty of many of thu noblest citizens of Canada and of the noblest citi^'ens of England, it becomes uh to learn how to guard our heritage against destructive innovations Huch as that of royal conunissioiiH to investigate charges against ministers, the commissi appointed and the charges framed by the ministers themselves. Tiie p. ciple of Uesponsible Government is that the ministers shall be rcbponsible to the representatives troely elected by the people, and if we allow this principle to be impaired we are false to the record of the true Liberals in every stage of hiatory. We should be false to the metnory of thi greit and noble men whose names you see inscribed upon that banuer, Papineau, Baldwin, Lafontaine, Dorion, Brown and Mackenzie, did v/e allow the privileges of the House of Commons to be impaired by a partis m admini- stration. There is a name that I think should be upon that scroll the name of William Lyon Mackenzie, who, I am proud to say, was my predecessor in representating the constitutiency in which I live. He was the man who fought the principle of responsible governraeut in Canada, and exposed even his life to danger, in order to defeat the Family Compact and bring about Responsible Government. Having the example of such men, who showed the courage of true Britons and true Canadians, we should V ^ arrant cowards did we not guard the rights which they have gained for at such terrible cjst to themselves. We are not obliged to expose lives to danger. Our lot has fallen to us in much more pleasant times, anu all that it is necessary for us to do is work on earnestly, making known the truth, and to be ready at the proper time to mark our ballots so as to assure the success of our principles and of our noble leader. The resolution was put and carried unanimously. Sixth Resolution— The Land kor the Settler. The Chairman : — The sixth resolution relates to the disposal of public lands, and will be moved by Hon. Robert Watson, of Manitoba. Hon. Robert Watson, Commissioner of Public Works, Manitoba : — Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : I have had placed in my hand a resolution, the terms of which may be new to some of you. It is brought forward now for the purpose of again placing ourselves before the country, and to remind the people that this is a policy that we have advocated for years, for we are not like the Tories, camping in different plaues ; we stay with the same principles always. lam glad to present such a resolution to this great gathering, the grandest political gathering, I believe, ever held in Canada. This is the resolution : — That in the opinion of this Convention the sales of public lands of the Dominion should be to actual settlers only, and not to speculators, ujian reasonable terms of settle- ment, and in such areas as can be reasonably occupied and cultivated by the settler. no Now, I occupy a position Homowhat Nimilar to that of Hon. Mr. Daviea, who addressed you this afternoon. He told you that on his first election to the House of Commons, he was entrusted with the moving of a resolution on the subject of reciprocity and that he had the pleasure of bringing a similar resolution now V)efbre this Convention. I entered Parliament about the same time as Mr. Daviea did, and the first time I addressed the House it was my duty to speak on the very question covered by the resolution 1 have read to you. This giving the lands to the actual settlers in the North- west is not a mere provincial matter, not a matter that relates to the Northwest alone, but a matter which interests the whole Dominion. We have room there for millions of people. We have, I can safely say, the finest agricultural country in the world. Everybody knows that we grow there the wheat that makes the finest flour in the world. We labor under some disadvantages on account of our distance from the market, but the superiority of our soil and the peculiar fitness of our climate for the grow- ing of the No. 1 Hard enable us to overcome the disadvantage of the long haul. Of course we are placed at a great disadvantage by the policy of the corrupt Government now in power, by the system of mono- polies which they have established. We in the West have to thank the Liberals of the East for the support tluv gave u.s in fighting the system of railway monopoly, compelling the Government in 1888 to yield the point and allow us competition in railways. We have even a greater disadvantage than that of railway freights in this accursed tariff" which has borne so heavily on the settler. I am free to admit that with us many of the people are hard up. How could it be otherwise inder such a system '', I have no hesitation in saying that if the money un tly taker* from the pockets of the people were returned, every man would be able to pay oti' his debts and have some- thing to his credit in the bank. We have no use for protection in the Northwest, for nothing is raised in price for the benefit of the farmer, but on everything he buys he has to i)ay extra on account of the tariff. Therefore we want the freest possible trade. I have been very much pleased with this Convention. I am a mechanic myself and understand something about manufacturing implements, and I know that the manufacturers of Canada are not the monopolists that may make them out to be. We have proof before us that there are good and true men among these manufacturers, and I am proud to see these gentlemen stand on this platform to declare that all they ask is a fair field and no favor. The manufacturers, to my knowledge, are hampered on account of this restrict! /e policy, because they have to pay excessive duties upon their raw materials, and so they have to charge higher prices. Many of them are not rich. If they could get all the money exacted from the people they might be well off, bat we must remember that there is a Red Parlor in Toronto. We know th it the Tories can't run an election without a fund, and they get that fund from the monopolists. They go into the Red Parlor and meet there the Tory leaders, who say to them : We have passed a law which enables you to get high prices ; we have licensed you to rob the people and we want a portion of 120 that plunder ; we have made you fat, now we will just put yoa in the frying; pan and fry a little of that fat out of you, to grease the planks on which we expect to slide into power again. The hour is lat'i and we expect to close business to-night. I think we would m%ke a great mistake if we d'd not do SC'. We have had a grand timo. So far as the lands in the Northwest are concerned, I do not think there can be two opinions as to how they should be disposed of. In 1882 millions of acres were locked up in the hands of speculators, land companies and railway companies We did not particularly object to land grants being made to railway companies to build roads through that country, but, as is well known, the Liberals contended that if so granted, the grants should be accompanied with certain conditions which would prevent the land being put beyond the reach of the actual settler. The whole Dominion is interested in that country, and it is to the interest of the people of Canada that it should be filled with settlers. We are spending large sums of money on immigration, and I can tell you that if we had free trade in Manitoba we should have thou- sands and hundreds of thousands without spending a dollar to get them there. What the people of Manitoba want is a fair field and no favor. As it is now we are compelled to sell our produce in the markets of the world, and then we have to turn round and buy our supplies in a protected market. We are hampered just as the manufacturer is hampered. We are taxed both on what we produce and on what we buy. Talk about prices, we cannot increase prices in the markets of the world ; but we can lessen the cost of production, and that is the same thing to the producer. I have great pleasure in submitting this resolution and I have no doubt it will be carried unanimously. I trust that in this next election every man will be found loyal to the motto, " Laurier expects every man to do his duty." Laurier is entitled to expect every man to do his duty. We have heard to night about the corruption of this administration, but we have at our head a man who has occupied a public position for over a quarter of a century, and not yet has any man dared to charge him with corruption in word or deed. The Chairman : — The resolution will be seconded by Hon. James H. Ross, of the Northwest Territories. Hon James H. Ross, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I consider it an honor to the Territories from which I come and to myself that I should have been selected to second this or any motion before this Convention, and that it is especially an honor to me to be associated, as I am in this resolution, with that stalwart Liberal, Robert Watson, of Manitoba. No man has done greater service for Manitoba than has Mr. Watson ; no name is more respected in the Northwest than his. I suppose I was selected to second this resolution because it was thought that a Liberal who would come two thousand miles to be present at this ('onvention must be in earnest ; then, coming from that portion of Canada which is most directly affected by this repolutiop. 'o affect the balance of the vote in the riding. If the revising officer is not ruled by conscience, who can prevent the falsification of the lists. In a country like ours the rulers should avoid placing in the hands of political adver- 125 an y is be leir leir the mds the 1 garies the power of decision on a matter so sacred as the right of the suffrage. Every man who can be compelled to pay taxes to the State has the light to give a vote upon the disposal of those taxes and he has a right to censure or approve the administration of the g )vernment and no authority has the right to prevent him. But this is what has alieady hap- pened in consequence of the present law. The Government arrogated to itself the power not to have the lists revised in 1889 and again in 1890, and then it suddenly brought on the elections of 1891, so that thousands of intelligent young patriots were deprived of the right to say what they thought of a government the most extravagant and most corrupt that we have ever had. We understand perfectly why the Government refuses to modify the Franchise Act. It is very important to the party now in power that the educated young men of the country shall not have a right to vote. They know that the younger element among our citizens is Liberal and the less it is allowed to declare its opinions the better for the Conservatives. But I hope that this unfair advantage on the side of the Government will be brought to an end. Looking at this great Convention gathered from all parts of the country to define our programme and rally round our distinguished leader, I do not need to be a prophet in order to • predict with confidence that the days of the Conservative Government are numbered. We shall have very soon a Liberal Government economical enough to strike out of our list of appropriations this useless expense of revising officers and Liberal enough to give every facility possible to every citizen who wishes to be an elector, to have his name placed on the voters' lisi. by the authorities of the municipality and honest enough not to fear the verdict of all good citizens. I desire to support the motion with all my power in the name of the Province of Quebec, where, perhaps, we suffer more than elsewhere from the present partizan regime. In closing, permit me to digress so far as to thank you, Gentlemen of the English- speaking Provinces for the