House of Commons JBebates. 
 
 FOURTH SESSION-EIGHTH PARLIAMENT. 
 
 stm:t^(:fi 
 
 OF 
 
 H. DOUUASSA, M.R 
 
 ON 
 
 THE ADDRESS 
 
 DTTAWA, WKDNKSDAY, li'.ini MAliClI, ISuO 
 
 Mr. HKNin IJOIKASSA (r,iil.cllct. Mr. 
 Spi'akt'i'. there Is im dould in my iiilml lluit 
 yon li.'ive jilre.'iily lieai'd everytliiiii,' ili.'it 
 coiilil he sahl. iiiiil inaiiy things that shi^uhi 
 not ht> saiih on tlie siHijeet of this (ii'hate. 
 I >1() not liope to atlil any new fcatnro to 1'.. 
 I am shnjily ^ivin^ way to that ix'euliar In 
 slinct of parliamentarians whicli seems to 
 Induct' lis so slron>;ly. at ihe oi)enln(; of 
 every session, to exluile the most olmoxlous 
 talking' miei'ol)es that we have .,'ermed and 
 nursed during the eiKht months of tlie re 
 cess. 
 
 EhMiiient and dull words have been used 
 (luriiif; this debate on Ihe actual i>rosperity 
 of Canada and as to the share of responsi- 
 bility and of merit which should be attribut- 
 ed to the <Jovernment as a factor of >:ood 
 times. At all times and in all lands, riders 
 lire apt. to exanKcrate their creating and in- 
 Itiaiiuf,' powers. liouis XIV Is charged wllli 
 havin>; s.iid. " l,'i;ial. c'est moi." In our 
 (loniocratic days. ])o1itlcal leaders more mod- 
 estly say. " 1 am the Almijrhty." I iMUst, 
 how<'ver, iiote a signal exception in llio lion, 
 member for West .Vssiniboiii (Mr. Dnvin). 
 whose mei^'fil enerfjies beln^ alloKether 
 of the liilk.ilive and sounding sort, more 
 properly says ■ " 1 am the Almijy^iity 
 Voice." But If no RovernuK'nt can make 
 
 enter into a gen- 
 eveu L'ive ti slm- 
 • he works .-ma re- 
 
 the rain fall, the sun nine, the soil pro- 
 duce, and the jrenius of can move, 
 work, and .:4t^uerate, a ^ood govern- 
 ment can. by a souiul policy, help 
 iialurni and even i)rovideuiial causes 
 i'> ha\e their full elTert, and therefore eon- 
 Iribnte lar).;cly to the general welfare of 
 I lie country. 
 
 I am not Koiiig to 
 eral appreeiation, or 
 pie enumeration of all 
 I'^trms accomplished by this (Jovernment 
 since their advent to ixnver. I will content 
 myself with pcflnliiiij; to one cause whicli 
 I :hink ha.s not been mentioned already In 
 tins deb.ate perhaps because our opponents 
 K.'ive birth to it, though it is no credit to 
 tliem. 
 
 I'Vir years back the lalkiiiR and publishing 
 organs of the Coiiservative party were 
 sounding witli lamenting prophecies about 
 all the (>vils that would befall this coun- 
 try on the day the l>i')eral party slionld 
 come to iiower. No doubt sevt-ral of those 
 disiuiil predictions went to the winds, In 
 comi>!iny, 1 mtist adndt, witli some of our 
 l>^^ 11 jiathetic api)eals to the electors ; but 
 ni'verthcless they <'reated among the trad- 
 ing and manuf.'ii'turiiig classes of this com- 
 munity a feeling of uncertjiliity as to what 
 
would happen in the pvpn»^ of a chnnKo 
 of Adinlnlstriitlon. Nollilntr. jwcvor. In tlie 
 public iiliil form adopted l).v the Liberal i)art.v 
 warranted such a feeling. The very word 
 '• tariff for revenue," coui)led with the 
 most rudlineniary knowled>:e of our tlnan- 
 clal situation, and in the absence of any 
 new form of tayatiou. ine;int. In Itself, 
 still a larjie ainonnt of protection to manu- 
 factures. 
 
 As to unrestricted reclproclt.v with the 
 t'nlted States, allow me. .Sir. to call It. 
 happily, an accident in the political life of 
 both parties— with the differeiu'(> (pilte illus- 
 trail. •>• of tiio characteristics of both parties, 
 thi'i. th(> I.'.'ierals spoke of it openly and 
 frankly at a li;"\e when they could do noth- 
 ing in the matter ; whilst the Conservatives, 
 after loud protests of virtm>, came 
 very near eotnmittin;i the sin, and cer- 
 tainly went as far as full consent, which. 
 If my theology is rl^rht. Is e(|ulvaleut to 
 comndssifin Itself. In this inat.er I wouhl 
 advise the Opiiositiou to imitiite the con- 
 duct of the laird of UcdKauntlet, who want- 
 ed to keep the poor Steenle Steenson respon- 
 sible for a rental airead • paid to his father ; 
 but when Steenie came back from the dark 
 spot and told Sir Uobert tliat h(> had found 
 the old Kentleman there himself, and in a 
 very bad fix, the laird >,'ave him his discharpe 
 and bejrjred him to speak no inor(> about it. 
 
 But, comiuK back to the (piestlon of tariff 
 reform, I must admit that If it meant not a 
 revolution in the tarifT, the mere fact that 
 a readjustment in the customs schedules 
 of the country would take place in case of 
 a chanjio of Admlnistr.itlou, createtl. no 
 doubt, a certain feeling of tiiu-asiness 
 anions the Industrial classes. 
 
