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'/b As Adopted by the Great Liberal Convention at Moose Jaw March 28 and 29, 1917 ^ . =^j Issued by the Central OflSce of the Provincial Liberal Party 1 17 SASKATCHEWAN'S BILL OF RIGHTS BeUeving that the future prosperity of the people of Saskatchewan and the further development of their provincial facilities and institution* depends very largely upon action, by the Parliament of Canada, the Convention of Saskatchewan Liberals pledged adherence to thefoUowinit pohcies which, m their opinion, are essential to the achievement of these aims: Tariff and Markets— Free access for the grain products of Saskat- chewan to the markets of the United States and of all other countries wilhng to grant such free entry. The admission into Canada, free of customs duties, of farm machinery and all thmgs essential to the raising of grain and Uve stock products. A general lowering of the customs duties on aU necessities of life. The imnaediate reduction of the customs duties on aU goods imported from Great Britain to one-half of ^he rates charged under the general tariff, and a pohcy of further gradual reduction with a view to the elimina- tion of all trade restrictions within the Empire. New outlets for our farm products and especiaUy a speedy completion of the Hudson Bay Railway owned and operated by the Government of Canada, and that provision be made for the operation of suitable steamers to be run between the Bay and Great Britain. Natural Resources.-The transfer to the Province of the public domain and natural resources within its borders, with a view to the control and development of the same for the benefit of the Province and its people. School Lands.— The transfer to the Province of aU school lands and of the school endowment fund which up to the present under Federal control have produced scarcely more than one-half of the revenue for school purposes that could easily be obtained under Provincial manaee- ment. •* Banking FaciUties— Such changes in the banking system of Canada as wll permit of the estabUshment of local agricultural banks in close touch with local conditions and with the needs of the farming industry. C.P.R. Tax Exemption.— The removal of the exemption from taxa- tion now enjoyed by the Canadian Pacific RaUway Company. v.u-.^°*"u'*'°" o' Liquor Traffic-The enactment of legislation pro- hibiting the manufacture in, or (except for medicinal, scientific and sacramental purposes) importation into, Saskatchewan of intoxicating liquor, and respectfully request the parliament of Canada forthwith to enact such legislation. Women's Franchise.— The extension of the Federal franchise to the women of Saskatchewan. 2 Believing that the future prosperity of the people of Saskatchewan and the further development of their Provincial facilities and institutions depends very largely upon action by the ParUament of Canada, the Convention of Saskatchewan Liberals pledged adherence to the following poUcies, which, in their opinion, are essential to the achievement of these aims. No Provincial Legislature can effectively deal with all the prob- lems which have a bearing upon the prosperity of its people and the development of Provincial facilities and institutions. Many problems ot great nnportanee to the people of Saskatchewan can only be dealt with, under our Constitution, by the Parliament of Canada. In order that action may be assured by the Dominion Parliament it is necessary that public opinion within the Province should express itself strongly not only through its representatives in the House of Commons at Uttawa, but also through every other representative body in the Province, and particularly the Provincial Legislature, whose duty it IS, among other things, to make representations on behalf of the people of the Province to the Dominion Government. Saskatchewan Liberals recognised fully at their great Moose Jaw Convention, the obligations of Liberalism in this connection and unanimously adopted the policies dealt with in these pages as the solutions of problems of vital importance to the people of the Province in fact so important as to constitute a BILL OF RIGHTS to which Saskatchewan is entitled from the Dominion as a whole. BILL OF RIGHTS NEW MARKETS. Free access for the grain products of Saskatchewan to the markets of the United States and of all other countries willing to grant such free entry. ^ T u ^'r^^ ^^^ indorsation of the foregoing policy at the Provincial Liberal Convention, the Dominion Government has at last accepted the long outstanding offer of the United States Government for the admission into that country free of duty of our Wheat. This action 3 m I / f of the Borden adminwtration is none the less welcome because it comes as a distinct surprise to those of us who were branded aa traitors and annexationists by the Tory party during the last Domin- ion election, and ever since on account of our advocacy of thij very policy. But while it is proper to rejoice at this long deferred act of justice, it is well for the people of Saskatchewan not to allow them- selves to be lulled into inactivity by what has just been done. The following facts must be borne in mind : (1) The free Wheat concession has been granted by the Borden Government only as a war measure, and may be revoked by them at any time. It is our duty to see that this poUcy becomes permanent and remains in force after the war. (2) Barley, Oats and Flax still remain confronted with the tariff barrier. The United States Government is willing to admit these products free, as well as Wheat. Why is this