manner in which you have eulogised our com- patriot, Hon. Wilfrid I.aurier. It is natural that we should be pleased with that. The praise which you have so lavishly bestowed upon him proves to me that it is not among Liberals that race prejudices exist. That which I shall recall most forcibly in this Convention is the unanimity with which you have applauded him, the respect with which you have treated him, the confidence with which you have saluted him as the coming Prime Minister of the Dominion of Canada. The Chairmav : — I have now pleasure in calling upon Mr. N. W. Rowell, Toronto. IVIr. N. W, RowELL, Toronto : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : At this late hour I shall not venture to detain you for more than a moment or two. As one of the youngest members of this Convention and one of the younger members of the party, I feel that I voice the sentiment of the young men not only of Ontario, but of the Dominion, and not only those who have hitherto been in accord with the Liberal party, but of many who ha^e hitherto been followers of the Coaiervativij pirty, when ! I 126 ; 1 say that we pledge our adherence and loyal support to the platform enunciated in this Convention. It has been charged tha*^ the young men are leaving the Liberal ranks because they believe in a progressive policy. I agree that the young men believe in a piogressive policy and a pro- gressive party. But for that very reason they will not desert a party whose star is ascending to join a party whose star is fast disappearing below the horizon. We believe in the reduction of the tariff, we believe in putting a stop to the corruption which has disgraced our country, we believe in conducting public affairs upon lines of economy, and for these reasons we support the Liberal party. Permit me one word more along this line. Our opponents seek to offset the disaffection in their own ranks by declar- ing that the Liberal party cannot succeed under its present leader. We are proud of the great men of the Liberal party in days that are gone. We enjoy with gratitude the privileges and liberties which they won for us. But I show no want of respect for the memory of those great men when I declare my belief that among the young Liberals of Ontario and of the Dominion at large, and among the old Liberals too, there is no name about which cluster such hopes and aspirations for the future of Canada as around the name of Laurier. No personality in the last thirty years has so impressed itself upon the thought and sentiment of the people, none has so won the hearts and united the sympathies of our young men as that of Wilfrid Laurier. And, on b°half of the young men of Ontario, I say to the young men of the otl '• Trovinces, but especially to those of the Province of Quebec, that we jt.u with you, come what will, to fight with might and main by night and day for the principles enunciated in the platform adopted by this Convention, so that Wilfrid Laurier shall be given his rightful place as Premier of this great Dominion. And why do these sentiments possess us 1 Because we know we have a leader of unswerving honesty, of sterling integrity and of magnificent ability, and, whatever may be the belief ot others, Wilfrid Lvurier believes in O^inada first, last and always. Whatever may have been the nationality of our ancestors, whether they came from sunny France, from the shores of England, Ireland or Scotland, we are willing to forget these things and to remember only that we are Canadians to the manor born, Canada is our home, our beloved country, and for Cana}i — The Gerrymander. The Chairman : — I have now pleasure in calling upon Mr. Mulock to move the next resolution. Mr. Wm. Mulock, M.P., North York: — Mr. Chairman and Gentle- men : I promise you one thing, that I shall be entitled to your approbation for the brevity of my remarks. I have to present to you a resolution of the most important character, for there is no political question more im- portant than that of providing proper means of expressing on the floor of Parliament the opinion of the people. In an audience such as this, com- posed wholly of Liberals, it is not necessary to advance arguments to prove that the opinions of the people should be properly voiced in Parliament. Public opinion is not expressed ; it is intercepted on its way to Parliament. The Gerrymander Act, which the rf solution in my hand proposes to con- demn, endeavored to prevent public opinion having its due eftect in the administration of public affairs, and, by presenting this resolution, I ask you to pass your opinion upon that subject. I may say that the original Gerry- mander Act was passed in 1882, and some people might think that the presfnt Government is not in any way responsible for it. But, in 1892, the Government of the day was called upon under the constitution to re- arrange the seats and we asked them in Parliament to undo the crime of 1882, but which claim for justice was denied. Refusing to undo that wrong the Government repeated it by the Act of 1892. After ten years they re-aflirmed that Act, and therefore they took the full responsibility of that treaRonable measure designed to defeat the will of the people of Can- ada. There is nothing to he found like it in the heavens above or in the earth beneath or in the waters under the earth. It is a Yankee institution, a Yankee invention which the N. P. does not keep out. These men boast of their admiration for British institutions. But there is nothing like this gerrymander to be found in British politics. If there is one thing a Briton is proud of it is a fair and manly fight. But the Ottawa Government have adopted a system of warfare not recognized even in the WILLIAM MULOCK, ES(^, M.P. North York, Ontario -Chairman, Coimnittee on Printing and Literature. ! if 129 prize ring where, I understand, it is a rule that there shall be no striking below the bell. However, I mast remember my promise and not keep you longer, therefore I move : — That by the Gerrymander Acto, the electoral divisions for the return of members to the Housfl of Commons have been so mide as to prevent a fair expreuiou of the opinion of the country at the general elections, and to »ecuro to the party now in power a strength out of all proportion greater than the number of electors supporting them would warrant To put an end to this abuse, to make the House of Commons a fair exponent of public opinion, and to preserve the historic continuity of caunties, it is dusirablo that in the formation of electoral divisions, county boundirio^ should be preserved and that in no case parts of different counties should be put in one electoral division. Mr. G, G, King, ex-M.P., Queen's N. B. : — I do not flatter rayaelf that I have been selected to second this resolution on account of my fitness to discharge that duty. [ think I havo been selected because I happen to be, I may say, one of the most prominent victims of Tory fraud in connec- tion with the administration of the election laws So far as the resolution in your hands is concerned, Mr. Chairman, and so far as it refers' to my Province, I do not know that it is necessary for me to make any extended remark. It is true that the Gerrymander, as applied in Ontario and Quebec, has not been applied in the same sense in the Province of New Brunswick. But it is equally true that we have felt the injuatice that is being tlone to us under the Redistribution Act placed upon the statute book last session. I am not here to charge* to the Gerrymander Act the evil that 1 complain of, but, if 1 had time, 1 could conv'mce this intelligent audience that we have even greater evils to complain of. You have had your counties cut and carved in order to change the representatioa, but we have been robbed of our representation. We are to be deprived of two of our representatives. To-day in the Parliament of Canada, the Liberals are represented by Mr. Gillmor, who honored you with a speech last night, and Mr. Colter, who, I regret to s iy> is absent from this Convention in consequence of an injury received a few days ago. But while our repre- sentation in Parliament is so small as it is, we have in this building now, even at this late hour, four score true and tried men from the Province of New Brunswick who have come all the way here to declare their approval of the platform of the Liberal party. I do not blame the Government for putting in force the constitution and depriving us of our representation, but I do blame the Government for carrying out such a policy as to make it necessary to reduce the number of our representatives in Parliament. Within the decade there has been an actual decrease of population in the Province of New Brunswick. In the Province of New Brunswick in the last ten years, as shown by the census, our increase, I believe, has been sixty-one, and I may tell you that those forming that increase are all in the lunatic asylum, for that is exactly the increase in the number of luna- tics in the Province in that time. The census shows that in the county I had the honor to represent, for v/hich I was elected five times, but had the pleasure of sitting as its representative only three times, the population has. .9 (c.) 180 Bctualiy decreased by 2,000, and besides, we have lost 2,000 more of our natural increase. What I say of that county applies to other counties as well. I am glad to know that the represnntatives of the Liberal party assembled at this Convention coming from all parts of Oanada have agreed upon a policy which, I believe, in the near future the country will gladly adopt. And I believe that in ten yeara after the adoption of that policy, instead of having our representation further cut down, we shall come up to Ottawa and claim our increased representation again. 1 thank you for tho kind attention you have shown and 1 have much pleasure in seconding the resolution. Mr. R. J. DowDALL, Almonte, Ont. : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : You have lintoned patiently to so very many speeches to-night that it would be out of place for me to speak at length. I aj)preciate the honor of hav- ing been asked to say a few words in support of this resolution, and that for several reasons. Perhaps the reason that caused me to be selected ia that I am one of those who suffered from this very Act. In North Lan- ark, which, as you know, adjoins the county in which this city stands, I had the misfortune to be defeated, the constituency having been craftily gerrymanded. North Lanark was gerrymandered by having added to it two Conservative townships from Carleton. The result has been much more serious than merely the defeat of Liberal candidates in the North Riding of Lanark, because this Government has more than once sent to Parlia- ment as representative a gentleman whose views were opposed by the ma- jority of the electors in the constituency as properly constituted. The question before us scarcely calls for serious argument. The wrong is one whioh our opponents cannot even attempt to justify. They will say, of course, that it is necessary there should be a redistribution of seats ; and this is perfectly true on the ground that it is well to equalize the numbers in the several constituencies to effect representation by population. But this is no justification whatever for the Act which the present resolution condemns. As has been pointed out by the mover of the resolution, there is no parallel in England for such an Act, notwithstanding that those who favor such legislation never tire of proclaiming their loyalty to Brit- ish institutions and adherence to British precedent, and are continually charging us with disloyalty. 