 But there were some other causes for that 
 feeling. The scandals tliat were polsoninn 
 the blood of the Conservative party, once 
 healthy and robust ; the Manitoba school 
 question, wldch created a political agitation 
 and kept it up for two years previous to 
 the general elections ; several Ministerial 
 crises, taking at the end the hideous ap- 
 pearance of open treason ; the dislocation of 
 a huge political structure, oiwe Imposing 
 and bearing the character of the powerful 
 men who had built It up— in fact, all actions 
 and all iuiictioiis of the Conservative Gov- 
 ernment, at llie end of the last Parliament, 
 were giving to all classes not only the im- 
 pression, but the deep conviction, that the 
 next general elections would bring a change 
 of Government ; that the Conservative i)arty 
 was doonuMl, and that the Liberals would 
 come to power and have for the first time 
 a chance of api)lying their financial theori(?s. 
 This may be riietoric and sentiment ; btit 
 statesmen and business men who do not 
 take into account moral causes in business 
 matters are no real business men and no 
 real statesmen. 
 
 After the general elections were over, after 
 the liiherals had come to power, the Gov- 
 ernment could not bring down at the first 
 
 session ilieir taritT Hill. 'I'hcrefore. we may 
 fairly state tliat for two ycjirs the manufac- 
 turers of Caiiadii iliiiitcd ilicir liiiiHirlalioUs 
 of I'aw niatrriais ami the wlidlcsaic mer- 
 chants their importations of foreign m:inu- 
 factiircd articles to ilie strict tigtircs of ac- 
 tual reijuircmcnis. Hut wlieii the t.irilT of 
 1,H!»7 was brought down; when it was found 
 that I lie bunlei\ of the consumer was lift- 
 ed to some extent without any Injury being 
 done to the jiroducer : when it ivas fouii;l 
 that lli(> policy of the jirescnt (!over:^;;!<'nt 
 war' h. sccic new markets for our agricul- 
 ftira' jirnilucts wiiliont consenting to the 
 slaughtering of our own industrl.'il market— 
 a deep jispir.itlon of hope .•ind relief lilletl 
 the breast of ihe nation, and the Canadiau 
 people went to work with a feelint' of Joy 
 and of sc'"' relliiiice wliich alone makes peo- 
 ples !ind individuals stnuig, progressive and 
 l)roductlve. 
 
 If our opponents are so sensitive that they 
 do not nice us to say that our coii.inir Into 
 power Is the cause of tlie jirogress of this 
 country, let us say that their going out of 
 power Wiis tlie cause. 
 
 Some hon. MKMIUOlfS. Hear, lie.ir. 
 
 Mr. BOJRASSA. You may think. Sir. 
 that tlu'se two iiropositio.is belong to 
 that same system of logic which imikes 
 such a dilTerence beiwi'cn an unresii'leted 
 i offer of reciprocity and an offer of uiu'e- 
 Istrlcled reciprocity. Btit i shall ven'ure to 
 jexpl.'iiu my statement. I maintain that so 
 long as the Conservative p.'irt)- reuuiined In 
 power : so long as before the trade commun- 
 ity of this country, they would h.ave posed as 
 the oidy economists, as the only men who 
 could create, develop and nuiiuiain our 
 national Industries : so loni; .as by reason of 
 that, a certain uniiiber of traders in this 
 country would liavtv believed, rkhlly or 
 wrongly, tluu the coming Into power of t!ie 
 Liberals would li.ave nie.aut :i eliange In the 
 tariff there w;is a elieck to the full and 
 free develoi)ment of Ihe energies of this 
 country. 
 
 But now that our tariff policy has been 
 tlrmly established and provi'd to be a stiible 
 oiuv -not the thing of one p;irty or one class 
 of men. but the property of the people of 
 Canada- there Is full conddeuee tlur. who- 
 ever may be the men in pow<'r. the trado 
 and t'le industries of this countr.v are safe. 
 
 Some hon. MKMHKUS. Hear, hear. 
 
 Mr. BOUItASSA. I see the ex-Mlnla- 
 ter of Kinance (Mr. Foster) laughing at 
 my naivetf', but 1 am Just coming to the 
 point which jirobably lirings Unit smile. 
 It is charged by hon. gentlemen opposite that 
 tlie Liberals liave not fulliiled llieir pledges, 
 that they are Illogical, that they are not 
 sincere, that they are Inconsistent. 
 
 Weil. Mr. Speaker, as far as logic is con- 
 cerned. I will state, at the risk of scandal- 
 izing tlie iihilosophicai mind of my hon, 
 friend (Mr. l^'osten, that In public affaJrs, 
 
that ill polities, iti fjovcrnniont. In l)imlni>8M, 
 in trr.(li>, I (io not licllcvc miicli In lo^ic 
 
 I'lll'c U>iiU' is one uf liic iiiDSl (IccclvillK !lll(i 
 
 iliiUKcrous Kulilcs of piiMilc men. 
 Soiiu- lion. MlOMiMOItS. (th ! 
 
 .Mr. |{(»rit.\S.S.K. Wcli. it iiiis l)(><>n 
 till' .shaiM and tlic curse of ail wcalc 
 and (Iccayinj,' p'Vi'rnincnts ! It is all very 
 well flip ihcorisls to sil (Hilcl In their 
 ealilncis aiiit libraries, far from men and 
 from reaiiry, to write splendid arllclcH and 
 Iwioks on fre<> irad»> and iiro'eclion, Inspired 
 liy the best of lojjie and (he mos! profound 
 erudition ; hut they will not elianp' the 
 climate, the soil, the mines, and all the 
 varied coiise(iiiences wlilch natural causes 
 Imiiose on human I'ommunlties. 'I'lieir phll- 
 osopliical lo);ic will never break the Ivrut.al 
 lo;,'|c of facts, 'i'ln'se hooks may be very 
 useful to the nn-n of action because they 
 may throw llj;lit on their actions. Hut 
 I elalin. Sir. that the Kood novernments 
 are those that clothe the people with gar- 
 ments lit to ilieir size ;ind lu'oper lo llielr 
 acinal life and work. 
 