offer not accepted? Why should the producers of these grains be discriminated against t We must continue to agitate until these products are admitted free in addition to Wheat. (3) This first breach in the tariff wall must be the signal for us to renew and redouble our efforts along the whole line at once. Not to follow up this advantage might be fatal to the West • 1 LI TARIFF. The admission into Canada, free of all customs duties, of farm machinery and aU things essential to the raising of grain and Uve stock products. A general lowering of the customs duties on all necessities of life. The cost of raising grain and Uve stock products in Saskatchewan has, m recent years, been the subject of study by many thinking men. There arp one or two points on which all who have given the subject unbiassed thought from the producer's standpoint agree. One of these is that in connection with grain production, the cost to the Saskatchewan farmer of raising and transporting his grain to the world's market at Liverpool is greater than the cost to the farmer of any other country who is competing with him in that market. There is no doubt that when the great war is over, competition on the Liverpool market for the British and European trade bptweon grain exporting countries will be keener than ever, and every means must be taken to ensure that the Saskatchewan farmer will not be at a disadvantage and forced to sell at a loss. This problem is rendered more serious by the recent action of the British Government in guaranteeing a minimum price for grain grown in Great Britain daring the next five years, which must have the eflfect of increasing production there. To whatever extent production in Europe is increased, to that extent less is required from exporting countries «uch as Canada, Russia, Australia, India, Argentine, etc., and the keener the competition between these countries must become. In order to give the Saskatchewan farmer a fair chance under these conditions it is absolutely necessary that all artificial items in the cost of production be elimihated. The largest artificial item in the cost of raising grain and live stock products in Saskatchewan is undoubtedly the protective tariff levied on all the articles which the farmer must purchase in the business of raising his products. More than one-third of the cost of these articles is accounted for by the existence of the tariff, which in the case of goods coming in from other countries forms part of the Customs Revenue of Canada, but which in the case of articles manufactured in Canada goes into the pockets of the manufacturers in Eastern Canada. It is a fact that many articles manufactured in Canada are sold in other countries eheaper than they are sold to the Saskatchewan farmer. The Liberal party in Saskatchewan has always stood and stands to-day for the removal of this tax on production, and whi le the Tory party will say that this is not a Proviacial issue, nevertheless the fact is that it is an issue which affects the prosperity of every citizen of the Pro^^ce. The election of Tory candidates in the fort hcoming Provincial elections would be taken by the eastern protectionists as evidence that Saskatchewan farmers are content to be robbed by means of the protective tariff which is suppporte d hy every Tory, whether Provincial of Federal. BRITISH PREFERENCE. The immediate reduction of the ctistoms duties on ail foods imported from Great Britain to one-half of the rates charg*^ mAm the general tariff, and a policy of further gradual reductt* ^ a Tlew to the elimination of all trade restrictions within the Em^ Tory protectionists are always loud in their protestation * of loyalty to the Empire. The Canadian Manufacturers' Associ tion particularly poses as an imperialistic body. It is worthy of e, however, that the Canadian Manufacturers' Association and tk« T<» -? party generally are particularly anxious to keep a high tariff w I around Canada, even to the extent of a high tariff agahist import# from Great Britain. This kind of loyalty is of the same type as th«t of the munition manufacturer who in the most self-sacrificinf manner turns his plant into a munition factory at a 300% profit. Saskatchewan Liberals believe that British goods should be eventually admitted to this country free of customs duty, and as a start propose that an immediate reduction to one-half the ge neral . tariff should be made, and a lurther gradual reduction until trade restrictions withi*-. the Empire are eliminated. Not only is such a policy patriotic in a practical way, but it would provide a distinct check on those patriotic big interests which are robbing the people of Canada under the wing of the Protective Tariff and the Tory party to-day. -.. *^ NEW OUTLETS. New outlets for our farm products and especially a speedy com- pletion of the Hudson's Bay Railway, owned and operated by the Oovenunent of Canada, and that provision be made. for the operation of suitable steamers to be run between the Bay and Oreat Britain. The congestion which is now an annual affair in connection with the marketing of our farm products is due largely to the fact that all our products must pass through thf one eastern channel on their way to the markets of the world. A n^w outlet via Hudson's Bay has been the,dream of the Sas- katchewan farmer for years past, and the Tory Government at Ottawa, since the Liberals were defeated on the Reciprocity issue in 1911, have proceeded with the construction of this line of railway m a most dilatory manner, while every spring in Saskatchewan hundreds of thousands of bushels of