Prefatory. — The Origin of the New Party. 
 
 FuK years past a conviction has been growing in the minds of thoughthil 
 men that if certain great reforms were to be carried, a new party was indis- 
 pensably necessar3^ At a convention of temperance workers, held in 
 Toronto in the autumn of 1887, the question was discussed ; a resolution 
 aftirming that the time was favorable for distinct political action was intro- 
 duced, and carried by a large majority. When the convention adjourned, 
 those who had voted for the resi>lution were called together, and a provi- 
 sional committee was appointed with instructions to draft the outline of a 
 Pii^tf(^iyu» and then to consult as widely as possible with friends of Tem- 
 perance and Prohibition throughout the country, to see how far the pro- 
 posed Platform would voice their sentiments. When substantial agreement 
 Wiis reached, a Convention was to be summoned for organization. 
 
 The line of action above indicated was carefully followed by the Provi- 
 sional Committee. To consult every friend of Temperance was manifestly 
 impossible ; but during the course of five months efforts were made by 
 correspondence and personal interviews, to ascertain the opinions of leading 
 temperance men in all parts of the Dominion. Those efforts revealed such 
 a marked consensus of opinion, that only slight modifications had to be 
 made in the Platform as at first outlined. 
 
 The next step taken by the Provisional Committee was to publish the 
 Platform in the leading papers of Ontario and Quebec, accompanied by an 
 invitation to all who were prepared to organize on that basis to meet in 
 Toronto on the 21st of March, 1888. In accordance with that call a Con- 
 vention assembled in Shaftesbury Hall. The proceedings throughout were 
 of the most haruKinious description. Various points were discussed with 
 animation, but with perfect g(X>d feeling ; the Platform, as published, was 
 unanimously ratified as the basis of organization, and an Executive Council 
 was appointed, with instructions to prepare an address to the people of 
 the Dominion, and detailed plans for local organization. Such, in brief, 
 was the origin of the party in whose name the following address is issued. 
 
 It will not be out of place to refer briefly to an incident connected with 
 the Convention, which lias been greatly exaggerated by the public press. 
 The limitation expressed in the call of the Provisional Committee was in 
 liarmony with the instructions of the Convention of 1887, at which the 
 Oommittee was appointed. The wisdom of this limitation soon became 
 .apparent. A few persons were very dc'-kirous to prevent the organization of 
 .!i new party, and hoped to accomplish their end by an interminable 
 wrangle over the Platform. Accordingly, when the hour of meeting 
 -arrived, two or three of these persons demanded admission to the Conven- 
 tion without acceptance of the Platform, and also that the whole Platform 
 l)e open to discussion. This being refused, they took their stand outside 
 the place of meeting, and by making strong and misleading statements to 
 dolegutes who were arriving, induced a small number — some twelve or fifteen, 
 we are told — to retire without entering the hall. These dissentients sub- 
 se([uently met in the Citizeu office, and after an hour spent in fruitless dis- 
 cussion, passed a resolution expressing their sympathy with the objects of 
 the propiMed new imrty, and their concurrence with the Platform as a 
 iMrhole, but objecting to the course pursued in limiting the Convention to 
 ikme alone who accepted the P!%tform-iM« bftii* of m-guuzation. We are 
 glad to say that a number of these gentlemen have expressed ihemselves as 
 quite satisfied with explauations that have since beenKiyefij and are now 
 4}o-operating heartily with the new i>Ai*ty in its work. 
 
i 
 
 CANADA'S NEW PARTY. 
 
 y4n Address to the People. 
 
 There are signs in the political sky which indicate that our 
 country is on the eve of momentous changes. The influences 
 which led to the federation of half-a-dozen widely scattered pro- 
 vinces more than twenty years ago, have well-nigh spent their 
 force, and the necessity for some new and stronger bond of union 
 has become apparent. That our present national status cannot 
 long remain unchanged is a foregone conclusion. Sectional 
 interests are opposed to national unity. Antagonisms of race 
 and creed are ominous of coming strife. Party feuds corrupt 
 the electorate and divert attention from necessary legislation ; 
 and instead of patriotic endeavors to awaken national aspira- 
 tions, and pave the way for national development, the energies 
 of the people are wasted in party contests that are fruitful only 
 of embittered feelings and mutual hate. 
 
 At such a time it becomes the duty of every patriotic citizen 
 to think of his country; to investigate carefully the causes than 
 have led to the present crisis, and to discover, if possible, aor? ^ 
 remedy for the dangers which threaten our national existent 
 That the provinces of the Dominion are held together by ^^ 
 very slender tie admits of no dispute. With so brief a history 
 they have no common traditions such as unite other national- 
 ities, no community of interests which, in the absence of 
 national sentiment, might hold them together for a time ; and 
 unless it be possible to awaken the aspirations of the people for 
 a career of true national development, it is dilHcult to see that 
 the future can have an3rthing in store for the Dominion save 
 disintegration, and then piecemeal al>sorption by a foreign 
 power. 
 