1 should not belong to the Liberal party if I believed they were disloyal, if they were not loyal to the Mother Country and to Canada, We know that these charges of disloyalty are unfoundpH and made by desperate men. In the last election, the main issue was tariff question, protection versus freer trade relations between < • United States and other countries. It was found by our O' they had no logical standing ground. The leader of their pa ,a,w lu, it was not possible to face the people squarely in defence of tL 'rotecti^ a policy, for the people had begun to pronounce that policy a delusion an'l a snare. At this critical moment a herring was drawn across the trail . id the cry was raised that we were a disloyal party, that we were not true to our country and were anxious to become a portion of the United States. 131 We have been here deliberating upon the questions before the oountry defining the platform of our party, and throughout the discussion nothing has impressed me more than the enthusiastiu devotion to Canada and loyalty to the Mother Land which have been manifested in every way. This is well for the cause of truth and of our party. In the plunks of our plat- form as against the platform of our opponents, we have the better side of the case. They are in the position of a man of whom I once hoard who was plaintiff in a case at law. He had a bad case, but was swearing it through. Finally the judge, who understood very well that he was not stating the facts, asked him if he could not tell the truth when under oath. His answer was, " Yes, I could, but my lawyer tells me that if I do I shall lose my case." We know how they have tried to evade public investigation, and so far as public questions are concerned we challenge them to discussion before the people. Not only have we the right side in the political issues, but we have leaders of whom we are .justly proud. We have here, besides the esteemed chief of our party, Premiers from several Provinces who are well able to look after the interests of the party in those Provinces. Let me say in conclusion that if we keep at work and on our guard the signs are that the next general elections will bring victory to our cause and prosperity to the country. Dr. J. Lanctot. Montreal (Tranhlation) : — Mr. President : Before proceeding with the remarks which I shall make in seconding the resolution on the Gerrymander Act, I beg to express my ap|>rf'uiation of the honor which is conferred upon me in asking me to take part in the proceedings of this great Liberal Convention. Some years ago, at a time when 1 had greater personal expectations, I had made up my mind not to come to Ottawa unless I was sent by my county as its representative in Parliament. Unfortunately circumstances have turned against me, and 1 frankly admit that I owe to my defeat the honor of being here to-day and of addressing you as the official delegate of my county. But as says the French proverb : " A quelque chose malheur est bon." Now, Mr. Chairman, in speaking to the present motion and in enumerating the causes which have kept the Liberal party out of power, you will clearly find out why many staunch Liberals like myself were not elected at the last elections. Is it not an undeniable fact that the Liberal platform has been in the past and is at the present time the most favorable for the peace, prosperity and welfare of our beloved country 1 Is it not another undeniable fact that the Liberal party has for chief and leader one of the greatest men Canada has ever produced, a man whose name is a synonym for integrity, uprightness, honesty and eloquence, a man of whom any nation on earth would be proud ? And are not the friends of our esteemed leader the best men in the land 1 I need not mention their names ; you have heard nearly all with interest and pleasure during this Convention. Furthermore, outside of the House of Commons, is not the Liberal party supported by the best and most popular provincial political men of Confederation ? The Mowats, the Fieldings, the Blairs, the Peters and their lieutenants who would be 132 i I I ' the glory and the pride of any party, are not they the popular and Liberal leaders of their several Provinces whose affairs they have administered wilh the j![reate8t benefit to the people, but by the will of the great Liberal party of Canada. Now, then, hovr is it that notwithstanding good principles and good men on the Liberal side, the administration of our country remains under the ban of Tory rule ? Let me tell you, Gentlemen, what every one of you know as well as I do. The cause of the Tory rule in our Dominion affairs rests on t'aree diderent bases : First, on corruption and bribery with the money furnished by Government contractors and monopo- lists ; second, on the Franchise Law which i.s intenied to give the Tories the advantages at the polls ; third, on the Gerrymander Act which has transformed Liberal constituences into Conservative ones, and which has also rendered victory certain for our opponents in counties, which but for those things would be doubtful counties. These are, as I claim, the three columns on which rest the foundations of Tory rule. But the most rotten of the three is probably the Gerrymander Ad. It is certainly the most iniquitous, absurd and ridiculous in the hands of our Conservative friends who have entirely changed the electoral map of Canada for the sole benefit of party ascendency, without consulting the interest of the people or their equitable and just representation. What do the Conservatives care about justice or equity 1 They have gained seats in Piii liament by their gerry- mandeiing. The Tory party is safe, perish the countiy ! What do they care about being ridiculed ior making the most arbitrary lines between one county and another ? They rule ^.he country according to their caprice, according to considerations of heir own interest. Sometimes they have found a Tory nest at a long distance, but this Tory nest was necessary to reinforce a weak point iu a far off constituency, immediately they have gone for it. They don't care for mountains, streams of water or long distance. They wanted that reinforcement, they went for it, that is all. By these means they keep the power and enjoy its luxuries with their friends. Tory rule in this country is a robbery and the greate.st denial of justice. The rights of the people are trodden under foot, their immunities disregarded and the privileges established by justice and tradition exist no more. Now, Mr. Chairman, this state of things cannot last for ever. The people of Canada must awaken to a sense of duty and justice, and the time is not far distant when the Liberal party will assume the task of rendering straight what the Conservatives have made so crooked. The Liberals do not seek power for its luxuries and its enjoyments, but for the sake of making our country great and peaceful and its people prosperous and happy, I therefore second the motion. Mr. James McMullen, M P., North Wellington : — I am not going to attempt to discuss the subject at this late hour If any man has had to fight against an attempt at gerrymandering, I am that man. In 1882 they gerrymandered me and made my riding run into three counties. And after all we beat them. And we beat them in 1887 and in 1801. Although they gerrymandered North Wellington so as to make it return a 133 Ions Tory, they did more than that. They put out of North Perth one town- ship in order to beat me and the result of that was that they did not beat me and we won North Perth. Instead of the gerrymander working so as to give the Tories two ridings, we have the two ridings and they have none. I have been greatly rejoiced at the gathering here in reeponse to the call of Mr. Laurier. I think he has a right to be the proudest man in the Dominion of Canada to night. His call to his fiiends to as&emble and discuss the platform of the party has been responded to by representative men fi-om every part of the Dominion. And you have done your work solidly and well. The Tories will try to misrepresent what you have done. They havtj carried this country three- times by means of humbug. In 1887 Sir Charles Tupper said that if we passed the iron duties which he intro- duced we should have 200.000 miners in this country and our iron moun- tains were to be honeycombed. He persuaded his followers to support him and the iron duties went into effect. Where are t'le iron mines 1 Wheie are the blast furnaces? What he told us was tho purest humbug and now he is living in London on ^17,000 a year at the expense of the pc3ple he has gulled. Now, I can tell you we are going to have another gigantic humbug. They are going to be worse cornered this time than ever before and they will rise equal to the occasion and get up the greatest humbug yet. They will come down with a revision of the tariff that will give to all the different classes that are clamoring about the injurious effect of the N.P., almost whatever they want, and they will say : Now aren't you going to support us for what we have done ? But, as has been truly said by Mr. Emmerson, they will wear our clothes as overalls and, when the elections are over, they will put off" their overalls and appear agaMi in their Tory clothing as the obedient servants of the manufactur- ers, and the people will be back in the same old hole where they have been for fifteen years. Like the sow and her wallowing, the Tories will get back into the mire of protection and corruption. I am not going to detain you at this late hour (Cries of " Go on.") I am rejoiced to be with you and would like to talk to you by the hour. But that would not be right. I can only say to you ; Go back to your homes determined that no trick of the Tory Government shall prevent their being turned out of office and nren put in in their places who will administer the affairs of this country honestly and properly. The resolution was carried unanimously. Ninth Resolutiok — Senate Reform. Hon. W. S. Fielding : — One resolution remains, one of great impor- tance, concerning which, I am informed, there will be some debate, and therefore I invite you all to remain. But, with the permission of the meeting, I would like, as Chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, to make a further report on one resolution, which, if satisfactory, may be adopted at once, but otherwise might be laid over in order that the other debate may not be delayed. You will remember that when I presented 134 the first report I stated that there were some resolutions in the hands of the Committee which they had not had an opportunity of deliberating upon. I am glad to say that in most ca^^es these resolutions dealt with questions which had been covered by resolutions previously adopted, mak- ing it unnecessary to report anything further concerning them. There was one question, however, which had not been dealt with, the question of the Senate, and a resolution was placed in my hands to report. It was pro- posed that this resolution should be moved by Hon. R. W. Scott, of Ottawa, and seconded by Hon. A. G. Blair. This is the report : The present constitution of the Senate is inconsistent with the Federal principle in our system of government and is in other respects defective, as it mikes the Senate in- dependent of the people and'uncontroUed by the public opinion of the country, and should be 80 amended as to bring it into harmony with the principles of popular government. Hon. R W. Scott, Ottawa : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : It has been suggested to me that I would best meet the wishes of this as- sembly if I allowed this resolution to go to the Convention without lengthened