New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-09
TORY LEADERS At OTTAWA.


which of the three or four men who are talked
Of as the successor of Sir John Macdonald act
ually assumes his place. None OF them can
hold it or could If he were another bismarck.
1t was Sir Johns function latterly to defer and
avoid question in which his country's highest
interests are involved. BY a sort of common
consent he has been allowed to do So For the
last six years at least every intelligent Ca
madam has been talking and thinking almost
constantly about the future of his country as
political society. Every man of them, not
peouniary interested in maintaining the pres
ent system, has conceded the necessity Of some
radical change. But at the close of every con-
versation wherein the nature of the change has
been discussed this invariable and unanimous
comment has been made: "It will NOT come,
however, until Sir John dies" 1t is practically
true to say that the entire Canadian nation has
fixed upon the occasion of Sir John Macdonalds
death as the date from which a new era shall
begin. IL would be fair to describe this wide
spread mental attitude as a popular arrange
ment The motives that have led to it and the
sentiments entertained concerning it are vari-
ous and depend on the nature Of the solution
which each man prefers. But so settled is the
the agitations must come from which perma-
nent scheme Of government will be evolved
that no man can now hold them back
The scramble for Sir Johns place, therefore,
is not important. In the end, whatever the
Governor General may now do in an initiative
way it will probably be decided by a caucus of
the Tory Members of Parliament The con-
Stitutional effect of the Premier's death is to
dissolve his Ministry, and another, OF course
must be instantly provided. Theoretically, the
GovernOr-General has a prerogative here, and
may Summon somebody to form Govern
ment. Practically, he will act as he thinks the
Conservative majority would wish him to act
He has three persons from whom his choice may
come, but to suppose that any Of the three could
hold the party together longer than may be
necessary for Sir Charles Tuppers return is
abCurd. Sir Hector Langevin, who, by reason
of his place, would naturally be chosen at
present has all he can do defending himself
against grave charges of corruption in connec-
ton with certain contracts for public works.
Moreover, he is not man ofany especial force.
As q brother Of the Catholic Bishop Of LimOuski
and as an aggressive Catholic Frenchman he
las the earnest support of the Church and of
faction of his race. But the war which he and
Mr.. Chapleau have long been waging against
each other under Sir Johns smothering skirts
must now break out and it is already plain
that he would not be permitted to speak and
act even as the leader Of the French element
without challenge and a struggle. 1t is i'm
probable too, that the Ontario ProteStants
would consent to follow Sir Hector, even were
the charges against him less grave. The Tory
Churchmen OF Ontario, it is true, at Sir Johns
resOute bidding have accepted many things
and many men against their earlier protesta
tons, but they are not likely under present
conditions to accept Sir Hector.
Mr.. Abbott who leads for the Government
in the Senate, would also be in some respects
a natural leader for the present emergency.
He is lawyer of ability and man of discern
ment. He mas no personal enmities to crowd
him back. But he is the saaried attorney Of
the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and has long
record of private and public service In that all
grasping corporations behalf As a man Of
high honor, he would be likely in Office to hold
much more firmly to the public interest as
against the interests of the Canadian Pacific
than would Sir Charles Upper, but the fact Of
his definite pecuniary connection with the road
NOuiu give HIS appointment W inc ItLlISiSnip
scandaOus appearance. Sir John Thompson,
the Minister of Justice, stands, upon the whole
in much better position than either Sir Hector
Langevin or Mr. Abbott. Sir John is not an old
man nor an old politician He was contributed
to the Dominion Parliament and to the Cabinet
by Sir Charles Upper as the result of deal
with Nova Scotia Liberal who wished TO be a
Judge. Mr.. Thompson was on the county
bench and the hiding was Liberal. He OBJ
tanned a seat in Parliament and his Liberal ally
obtained his seat on the bench All this was
arranged and executed by Sir Charles Upper
who desired the presence in the Government of
Nova Scotian Catholic. AS the protege Of
Sir Charles it is not probable that Sir John will
do, or wish to do, more than hold the seat of
honor until the High Commissioner is at hand
To take it,