 I''ree trade may be a splendid policy for 
 this conniry in some years to come, and no 
 doubt It will 1)1' the duty of the (iovemiiienl 
 of ih.'it futiu-e day to ailopt It if (uily for 
 the ),'reiil pleasure uf llie descciidaiils of the 
 lion. Keutleiiicii on the other side of the 
 House who arc so sorry that we do not 
 adojit free trade now. 
 
 Some !ion. MKM Hints. Hear, iie.ir. 
 
 Mr. HOli;,\ss.\ I s,iy. Sir, that the 
 only actual possible jiollcy for this coun- 
 tty, and I am not ashamed to .say it, is a 
 pidlcy of moderate iM-oteclion. I am a yotini; 
 poiliiclan, I ndinlt. and perhaps if 1 were as 
 old as the hmi. ;;eiitlemen oiiposile I would 
 not Kive my sincere tliou>iht with so much 
 Hberiy ; jierhap.s I would have such a sulli- 
 cient kno\vled;,'e of pollilcs a.s would prevent 
 me from siieaklnj; frankly. I ran in my 
 count.v its a lui derate protectionist ; or 
 rather 1 said to my I'lectors that 1 did not 
 believe In theories in nuitters of trad*', but 
 that I believed in facts and in lijiures, and 
 in liny (ioveriinieiit. that would fzWe lo my 
 country the policy tliat was re<inired for the 
 moment, aial not the policy tliat nilf^ht be 
 rcipilred fifty yei.rs hence. Let the words 
 and deeds of the ( iovemmi'Ilts of the past 
 siiciik for ihemselves and so far iis that Is 
 concerned, the hoii. ttentlemeii opposite have 
 more to their detiit than to th(>lr credit. liOt 
 the men of the future make tlie projier 
 policy for tlie future of Canaila. I have hope 
 enou;:h in my countrymen of any rac(> and 
 of any lani;ua«e to feel sure that when (ifty 
 years will liave i)as!--ed upon tlds country, 
 they will know iiow lo dea' with llie policy 
 of tlu'ir days. 
 
 Hut on this very sround of IokIc, lo what 
 scliixd <pf phllosoph.v belonirs the ivasonin^ 
 by \\lii<h liie lion, cenllenien on the other 
 side, who iir/dicted tliat we would, on com- 
 lus into p(»wi'r, brins ruin and starvation to 
 
 tlilM connlry, reproach us now that we did 
 not acconipllsh such ritiii and slarvalioii ? 
 l>o tliev think the electors will look on It In 
 that wi\y '.' .Much more cousisleiit and much 
 more diunllled was the position taken at llrst 
 by the leader of the Opiiosltloll. wliell h<' 
 said that the Liberal p.irty had simply jnit 
 on the slioi's of the (Conservative pii;*ty and 
 done iioihintfof theniMelves. Of course, that 
 was one of those stroll;^ assertions whhdi the 
 lion. Keiiilemaii (Sir di'irles Tupper) li.'i!'' i.e- 
 cnsiomed the House and (he country to hear 
 from him, but, a(, the siiiiie lime. I repeat 
 i( was far more dlKiiilied and consistent tlian 
 (he present altittuh' of the ( 'opsen'atlve 
 parly. It Is another evidence Unit the hon. 
 ,1,'entlenian (Sir Charles Tupiier) Is too blj; 
 for wiiat Is left of liis iKirty. or tluit llils 
 remnant <d' the past is too small for him. 
 
 .Now, ji.s to sincerity. I believe iind have 
 alwa.^s l)elleve<l that lliere is a K"od deal of 
 inlsjipprelieiision, both In public or in iirlvale 
 life, !is to what sincerity really Is. Of cours*', 
 if sincerity meant a direct and constant re- 
 l.'itlon between Intention and words and ac- 
 tions, very few men liue'ed, jind still fewer 
 political jiarlies, coiiM be csilled sinc<'r'»— 
 and I do not think Ihv- hon. Kenllenien 
 On the other shle of the House would 
 j gel the pri'/.e. In my liunible ,1udgmenr, sin- 
 cerity Is the direct relation between IhouKhl 
 and Word, between tliougiit and action at the 
 i inomeni the word is uttered or the .action Is 
 performed. I'nder this InteriUH'tatlon, I can- 
 didly believe the ma.iorlty of men to I)e sin- 
 cere, eltlier In i)ublic v.y In private life. In 
 politics especially. I see no ultimate prain to 
 be made, no souiid public opini )n lo be 
 created by susiiectin};. ."iid causing the peo- 
 ple lo suspect, the sincerity of our public 
 men. There should be e.iouf^jh to criticise 
 and to blame In tlie actions of all political 
 parties, without attribtitiuK low motives to 
 anymdess tliere l.s absolute evidence 
 that such motives e.\ist. For my part, I tun 
 ready to admit that cuir opponents sire as 
 ' uiu"li animated with a fiiir spirit of justice 
 ,'ind a sinceiH' devotion to the public welfare 
 as we may be ourselves. 1 want to l)elleve 
 it at least ; and if tiie hon. pentlemeu oppo- 
 : site do not talk loo much I will continue to 
 , believe it. 
 
 Some hon. .MKMHHKS. Hear. hear. 
 
 Mr. HOUHASSA. I go a step further, and 
 1 say tliat I ipille fwee that the Conserva- 
 tives li.'ive done good work for their coun- 
 try In their time -iuterminKled, of course, 
 as must be in any liunian community, with 
 mis(iee(!s— lhoiii;ii ill last a too long use of 
 power made the bad overcome tlie good until, 
 for the great benelit of the country and for 
 their own, tliey were sent to the regions of 
 [)enance, and 
 
 An hon. MEMBER. 01)llvlon. 
 
