The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-16
THE DOMINION.
Political and Social Gossip Among
t the KanuckS.
suddsnnss Of the Disolutac> Of Parliansat--
Prospects Of the "rsr.y Of Purity" and IL
Progressive Exercise Of
the Franchise Money influence
in, Elecuons-The Great Re-
former, Attacked by Scandal.
MoSrRRAl, Jan. IA ls7A.

MoThkAAs S2u. IL 1878.
The sudden dissolution OF Parliament and the ap-
zeal to the country blythe Mackenzie Ministry have
taken the conservatives entirely by surprise and
and them almost unprepared for q contest When
Arst forced resign once by the shameful disclos-
ures OF the Pacific scandal some OF the Ministerial
Journals were clamorcus for general election I'm
medately ibut when the newly appointed Ministers
appealed only to their own constituencies the
MACEDONIAN party began to think it would be better
for them to fight 1t ont an Parliament without an
appealoo the country, and they therefore were
eaugtrr little unprepsred and feel consequently,
sore AT the sudden determination Of the govern
mem to have general election.
Cue good thing win probably result from this
elecEon. and that b the Introduction Of the Ameri,
{ IN system OF
0M SIMULTANEOUS ELECTION
throughout the entire Dominion. Hitherto the
.Ssactice has been for the existing government 30
select such constituencies as 1t was known TO
Ve strong in. and have elections held there first,
20 as to run up long list or governments support
srs before any OF the opposition were returned and
thus make 1t appear that the governments was
gaining strength. thereby dsheartening the consli
tGencies in which the parties were pretty evenly
balanced. In this way . general election
was stretched over two and sometimes three
months. This time the government has
hands 1t really rests, the law at present stands
70 appoint the Gay OF nomination and day Of poll
mg-to TX on the same day throughout the Prov
inces OF ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and
Nova Scotia. namely, the 22d inst. for nominations
and the goth for polling. In the outlying Provinces
Of Prince Edwards Island, Manitoba and British
Columbia the elections will take place about two
weeks later.
PROGRESS IN THE METHOD OF THE FRANCHISE.
Next session OF Parliament an act is to be intro
auced appointing one day for the entire Dominion,
more time being allowed for the writs to reach
xheir destination and for their return. 1t Is
also probable that EFFORT will be made
20 abolish the custom OF having one
day for nomination ana another for election; 1t
being claimed that nomination is only stupid
cumbersome form, copied from the English Gus.
aom, without any utility IL il and very expensive
On the other hand, 1t is urged that, although q
nomination day may be unnecessary In towns and
caties where every one can see in the newspapers
who the candidates are and what are their opin-
IONS and views, 1t Is very necessary In remote
country districts, where people have not news
papers convenient, ana where nomination day Is
the only time at which they have an opportunity
OF seeing the candidates and hearing what they
have TO say for themselves. There appears to be
GROWING TENDENCY TOWARDS UNIVERSAL SUE
IN Canada. 1t is already the law In New Bruins
wick and il was pretty freelv dtscnssed in tho
Quebec Legislature last Thursday, when the new
Snadowed in MI. Mackenzies announcement of the
policy Of his government. The qualification now
In the Province OF quebec Is $50 rental, and an
effort win probably be made to reduce Ihat II not
abolish 1t altogether. Voting by ballot Is also get
sCanada First party as one or the BLANKS In their
platform. One OF the reasons adduced in its favor
Il that Il viii tend TO lessen the great amOunt of
bribery now practlsed AZ elections as candidates
would hesitate to pay q man ior voting for
them when they had no means OF ascertaining
whether he really did vote for them or Their
OPPONENTS In Connection with this Subject of
may say say thsc aere rs as muca mot more
was m New York IN the worst DAYS Of the Ring ad-
ministration. There Is
no BALLOT BOX sTUFFr0
because voting Is open, and comparatively little
personation except OF dead ana absent men, but
votes are bought almost openly and without any
EFFORT at conceanent. Under the guise OF carriage
hire to convey voters to the polls the hackmeu are
paid large sums for their votes and infiuence and
II IL considered smart thing aud almost sure of
raining him mis- election, for candidate to buy nm
8 many OF the hackmeI lby the way., they cail
them scartersu hereI In MS division as possible.
As Tor the laboring men. many of them declare
openly that they Will not vote unless paid
Tor their timer and toe man who can
nay most for their time is the man they
think viii make the best representative
at the last election, and it is said he VIII spend
$500 600 on this one defeat the present govern
nay Of euy as eey Oh ca
seves-say q day or two ago that there was
$1,000, ready to be spent II needed to the
election of the liberal candidate for Montreal West
and a conservative boosted IN my presence that
Dir Hugh Allan would defeat Mr.. Huntington In
Bnenord iii 1t cost him ship"
FAE ..GREAT EEFoRMERn THE VICTIM OF SCANDAL.
Apropos OF Mr.. Huntington, the great re-
former,r as he Is called by his admirers, ana who
was mainly Instrumental in bringing about the
Pacific scandal is himself the subject of q scandal
bust now, which shows that, however much he
might insist purity in others he Is not over par
ucuar in some OF his own transactions.
Mr.. Huntington has Tor some time been known
S'on the street" as d great nnancer In mining
Stocks and great is hts reputation a nnancier
shat he was spoken OF as Finance Minister when
the liberal party came into power. This reputa-
tion was gained principally by the facility with
which he "noated" the shares OF the Canadian
Copper Pyr1tes and Chemical Company and the
Huntington Copper and sulphur Company on the
london market The shareholders Of the former
company have died bill In chancery against him
claiming some ss4o, OOo and alleging that Mr..