The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-07
A SKETCH oF HIS LEE.

chEASh OF HIS LIFE
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, O. c. b.,
Cow Jan. IL, 1876. His father emigrated TO
Canada in 1920. He received his early edu-
cation at Kingston and was admitted TO the
bar In 1886. He had great success
as lawyer, being employed In many
cases OF much more than local
Importance. He had a quick wit and q
happy address. and was a general favorite
among his brethren of the bar. In 1874 he
was nominated by Kingston for parliament
In the conservative interest. The contest was
an exciting one, and he was triumphantiy
elected. In lS47 he accepted the portfolio
of receiver general, and from that Office he
was transferred to that of the crown lands
department. In 1S4S there came a change
of government, and from that time
until 1854 he was In the opposition. In the
latter year his party came into power,
and he was appointed attorney general and
held IL until the autumn OF 1856. In 1856
he formed the Mac Donald Cartier ministry,
which had quite an eventful career
He conceived the scheme for a
confederation of all the provinces, and it
became the subject OF absorbing interest In
the arena OF politics. The circumsta noes
attending the accession Of Sir John Mac.
Donald TO power were as extraordinary as
the means by which he retained power In
lccJ pal hlCD III O6uhld WdEo 80 cN6nty Othi-
anced that neither party could carry on the
government. Sir John Macdonald, repre-
senting the monarchial party. advocated q
legislative union, and the Hon. George
Brown, as leader as the liber al
party, demanded federal union, each prov
ince retaining Its parliament and control
over its own local affairs All powers not
delegated to the Dominion government
were reserved, and remained vested In the
Iafwf clat. he Ill mnA.
were compelled to yield, and the federal
system was adopted. At a general election In
1872 Sir John Macdonald was returned to
power with a parliamentary majority Of
40 IN house of 2l2 He was charged with
having pledged charter for the recon-
struction of the Canadian Pacific railroad
with bonus of s25, 200. 900 and 25,0 ,000, 900
acres of land to the late Sir Hugh Allen for
money 1866, ,000) with which to bribe the
electOrs
In the fall of 1873 royal commission
found him guilty, and he was driven from
power. At the general election soon after
the hon. Alexander Mckenzie, the leader
Of the Liberal party. became premier with
0 majority OF 75 in a parliament Of 212. The
general tariff of Canada on imports was Is
per cent. In 1865 1t had been reduced by Sir
John Macdonald from 20 per cent. to Is
per cent. Mr.. Mckenzie increased 10 as q
revenue measure to III per cent, and Sir
John Macdonald criticised the advance as
an unnecessary iporeasein taxation, and de
manded greater economy In the expendi-
lures rather than an increase in the tariff.
Previous, however, 10 the general election
Of 1878 Sir John became converted 20
the policy Of protection. The exodus
10 this country had become alarming, and
Sir John laid the blame upon the fiscal
policy of the Mckenzie government. Mr..
Mckenzie declined to meet the wishes Of
the manufacturers for an increased tariff
from III to 20 per cent. He dissolved
parliament, confident that he would be re-
turned with majority OF at least fifty. Sir
John was returned with a majority Of
seventy-fVe. He was as much surprised at
his success as Mr.. Mckenzie was disap-
pointed ovor his defeat.
Sir John Macdonald was one of the FORE
most advocates OF consolidated British
empire. The cause OF the imperial fedora
tion found in him its most enthusiastic ad-
vocate.in the new world. Through sheer force
Of character he kept himself In power. saved
the confederation from dissolution, bound
the provinces together by a railway and
fiscal power. brought Canadian influence to
bear upon British diplomacy, developed the
resources OF his party, and did
more than any other colonial states
man to render federation possibility of ths
future of the empire. The "Old Man." as
he was always called by his followers, un-
questionably accomplished much for his
people that looks well IL ii be not examined
too closely. He built up his chief cities re-
markably. but the country districts fell
both in wealth and population.
In twelve year she drew e400, ,000, 900 from
5000. 900 Canadian taxpayers 70 build rail-
roads and to run steamships, and he piled
up debt that several generations will
hardly be able to extiuguish.
Sir John Macdonald, with all his great
qualities, was not a man Of the Gladstone
type. Success was essential to him. He
could conduct winning fight but not an
apparently losing battle. An adroit
politician, imbued with the idea
that in politics and in government the
end always justihes the means, he never
was sensitive respecting immoral agencies,
and was often INSCRIPTIONS in his methods.
Success with him was an object to be
attained as reputably and as decently as
possible, but somehow, and without being
over moe. He was q statesman with his
own theory of what constitutes practical
politics and his own equivocal practice in
dealing with parties and foreign nations.