remarks, as Ihere is a very important resolution to come up on which there may be differences of opinion that will cause debate. I there- fore bow to the suggestion and submit the resolution to you. It would not require any support at my hands in any case, for I think the verdict of the Liberal . party has been given on several occasions with reference to the constitution of the Senate. Hon. A. G. Blair seconded the resolution. The resolution was carried unanimously. Tenth Resolution — Prohibition Plebiscite. The Chairman : — Mr. S. A. Fisher, ex-M.P. for Brome, Quebec will present the next resolution. Mr. Fisher : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : At this late hour the only thing that can justify me in asking your attention tor a few moments is the importance of the question I am going to bring before the Conven- tion. It has been the proud boast of the Liberal party, that its principles are those which make for good and right in the country. It is in consequence of this that we find in the ranks of the Liberal party the best elements of the moral, intelligent and religious people of the land. It is in consequence of this that the young men of the country who wish to do their duty manfully and well are fiocking to the Liberal standard. There- fore, I am glad to say, I am going to ask this Convention to pass a resolu- tion which is in the direction of one of these great causes of good in the land — a resolution on the question of Temperance. It is one of the great- est satisfactions of my political career, that when, as a young man, I acquired the franchise in the Dominion of Canada, the first occasion which I was called upon to exercise it was when the question of prohibition or license was before the people and that I cast my vote in favor of Local Option. At that time Local Option was the cry of the temperance people and we had the Dunkin Act in force in this country. Afterwards the 135 honorable gentleman who has just spoken to you (Hon. Mr. Scott) intro^ duced in the Senate the Act which bears his name and which was the hope of the temperance people for many years. But temperance senti- ment now asks for something more than Local Option. I am glad, there< fore, that the great party to which I belong, with which I have worked is prepared to take a stand upon the temperance question, and to declare in its platform in favor of a step in the right direction upon this subject. I understand that this is the first time a great political party in this country' has ever faced this question in a fair and true spirit. I am not aware that any political party in this country has ever declared itself squarely upon this question. I was aware that the House of Commons itself passed a resolution to the effect that when the country was ripe Parliament should enact a prohibition law. It is some time since that was passed. The Tory party has been long in power but has not taken any steps to obtain the vote of the country upon this question. It is true, as you know, that Finance Minister Foster — and when I speak his name, I have to look back to the first years when he and I were in Parliament, when he was looked upon as a temperance champion. T regret to say that that honor- able gentleman on the floor of Parliament has told the country that he, one of the leaders of the Tory party, only advocated Temperance " in a moment of weakness," and +hat when he came to his sober senses — if we may call them sober senses — ho went back on that record. The Tory party has not done justice in favor of Temperance, it has only appointed a royal commisasion to go about the country and find out something, but as Mr. Laurier said, we have all the information necessary of the kind that a royal commission can collect. They have put ofi" the question ; they have shunied it, and have not taken steps to find out the attitude of the country upon this question. I am glad to be here to ask this Liberal Convention to take a step which will bring about an opportunity for the peo[)le to express themselves upon this question. We know that in three of the Provinces the Liberal Governments of those Provinces have brought about local or provincial plebiscites, thus giving the tempera ace people the opportunity to show what they believe to be the truth that the temperance sentiment of this country is strong enough to enforce a prohibition law if it is given us. I propose to read the resolution which will bring about this result and which pledges the Liberal party, if returned to power, to give the people of Canada an opportunity to express their views upon this question, and the Government in power must necessarily carry out the ex- pressed will of the people. There is no doubt that this is what the Liberal party would do, for we know their pledges can be trusted. This is the resolution : — That whereas public attention is at present much directed to the consideration of ths admittedly great evils of intemperance, it is desirable that the mind of the people should be clearly ascertained on the (juestion of Prohibition by means of a Dominion plebiscite. This will bring the question clearly before the people of Canada and will enable the Government to know just what the sentiment of the coun- try is, and I have enough confidence in the people to believe that the 136 result will be so pronounced that the Legislature and Government will bo only too glad to meet the wishes of the people and that we shall be able to get a law of total prohibition. The resolution was seconded by Mr. B. Rogers, of Alberton, Prince £dwaid Island. (Cries of " Carried, carried.") Hon. T. W. Akglin, Toronto : — It is very much to be regretted that, hav'ng agreed so unanimously and thoroughly upon all the other questions that have been submitted to us for our consideration, having felt it at once our pleasure and our duty to approve of every other resolution that had been adopted by the Committee on Resolutions, we are now forced to deal with a question on which there must be much difference of opinion. Looking at this resolution in the light of mere expediency, looking at it from the standpoint of a Liberal desirous of seeing the success of the Liberal party at the next election thoroughly assured, believing that with such a platform as we have already adopted we must achieve suc- cess, I must regret that a matter which will create much difference of opin'on should be thus introduced. It is, in my opinion, of very great importance that the Liberal party of the Dominion of Canada should not present itself to the peop'e of Canada as a prohibitory-law party. The adoption of this resolution will have no other effect than to present it in that light, should it be adopted without objection. It may be said, indeed, that this resolution only asks for a plebiscite. But what do we mean when we ask for a plebiscite if we are in earnest? Is it not that we desire to know what the opinion of the people is on this question ; that we desire to ascertain their opinion in a particular way, and thit we will do all in our power to give effect to their decision as thus ascer- tained 1 It may be that not one half of the adult male population will vote. Nevertheless, should a majotity be obtained at the polls when this question is submitted, the friends of Prohibition will be in a position to call upon the Liberal party to follow up their resolution logically by assisting m the passage and enforcement of a prohibitory liquor law. There are many of us who do not believe Prohibition to be the best means of promoting temperance. I am one of thebe. I opposed Prohibition thirty-five years ago, and I feel to day as strongly as I did then thi^t I am as true a friend of the temperance cause as those who have forced this resolution upon the Committee, and ten thousand times a better friend of the Liberal party and the Liberal cause. If this resolution be passed now by a mere fragment of thii great Convention whose members have so unanimously adopted the other resob Sons, I and those who agree with me must refuse to be bound by it. v the part of those who agree with me in thinking that Prohibition is not the best way of promoting temper- ance, I protest against the passing of this particular resolution at this stage of the proceedings and under such circumstances. And let me be frank and SJiy that, even if every member of the Convention were in his place and this resolution were carried by a four-fifths vote, I must still >V. 1). BALFOUR, ESQ., M.P.P., South Essex, Ontario— Assistant-Secretary of the Convention. 137 refase to sacrifice my conscientioas convictions, I must continue to act as I have acted upon this question for thirty-five years. I am opposed to Prohi* bition for reasons higher than those of expediency. No set of men have the right, because they happen to be a majority, to prescribe what other men shall or shall not eat or drink or wear, and no legislature has a right to prohibit, under penalties, that which is not evil or criminal or sinful in itself. This is not the time or place to discuss the temperance question. I have simply come forward to protest, as one member of the Liberal party, against this resolution being adopted as a plank of the Liberal platform, because it would bind us to a plebiscite and, if a majority in favor of Prohibition were obtained by any means whatever, to become advocates of a prohibitory liquor law. I do not believe a prohibitory liquor law would be beneficial to this country ; I do not believe it would benefit the cause of temperance. I saw a prohibitory liquor law in opera- tion Eome thirty-five years ago in the Province of New Brunswick, That law produced more drunkennes than we ever had before. There were more drunkards' deaths during the time that law was in existence than at any other period in the history of the Province. Confusion and tumult, disturbance and riot prevailed everywhere. The people were set one against the other, and the administration of the law was paralyzed. The Governor exercised his prerogative — a great historical fact in the annals of that country — dismissed the Government, who refused to submit the question to the people, and, having formed another Government, dis- solved the Legislature. Of forty-one members then elected, forty were pledged to vote for the repeal of the prohibitory law. Were such a law passed by the Dominion Parliament, and were an earnest persistent effort made to enforce it, the effects must be as mischievous throughout Canada as they were in New Brunswick. I shall not ask that the question be put to the meeting. We are now but a fragmant of the Convention. But I do protest, on behalf of those who agree wioh me, and I shall continue to protest against the adoption of that resolution as a plank in the laberal platform. Mr. F. S. Spence, Toronto : — Very brief shall be the remarks I have to make upon this question, Mr. Chairman. There are thousaads ol men to-day who vote with the Liberal party simply because of the high stand the members of that party take upon moral questions. This great Con- vention has been a practical lesson in practical temperance. This repre- sentative gathering, the greatest of the kind the Dominion ever saw, is as orderly and sober as if it had been a conference of clergymen or pro- hibitionists. We all agree with th8 words th %t have been spoken about the pride we take in the grand men who are and have been our leaders. But, on the other hand, our leaders have a right to be proud of the grand army of men they lead. We are proud of the stand the Liberal party has taken in the temperance question in days gone bv. We are thankful for the Scott Act, and we can remember the time, and