the previous year's crop lie rotting for lack of sufficient outlets. The Liberal party at its convention declared for rushing comple- tion of this line, the operation of it by the Dominion Government, and what is very necessary if an outlet for grain is to be provided, a line of steamers to operate bet" een the Bay and Great Britain. # NATURAL RESOURCES. The transfer to the P/ovince of the public domain and natural resources within its border, with a view to the control and develop- ment of the same for the benefit of the Province and its people. The lands, coal and other minerals, forests, water powers and all other natural resources in Saskatchewan are owned and controlled by the Dominion Government. The people most interested in the development of these resources are the people of the Province. Gradually our great heritage is being frittered away, passing into the hands of speculators often, and in general is not being developed or conserved for the benefit of the people of the Province. Surely the A i,3 'I 'I r i\ people who can be best relied upon to saf- , -.d and devolou assets stnd^;'?a^orV'^" '^"^'^.""^ ^"^'•"^^^'^ concerned ti-eTho ^hnnM^'h'^""" i" Saskatchewan believes that all these resources dtvdtmenr "" ''^ ''^' "'"^^^ ^' '""^ ^'"^^'^^^ ^^ control and SCHOOL LANDS. The transfer to the Province of all school lands and of the aehnni •ndo^ent fund which up to the present under FeJe^ control t^i produced scarcely more than one-half of the revenue for «nwt purpose, that could easily he obtained under S^"ndrmanV^S! One of the most pressing and difficult problems of a new sparsely settled community like Saskatchewan is the making ot adequa e and efficient provision for schools. This was recognized when Western Canada was first opened for settlement, and in order that ' funds for educational purposes might be steadily available two sections of land in every township were set aside to form a school endowment ^und. The lands are offered for sale by auction from time to time and are sold on deferred payment, at s/interest pT nients of principal made by purchasers from time to time are deposited in a trust fund in charge of the Dominion Governmen , and he Province receives from the trust fund interest at the rate of 3% ner annum on the total amount on deposit. In addition to t^abov; "Tu sums of interest on deferred payments paid by purchasers are for warded to the Province by the Dominion Governmrnt.after deduc«n^ cost of administration. R will be readily seen that he value of hf School Land Trust Fund as a means of financing education in the Province, depends absolutely upon efficient administration by he Domjmon Oovemment. which ha. certainly not been pro^deS. no£l the last session of the Legislature figures were made pubUc^h showed that up to November, 1916. over $2,800,000 prindpalw^ overdue and uncoUected. besides ov^r $809,000 int;rest ^S^sho^^ ^li^ umnediately available for educational pur^^L'Se There is only one remedy tor\ condition such a. this and here The Liberal party of Saskatchewan, therefore, beUeves that it in in the interests of the whole people of the Province thl?^ w should be transferred to Provincial control i.'^ ^ /■ BANKINO FAOHITIES. Such changes in the banking lyitem of Canada as wiU permit of the establishment of local acrienltnral banks in dose touch with k>oal conditions and with the needs of the farming industry. One of the greatest needs of our agricultural industry is a system of banking credits suited to its particular needs, just as the present system of chartered banks meets the needs of the manufac- turing and mercantile industries. Two forms of credit are needed by farmers in order to success- fully meet the situation. One form is that of long term farm mortgage credit to enable the producer to spread his capital investment over a long period of years at a low rate of interest. This form of credit has now been provided for by The Saskatchewan Farm Loans Act, which was passed at the last session of tha Legislature. The second form of credit required by farmers might be described as seasonal credit. From tbe time the farmer commences his prepara- tions for seeding in the sprii.g he is investing money in the production of that year's crop, which he cannot possibly realise upoh until the crop is marketed in the fall. He needs money to pay for labour and the hundred and one other things which are necessary in order to produce that crop. A manufacturer can secure money under our present banking 8ys*?m wherewith to pay the costs of manufacture, etc., which moneys are repayable when the articles manufactured a{e marketed, but systematic short term credits at reasonable rates are not available to the farmer, an^~Bence the farming industry is seriously handicapped. The real reason for this condition is that the present banking system was devised to meet the peculiar needs of manufacturing and does not fit the requirements of the farming industry at all. The present system of branches of chartered banks in rural com-' munities managed often by men of very limited knowledge of agri- culture, and with very limited powers of lending, at high rates of interest, is seriously hindering agricultural development. Let a farmer go into any bank in Saskatchewan to apply for a loan of over $500, and he will find,— no matter how secure his financial standing may be, — that the manager can do nothing for him without referring his application to his head office, which is generally in Toronto or Montreal, and never nearer than Winnipeg. Short term agricultural credit at reasonable rates of interest has been made possible in other ^countries by means of the establishment of local agricultural banks, which by reason of purely local manage- ment, instead of management a thousand miles away, are able to adequately deal with the problem. Under our constitution the Provincial Government cannot do ,?r!r°^ *° T^J *^' "'""'^*'°' *" ^''''^^«' o'- »hort term credit, IS entirely under the control of the Parliament of Canada. Saskatchewan Liberals belie ve that it is the right of agricu lture, which IS the m ain industry of our Province, to have available foMts use just as g ood banking facilities as are available to thTT I^Iir facturer of Ea stern Canada, and therefore have included in Sit«l,i.f- chewan s i.ui ot Kights a demand for changes in the bankin g .v«t.