 X 
 
4 
 
 i^ The gravity of the situation, in so far, at least, as it affects 
 ^existing parties, is felt by the political leaders, and they are 
 casting about for some line of policy which, by diverting the 
 attention of the people from real issues, may, for a while, put 
 off the evil day. But it is high time for the people to consider 
 if this young nation, with its splendid possibilities, is indeed 
 shut up to lines of policy which, on the one hand, will doom us 
 through all coming time to the leading-strings of political 
 babyhood, or, on the other, will land us a long stage on the 
 road toward annexation with a foreign power. It is the opinion 
 of those who now address you that these are not the only alter- 
 natives. They think the solution of our national problems lies 
 in the creation of a truly national spirit, and that this demands 
 a policy in which the interests of our own country shall be 
 the tirst and chief consideration ; a policy that will not treat 
 lightly the ties that bind us to the glorious Mother land, but 
 which, at the same time, will encourage those national aspira- 
 tions which will enable the Dominion to shape its own destinies, 
 and to treat with other nations, on terms of equality, regarding 
 its commercial interests and its international rights. 
 
 It cannot be denied that in attempting to develop a national 
 spirit among the people of our scattered provinces, we must 
 begin at the very foundation. Hitherto the trend of party 
 politics has been in an opposite direction. There have been 
 many appeals to prejudice, but none to patriotism. In the 
 exigencies of party strife class has been set against class and 
 creed against creed. Provincial interests, which should be 
 identical with Dominion interests, are made to conflict, and the 
 thought of the politicians is not how closely they can unite, 
 but how widely they can diverge. To-day there is no question 
 of principle dividing the existing parties, yet the bitterness of 
 party rancor seems to have grown in inverse ratio to the im- 
 portance of the interests at stake. These evils we believe to 
 be legitimate fruits of the party system as at present adminis- 
 tered, and it becomes the duty of honest men to find a remedy 
 if they can. That remedy consists in setting Country above 
 Party, and in substituting a reign of principles for a reign of 
 corruption. To accomplish this, the Christian and moral senti- 
 ment of the country must come to the front. It must insist 
 
that party scliemes shall be subordinated to national interests 
 and that the will of the people shall no longer be frustrated 
 by the manipulators of the party " machines." 
 
 For such a movement the hour is propitious. All the signs 
 of the times point to a speedy disintegration of the old parties, 
 and the formation of new alliances around living issues; but 
 whether this shall be a new departure upon a higher plane, or 
 merely a fresh marshalling of obsolete questions under new 
 names, and subject to the old corrupting influences, the people 
 alone can decide. Unless prompt steps are taken, the discre- 
 dited partyism of the past will quickly reappear, not one whit 
 kindlier, but only a little craftier than of yore. Do not misun- 
 derstand us. We brinof no wholesale accusation ajjainst the 
 men who compose the existing parties ; our indictment is 
 against the party system as at present administered. There 
 are tens of thousands of " good men and true " ranjjed under 
 the banners of their respective parties ; but they are often com- 
 pelled to stand aloof From the exercise of their franchise 
 altogether, or else to give the sanction of their votes to acts 
 which they cannot justify. 
 
 A significant fact in connection with the existing parties is 
 the absence of a definite policy. In this respect they occupy 
 common ground. But men who love their country will never 
 consent to have its destiny shaped by such loose and uncertain 
 methods. They justly demand from their political leaders a 
 distinct announcement of the policy they intend to pursue, and 
 the principles upon which the government of the country shall 
 be conducted. If those who assume to be leaders cannot or 
 will not do this, they are not entitled to the confidence of 
 konest men, and as they have failed thus far to meet this rea- 
 sonable requirement, they cannot complain if others take up 
 the neglected task. A policy that will please everybody is not 
 to be expected ; but we are persuaded that an honest platform, 
 framed in the interests of the whole country, would quickly 
 unite the best men of existing parties, and rally a strength of 
 sentiment and conviction that will tell with controlling effect 
 upon the legislation of the future. 
 