never shall we forget it, when the Liberal party in Ontario, represented by the Ontario 138 si i: s Government, fought the battle of Scott Act enforcement when t^e Con- servative Government, with Orders in Council and in every other way, were striving to break it down. That Ontario Legislature has to-day given us the privilege we are asking here of ascertaining whether or not the people are in favor of the suppression of the liquor traffic. We are thankful for that, knowing, as Sir Oliver Mowat has told us, that the liquor trt^c is the cause of sevonty-Ove per cent, of the evils that afflict this country of ours. We know that the liquor traffic is the most debauch- ing agency in politics io-day. You know that there have been placed in the high position of cabinet ministers, men whose sole qualification for office was that they had acquired wealth in making beer or selling whiskey. I also have an objection to the resolution, but before stating it I would like to put the Dominion Alliance right before this Convention on a point upon which otherwise their action might be misconstrued. I think our honored leader a little misrepresented us, probably from misunderstanding us. I W818 afraid that from what he said you would be led to think that we endorsed the farce of the Prohibition Commission. We have never done anything of that sort. The Convention that met in Ottawa was simply a caucus of Prohibitionists who were members of the House of Oommons, and they decided not to bring in a prohibition resolution that session, simply because they knew there was no use in trying to pass such a resolution pending the report of the Commission. My objection to the resolution is that it does not go far enough. All through the length and breadth of the land people are looking for the deliverance of the Conven- tion upon this subject, and there will be disappointment that we have not spoken out in stronger terms in reference to this matter. What need have we of a plebiscite in order to ascertain public opinion 1 Ontario is taking her plebiscite ; so is Prince Edward Island ; Manitoba has taken hers. There is not a liquor license in Nova Scotia outside the city and county of Halifax. The Province of New Brunswick has memorialized the Domin- ion Parliament for total Prohibition. All these signs indicate that public opinion is ripe for Prohibition, and everywhere Prohibitionists will be disappointed that you have not gone far enough in the right direction. We can see no reason why you should stop short at this resolution. Nevertheless I think a plebiscite will do good ; great good as clearly^ explained by Mr. Fisher. It will give us the opportunity of an educating campaign of great value to this country. While I am sorry the Liberal party does not do better than this, we must do with them as we do with our candidates ; we must judge you by your past record rather than by any direct pledges you make. You are not doing much for us in the way of election promises. But as attention has been called to the fact that the Conservatives are not remarkable for carrying out their promises, let us hope that, as you promise so little, you will carry out more than you have promised. Find out the state of public opinion and then give us a law such as the sentiment of the country will demand, which I believe- will be one for the total suppression of the liquor traffic. 139 Mr. W. T. Kkrr, Cobourg : — I have a question to ask. Mr. Anglin represents the opinion that is opposed to Prohibition in toto ; Mr. Spence represents the opinion in favor of absolute Prohibition. But if this reso- lution is defeated we desire to know whether it is opposed by Prohibi- tionists, or by those who oppose Prohibition, or by a union of the two. I desire to know if Mr. Spence is opposed to the resolution. Mr. Spenoe : — Mr. Anglin objects to this resolution because it goes too far ; T object to it because it does not go far enough. If I can't get an ell I will take an inch. I would rather have that resolution tiian nothing at all. Mr. H. A. McKeown, St. John, N.B.: — I shall just be a moment in speaking to this resolution. It has often been said that wisdom lies between the two extremes, and it may be that between the extreme views of Mr. Spence on the one hand and of Mr. Anglin on the other, true wisdom for this Convention may be found. The distinguished Nova Scotian who spoke early in the evening told us that in these days the people must rule. As soon as the people of this country want Prohibition some party will give it to them. And if the Liberal party, as the Lib- erals should, represent the views of the people, the Liberal party will give the people Prohibition when they want it. Now, this resolution does not contemplate, as Mr. Anglin seemed to think it d'.es, the enact- ment of a prohibition law at the dictation of a small vote of the people. When the question comes up under the plebiscite, I think the true friends of temperance would see to it that there was a fair majority of all the people of this country in favor of prohibition or they would not call for the passing of a law to that effect. The temperance people of this country are a practical people, and look at things -in a practical way. We must be prepared to face this issue. Some Provinces might be over- whelmingly for proilibi^-ion, others might be the other way. Then, Sir, 1 consider tliat it would not be a problem impossible of solutioa or impos- sible to the statesmanship and genius of the Liberal party of this country to make such an amendment to the constitution as would enable us to have Prohibition Provinces in this Dominion, in the same way as they have Prohibition States in the American Union. All the objections that can be urged against Prohibition can be fought out when the question comes to be taken on a plebiscite. All the Committee asks of the Con- vention here assembled is to declare in favor of the will of the people being expressed upon this subject, and the Liberal party will have lost its Liberalism if it is not willing to give the people what they want. This resolution does not bind us to vote in any particular way in the plebiscite. For my part I am quite willing that the other members of the Liberal party should have the same freedom of thought and action that I demand for myself. When this question comes to be tried by the plebiscite it ought not to put one section of any party against the other. There are, no doubt, within the ranks of the Conservative party as many prohibi- tionists as there are among the Liberals. There are men in both parties 140 who just as honestly do not believe in prohibition at all. If necessary that i'rohibition be carried, it may bo that it will split the old parties from centre to circumference. If so, it will be time enonj»h when that difficulty arises to consider the disintegrating forces to wliich allusion has been made. But it will certainly be an advancement along tho line of Liberal ideas to say to the people : We are willing to allow you to express your opinion. And then it we do not take the matter up a new party will have to be formed. The resolution was then put and carried by an overwhelming majority. A Vote of Thanks. The Chairman ; — There are still one or two resolutions which I am sure you will be glad to hfar and I will ask you, therefore, to remain. Probably during the |irogress of our Convention nearly all the members now presfnt have had an opportunity of meeting our admired leader, Hon. Wilfrid Laurier, for he has been most assiduous in his effort to meet his friebds. Still, it is possible that some have not had the opportunity of meeting him, and therefore I am glad to say that at the close of the meeting, however late it may be, Mr. Laurier will remain and will be delighted to meet any of the delegates he has not already had the pleasure of meeting Mr. William Gibson, M.P. for Lincoln: — The resolution placed in my hands is one which I am sure will meet the approval of every gentle- man who has come to this Convention. It is as follows : — Resolved, that this Convention cannot separate without expressing deep apprecia- tion of the kindneiss that they have received from the President, Alex. McLean ; the Honorary Secretary, li. A. Bate, and the members of the Ottawa Reform Association and the Ottawa Free Press and Le Ccna-la. The general arrangements for the holding of the Convention have been beyond praise, and in the name of the Liberal party of this Dominion we sincerely thank the Reform Association of Ottawa and numerous other citi- zens of the Capital who have contributed in so marked a degree to the comfort of the delegates. Early in the session of 1893 Mr. H. A. Bate came as a bright star in a dark sky, visiting a few of us and afterwards invited us to meet the leading Liberals of Ottawa. Until then I was under the impression that there were no Liberals in this city, but from what I have seen since I am convinced that, were it not for the Civil Service vote, this fine city of Ottawa would return a Liberal to the Dominion Parliament as well as in the Provincial House. We are deeply indebted to Mr. McLean and our other Liberal friends in Ottawa for their untiring energy and for the care, kindness and courtesy shown the delegates, for the beautiful and appro- priate decorations displayed at this grand and magnificent gathering, and I am sure you will all join me in giving especial praise to the Honorary Secretary, Mr. Harry Bate. \l i 141 Mr. Francois Lanoklier, M.P. for Quebec Centre : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : I shall not make a speech but shall confine myself to saying that I agree with Mr. Gibson and that T am very glad to second the motion. The resolution was carried unanimously. Confidence in tiik Leader. Mr. John VViivte, Megantic, Que. .- — I shall first read the the resolu- tion placed in my hand and shall then say but a few words in support of it, for this audience is tired after having had so much eloquence expended upon it : That this C( nvention desires to expieoa its entire confidence in the leadershin of the Hon. Wilfrid Lanrier and itsadtnirAtion of his brill.int eloqiieac-t, hi'tnn leuiiii? per-tonai qualities and his broad and statexinanlike ntturance:) ujxm the public (|iiesli(>iH uf the day. At the conclusion of the resolution the audience rose and cheered heartily and sang, " For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." The Chairman : — Gentlerapn ; I am glad to hear the music, but our friend Mr. White h^s not finished what he had to say. Mr. Whyte : — It perhaps would have been well to end with the music, but there are one or two words I wish to s ly before I sit down. I am something like a Ui^hlamler with whom E am wnll a':;q uiat'*d, at a meeting of Presbytery. A motion was to come up in which he whs very much interested, but before he arrived the motion was carried and that order of business completed. But he had made up hi< mind to siy a few words. When he rose to speak the Moderator told him that the question was ditsposed of and there was no need of any person saying any more about it. His answer was, '* She'll haf a few words to say, and she'll say them pefore she'll sit down." I confess that when I came to this meeting I had some doubts an I fear.-i as to whit would be the result of it. I had my doubts and fears Hb>ut so many Liberals coming together, because we all know that they are men who have their own views upon public questions and are not afraid to express them But .such a policy has been adopfed as has kept you like one man during this meeting. You have to meet a Government that has taken advantage of its position to keep itself in pow^er for years There is only one wiy to correct the evils under which the country suffdrs, and that is by placing in power a Government headed by our »^reat and brilUnt leader, .