The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-07
The Election in Canada.

The political campaign in Canada was a
short one. and the result of it was no;
quite What the conservatives hoped it
would be. They confidently expectedto ge,
larger majority in parliament than they
had. Their majority was fifty, and the
largest majority their organs claim in the
Few parliament is fcrty-fve. IL is quite
certain. however, that their majority will
not be so large. The organs of the Liberal
party say that the conservative majority
will not be over twenty. When the roll is
made up it will be found, probably, to be
between twenty and twenty five.
There was no good reason why an election
should have been held at this time. The
government had a working majority, and it
had no ground for thinking that it would lose
any Of its adherents. The term Of parlia-
ment would not have expired for more than
a year. What was the reason, then, that the
govern ment suddenly dissolved parliament
and ordered new election?
1t was undoubtedly because the govern
ment saw that the liberals were steadily
gaining ground on the issues which they
had placed before the people, and that If it
meut then in existence expired the chances
we're that liberal parliament would be
elected, and it would have to resign. 1t
therefore exercised the power which it has
OF dissolving parliament and ordering
new election. 1t has gained new lease of
life, but 1t would not be surprising if the
lease should not prove to be a very long
ore.
The main issue in the campaign was
whether an effort shouli be made for re-
ciprccal trade with this country. The
position of the liberals was that the re-
moval Of the barriers TO trade between the
United States and Canada would be
Of the greatest benefit to the Cana
dams. The conservatives, on the other
hand. main tanned that the present relations
between the two countries were entirely
satisfactory, and that it was to Canada's
interest that they should not be changed.
The issue, Of course. Involved the question
of annexation, because if reciprocal trade
were found beneficial there would be
naturally strong and growing sentiment
in favor Of annexation.
The conservatives did not deal with the
issue frankly. They did their utmost to
befog the minds Of the voters and to enlist
their prejudices in the contest. They went
50 far as to assert that the ultimate purpose
OF the liberals was to sever the relations be-
tween Canada and England, and that,
therefore, they were traitorS. The govern
ment purposely made the cam
paign a short one, in order
that tho voters should not have
time to get full understanding of the
issue. Time should have been given for the
consideration of so important matter as
that OF changing the trade relations be-
tween this country aud Canada. But the
government didn't want the issue under
stood. 1t wanted to win-to get another
lease OF power-aDd its prospect Of succeed
ing in doing that depended upon brief
campaign and misleading the voters.
The issue is not settled. The agitation Of
it is only fairly begun. Enough has been
said TO the people Of Canada to make them
think. and they will do a great deal of
thinking in the next year or two.