 Mr. HOUHASSA. 
 nient. tlie word I 
 anyway the thing 
 gentlemen are on 
 
 I forgot, for the mo- 
 was about to use, but 
 Is there, and the bon. 
 the other side of the 
 
lloiist'. I iiii'Miii lo use the word "piirillt'ii- 
 tloii." I'lit li will Ik !i loiiK lliiic iH'fiii'f tiicy 
 nrc iiupllli'd. niul so tlio won! w ill .cuiiu' lu 
 Just as wi'll next year 
 
 Hut now sii]i])oslii^ woHtniKl tluMifiMisntloii 
 (iT iusliiccflly, how ca 1 W(> fact' tlic I'linrRi' 
 tliat w(> arc iucoiislsti'iit V On tills subject 
 aijcalu I must coiilVss liaviiin a very siron« 
 oiiliilon. I b'lii'vc that coiislslciicy Is all 
 other Ki-ea* danger of piilillc Ut'c. 1 helieve 
 that next to the logical, the cousisteut have 
 beiMi the v.orst nilei's of any eouiitry. Of 
 course, I must exi)lalii. CoiisisteMcy lu phil- 
 osophical and moral pruhleins is the only 
 ])roleetl(in for the (li;:iiily of i he liuihau mind. 
 ''oiislsiciiey ill action is most dcsiraMe, pro- 
 vided tlial Ihc cause which (;ave liirtli to sucii 
 ad loll remaius uncliaiiiced tliroti;,'li unvarh d 
 circunisrMUces. I liave no respect for jioliti- 
 cal men or parties iliat are not coiisislcnt 
 Willi tliiMusclves, that would chan;;(» tlieir jiro- 
 Kramiiies and bend ilielr principles for tlie 
 sole piir|)os(> of caicliiiii: (he caiiriclous wind 
 of luiblic favour. Hut I liave no regard for 
 jrovernmcnls. who. for tlie jiclty satlsfiwtlon 
 of beiiiy: i(dil tlial they ;ire conslsleni with 
 theories and programmes adopted in years 
 past, would not do the duly of the day. 
 Whatever may have been the varied and 
 Isolated opinions of soin(> members of the 
 Liberal iiariy, the trcucral princliile of the 
 party In re-,ii'd to iirotection and fr(>e trtido 
 was laid iluwii in isp:!. We promised tariff 
 reform, aiifl we have iriven tariff reform- 
 not. perhaps, to the full exIeiU some of us 
 would have desired, and surely not to (he 
 point which lion. j:eiiilcm;in opposite wotild 
 hiive liked us to reach, so as to kill our- 
 selves. If In years to come, further reform 
 Is needed, I hope !ind I know that the (Jov- 
 ernment of the day will be cipi.nl to the t.'isk 
 and will filve that reform-provideil they iire 
 not moved by Ihc crocodile te.ars of the 
 patriots on the other side exiled from the 
 sweets of ollice, but by tli(> real touch of the 
 Bound public opinion of the country. 
 
 It seems to me as if the Ojiiiosiilon was not 
 aw.'ire that in a free Uritish couniry like ours 
 there is ;i luiblic opinion. There is !i ^rcat 
 deal of common sense. t\ siibit of justlco, by 
 which our iieople do not .ludire politicians so 
 much by tlicii- words as by their deeds— and 
 It is lu-obably because they jiidired our op- 
 ponents by their deeds tliat they put tlieiu 
 where they are. Of ccuirse, they aiiplaud 
 speeches and pro^rarnmeH, but when the 
 time for action comes, they Judge men, 1 re- 
 peat, by their deeds. 
 
 At least, It is so in my native province, the 
 province of (Jneliec. And this alone ex- 
 plains the so sudden and so complete changes 
 that have taken place in the polillcal arena 
 of Queliec, both in federal and In local af- 
 fairs. 
 
 Tills brings mo to a statement which I was 
 surprised, and painfully surprised to lienr 
 from the lips of a personal friend of inlno, 
 the hon. member for .lac(|ues Cartier (Mr. 
 Monk), whom I regard as a broad-minded 
 man. He said the other day : 
 
 I fully asreo Iti wimt ttu> lion, nmmber for 
 Ct;i«|io liiiH Halil tn-iilrlil uh rcKi.rds ttio inde- 
 |( iiileiicf of my iirDvluce, for tlu' P''"!'!'-' there 
 lire fttlr-iiiliKlfd, l)iit what 1 ilci «ny Ih tliat an 
 loiiK 11.1 In llic pinvliKc of CJiicliec pdllttcal dlH- 
 ciisMloim ari' carrlcil on liy iiieaiiH of siicli a|>pcalH, 
 It witl tin liMiioHsllilc for lis to lirliiK forrltily be- 
 fore the poople of tliat province the real iH»uu8 
 Ix'iwiHMi the two (lartleH. 
 
 I regret tint the hon. gentleman Is not here, 
 for 1 would like to ask him this (|iiesiion : 
 Hoes he mean to say by these words that 
 wlien appe.il.-i are made to tlie Kremli (Cana- 
 dians on religious and nalloiuil grounds they 
 listen lo nothing else and can no longer 
 judire of any poliiicul <|'iestionV I do not be- 
 lieve t'.iaf he means it. because I repeat, he la 
 a lair minded man. Hut If he does noi mean 
 that, w!iy did he use such words? He 
 shoul 1 h.'ive left that laiigmigc lo his col- 
 h'tigiie and chief will)) the hon. member for 
 
 South 1 (Is (Mr. Taylori. last year I might 
 
 h.'ive said lo the hon. inember for W'l'st York 
 I Mr. Wallaeei : bm I really belicvi' that since 
 thai hon. gentleman has siient a couple of 
 nioiilhs in tjueliei- he lias so much changed 
 his mind on such subjects tliat we should 
 not despaii- of hearing him. in u nice ('"renidi 
 siiccch. lell of the loy.aliy and liberal uiind- 
 edtie.ss of the I'rcncli Canadians, 
 
 Sir. the province of (,>iiebec Is I<lberal to- 
 day l)ecausi' sh(> believes that In both Par- 
 liaineiiis where she is repn'sentcd. tlierc are 
 men at th.> head of affairs who are to be 
 trusted. Times are giM>d, crops have been 
 bountiful, trade is iniive and tlie peo|)le are 
 merry. And. as everybody knows who has 
 travi'lled 111 <>uebec, there is no po|>ulatlon 
 in the world thai ctm be so easily merry as 
 the true sons id' the mitioii of which lt» 
 sovereign s.iid : "The people is merry : uiy 
 (lovi'rnment Is safe." 
 