\Ir. Liurier. Look- ing at this banner [ see ihe n^mes of noble leaders who have g )iie before. Names that are inscribed high in the honor roll of Oanadi's history. Papiueau hastened if he r, give you one reminiscence illustrating his generous heart. It is to me a very sweet recollection. I was a can- didate in Megantio in 188C, having been the local member previous to that time. I was defeated, but by nieans of huch gross corruption that I decided to contt st the seat. My opponent was unseated because the cor- ruption proven was so gross that even, though the judges were against me and in favor of him, they could not but decide against him. But at the same time they disqualitied me. I did not leave the matter there, however. True, the decision had been against me and the law gave me no appeal at that time. Mr. Mercier was in power and he amended the law so as to allow en appeal and 1 went before the higher court, and the judgment was reversed so far as 1 was concerned. But this is the point I wish to mention. Mr. Laurier had gome idea in advance, though I had not, that I was to be disqualified, and he came to t^uebeo to keep me in countenance while judg- ment was being passed upon me. He came into court and sat alongside of me while judgment was being pronounced, in order to show the judges that they were not disgracing me but that they were disgracing themselves and the Canadian bench by such a Judgment. I have never forgotten that, and I never shall, for it gave me such an impression as nothing else could of the generous qualities of the noble leader of the Liberal party. I would like to have given quotations from some of his speeches in order to show you the nature of the man, but I must not do so now. With such a leader, if when we go before the people we do not carry the election, it will be because the Liberal party has not done its duty. We have liaurier for our leader, we have reciprocity, tariff reform, economical and honest government for our platform, and if we cannot win with these we need never hope that the Liberal party will succeed in the Dominion of Canada. Mr. D. M. Dechene, M.P.P., L'Islet, seconded the resolution in a short speech in the French language. The Chairman : — So far as I know this is the last resolution to be put to the meeting and there can be no happier one with which to conclude the Convention than one which will call for a response from our esteemed and honored leader. Those who are minded that this resolution shall pass will please signify their assent by rising. The resolution was carried unanimously by a standing vote amidst enthusiastic applause. Mr. Laurier : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen : Once more ere we part I must tender you my thanks, my very hearty thanks, for the number- less acts of kindness with which you have overhelmed me on this occasion. 143 I had hoped from the first that this Oonvention would he a succeM. Still, while hoping, I was not without doubt. In fact I may say I was tossed between hopes and doubts, but in my most sanguine moments I never anticipated the success it has turned out to be. It has surpassed all my expectations, and I believe all the expectations of my most sanguine friends. I owe you thanks, Gentlemen, thanks to all. I cannot thank you each personally, but let me take this opportunity of tendering thanks more especially to the leaders from the several Provinces who have helped us in this Convention, first and formost, to our old friend Sir Oliver Mowat; next to our young, active and able friend, Mr. Fielding, of Nova Scotia; to Premier Blair, to Premier Peters, and last but not U'aat, to my good friend, Hon. Mr. Joly. You have been, Gentlemen, altogether too kind to me. You have, in the kindness of your hearts, attributed to me a character and traits I do not claim to have. Were I as good and great as you have described me in your spepches I would have rctason to feel proud, and I do not feel |)roud at all. I would feel proud if under my leadership the Liberals had won. The Liberals have once j/one to the country since I took the reins of power. Did I say " power " 1 — A delegate — Prophetic. Mr. Laurier : — Since I took the load, and we lost. Those around me in the House of Commons know full well that it was with the greatest possible reluctance I accepted the duties on the withdrawal of Mr. hlake from the leadership. I did not want the position. I, for many reasons into which it is not proper for me to enter at this moment, would have preferred to serve in the ranks of the party, as I had done in the past, and it was my hope that the health of Mr. Bkke would be restored, and that before many months he would ome back to the position which his great talents and many fine qualities fitted him for. Unfortunately our expectations were not realized. Mr. Blake, for reasons of his own, could not or woulc^ not resume the leadership. Since that time £ have been dis- charging the duties to the bast of ray ability, but I do not claim for my- self the credit of whatever measure of success we have obtained. I attribute it to the able lieutenant) by whom I am surrounded in the House. I give the full share of praise and of merit to our friend. Sir Ricdard Cartwright, a man whose mental qualities are well known to you all, but whose qualities of heart are well known to rae also ; to our friend, Mr. Mills, who knows everything, who has read everything — -and I can tell you, in the position I occupy, it is always pleasant, instead of having to go to the library for books, to turn to Mr. Mills for the knowledge requir- ed ; to our friend, Mr. Davies, a brave of the brave, a man who is ready whenever the call of duty comes ; to our friend, Mr, Charlton, who, on questions of trade and commerce, has more theoreticil and practical know- ledge than any man in the House ; to our friend, Mr. Paters )n, who is a power whenever he chooses to be a power ; to our friend Mr. Mulock, who, though young in the House, is already one of the most effective debaters we have ; to our friend Mr. Edgar, whose qualities are well known to you. 144 Well, gentlemen, I will 8*-op herp, because if I go on I shall have to name the whole Liberal party in the House. In the last eleotion we were de- feated. We are on the eve of another election, and, if £ am not mistaken the result may be different. But let me tell you this, that though we hope for victory, still, you know that victory does ijot always come to those wbo expect 't. Let me tell you that, whatever may ba the result of the next election, even if it be defeat, I will never know what discouragement is. We are hereto tight, and fight we will until these principlesof truth and justice we have proclaimed to-day have won. It may be that it will not be the first time. You know that to politicians, as to others, very often reverses conae when victory is expocted, but let us say that whatever b3 the result of the next election, if we do not triumph we will go on fighting to the end. entlemen, as you know I have the honor to hi of Frencli origin, and lam proud of ray origin. They say the French are a tickle race, but I do not pretend to be French in that respect. I claim something of the British tenacity and in matters of importance when my mind is made up I never vary in it, and my mind is made up thtt we shall tight this battle; and I can only repeat : " Let every man be at his post and every man do his duty." The National Anthem was sung and the Convention adjourned. ^-3 COMMITTEES OF THE CONVENTION. PRELIMINARY COMMITTEES. Generai, ARKANGEMKNxa.— James Siuhcilaiid, M.P., Cluurmaii. William Mulock, M.P. William Gibson, M.I'. \V. C. Kilvviids, M.P. Geo. W. Dawson, M.P. Dr. Georyc I.aiidirkin, M.P. Dr. Pierre M. Guay, M.P. Louis P. Hrodeiir, M.P. F. G. Forbes. MP. Francois Lannelier, M.P. Dr. \. R. Colter, M.P. Hon.,1.. H. Davies, M.P. Dr. Peter Macdonald, ^r.P. .•\. K. Uniiie.ui. M.P. John McMillan, M.P. NF. E. Hernier, MP. Phintino and I.iTKKATiRE. — Williiim Miilock, M.P., Clunmiaii. Dr. F. W. Borcien, M.P, James McMnllen, M.P John Yeo, M.P. H. A. Bate, lisq. James Innes, M.P. A. H. Gillmor, M.P, Joseph Laverf;ne, ^[.P P. AiiK. Clioqnetle, M, P. Henry G. Carroll, M.P. Thomas P. Flint. M.P. Thomas Bain, MP. Dr. C, I. Kinfret, .M.P. Transportation — William Gibson, M.P., Chairman. Jamfcs Sutherland, M.P. C. R. Devlin, M,P. James Lister, ^LP. Wm. McGregor, M.P. D. C. Fraser, M.P R. Prefontaine, ^^P. W. LeB. Fanvel, M,P. D. Monet, M.P. A. H. Gillmor. ^[.P. S. F. Perry, >LP. Arch. Campbell, M.P. T. U. Rider, .\LP. APPOINTED BY THE CONVENTION. To Strike Committees. Sir Richard Cartwrifiht, M.P. James Sutherland, M.P. for Ontario. Hon. H. L. D.avies. NLP. Hon. Fred Peters, M.P. for Prince lulward Island, Hon. W. S. Fielding, M.P. Dr. F. W. Borden, M.P. for Nova Scotia. Hon. A. G. Blair, M.P. A. H. Gillmor, M.P. for New Brunswick, Hon, Wilfred Lanrier, M P, Hon. C. A. P. Pelletier, for Quebec. Hon, Robert Watson, J. A, Richard, for .Manitoba. Resolltions— Hon, W. S. Fielding, Chairman; Andrew Patiullo, Secretary. Ex-Officio— Hon. Wilfred Laurier. Sir Oliver Mowat. Hon. W. S. Fielding. Hon. A. G. Blair. Hon. H. G. Joly de Loibiniere. Hon. Fred Peters. Hon. Clifford Sifton. Nominated — Hon. C. A P. Pelletier Hon. W. Ross. Hon. !■. Lar.gelier. Hon. F. '1. Marchand. Hon. D. A. M.icdonald. C. Beausoleil, M.P. P. Aug. Choquette, .M.P. C. Deschene, M.P P. Dr. P. M. Guav, M.P. A. Turgeon. M.P 1'. L. H. Urodeur, M.P. Dr. Christie, NLP. J. Irrael Tarte. ^LP. J. Scriver, M.P. S. A. Fisher, ex-M.P. Dr. Rinfret, M.P. Jules Tessier. M.P.P. George Carnal. M.P. Dr. Godbout. ^LP. C. R. Devlin, M.P. Dr. Vaillancourt, M.P, Hon. F. P. Thompson. A. H. Gillmor, M,P. W. F". George. George G. King. G, Haddow. J. L. Carletun. G. F. Gregory. J. U. Fllier. Jas. Domville. Jas. O'Brien. Hon. ]. A. C. Prendergast, Hon. Robt. W'ai-on. Frs. P-rhard. M P. Hon J. H. Ross Hon. James Ricli^.ids. Hon. bavjil Laird. Malcolm \LicDonald. Hon. L. H. Davies, M.P. Hon. B. Rogers. J. W'. Carmichael, \V. H. Chase. M. Dwyer. Hon. A. G. Jones. Georgt J. Troop. G. H. Murray. D. C. Fmser. M.P. Hon. A. McGillivray, Mayor Keefe. Mayor Allan. Dr. Borden, M.P, Hon. R. W. Scott. Sir Richaril ( .utwright. Han. Davhl Mills, M p iohn Charli ., M.P.P., L'IsLK.T, <^»CEiiKr— Secretary of the Convention. I f 'U LIST OF DELEGATES. Follow. ng is Jis complete a list as could be iniide of those present at the Convention : ONTARIO. Addington. — a. VV. Dawson, MP., Wm. Whulau, W. ,J. Donaldson, John B. Ayleswoi'th, A. P. Boll, James Aylesworth, Hiram Koech, .[. M. Smith, Michael Donahoe, Redmond Mellon, Jerome Thompson, James Coulter, C. W. Day, R. B. Howes, George Howes. AL«i()MA. — James Conmee, M.P.P. , VV. D. Kehoe, Wm. C. Foster, J. F. Ruttivn, John Boyd, D. F. Burk, W. G. Sims, D. C. Cameron. Both WELL. — David Mills, M.P., RobertFerguaon, M. P.P., James Fergus(m, Wm. A. Mills, Dr. Knight. Bu.\nt, North.— James Somerville, M.P., W. B. Wood, M.P.P.,M. F. Ainslie, E. R. Langs, George Wait, Dr. Patten, Josejjh iVIoylo, George Cum- mings, Stephen Hall, James Somerville. Brant, South. — Wm. Paterson, M.P. , Hon. A. S. Hardy, Dr. L. Secord, NV. G. flaymond, Michael Ryan, Chief Wm. Smith, C. \V. (Juriiey, Chas. Whitney, John Sutherland. Bkockville. — James Cun)ming, C. A. Woodt^, Raney Loucks, .fohn Loverin, D. Derbyshire, Thos. Southworth, George Brown, Goo. C. Bellamy, D. W. Downey, Turner Koye, A. C Johns, Peter St wart, Jas. Bissell, A. Taggart, Wm. C. Cross, (J. M. Cossitt, (ieo. A. Dana, J. Dargavel, Wm. Hart, V. Marshall, Geo. Crain, Jas. Robertson, M. M. Brown, B. F. Stewart, D. W. Downey, W. H. McNish, Robt. Bryson, Wm. Neilson. Brix'E, East.