The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-07
THE CANAnIAN ELECTIONS.

The dispatches indicate that Sir John
Macdonald has pulled through by reduced
majority. In the Sixth Parliament, which
was Gisbanded last January, he had at times
a majority of 80; in the present Parliament
it is estimated that he will begin his admin
iStration with majority of not over 20, and
possibly considerably less. The leading
province Of the Dominion - OntariO-has
turned its back on him. and his stronghold
at present appears to be the maritime prov
inces. which were red hot for annexation to
the United States few years ago, and
which now seem to be equally red hot for
the old flag and an appropriation.
Sir Johns career has been one of singu-
larry uniform success. When the Dominion
was first formed, in 1867. he became the first
Prime Minister, and held the Office till 1873,
when the Liberals were successful at the
elections and Sir john TeliHquished power
to their leader, Mackenzie. Five years later
the Conservatives won in their turn and Sir
John returned TO office. He has held it ever
since. Thus, with the exception OF gap OF
five years, lie has welded the destinies of
British North America for twenty one
years, a longer period than any American
statesman of modern times has exercised
DuDdtdl tublIOL II StttlS ifNL 1stIidlldlt5
are not prone to change; when they get
man who suits them they hang on to him
and keep him in their service. Perhaps the
practice has its advantages.
Sir John is not by any means an ideal
statesman. lie is Tory, pure and simple
He objects to reforms on general principles,
and only acQuiesces in them when he
has no alternative. In his heart, of hearts
h. = l,ch tn Il,
steamships and telegraphs and other
uew-fangled institutions, and thinks the
world would be much better of if the good
old days of George the Third could be re-
stored. He is hard-headed Scotchman. i'm
bued with that extraordinary personal loyalty
10 the sovereign which induced so many we'll
meaning Scotchman to throw away their
lives in wild attempts to restore the worth
less house of Stuart. To him the British
connection is far more important than ma
terial prosperity or general well-being. In
lis notion it were better for the Canadians
to starve under the British flag than TO wax
fat under flag pf their own.
1t hardly argues well for our northern
neighbors that so obstinate an opponent of
Progress MS Sir John should have been their
choice for chief ruler for nearly a genera
ton. But it has always been said of the
Canadians that they are more loyal than the
Queen. The intense devotion to the British
crown which has marked their history ever
since our War Of Independence can be vari-
| ously accounted for. 1t has doubtless arisen
in a large part from their close proximity to
the United States and from a constant
dread that some day they would be absorbed
by their powerful neighbor.
The large gains made by the Liberals at
the late elections indicate that the Tory
feeling in Canada is on the decline and that
a wiser class of public men are coming to
the front. 1t will be hardly possible for a
Tory administration TO conduct the business
of the Dominion with a working majority of
only fifteen or sixteen. Some question is
sure to arise on which the Government will
be beaten, and a dissolution of Parliament
will follow. Judging from the drift of
opinion it would seem likely that when that
occurs the Liberals will carry the country.
When they were last in power they made
the mistakes which are usually committed
by nOyices in administration aud the people
acquiesced cheerfuily in their defeat Tney
have gained experience since then and are
better qualified to conduct public affairs.
They now understand their people well
enough to realize that direct schemes Of an
neyation would be dangerous, at any rate
for the present, and that the best ground
for a Liberal administration to occupy
would be to cultivate close relations of
friendship with the United States without
proposing TO sacrifice the independence of
the Dominion.