 Not thai the l^'rcmdi Canadians ar(> not 
 iiitei-ested in politics -(piite the contrary, 
 r.iit when they feel tluit the public iln'st Is 
 in safe iitiuds. th'\v 1 1 politics alone and go 
 to work. Wlien they think that a ch.ange 
 Is needed— and they can make up their minds 
 very ipiickly, as liotli jiarlies know by ex- 
 ])erleiice~ihey make the chimge. 
 
 Of .•i)iirsc>, lo say that they are not protul 
 of the Prime Minister iSir Wilfrid I.aurler) 
 \Miuld iie a grcai unlrutli and an insult to 
 their aiipri^clative sense of honour and great- 
 ness ill men. Like all sincere and sensitive 
 people, tlicy give way to tlieir love and their 
 ailmiration, not by mere words, but by <leeds 
 and by voles. Who can blame tliein ? 
 Snrel.v not the men who came down In the 
 bv-elections of the province of (Juebec In 
 l.S;)3 .•ind IS04 and asked the people to vote 
 for the candidates of the Conservative Oov- 
 eriimeiii liecanse Sir .lohii Tliuiiipsoii, the 
 I'rime Minister, was a Catliolic ;ind the only 
 nijlil to settle tlie school (illestlon. 
 
 I adtnlL that In the i)roviiice of Quebec, or 
 rather, to inak(> it liroader, I adiiiit that with 
 the I'^'eiich jieople more than willi the Kng- 
 lisli, the iicrsontillty of leaders and cainll- 
 daU's lias to do with the political movements 
 
of tho masstos. Iliit, Sir, is it not inif Hint ItJ 
 nil coiiiiirifH a I'cw iiicii. ol'Ifii hik' nt a time, 
 j:i\(' iliriTiloii ti> imltilc <ii»liil<iii. And 
 wlii'ti in liny country a man arls<'s of wliom 
 a wli'iic luitioii cati 1)0 prond, it Is natural 
 tiiat I'losi' Willi iiri- mnrt" ciosciy I'DUiicctiMl 
 wltii !ilm an> proml of liim ami say so and 
 jiriivc li. Wliaf I deny most cmiilialicaily 
 is, iliai llii" lr)\t' and admiration of (^m-- 
 lioi' for Sir Wilfrid l.am'icr wonld iiiali<' ln-r 
 forget iM'r puliilc duty and Ium- .jnlni i^'spon- 
 sil)ili;y in kcfpint; a sonnd (iovcrnnuMit for 
 this conntry. 
 
 Our Idsiory is tlioro to lie road I'y all. At 
 otic tlnic Louis .losciili I'a|iincaii wjis tlic 
 Idol of l!i<> l''rcni li Canadians. lie conid 
 move llic entire iiopiilailon liy tlic cliarm of 
 Ills voire and Hie jiower of Ills liiaLrnetism. 
 Wlien after a stnt^'trliny; and iinwearleii eim- 
 slitnllotial av'ilatioii, liis compatriots had oii- 
 talncd ilieir riuli's as I5riiisli snlijccis, limy 
 set liim aside, and followed tlic less liieal Imt 
 more practical iioiicy of Loitls liy))oliie La- 
 t'olitaillc. 'I'iiey were ac<Mlsed of iili:,'ratcf ill- 
 ness. Mill :iftcr all, uralimdc is not and <an- 
 noi lie a national virtue: races and nations 
 niiisi follow their instiiici of s<'lf ;.'ovornmont. 
 
 Another leader canie to the front, (Jeorge 
 ICtieniie I'artier, and he also, to a less dcijree, 
 ' Jiossesseil llie ennlidence of Ills fellow-cltl- 
 zelis. Hilt If I ivliow a little of the liisnn'y of 
 that time, the political fatlu-rs of the men 
 who are iryini: now to raise ilie I^'raneopholu! 
 cry did not compl;iiii, tieeaiisc. as Hie Minis- 
 ter of I'lildlc W'orlis (Mr. Tarte) pointed out 
 last niulit. it was tiie only way for them to 
 retain power, Later on, aiiotlier leader cami> 
 whose popularity in (.tiieliee atl.alnetl very 
 nearly llic point wliicii I'apincau had reacii- 
 t'd : h.'ii was lloiiore Mercier. Lilieail stroll),' 
 men he liad warm friemis and idrtcr foes. No 
 Jiian surely was ever calitiiiiiiated anil inis- 
 f(>presetite(| to such n de;;ree, both insldi' .'Hid 
 outside of ills ])rovitice. The d.iy came wlieii 
 his compalrio ■ listened to his denunciators, 
 and tlircv,- hint out of otllce. Wlieii the 
 whol'* truth was iiiiown tiii>y re;,'retle(i their 
 sincere hut iirejiidiced movement of iiidly;- 
 liatloii, wlileli shows anyhow tliat. sensitive 
 to a point of liijiistic«> wlit>n the honour of 
 tliolr province is at stake, they do not hesi- 
 tate to itreak their most worsiiipped idols. 
 