— J. R. McLean, A. W. Robb, (ieorge Lobsinger, Thomas Young, R. Truax, ex-M.P. Brice, North — R. MuDro, Joseph Chambers, .John Irwin, Arthur Jones, J. E. Campbell, Wm. AlcCausland, Dr. Bounar. Bruce, West.— James Rowand, M.P., Walter M. Dack, M.P.I'., D. McTavish, A. R. Hutchison. P. S. McLaren. P. H. McKenzie. Cardwkll. — John Husheon. Carleton. — George H. Rochester, J. L. McDougall, jr., D B. Rochester, J. D. Luiilsay, W. E. Rowan, .John O'Callaghan, .\. Clearette, Jamus Tierney, Martin O'Mara, L. J. Macdougall, jr., J. N. U'(Jrady, F, M. Robertson, J. B. Charleaon, S. Voung. Cornwall axo Stormont. — Victor Begg, Dr. W. A. Munro, VVni, Mack, M.P. P., John D. McCiinnis, J. G. Snetsingor, J. E. Brownell, John .Tohnston, James Begg, jr.. Rev. .1 W. Clark, tieorge Bennett, Hugh M. Campbell, Alex. Munro, Wm. A. Campbell, Simeon Warner, A. K. .McDonald, J. M. Campbell, D. K. McLean, D. P. McKinnon, M. D. McEnery, J. A. Chisholm, Barlow Warner. ■■■ 148 Dt'NDAs — Adam Johnslou, Geor<{o Sniitli, II. A. McLennan, Jolin Sul- livan, A. D lluntor, S;un. 1). Rdhc, John R, Giblxms, (ii'o. R. Bow, James McOnat, R W. Weir, Puter Mcintosh. U F. Sutherland. Alex. Rose, Alex. McMastcr, David Melvin, James E. Mill .1. S. Reniler, John .Mc-Tavish, Dr. E. McLaughlin, John VV. Munro, Frank Dwyer, ar.. IIui,di Kerns. Durham, East.— Wm. Williani.son, lieoryo Wilson, J. T. (ieorge. Durham West.— R Beith, M.P.. W. T. Lockhart, M.P.P.. D. Rurke Simpson, Richard Windatt. W. 1{. Climie, Joseph Jefi'ery, Richard Woodley, Wm. Trewin, A. W. Carveth, J. C. Mitohell, M. D. Eu:i\, East — James S. Brierley, John Farley, Angus McCrinnaon, David McLaws, A. D. McGregor, Dr. J. IL Wilson, e.v-M. P., Alex. Darrach. Eloi.v. Wkst.— Geo. E. Casey, M.P., Dr. J. Cascadden, Dr. Stalker. Essex, North. — Vvm. McGregor, M.P.. M Guindim, J. H. Rodd, A. McNee, A. McNeil, Joseph Dcgurse, T. M. Morton, Gaspard Paciud, ex- M.P. P., Francis Cleary, Alfred Beneteau, Peter Dronillard. Francis St. Louii. Essex, South. -H. W. Allan, MP., W. D. Balfour, M. P. P . O. H. Bricker, Jolui S. Middough, Culin Wigle, John H. Rodd. Frontexac— Jas. Mc(Jrath, T. C. Stark, Thos. Clyde. Glkn-uarry.— Hon. D. A. McDonald, Jas. Rayside, M.P.P., Don;',kl Mc- Dougall, A. (t. McBean. .John Simpson, J. T. dcheli, M. P. >[unro, M. MuiU'o, W. J. Simi)son, Arch. AIcNah. D. M. MacPherson, feter Sinclair, Allan J. Mc- Donald, A. D. ITnjuhart, Rol)t. McKenzi^ A. Mcintosh, \ D. Kennedy. Donald Kennedy, Jas. McKenzie, W. E. McKillican. Grenvillb, Sourif. — John Ferguson, Hugh Leahy, John Jackson, Jas. M. Thonii)san, Jas. McLitchie, J. U. R. Williams, Rufus Thntop, .Andrew E. McPheraon, Geo. G. Serviss, John Carruthers, Thos. J. Redmond, J. R. O'Reilly, Thos. Hunter, Adam Barber, John Small, James Stoddart. Grey, East.— Jas. Cleland, M.P.P., Dr. Hunt, Jn.s, South. — Ama.sa Taggart, W. H. Fredonburgh, W. J. Webster, R. R. Phillips, A. W. Blanchard, Jolui Bowser, O. D Cowan, John K. Thimi- son Dennis Don)van, E. C. Sliter, C. E. Britton W. P. Dailey, Walter John- son, M. Donavaii, J. A. Wood, J. Ferguson. Lennox.— D. W. Allison, ex-M.P., H, S Davy, S. C. Warner, Thos. Synunington, John Pollard, A. A. Miller, Da\ id Aylesworth, George Goodwin. Lincoln and Niagara. -Wm, Gibson. MP., Wm. (iar.son, ex-M, P.P., Thomas Nilian, Geo. A. Begy, Capt. John Sullivan, T. J. Crowley. London.— C. S. Hyman. ex-M, P., Geo. C. Gibbons, Q.C., Tai hot Mac- Beth, L. W. Burke, A. E. Franklin. H. C. McBride, A. Sharp, W. J. Craig, •Geo. M. Reid. 150 MiDDLEsKx, East.— W. B. Scatcherd, Jno. Kennedy, R. W. Jackson. MiDDi.KsKX, North. Stsptiiniis Hogarth, Rev. .I..I111 S. Loclioad, John Waters, M.P.P. W. H. Taylor. Mii)i)Li;.sK.\, South.— Jas. T. WL'stlaml, C. M. Siinniomls, R. Uo.ston, M.P., W. C. Harris, .). K. Little, N. F. Tim. .thy. MiDin.K.sKX, Wkst.— C. J. CamplK'lI, A. A Cnckhiini, James A. McLean. MoNCK. - John Brown. ox-M.P., W. BiiUouk, J. F. MaedonaM. MrsKOKA AND Parky SocN'i). — James Sharj.e, M. P. 1'., John J. McNeil, James Dollar. Nii'issiNti.— Jnhn Loiiirlirin, M.P. P.. Dr. Striithers, Dr. Artlnir, M. Allard, 11. T. McKwa., Jolin A Doyle, W. A. ^Miihell, Dr. W. H. Milligan, P. Pigeon, Dr. M^James, James McCormack, Isaac Horton, John Workman, .Inhn Sullivan, Cha.i. Vari.ss. Norfolk, North.— John Charlton, M.P, E. C. Carpenter, M.P. P., J. P. Cnlioe J. G. Wykofi; Charles Wood, J. H. Reed. NoRKOLK South.— W. A. Charlton, M.P.P., .lohn Murphy. Northlmijerland, East. —Frank L. Wehh, Munme Dudley, .1. H. Douglas. C. W. Smith, ,1. W. Booth, M. P. Ketchum. NoRTHfMiu;RLAMi, Wkst. — Robt. Macdouald, C. C. J. Snelgrove, W. F. Kerr, John Miller, Richard Wilson. Ontario, North, — Wm. Smitli, .John Veale, Geo. min Parker, James Dollar. O.NTAUH), Soi'Tii. — .Ja.s. Mdnkhouse, Christian Neighs wander, Charles King, E. Munday, Wm. Smith. Ontario, We.st. — J. D. Edgar, M.P. , W. G. Brown, Benjamin Parker, Jos. Monkhouse, C. Neighswander, Charles J. Brodie, Henry Cane. Ottawa City.— Hon. E. H. Bron.son, M.P.P., Alex. McLean, H. N. Bate, F. H. Clirysler, Dr P. St. Jean, .J. H. Parnell, E. E Lauzon, H. A. Bate, E. Lablanc, F. McDougall, George O'Keefe, Hon. R. W. Scott. W. A. Belconrt, C. W. Mitchell, T. P. G(,rman, Alex. Mclntyre, [{. A. Starrs, James M. Quinn, Wm. Scott, .Joseph F. Rowan, Eli Renaud, Josejih Riopelle, Alex. Lumsden, .lohn A. Cameron, Levi Crannell, G. B. Patteo, W. Hutchison, .Jas. Cunningham, David McLaren, .lames White, Leonard Dcsmars, Josepii Duford, Crawford Ross, .J. A. Ritchie, J. C. Brown, J. D. Eraser, Wm. Moeser, S. Bingham, P. A. Egleson, R. Naglo, George Lebel, J. W. Russell, I'd. Devlin, D. L. McLean, William Wall, C. R, Cunningham, A. W. T^raser, .lohn .Arm- strong, J. L. Dowlin, ^^ . C. Bangs, W. G. Black, Stuart Henderson, B.C.L., W. Arnold, H. H. Pigeon, A. Legault, R. E. Jamieson, F. L. Latchford, .John Mather, S. S. Stratton, W. Pennock, Edward Seybold, Oscar Forrest, J. O, Berube, Joseph Boyden, Robt. Blackburn, John C. (Jrant. W. A. D. Lees, Jame3 Hope, Albert Allard, Hercules Pinard, D. IV[. Charlebois. Oxford, North. — Sir Oliver Mowat, James Sutherland, M.P., D. R. Ross, Wm. Stewart, Charles Stewart, V. Stock, -James Crerar, Duncan Stewart Andrew Pattullo, .\. S. Ball, Henry Dickenson, John M. Grant. Oxford, South. — Sir R. .J. Cartwright, M. P. , Dr. Angus Mclvay,. M.P. P., M. S. Scheli, J. B. .Jackson, Dr. W.' F. Dickson, S. Hitcher. Field, M.P. P., H. F. Bruce, Benja- 151 I Pret,.— Joseph Featherston, M.P., John Smith, M. P.P., E. G. (Jrahatn, John C. Snell, A. F. Dick, Adam Morton. pKRTif, North. — James Clriove, M.P,, G. (}. Macphorson, James P. Mabeo, \Vm. Buckingham, John W. Scott. Pkrtii, Sot th. — John Whyte, jr., Walter Thomson, T. A. Hodgo, Hon. Thoa. Ballantyne. Pktkuhoko', East. -. John liung, ex-M.P., John Fitzputrick, Arch. Weir, J. J . Crow, John Finhiy, Geo. Payne, Thos. Ble/.ard, M.P.P. Pktkrijoro', West. — James 11. Stratton, M.P. P., 0. J. Leonard. Prescott. — I. Proulx, M. P., J. H. Molloy, F. X. Bougie, Jos. Luduc, Edward Shtwn, H. J. Chnan, J. W. Langrell, Henry t?mith, (•. Goulet, .las. Steele, H. W. Lawler, Jos. Seguin, Henry Albright Prinik Eowaro.— J. M. Piatt, ex M.P. , John W. Miiofiuan, John H. Allan, Webster T. Crandall, Nohemia Gilbert, .lohn D. ermid, George Craig, David Cunningham, John Holly, John Tierny, Peter McLenneghan, Albert Smallheld, David Barr, John Lyon. RiTssEM,.—A. Robillard. M.P. P., W. C. Edwards, M.P., S. Danis, P. Timmins, Chas. Parkham, D. McDougall, .1 D. Campbell, Robert Dow, A. P. McDonnell, L. McDcmnell, .T. H. Moreau, Danl. McLaurin, James McLaurin, J. R Campbell, .1. M. Campbell, David Wishart, Robert McMaster, Robert Stewart, J. Doyle, Rev. .1. Richardson, Wm. McDermaid, .James Dow, F. Rochcn, Z. Mc ullon, Michael McCardlc, ( ». Guibord, Thomas Foran, Charles Taylor, W. V. Hoper, James .lolinaton, James McMaster, .lames Khae, A. Dodge, D. Lotrmoullo, Rev. O. C. Carey, A. Sabourne, Patr ck Herbert, .lohn Dunlop, E. W. McDonnell, (Jeorge Barrett, Fred. McDonnell, Hugh Cleland, James Simj)son, Martin Hart, Micii;iel Tierny, H. McKay, . I. N. Boupal .loseph Bauet. H. Geroux, M. Pilon, Damasc Racine, (). Roc(|ue, .1. Koc(|ue, A. Leduc, M. Danis, A. Dalorne, R. Ogilvie, W. (). Donnell, .J. Delorne, P. Liviipice, Alex. Chartrand, Pierre Legault, Pierre Legault, jr., Z. Les.sier, G. Cliart- rand, M, Chartrand, O. Chartrand, Z. Chartrand, .1. Chartrand, E. Bolnllard, Thomas Camn, Francis Dumas, Fred. Langlois, Pierre Grignon, Moses Downey, J. Rowe, Samuel Davis, A. McEwau, B^'rancis Gauthier. Si.McoK, East. -.-Charles Beck, J. McNeil, Dr. S])ohn, George Thompson, Donald McLean, W. M. Harvey, D. Davidson, Samuel Eraser, SiMcoE, North. — Neil J. Harkin, E. Stewart, A. F. Hunter, J. B. Vanblack 152 m I SiMt'OE, South.— ThomaH Brown, F. .F. Hewaon, D. A. Jonos. ToKoNTo.— SirO. Mowat, A. K. Whoolor, A. M<.wat, Jus. Tait, M. P.P., .John Fl«tt. Koht. .Utfrny. ChuH. J. Broflio, T. 0. Anderson, Hon. T. W. Anylin, I. W. Sluw, Clus. BuruH W. M. Hull. Geo. D()id','o. N. VV. Elowell, Daniol Kallev, Patrick <»'(Joiin)r, riioj. II Biin, J. S. Willi-ion, J. A. Kwaii, .). E. Atkinson; A. F. fluttor, .1. T. McUonnoy, W. T. U. Pro-ston, F. S. Sponoo, Hon. S. C. I?i^"4s, (!. IM. ll,..so. J. A. Mclntosli, E. Dickie, Potor Small. H. H. Cook, Dr. Adam Lynd. Vkjtouia, North. —(lOo. H. Wilson, D. Brown, W. Cam|tl)i)ll, .las. Dick- son, John \. Barron, l^.C. VicroHi.v, SoTTH. -(Jeo. MoHu!,'ii, Win. Thiir.ston, F. G. Taylor, Wm, Lowns1)roiii,'h, .1. F. Cummini^s, Dr. McKay, M.P.P. Watkki.oo, NoiiTH.— R. Y. Fi.sli, .1. 15. Hul,'1io><, N. S. Bowman, I. E. Bowman, .M.P., E. W. B. Snidur. M.P.P. Waterloo, South. — Hon. .lamos Vouni,', Ja.s. Livlngstonu, M.P. , Josiali Hallman, D.ivid (iioidio, Tlioron Biiohiiiian, .Juo D. .Mooro M 1'. P., Dr, J. B Lundy, .fainos P. Piiin, I-siac n\it, M.P., Dr. ^^. DccIk'Hc, (iii.stavf (Jiinind, S. Ruburyo, M. Poulin, E. Fnrtii-r, T. MuriBSctti', l*. I'oulin, .1. Miithiuu. Bkaihaknoi.s.—E. N. HiHHi.n, M.IM'. , TIiom. HrosHoit, ,1. B. II. biidmitu. Adflard Hnvninnd, Louis ('. Cnutlif, TntHiir Vincent llyjtcintiii' (Jiroiix, liOiui Vincent, Benjamin Bonnier, .Ins. Elie .Aiij,'. A.sHelin, l.sitluio D'Aoiist, A. Onm^e, Tou.ssjind Burtliiiinnu', lloiniene Biiyiint, II. Lalonde, Jos. Mreaiilt, Ad. Viitti, JcLHepli S. Daoust. BELLKeHA.s.sK. — A. ToiMyeon, M.B.I*., P. MoNuil, N. Tlioliie Ct.iitiire George Roy, C. Langloi.s, (). E. Talbot. BhKTiiiKR. — C. r>eauHoloil, M.P., Amateur Demurs, ( '. A. Clienevort, LmiiH (iervaiH, Mayor of Bertiiier I'lirisli, Lonis Vadiiai.s, Pierre Duuiontier, .loaepli Mayer, Xuvier Ma^er, (llivier Farley, .lnse[)li Lafontaine, Napoleon Savoie, Cntliliert Caumartin, .loseiili Barntte, ('lovis Behind, Pierre Masse, lidniw Planle, Atliana.st- Cardiii, Jo.seph DesrosiiT.s, Arsene Denis, Hyaeinthe L'llerenx, Wil- frid Dnlii'au, Paul Dnrand, Francis Laporti;, D.ivid Frechette, Louis .Iac(|ucs, Mayor of St. (iahricl dc Brandon, Peter A. Monday, .loiin Boyle, Njithaniol Doyle, Xavier Boheit, Pierre (irenache. BoNAVKNTiKE. — VV. Lo Boutelier Faiivel, M.P., Francis Bi Fal)ien Cfiuilhird, Nathaniel .Johnson, (ieorge Forest, .1. F. Levesipie, dames (Juin. Bro.mk.— S. A. Fisher, ex-M.P., (J. A. .Vdama, Robert Allen, .1. A. Hntchi- 8on, .1. C. Draper, A. U. MacLaughlin, P. O'Connor, VV. F. Vilas, A.. I. White- head. CnAMi!LY."Antoine Rochcleau, ex-M. P. P., Chas. SheflTers, Elio Ste. Marie, Adelard Bcnoit, E. C. Lalonde, .loseph Charron, Jo8ej)h Brunelle. .1. A. Ste. Marie, Raymond Achin, Josei)h Triulean, Napoleon ( ourtemanchu, Arthur Achin. CiiAMi'LAiN. — Dr. Ferdinand Trudel, F. X. Massicotte, Frank Thibodeau, Dr. Ed. Feron, Ermst Rinfret. (Jhahlevoix.