Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-22
A CANADIAN CRISIS.
Sir John Macdonald Is Preparing to
Dissolve Parliament and
SECURE A GENERAL ELECTION.
He Is Working Reciprocity as His Trump
Campaign Card.
A COMING CENSUS BoTHERlNG HIN
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH. /,

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.I
OTTAWA, ONT, Jan. 21.-There is con-
siderable excitement in town to-day over the
report that Parliament is to be dissolved.
There no longer remains doubt that Sir
John Mcdonald is preparing for dissolu-
tion of Parliament ana that a general cleo
tion will take place before Parliament is
again called together. The hint has gone
out and the supporters of the Government
are getting their house in order for an cleo
ton campaign. When asked to-day why
Sir John should take such step and not
permit Parliament to die a natural death in
April Of next year. prominent Conserva-
tive who is in the inside ring said the
reasons for such a course were manifold.
In the first place, he said, Sir John is
not blind to the fact that very large pro-
portion of the people of Canada want re-
ciprocity with the q United States and the
Liberals are playing that card for all it Is
worth. knowing how popular the cry is.
Sir John has induced Secretary Blaine, or
some one else at Washington, to talk re-
ciprocity, which fact is enough to serve his
purpose and 60 to the country and tell the
electors he Is doing all himself that the Lib
erals promised to do aud he has opened
negotiations with Washington in the direc-
ton of reciprocity.
Good tor a Campaign Card.
1t is well-known fact that Sir Johns
policy of reciprocity in natural products
only will never be accepted by the present
United States Government, yet the card will
work we'll for election purposes, as the re-
suits of the negotiations will not be known
till after the elections are over. Then again,
Sir John can now tell the electors that he Is
making every effort to extend trade relations
with the West Indies, but as the practical
failure of Minister Fosters mission to the
West Indies will not be made officially
known till about the elections, that also will
be heavy trump card in Sir Johns hand.
There is another and very important
reason, he said, why, in the Governments
interests, the Dominion elections should be
held as soon as possible. The Dominion
census will be taken in April, and it is an
admitted fact that in view of the enormous
exodus that has been going on from Canada
to the United States. during the past ten
years, the census will show the natural in
crease has hardly been sustained, and that
the exodus has been proportionately larger
than the immigration population arriving In
the country.
Some Other Potent Reasons.
Before this fact is confirmed by the census
returns, Sir John desires to have the cleo
tions. Then comes the McGreeve-L e-Langevin
scandal, IN which the name of a member of
the Cabinet figures conspicuously. This
case is sure to be the subject OF Parlia-
mentary investigation, and if the disclos-
ures which it is thought will follow can be
delayed until after the election, so mucn the
better for Sir John Macdonald and his Gov
ment, as least as regards their chances for
reelection.
Then Sir Hector Langevin has announced
his intention of next session fighting out the
question of the right of the Manitoba Legis-
lature to abolish the use of the French lam
guage in that province, and as this question
is thorn in Sir Johns side, he would
rather have the: elections disposed of before
the fight is precipitated in the House OF
Commons.