 .\o doubt some lion. «entleiiien opposite, 
 
 disappointed to s(>e the ra( ry and relitrioits 
 
 appeals die out all over .he Land, would lie 
 hapi)y to start out a little I'-roiioli doinina- 
 tion cry. Not only Is siicli an appeal utterly 
 itnfoiinded and most nn.lusi to the people of 
 Quebec, imt it is an insult to the common 
 sense of tlie Enjrlisli spimivln-r pi'ovinees. I 
 hope the f'onservative members cominjj fro.ii 
 those provinces, liave more resfiect for their 
 fellow-citi/i'iis titan to try and make us lic- 
 lleve that their constltiient.s start furious at 
 even the words of l''reiicii and Catliollc, as 
 wild bitlls do at tlie si^^lit of !i red ray:. 
 
 (iivltij,' lo the lantf»l;i}:e of tile iiKMiilier for 
 Jacipies f'artier (.Mr. MoiUO its proper word- 
 ing. I would say : 
 
 Ah IniiK as tlio foiiservatlvp part/ carrlei dlt- 
 
 ciihhIdii liy iiieiinn of Hiicli a|)i)(mls, it will bn lin- 
 Ii(isMll)it' for thi'iii to Inibice tim peoplti of ftanada 
 to ti'UHt IIhmii liack in otllc-e. 
 
 Sir, as I came up t() the Parliament House 
 
 ti'.is morning.', I noticed tlie statues of Sir 
 .Iidiii A. .Macdonald and Sir (Jeor^e R. Car- 
 iler liolli shi'oiided Willi snow. It seemed 
 to me as If 'he two irreal leaders. disL'iisted 
 with tile conduct of their party in abandon- 
 intr its iradiiiotis. were hidiii;r their faccH as 
 If they wished lo return inio l!i(> tomb. 
 
 Coiiiim; to tlie plebisidte, I need not sa,\' 
 that theqnestinn of bringliiK In a prohibitory 
 law Is settled, and it would lie futile and 
 mosr iiretetitioiis ,o add .anything to the 
 straight and itniireiiiiable position taken by 
 the (ioveriimeiit. Hut I want to make a few 
 oliservations on Hie (Jin bee jinti-prolilliition 
 vote. Two causes liave iieeii pointed out l>,V 
 some of till' iir.ililbitioiilsls as an explanation 
 of that n'.arn'ity, both of tlieiii eipially un- 
 true and Insuitim; to my native province, 
 f)tie. the worst, has be<>n ratlier whispered 
 tli.'iii stated ojietily, and it is tiiat tlie vot'^ 
 indicated tlie mariced inferiorlly of tlio 
 French people in morality iind civilization. 
 I (piote the "Camp I'Mre," or^ran of the 
 T-eaLTue. nnniber of November last t 
 
 The vote that wont attaiiist prohibition was 
 inaJMJ.v a Kroneh vole. .Ml the Qiielioc nonstlt- 
 uemle.s that votiMl a^aln.st prolilbltlon have a 
 very Krcat Krcnch-spoaklnK popidatlon. Many 
 of tlioMi aro cniiri'ly Kreiuli. Outside of Quebec 
 a riuUiirily of the constlnienrlos that voted 
 aualnHt prolilliitlon have large French or Orrrnan 
 olciiients. 
 
 Then, after an analysis of the vote : 
 
 't'lio.su liKurcs show clearly tliut i. groat ma- 
 jority of the KiiKlish-spoakliiB counties In which 
 rosUle a Kreat majority of the people of Canada, 
 are overwheliiiliiKl.v In favour of prohibition. In 
 iticse (lays of majority rule, there catinot be any 
 iMiterlahinunt of the proposition that wo should 
 all wait for the legislation wo need and desire, 
 until our fellow country men from continental 
 ICurope are far enough ailvanced to be fully in 
 accord with the proKresslve Idtr.s of Sa.von civil- 
 ization. 
 
 Does It not sound like !tn echo of a speech 
 made in the Temple of .Terusali'iii some two 
 tiioiis.ind years a;io : " I am a Just intm— not 
 like that publican " V 
 
 'I'lie lirst of those two Damc-aphs was re- 
 produced almost literally In two circulars 
 sent around the country, one in December 
 liist and the itlier ti few days ago. The 
 second one was wisid.v skipped (U'or. 
 
 I believe in the miod faith of the author. 
 Hut then ills only excuse would be his utter 
 iiriiorance of foreljin people, especiiiPy of 
 the French, one of the most sober and civi- 
 li'/.ed in tlie world. I. invite that .gentleman 
 to take a trip ticross Quebec and especially 
 ilirottu:h those farmint; districts wti(>re the 
 vote was almost unanimous ;i>rainst prohi- 
 bition, tind if he can Iind elsewhere ti rural 
 population more iione.st. sober, moral, polite 
 and hospltabl(> I will 'oin ills league and 
 
iM'CdIllc ;l IcIllpiTIIlrc IH'i'lli'lliT. VVlllldUl II 
 
 iiioiiii'iit i>f wi'iikiifss. Of iiMirst'. 1 sliiiuld 
 Wiii'ii liiiii au^iiiist llio K<><><Miiitni>iir(>il wit 
 of oiir old liiiMlimlH. for, If he prcNscs tlu'iii 
 <()<» iiiiii'h to Join til)' !i'iii;iii> lie inluhi ;;i't 
 till' reply Hint n l;i)0(I Irlsliiiiiiii oiirc ;;iivc to 
 ('.'irilliiiil M.'iiiiilii;.' who wiis nr^'lii;: liiin to 
 tako I lie |)1<'(1«'. •• I took It inysclf, Vnt." 
 said till' KiH'al afclililsliop to wlilcli |»at ri-- 
 piled witii a most n>si>t'(ti"iil Wiiik of tlie 
 »'yo : " No doiiht your «irMi'c iici'dcd It." 
 