—.Jos. Morin, M.P.P., John VVurreii, J. A. Tremblay, .1. E. DeGagne, T. Simard, A. F. Lapointe, N. (iariopy. CHATEAUiiTAY. — J. P. Brown, M.P., N. R. Laberge, Michael Laberge, .Tosejih Reid, Charles Bergiven, Ra(iuel Dupont, Vital Crepin, Narcisse Barrette, Haph.ul Ouimettc, TI10.S. Baird, Pierre Reid, Thomas Gebbie, jr., Ilobert Ne.ss, .lohn McArtney, Maurice Herbert, Ed. McCiowan, Alphonse Ileid. CmcofTiMi AND Saguenay. — P. V, Savard, M.P., L. P. Bilodeau, Edmund Savard, Thos. Trendday, Jean Maltais, Hii)polyte Dufour. Dorchester. — Dr. C. E. Vaillancourt, M.P., Charles Audet, Napoleim Labrecfjue, Thomas Farrell, Arthur Paradis, Prudc^nt Rf)yer. Kugene Paradis, Drummond and Arthauaska. — d. Lavergne, M.P., Paul ' ourigny, C. A. (Jauvreau, W. J. Watts, ex-M.P.P., Victor Dessert, . I o.seph Lafont:^ine, E H. Laliberte. Vinceslas Dionne, Olivier Ricard, J. L Blanchette, Thomas Baril, Rodolphe Bimdreau. Gaspe. — Alfred T. Carter, Robert Lindsay, George P. Fauvel, Joseph Garon, .Joseph Lavergue. HocHELAGA. — Dr. Lanctot, Louis Perrault, Dr. .1. P. Marin, Amable Collin, L. P. Dui)ri, Alderman P. Leclcrc, E. Gauthier, M. Hutchinson, E. Lalonde, «G. Menard. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I m m g^ 12.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 16 ^ 6" ► V] o A ->, -> / s Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 /^^^^p. f/i o^ I ^w 154 G()«»olin, M.P.P., F. Lf.foiul, A. fJi)yette, Clieriier» HiNTiNoDON —.1, Scriver, M.P., O. W. Stephens, M.P.P., D. Boyfl, W. S. Miiclaren, R. Giiitliier, A. B. Cazii. IiiKKViLi.K. — F. Becliard, M.P., F Domers, Nap Oiirenu, IJ. (labelli'. Jacquk-s Cabtikr. - .1. A. ''. Inadore, .1. F. A. Morrison, U. Valois, H. Schetagno, Dr. Champagne, .F. B. DoHlaiiriurs, Nap. Valois, H. Duchesneau, Job. .Ariartl, T. Lefi;ault. JoLiKTiK - F. O. Diigiis, A. Cohana, (} Dejroches, H. Novell, ex-M.P., L. Basinet, ex-M.P. P., (J. A. ChamjHVfjne, K. Rivanl, R. Henaiilt. (). Henault. KamoL'Raska. — H. G. Carroll, M.P., Auguste Martin, Xavier Hmlon, H. Pellet er, B. Ouellet, Charles Letellier. Lahkllb. — L. .1. A. Papueau. Mayor Miitkay, Mayor Mackenzie, Mayor Thompson, Mayor .loubert. Mayor Henri Boiirassa, A. 1). Cameron, J. A. Cameron, Mayor t^enaud. Mayor L. R Poulin, Charles Mackay. LaI'Kairie.— Phileas Lanctot, Henri Brossard, I. E. ArnonUl, O Jos. Fyfe, A. Lanctot, Dr. Forte, .1. Bte. Barbeau, M. Maillonx, C. M. Charron. L'A.s.soMi'TiON.— Dr. L. Forest, ex-M.P. P., Joseph Gauthier. Laval. —Eusebe Labelle, Hector Lussier, Emery Prevost, Zepliirin Joubert, Franei>i8 •lubinville, Michel Million, Exavier Valiiiuette Didime Masson, Onesiine Tourville, Chas. Meunier, Paciticcjne Vezina, Isiii Desormeaux, Leon Paque te, Louis Joly, M. Ouimet, Hormisdas Hotte, Jos. Desornoaux, Francois Exavier Charette, E. Taillefer, Uordien Mesnard, Antoine Tilocjuin, O. Des- niarais, .Fob. Toupin. Levis. —Dr. Pierre Malcolm Guiy, M.P., Councillor J. C. Hamel. Jos. Boufcin-B')ur.iH4a M lyor of Ste! IJonualil, Councillor Napoloim Lamontagne. L'IsLET. — J. Israel Tarte, M.P., M. Franceur, A. De.sclieno, O. Corbonneau, F. G. M. Deschene, M.P.P. LoriUMERE.— Dr. C. Rinfret, M.P., Hon. H. G. Joly de Lotbiniere, H. Bernier, V. Beaudet, Patrick Noonan, .V. Cote, L. i). Hatte, A. Treniblav, C. Ra . Kd H. Laliberte, M.P.P. Maskinonoe. — J. H Leijris, M.P., Hector Caron, M.P.P., Eug. Vadebon- coeur, Mayor of Louiseville, T. T. llivard, Chas. Tirpanier, Thomas Mineau, Jos. Man-hand, R. P. Latlicho. MHioA.vru'. — George Turcot, ex-M.P., .John Whyte, ex-M.P. P., F. T. Savoie, Hon. N. C. Cormier, Thos. Kelly, J. A. Savoie, J. C. Noel, Dr. J. Z. Trig una, J. C. Paradis. G. Couture, Dr. Ne 1. Missi.syioi. -H. rhos. Dutfy, J. C. McCorkill, O. R. Anderson, Francois Gosselin. MovrMAdNV.— P. .Aug. Chofjuotte, M.P., Naz. Bernatchez, M.P.P., .1. 0. Lislois, Mayor of Moutmagny, Fred Belanger, J. S. Gendron, F. G. Bernier, Nax. Lachaine. Montmorency. — F. X. Litourneau, Mayor of Sainte Famille, Ferdinand Lefrchrano. Napiervili.e. — D. Monet, MP., I. Longtin, I. Blain, A. Barette, C. Dorris, D. Monet, sr., V. Coupal, M. McCaffrey, O. Uurivage. Ni('(H.ET.— C. .1. Marchildon, A. A. Leduc Fnineois Manseau, P. D. Bros- sard, Joseph Bourgeois. Po>fTiAr.— Thomas Murray, ex-M. P. .N. McCuaig, fames Kirwan, Thomas Pendergast, T 0. (iaboury, M D., D Gillies, M.P.P., VV. W. McKechnie, Geo. Bryson, M.L.C.. Frank Murta'Ji. James Hamilton, Stephen Smith, J. J. Mul- doon, .f. li. Horner, M. S. Bowie, Ed. Meredith, J. T. Pattison, Thomas Hanoraty, J. C. Armatroug, P. B. Coyne, E. A. Reid, A. Merleau. PoKTNiu'K. — .Arthur Delisle, M. P., Jules Tessier, M.P.P., E. Panet, Jos* Moisin, Simeon Delisle, Louis B jUe Isle, Samuel Germain, Ferdinand Labraiiche» A. D. Mayrand. QuEiJKc, Centre. — Hon. C. A. P Pelletier, Senator; F. Dingelier, M.P. Hon. D. A. Ross, FX. Borlinguet, C.E., J. E. IJedard, Q.C., Elzear Vincent, Ulrio Barthe, Lawrence Lynch. QlEBEc, Ev.st. — Hon W. Lavirior, M. P., S. N. Parent, M.P.P., Gaspard Rochette, J. B. Laliborte, Jos Gauthier, Cleophas Rochette, J. B. Thibaudeau, Geo. Lemelin, Jos. Dion, jr. ,. I. H. Patry, .lo.s. Bergeron, G. VV. Pelletier, (J. Bouchard, Pliileus Corriveau. <2tEiJKc, West. — Tliomas Gilchen, .f. C. Kaino, Misel Thibadeau, A. J. Messervey, James Kelley, E. Di(jn Quebec County. -J. E. Bedard, Eugene Dubord, F. Jnbin. RicHELiKU.— A. A. Brunoau, M.P., Louis Morasse, .Vlfred Francot-ur, Albert Beanchomin, J. .\. Proulx, Joseph Codene, Henri Emery, Olivier Laventure, E. Perodeau. Richmond ank VVoi.fe. D. Stewart, J. B. I{ichard, - RiMousKi. — A. Tessier, M.P. P., H. M.P. P., N. Caron. RouviixE.— L. P. Brodeur, M.P.,. I. K (Jaboury, S. (,)uintal, C. N. Fre- geau, E. Beauvais Ed. Cliabot, Et. Trembl;i\', .Aut;. Ducharme, J. Rodrigue, Wm. Brodeur,.!. Pigeon, P. Dussault, A. t ourtemanche, F. 8. Noiseux, P. Pacjuette. St. Hyacinthe. — Kvariste Totreau, Calixte Gaucher, Etienne Favreau, Euclide Martei, Honore Tessier, Dosithe Brodeur, C. Beauregard, I. I). Rain- ville Edouard Vallee, Moise Remy, C. Durocher, Cleopli Dragon, C. Chovalt, Elie Leblanc, .los. Chapdelaine, Jo3. Archambault, D. Tessier, VVm. Vincent, Theop. Desmarais, Jos. Lusaier, J. B. Piiiard Frs. Fecteau, Remi Ouertin, F. Boas, J. N. Dubrule, O. Desmarais, Dr. L. V. Benoit, J. B. Peloqrin, Leandre Baron, Pierre Gudbert, Alexis Pichette, Nap. Lariviere, VVni. Wilson, ), Jiinies (^'Cnin, Mayor of St. Johns, Dr. Marcon, Wilfrid Bropeau, Alph. Morin. K. Dandurand, P. D. Bropeau, P. Labelle, A. Messier, J, Begnoche, Philippe Bropeau. St. Maurice, — L. A. Lord, Piena Heroux, Autoinu Duchaine, Edouard Giranlin, W. Alliire. Shekkoku. — Charles H. Parmelee, Charles A. Nutting, Win. L. Davidson, Wni. H. Martin, Ernest F de Varennes, Pierre Hubert. Sherbrookk. — Clement Millier, J. S. Broderick, Dr. P. Polletier, G. B. Loouiis, C. A. E. Lefebvre, Theodore Pelletier, G. L de Lottinville, John Leonard, Petre Smith. SotH-AXOKs. — A. C. I-lourbonnais, M.'\r., Dr. A. Bourbonnais, Charles Methot, R. Methol, jr, B. Theoret, jr, Feli.x Theoret, David Daoust, Julien Daoust, Antoine Bourbonnais, J. H. Tisdale, Jean Leroux, Uonore Cuerrier, J. Thauvette, Edouard Juillet, Denis Martin. Stanstkad.— T. Byron Uider, M.P., M. H. Lovell, ox-M.P.P., B. Goyette. Temiscouata. — Joseph Rioun, Warden, David Damour, Cali.xte Michaud, Jos. E. Pouliot. Terrebonne. — J. A. DucheHnea\i, M.D., (J. Desjanlius, M. D., Chas. Hodnior, Damase Limoges. Jo8ei)li Crepuan, Mayor of St. Anne, Matthais Moody, I. Lajeunesse, Ilene Masson, Doiiiini([ue Cimrtier, Eusebo Lajeunesse. Three River.s. — Louis T. Polette, J. li. L. Hould, John Ryan, J. A. Tessier, E. D. Boisclair, L. E. Dufresne, Joseph Lamothe. Two Mountains. — Dr. L. A. Fortier, .Joseph Langlois, Felix Raymond, Hormiadas Lafond, Francois Blondin, Hyacinthe Drouin, Janvier Fortit-r, Alex. Robillard, Ma.i^loire Desjardins, Louis Gorbeil, William Cardinal, Leandrc Viau, Thomas Dobbio, .1. Castingua}'. /. Corbeil, Joseph Fottier, Dominiijue Leduc, C. E. Langlois. Vauureuil. — H. S. Harwood M. P., Dr. Emery Lilonde, Honor6 Thauvette, Victor St. Denis, Wm. Mullen, Damas Dachon, David Manson, Roger Dandurand, Adam Harwood, Odion Leroux, W. R. Hensluy, Paul Deois, NoeCastonguay, Gabriel Besner, Ludger Castonguay, Evangeliste Castonguay, Dr. H. I'ilon, Azelda Valois, Jos. Denis, Michel Valois, U. Valois, L. X. Malette, L. J. Campeau. Whioht. — C. R. Devlin. M.P., L. N. Champagne, C. B. Major, Dr. Davies, Heriiiinigilde Roi, James O'Hagan, A. Rochon, ex-M.P.P., C. .1. Brooke, William Beebee, J. Cousineau, C. Devlin, sr., Dr. St. Paul, Dr. Stevens in, T. A. Howard, D. Hicher, S. Edey, C. Parker, Michae! Dutty, Patrick Dutfy, James Me Cafrey, Robert Hurdman, Dr. Pa((uet, W. G. Mulligan, .lohii Ryan, Richard Fogarty, E.N. St. Jean. M. Brodeur, A. Lindsay, W. Bailey, B. Carriere, J. Durocher, V. E. G.— Dr. I). C. Allen, Mayor of Aiiiherat, H. J. Lo^aii, J. H. Livingstone. Dkjuy.— E. C. Bowers, M.P., A. H. Comeau, M.P.P., Tolin Daloy, H. H. Wickwire. (iUY!si«»KOL(;H. — D. C. Friiser, M.P. Hants. -W. H. Guild. H.\MKAX. — Hon. A. G. .J'jnes, Hon. L. G. Power, Hon. W. S. Fieldinu, M.P. P., M. Dwyor, C. C Blackadar, W. .1. Hutler, (Jeo. E. Boak, Mayor M. E. Kecfu, Benjamin Kiissell, George J. Troop. INVEKNES.S. — Dr. Angus McLennan. KiN«i.s. F. W. Borden, M.P., W. H. Chase, W. P. Scott, D. M. Dickie, E. M. Beckwitli, W. R. L. Foster. LiNENiURci. — Hon. Charles E. Churcli, M. P.P., James Eisenhaui*, A. K. McLean . Fit'Tor. — Hon. Robert Drummond, M.L.C., Jame* L'. McfJregor, M.P.P., J. W. Carmichael, Dr. .lames B. Collie, James \V. Beid, Thomas Johnston, William Bedmund, A. L Rice. QiKKNs— F. (J. Forbes, M.P., C. H. Clements. Ri«HMOM>. — Joseph Matheson, M.P. P., Simon Joyce, Patience Porrier, George W. Mitchell, Baptist Gerrior. VicTOKiA. — H. Elected Vice-Chainiian 19 Takes the Chair 88 TBoas, F 86 Borden, Dr. F, W., M.P 18 Gall. The 4 CAHTWKUiHT, Sir KlCHARn. Proposes Vice- Chairman for N. S . . 15 Main Address 40 Casffiain, .1. P. B 101 Chairman's Address 5 Charlton, John, MP 81 Cho2 Moves Res. on Tariff Reform 72 Kesolution of Confidence in 141 Response to Res. of Confidence .... 142 LoNGLKV, H(m. .r. \V. Proposes Vice-Chairman 22 Moves Third Resolution 97 Marchand, Hon. F. G 5 Mills, Hon. David 114 Monet, D., M.P 123 Mowat, Sir Oliver 5 Mulock, Wm., MP 128 Murray, Thomas 54 McCrae, D W McFarlane, John 92 McKeown, H. A .... 139 McLean, .Alexander 5 Mclje''.nan, Dr. Angus 109 McMulkn, James, M.P 132 McRae, J. W 23 Ottawa Electric St. Ry. Co 23 Ottawa, Mayor of, Letter from 39 Parliamentary Rights, Resolution Re.specting IK! Paterson, William, M.P 73 Pelletier, Hon. C. A. P 19 Peters, Hon. Fied 21 Power, Hon. L. (i . . 21 Prohibition Plebiscite, Resolution Respecting 13."» Raymond, W. G 93 Reciprocity. Resolution Respecting . . 81 Ross. Hon. David 16 Ross, Hon. Jivs. H i 120 Rowell.N. W 125 160 Paor. Royal CuinmiHRioDB, Ruaoiution Re- HpeotiniT H^ Savoie, F.T ,92 Scott, Hon. R. W 134 Second Day, Morning Sewion. ..... 64 Afternoon " 66 Evening " 96 Senate Reform, ReiohUion Reiii)ect*g. 134 Shaw, J. W 118 SiKTON, Hon. Clikkokp. Elected Vice-Chairman 22 AddresH on Fourth Resolution 107 Smith, Chief William 91 Spence, F. 8 137 SivrHKHL.XNi), Jamrs, M.P. Nominates Secretaries 15 Faob. AnnounoeH Invitation 23 Report of Committee 88 Tait, J.>seph, M.P.P «» Tariff Reform, Resolution on 71 Tarte, J. Inrael, M.P 57 Thanks, Vote of 140 Vice-Chairmt-n, Election of IB Wathon, Hon. RoBKiiT. Proiwses Vice-Chairman 20 Addresb on Public Lands 118 Webb, F. L ; 117 Woldon,C. W 18 Wilde, J. K 90 Wilson, William 103 Whyte, .John 141 Young, Hon. James 9*^ Faob. 23 38 (» 71 67 140 15 20 118 117 18 90 103 141 9*^