 Such a Platform we venture to submit. Doubtless it will be 
 objected to by partisans on both sides — that is to be expected ; 
 
 I 
 
)«t we are not without hope that it will commend itself ta 
 reasonable men of all parties, especially to those who believe in 
 truth and righteousness, and who hold that these should be 
 controlling factors in public affairs. We believe, also, that the 
 young men of our country, who arf» beginning to exercise their 
 rights as citizens, and have not yet abandoned themselves to 
 the tyranny of party, will gladly come upon a platform where 
 they can stand without any compromise of moral principle, or 
 any sacrifice of their manhood or of their personal rights. A 
 casual glance will show that the foundation principles of the 
 Platform now submitted are completely at variance with the 
 actual if not avowed policy of existing parties, and that the 
 general adoption of these principles will produce an entire 
 revolution of political methods and aims. This is precisely 
 what we seek to accomplish, and we are convinced that by 
 uniting the Christian and moral sentiment of the country on 
 the lines proposed, it can be done. 
 
 In framing the Platform which is now submitted, two objects- 
 were kept in view : First, to ground the new party on prin- 
 ciples that would allow no standing-room for crooked methods^ 
 or selfish aims ; and, second, to deal only with those specific 
 questions which most directly touch the welfare of the people 
 at the present time. It is for this reason that the Prohibition 
 of the liquor traffic holds a foremost place. Other questions 
 will arise from time to time, and can be dealt with on their 
 merits, but if the reforms demanded by this Platform can be 
 accomplished, the country can \. .ii afford to wait awhile for 
 the settlement of less important issues. 
 
 In this connection, attention is called to the present attitude 
 of the existing parties in regard to temperance legislation. 
 During the present session of the Dominion Parliament a Bill 
 to amend the Scott Act was introduced by Mr. Jamieson, a 
 supporter of the Government, but its consideration was repeat- 
 edly postponed. When a motion was before the House to go 
 into Committee of Supply, the Hon. Mr. Mills, a member of the 
 Opposition, submitted an amendment to the effect that Mr. 
 Jamieson's Bill ought to be a Government measure, and th&t 
 the Government ought to provide the machinery for Scott Act 
 enforcement This amendment, being regarded as a mere parly 
 
mana'uvre, was met by a strait party vote, and defeated by a^ 
 large majority. The point to be noted is that as Mr. Jamieson 
 and Mr. Mills are both private members, their action has no 
 real significance touching the policy of their respective parties. 
 That the Conservative party is opposed to Prohibition is well 
 understood, and as the declaration made by the Liberal ex-leader, 
 on the eve of the last election, that the Liberal party was not 
 prepared to make Prohibition a plank in its platform, has never 
 been modified or withdrawn, and as the present leader has 
 steadily voted against prohibitory legislation, we arc justified 
 in assuming that the attitude of the Liberal party is still hostile 
 to immediate Prohibition. At the same time, it is well known 
 that there are large numbers in both parties whose voices and 
 votes would be for Prohibition if they were not kept silent by 
 part}"^ considerations, and we are convinced that the only way 
 in which the convictions of such men can find expression is by 
 the organization of a new political party, with Prohibition as 
 its avowed policy. 
 
 In the carrying out of this project, an opportunity is afforded 
 to all who are willing to put Country before Party, to unite in 
 an honest endeavor to purify the political atmosphere, to secure 
 the enactment of needed reforms, to educate public sentiment 
 along the lines of patriotism and political honesty, and to give 
 a new and better direction to the currents of political life. We 
 aim at no selfish ends. Neither offices nor emoluments are 
 soujxht or desired. To those who unite with us we can offer no 
 rewards that appeal to cupidity or selfish ambition. We offer 
 only the opportunity — enough, surely, to stir the heart of every 
 true patriot I — of working to good purpose for the best interests 
 of home and country, and of finding richest reward in some- 
 thing accomplished for the benefit of the land we love. That 
 our aims will be deemed Utopian by those who regard the 
 electorate as so many cattle to be bought and sold, is quite 
 likely ; but we are unwilling to believe that truth and honor 
 and patriotism are mere forms of speech, or that the disreput- 
 able partyism of the past has so succeeded in corrupting the 
 whole bod}-^ politic as to render political reform an impossibility. 
 The ends we seek cannot bo accomplished in a day. Many a 
 battle must first be fouc:ht. Courage and patience will be 
 
jeded, and for a time we may be a minority, but what of that 1 
 
 *' If God be God, if truth be truth, 
 If Christian mien be men, 
 Let them arise and fight the fight 
 Though it were one to ten ! ' 
 
 And when victory crowns our efforts, it will be but anotfeer 
 illustration of the truth that it has often pleased God to redress 
 wronofs and uplift the world by the agency of consecrated and 
 clean minorities. 
 
 By order, and on behalf of, the Central Executive Council, 
 
 W. MuNNs, A. Sutherland, 
 
 Secretary. ' President, 
 
 A'.B. — Copies of this Address, for general circulation, may be 
 had in any quantity from the Secretary. Address, " ParkdcUty 
 Ontr