The Portland daily press., 1886-06-17

matured that the Imperial Parliament passed
the act which created the Dominion of Cana
da. But there was strong party in Nova
Scotia that did not favor the confederation.
Indeed, it is doubtful if they were not in
majority. They sent delegates to London to
ask that the confederation might be deferred
until the people of Nova Scotia should have
expressed their preferences in the matter by
general election. This was not allowed,
and Nova Scotia became member of the
Dominion by act of the Imperial Parliament.
and by consent of its own local legislators,
who had not been elected with that issue in
view Shortly after the consummation of
the confederation in 1867, general elections
were held in Nova Scotia to choose members
of the Provincial Assembly at Halifax, and
also members of the Dominion House of
Commons at Ottawa. OF the thirty-eight
members elected to the Provincial Assembly
all but two were opposed to the union; of
the nineteen members returned to the Do
minion Commons, all but one were against
the union.
This was the sentiment in 1867. AS time
has elapsed Nova Scotia has not, in the opin-
ion of a large part of its people, prospered
as in the days before confederation. Last
year memorial was sent to the Dominion
Parliament at Ottawa, setting forth that the
Province since confederation, had exchanged
a healthy for an unhealthy financial condi-
ton, that the Dominion tariff bears unequally
upon Nova Scotia, that taxation has in
creased fifty per cent, and that Nova Scotia
was defrauded of its share in the fishery
award paid by the United States. This
unrest displayed itself this year in a po-
litical campaign in which the issue was
squarely drawn between secession, IA
vored by the Liberals led by Prem
ier Fielding, and union, favored by the
Tories. The arguments used by the Liber-
ais in the campaign have been similar to
those advanced in the memorial Nova Sco-
tia entered the Dominion, they say, with
debt of eight millions; to-day Nova Scotia S
share of the great Dominion debt is twenty
eight millions. In the way of public works
they have received from the Dominion rail-
way from Truro to the borders of New
Brunswick, and a passenger station in Hall
fax. But they say that this is much more
than offset by the action of Minister of Rail
''snake line as they term it, to compete
with the Intercolonial. To these arguments
the Tories have replied that Nova Scotia has
her share in the assets of the Dominion, such
as the great Canadian Pacific road. But
careful estimates have convinced the Nova
Scotians that these assets are poor recon-
pense for the losses the peninsula has suf-
fered.
But there are other and very pressing rea-
sons which have presented themselves to the
people of Nova Scotia. These are the rela-
lions Of the Maritime Provinces to the
United States. AS the politicians of this
country would have said once, manifest
destiny" is compelling Nova Scotia to leave
the confederacy. Here are few of the rea-
sons presented by leading Liberal news
paper of Halifax just before the election:
FARMERS OF Nova ScoTIAs-Remember repeal
cents for every bushel of potatoes you raise.
Quebec and Ontario take no potatoes; our mar
ket is in the States and we can get that market
open to us by repeal.
ELECTORS OF Nova SCoTIA-Remember you
are under Canadian corn laws, which compel you
to pay so cents more for every barrel of flour you
use than you would have to pay if the tariff per-
mitted you to get it from the States and besides
this duty you have to pay so to go cents per bar
rel 10 DIHlS IL Ny railway, WlcI you COulu gov IL
from the States for 10 cents freight from Boston,
and Is cents from New York
In another paragraph this hope is held
out:
If we were separate province we should have
no trouble in negotiating treaty with the United
States in natural products. but they will not
| admit the west on account OF their wheat and
| grains coming in competition with their own
| products OF the same line
Finally here is a very pointed reference to
a state of things which has undoubtedly
done much to cause discomfort among the
electors of Nova Scotia
Without making any effort to secure reciprocal
trade with the States the government gave the
Americans last season the free use of our fisher
| les while at the same time fishermen were
paying duty in the States of 81 per barrel on
mackerel, 81 on herring and so cents on Goldfish,
thus causing the ruinous low prices that fish of all
| kinds has been selling for this season.
These are the hopes that Nova Scotia
cherishes of closer relations with the United
States. But her path is by no means clear.
| 1t will be hard for her to get clear of the
| confederacy-p perhaps harder to attain the
desired relations with the United States.