 Tht> stM'ciiid caiiso to wlilcli the priddtillioii- 
 iHtH liavi' dccldi'd to stirk lis an expliinatloii 
 of tlu» <}ii('l>t>(' majority, N that tlic vote was 
 fraiidiili'lit. Tills Is wliiil I lliid aiiiotii; ilii< 
 rosoliiiloiiM adopted liy the I >oiiiliiloti Alllaiico 
 at ilioir Inst nuM'tlnjr : 
 
 Tlmt wo record ciiir iinifound conviction that 
 tlio iiitvcrsc vole on t'lo |pniliPillli)ll plel)!: Itn l,i 
 Ciiieln'c iirovliicc. a» roportiMl. iIoph not corri'ctly 
 ri-'i'rcHciil the MiMitliiiciit of thu vdectorM of tlip 
 provlmi', but was the n suit of KroHn Irrt'Kular- 
 Itlea and frauds In many parts of the province. 
 
 Some memliers on the oilier side, more 
 virtuous, as ll^ ii.'il. than virtue Itself, have 
 re-echoed and e.\ii)r;.'erated this contention. 
 The niemlier for Compton (.Mr. I'opei .Htat<'d 
 In this House lliat the majority had itrown 
 up from lo.CMK) to !>."..(MM». Now. what Is 
 the use of l>rin;:lnK such accusal Ions 
 when tuMible to prove them V .\nd this can- 
 not lie proved. Iiecause It Is false. It 
 may lie that In some i|ii.'irlcrs men voted 
 whit had no ri^rlit to do so. hut jierhaps If 
 we make a thorough liKpilry In all the bal- 
 lot boxes, we ma.v lind that those votes 
 are <piite (>\-enly lialanced. 1 admit that 1 
 (lid not expect such a vote to lie jiollod In 
 Quoliee. Tlie people were not e.xcited over 
 the matter, Im'Iii;: uiialile to understand why 
 they should lie dcjirived of a liberty of which 
 they abused so littli". Wiiliout Koin^; out of my 
 own constituency. I may say that I was ah- 
 .sent In (Quebec durlii).' the whole tin ■ of the 
 pl(>lilscite ortranizatloii and took . ■> jtart 
 whatever in the matter save In 1he i. ipoint- 
 n;ent of the r"turniiif,' ollicer. Had been 
 there, it would liav(> b(>en the same. There 
 WiLs (piite a prohibition party in Lab lie. re- 
 cruited amoic'st the best class of people, 
 and most of them my personal and (lolitical 
 friends. I would have dune notliln;: to pre- 
 V(»nt their trying to convince the people. 
 1'jioy sent lecturers and canvassers in the 
 most important c.-ntres of the county ; they 
 organized their representation at the polls. 
 There was no or;;anlzation whatever on tli" 
 anti-side. Hut svlien the polllnjr day came. 
 jH'ople turned out to vote, and ll;:iires were: 
 Yes. nit! ; No. I.7.S.". Negative majority. 
 1.2.''i!>. The whole vot(> was less th.an two- 
 thirds of the vote polled at tin; jieneral elec- 
 tions. The in'ohibitionists proclaimed that 
 tho.v had no orKanizalion in Quebec. Had 
 they had a stronger one they would have 
 tiiinply induced more people to ^o to tlu 
 polls and the nejrntive majority would have 
 been still larger. 
 
 The explanation is a very simple on(>. The 
 people of Quebec like to vote, and to vote 
 
 the way they like on any iinestloii. This Is 
 hot thellrsi Instance where they have shown 
 their Independence of opiiilun. atiil I hope It 
 is not the last, because tlial Indepclldenee 
 Is most r.'S|icclful of vested rl;:hls .'ind of 
 
 outside opinion. They simply do not want 
 what tliey do not think propi>r, to be Ini 
 Jiosed Upon them. 
 
 I Intended cloHlin; these remarks by n iv- 
 fereiice to the .ViiKlo-.Vmerlcaii ('onitiilsslon. 
 Kilt my connection with that body ImpoHeM 
 upon me a special duty of disi retlon. I 
 think It nioi'i- proper to wait for the moiui'iit 
 when neu'otiaMolls will be e'lded one wil.v or 
 the other. .M ly 1 be permitted, liowever, to 
 say this much V Whatever ma> be the lin- 
 I medi.ate and practi<'al results of these neiio- 
 llatlons. they will niaric an epoch in our IiIm 
 tory. They are the llrst Indlcailoii that, 
 after liavlnir achieved our political and com- 
 mercial Independence, we are now In the full 
 liractical possession of our liiteriiatiniial lib 
 leriy. The llrst step In that dircriioii was tlie 
 I denunciation of the Iteluian and Cermiin 
 itreatli's at the request of the Canadian <:ov- 
 I ernmeiit. Itut this bad still the appearance 
 I of a Kil't fniiii the mother land to the child 
 colony. In the present lnstanci«, the whole 
 llilnjr was left within our hands. Nut that 
 I want to depreciate In any way the Kood 
 Work done for Caiuida by the representative 
 of the lloni.' (Joveriimeiit. I'ar from It : and 
 I consider the sad death of Lord HerHchell 
 as heavy a loss to Canada as it Is to (Ireat 
 Hrltain. His very appointment was a ureal 
 favour and a hi;;li compliment to C.'inaili\ as 
 W(>1I as an acknowledcmeiit of our Iiidepend- 
 ence. One of the most eminent jurists of this 
 century, a stral^;llt opponent of the present 
 Kngllsli Admiiilstr.ition. and therefore out of 
 political olllce, the presence of Lord Her- 
 Hchell on the commission me.'int that the 
 whole political din'ction of the ni-uollatlons 
 was left to the ( 'aiiadi.'in commissioners, who 
 were ui.eii the lu'lp of a irrcal leiral mind 
 and the moral and constitutional support of 
 tire.at Hrltain .\iid the Anicricin commls- 
 