^ of Canada which will bring this about. C. P. R. TAX EXEMPTION. !ae removal of the exemption from taxation now enjoyed by the Canadian Pacific Sailway Company. J . «« oy «w Saskatchewan Liberalism has always protested against one of the wealthiest corporations in the world being allowed freedom from T T liV'" ''°^'"' *° **•* taxpayers in our municipalities that they should be compeUed to bear a larger burden than is equitably ^eir. because the C.P.B. is exempt. Only the Dominion Parliament can set this matter right, and the Saskatchewan Liberal party i. undoubtedly speaking for the people of the Province in advocating the removal of this special privilege, "^•'•"•K th.tThf' P j^*'? ". ^"f'^'^^^y ^'^^^ ''ben it is borne in mind Uiat thw C.P.B. burden bears only upon Saskatchewan and the other Provinces of the Middle West, which are thus made to pay ?or the S^r" " ""^"""^ "^'"^ "^*'" ^""* ^°*'» *° S"«^ THE PEOHIBinON OF UQUOB TBAFFIO. ne enactment of lefialation prohibiting the mannfaotnre in. or (except for medicinal, sdentifle and sacnTental pnrpowTSi^ tion into, Sadcatche™ of intoxicating liquor, andr^JStSTJt quest the Parliam^t of Canada f ortSSlh to .rlM^talTI^Z^ tion ^•'IJ^^'I'kT •"" ^'^ *•'" ''^''^' °' ^*"»'^* ^" temperance legisla- tion. and with he passage of The Saskatchewan Temperance Act and tte Act preventing the storing of liquor in the Province for export to «owtJ^ fT"*' '^" ^~^'°"'^ Legislature has kept pace with the growth of temperance sentiment in the Province. There are no means, however, whereby the Provincial Govern- ment can prevent liquor being shipped into, or manufactured in, Saskatchewan, these matters being entirely within the control of the Dominion Parliament. The breweries now operating in Saskatchewan are not affected by the Provincial Temperance Act, and cannot be, as they are liceiisod by the Dominion Government. There can be no doubt that the people of Saskatchewan who have approved with such unanimity the restrictive measures of the Provincial Liberal Government, strongly object to the position that there is no Provincial means of preventing liquor being shipped into the Province. The Tory party at Ottawa, with characteristic shuffling, has pretended to deal with the question by the passage of the Doherty Act, and our Provincial Tories, as usual, dutifully obeying the will of their Ottawa masters, are now howling for legislation which would make it a -crime for any citizen of the Province to po.s8ess any liquor except accompanied by a doctor's prescription. The Tory, scheme, therefore, is to leave in operation all the bieweries and distilleries manufacturing liquor, thus making it possible for citizens of this Province to get all the liquor they want from outside the Province and also for citizens of other provinces to get liquor from Dominion licensed breweries in this Province, but to make it a crime for any person to take advantage of the continued manufacture of liquor licensed by the Tory Government at Ottawa, by jjurchasing and having it in his possession. In other words, the Tory scheme involves allowing the Province to become flooded with liquor, and then putting it up to the police in the Province to arrest those who have it in their possession. No wonder not a single Province in the Dominion has taken advantage of the Doherty Act. Not only is its legality doubtful and the sal)jeet of del)ate between legal experts, but apart from this factor altogether, every province in Canada, and also the organised temper- ance forces in Canada, recognise that to attempt to administer a law which would depend upon the spy in the homes of the people for its efficiency, would probably set back the cause of temperance instead of advancing it. Saskatchewan Liberals believe that the Parliament of Canada, which alone has the power, should enact a law clearly prohibiting manufacture of litfuor in the Province, and also clearly prohibiting its importation into the Province. excej>t for medicinal, scientific and sacramental purposes. 10 WOMEN'S FRANCHISE. The extension of the Federal Franchise to the women of Saskat- chewan. The strange anomaly now exists in this Province that although the women may vote in Provincial elections, they have no vote in Dominion elections. The Tory party in power at Ottawa has carefully sidestepped this question up to date, no doubt liecause among other reasons they are afraid of the votes of the women whose men folk have enlisted. Sas- katchewan Lilx'ralism extended the Provincial franchise to women and believes that pul)lie opinion is fully ready to advance the further step. c VOTE for LIBERAL CANDIDATES because they stand for all these measures urgently necessary for the PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY of our Province n 'JuiuiSmitiliMm ''■'■ - -'■■ ' ■ • ■'••^""'-''"■'"-'liifl ^ -BfitilC ■t-r^M^H