, 1891-03-11

delightful talker and after dinner speaker,
drawing from his varied experience an mex
haustible fund of a~necdOte, to which was
given an irresistible charm by the simpli.
city, quaintness, and unvarylng ~benignancy
Of his manner. 1t is said Of him by his
subordinate officers that, pending a battle
he was brusque and difficult to please, but
the moment the fighting began he became
a veritable Chesterfield, treating all with
elaborate courtesy until the close. He was
then in his element and completely happy.
The coming elections in Canada will be
the most important yet held in the Domini.
on. Sir John Macdonald, who has been
Prime Minister for ID years, has, to a GER
tain extent, abandoned his old ProtectioniSt
policy, and has appealed to the people on
the double issue of commercial reciprocity
with the United States and continued at
tachment to the Old Country. His oppO
nents, the Liberals of the Dominion, assert
that the Mckinley tariff is bringing about
the ruin of the country, and hat Canada,
if it is to live, mast enter entirely and with
out restriction into the commercial circle of
the United States. This would involve
free trade with sixty millions of people and
thus provide the Canadians with a, magnifi-
cent market for all their produce. Such a
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gested by geography. In opposition to the
trade reasons, however, there is, in the
first place, the national sentiment Of Eng
lishmen across the seas. Sir John Macdonald
SAYS in his address: | was born, and |
will die, a British subject ;" and he infers
that complete commercial union with the
States would be followed by political alb
sorption. For, if Canada comes within The
tariff orbit Of the Union, she must impose
duties of 40 and 80 per cent. against British
goods to secure the Americans against Eng
lish imports reaching the Republic from
the North. Now, there is something ra-
Their unnatural in a country bound to us by
ties of blood and the link Of the Crown
treating foreigners better than its own fell
low-citizens at nome. The Canadian Lii
berals, however, contend that sentiment and
politics need not be affected even if John
Bulls pockets are depleted as the result
Of the change. They point out that the
Macdonald, or "natIonal policy" of high
tariffs all around, against Americans, Bri-
fishers and all foreigners alike, has ended
in the isolation and depression OF Canada.
Since the above Was written a telegram
has come to hand stating that the ConSer-
natives have practically abandoned the
issue on which they at first went 80 the
cOuntry-viz;, the question OF closer trade
relations with the United States. Their
speeches, we are told now, show that they
have returned to their own policy of high
Support duties for the protection of home
industries against American competition,
loyalty to England, and no discrimination
against manufacturers. The reports that
have come to hand from several quarters Of
growing dissensiOns in the Liberal ranks
in consequence of the attitude of the Party
towards the United States are JOY fully re-
ceived by the Conservatives.
Advices received in New York from
Shanghai, ria San Francisco, state that
the Governor-G General OF the province of
Petchili, LII Hung Chang, has reported to
Pekin that the Inhabitants of Shue Chang
nave suffered severely from the devasta-
ton wrought by floods, which in ten dis
tricts of Wen Chuan nave destroyed tenn
pies, bridges, and city walls. 1t is estimat-
ed that the loss of life consequent on
these foundations amounts to fully 1000
persons. The suffering of the poor is in
tense, and the roads are everywhere
thronged with starving wretches proceed
ing to Shanghai. How to satisfy the ne
c~essities of these unfortunate people is a
difficult problem. On the high roads COM
municating with Pao Te and Shan Sc corn
and millet are being sold at double the
price they were a year ago.
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