 sioiicrs iiiidersi I It : they saw cle.'irly that 
 
 ill Canadiiii m.iiters they must deal with the 
 Canadian jieople. beiiind wliicji staiKis the 
 Hritisli tia;;. not .as a forced protection to n 
 tiock of si ives, lint as a free help to free men. 
 It sullices to go back to the inside his- 
 tory of the Treaty of Wasliliiu'ion and coni- 
 [Kiire it with the still iiicomplcli- develoj)- 
 nients of the present neirotlations. to appre- 
 ciate how far we li!iv(> advanced on the way 
 towards self-co!itrol in International alTalrs. 
 Tli(> corresiiondence of Sir .lohn .\. Macdon- 
 ald, to which the lion. .Minister of I'liblle 
 Works referrei' 'ast ni^ht, constitutes ii testi- 
 mony which I lie lion, ireiitlenieii ojiposlte 
 will, no iloubt, readily accept. The irreat 
 statesman made a j.'ali;int llcht for (Jaiuida ; 
 wo should all be happy t i acknowlodce P. Hut 
 not only did ho meet the Aiji<>rlcan stubborn- 
 ness on his wa.v. but he real!ze<l very soon 
 that the Hrltish ccunmissioners had decided 
 to bar)rain the Al.abama claims and other 
 AnKlo-American trials at the expense of 
 
('iiiiikIm. Mi- Irlfd UKclt'MMly nil iiiomiis. jtcr- 
 Hiiiialvi- titiii thrfiiicnlim. lie .vl<'|i|f<l iil Inst 
 I'or till- siikc of liii|it>rliil MatlNfariliiii. Lot 
 U lit> sniil, to IiIm crfilll or to Ills (Irtilriii'iit, 
 tii'i'iinllii^r to tli<> iKiliii of view ttikt'ii by 
 
 olli'Mi'lt' : (III tills. MM oil sollli* otlirr ni'i-iislollH, 
 8lr .l<iliii A. Miinloiiiilil provi-il tlmt Ills ilo- 
 votloli to Kritlsli Iliti'i'cHls coiilil Nllrlicf for 
 II inoiiK'iil Ills ('tiiiiiillnii Kciitliiiciiis. Itiit I 
 am not pi'i'iiai'i' I to sii.v. that, iiiiihM' thru I'Z 
 Istlim' clrriiiiistaiirrs. Ii<> ai'tnl wrongly at 
 WiiMliliit'toii : atiil Ills letters show, at li'iist. 
 that Ills iiKillves were of the most elevilted 
 ami siatesmaiillke mitnre. 
 
 I llo|ie that the liep»tlal.1o!is will be re- 
 Niiiiieil aiiil rari'ieil to )i happy eiul. Iti the 
 iiieaiillme. It WDiiM lie fnililess aiiil foolish 
 to siart up a Jlmro cry ami ralw the feelings 
 of the Caiiaillaii is-ople aualiist their iieltrli- 
 lioiirs. As I hearil omt> said by Senator 
 <Ji"ay. one of the noblest men and broadest 
 in mind tlial could be met in ihi« K^'iit rc- 
 jiiiblle or In nny ollior eoiiiitry : 
 
 TIktc arp alwayn ctiomch of iialiirAl and un- 
 iivcililHtile (liffiTciiccK Iwluctvi two imtloiiH. Why 
 troatp new ami artlllc lal oni's ? 
 
 It lins boon said often flint It Is most dllll 
 cult to deal with the Amcrlcati < Joveriiiiient. 
 It Is (|ulte true, and (|uitt> explainable, too. 
 If we no back to the circumstances wlileli 
 >rave birth to their constitution— a monument 
 which bears testimony tii the hl>;h motives 
 and shrewdness of the men who framed It 
 for the thirteen newborn free states— but 
 unmistakably too narrow for the Ki'Wlt 
 nation wliicli the shores of two oceans ciin 
 hardly contjiln to-day. 
 
 I have ciuiie back from Washington n 
 trreale. iidmlrer thati ever of the lllo^leal but 
 HO broad iiiiil so Illumine Mrltlsh <'onstiiulion - 
 and, I must add, a (greater admirer than be- 
 fore of the .\inerleaii people ; a larger vtiitliiT- 
 IllK of free men, IlltelUvrenl, prot'ressive. Kin- 
 cere. i|uick Mild bioad. Iioth In mind and in ac- 
 tion, never existed lllKler the sun. I. el lis rel.V 
 U|ion the better feelltiKs and keen Judgment 
 of the best, If not the most niiim-rous class 
 of ,\mei-icans. Let us stand In a coid, dimil- 
 llcd, Miiprovolvini; attitude. .\nd If .l(din Ittill 
 and Mrother .lonathan meditate some Kood 
 biirpiliiH In partnership, somewhere else In 
 the world, tliey will soon underHtand each 
 other as to Canadian affairs. Many tliink 
 that the nesv friends may llnd the pieces too 
 Hinall for an e<|ual division, but otliers add 
 that they may meet on their way some other 
 concerns too bl;; for either one of them. 
 This Is a pretty safe j?uarantee of frlend- 
 Hhlp. And then -there is no use of denylnff 
 It— the An^lo Saxon feeling Is there. It had 
 been dormant for yeiirH ; It may ro asleep 
 .'main ; but for t!ie time beinc It Is awake — 
 not peril. ips to the ixdnt lndlcate<l by the 
 most enthusiastic statesmen and Journalists 
 of both countries, but beyond what I expect- 
 ed to llnd there myself. I was never so much 
 imiiressed as durlin: my late stay In the 
 United States, with the truth of the proverb, 
 " iUood is thicker thaii water." 
 
 Of course, I am t(H> much of a l''renchinan 
 to call for an An>,'lo-.Vinerlciin allhince all 
 over the world ; but I am eiion>;h of a f'ana- 
 di.in and of a Itrllisiier In <"aiuida to (U'sire 
 Its nccomplisliiiient as far as ('anndlan In- 
 terests are at strike.