The Irish standard., 1891-06-13
SIR JOHN DEAD.

4 AAOAkJAA NJ x1AyA/xAAOA/S .
SIR JOHN DEAD.
Sir John A. Mcdonald, the premier
# Canada, is dead. This disting uished
nan passed to his great reward last Sat-
1rday night, and to-day Canada mourns
ner loss. 1t is the greatest calamity that
has befallen the Dominion of Canada in
it's history, and will be recorded in the
history of that country as very serious
visitation Of Providence. By this, OF
course We do not mean that the political
for which Sir John fought.
were the correct ones, but viewing Can
ada from her present financial standing,
we feel that no other man could keep
her ahoat as Sir John did. There is no
man who looks at Canada through Amer
ican glasses, or with impartial eyes, but
must confess that Sir Johns political
policy was more of detriment to the
country than anything else, for it in
creased the national debt almost without
limit and may now be the means of bank
rupting the country. Had Sir John
lived he might have ayerted the crisis
by skillful management of affairs and
in this way have postponed the evil day,
perhaps to time when satisfactory ar
engagements could be made with the
country's creditors. With Sir John
gone there is no one left competent to
handle this difficult problem. The ma
tional debt is fast approaching $500 .000,-
600, and when can poor, barren coun-
try like Canada expect to pay dollar for
dollar with population of only little
over 5000, 900. Some Canadians are
won't to preach from the house-tops, that
their country has more square miles in
side it's boundaries than the United
States end with the same area as we
have, they ask, why cannot their coun-
try become In a short time as wealthy
and as populous as ours? This is cer-
tainly very subtle argument, but to
those acquainted with Canada, her peo-
pie, their manners and customs, aud the
character of her soil and mineral re-
sources, such arguments do not count
for much. The greater portion of CAN
ada is not fit for habitation and how can
the country expect to reap where no seed
will grow. The system of taxation is
not just, by any means, and that great
railroad monopoly, the Canadian Pacific,
has acquired about all the best land ia
the country not yet opened up, and
holds the same at enormous prices
Even when settlers go in and buy this
Land they cannot secure title to 1t for
many years afterwards. though they paw
every cent the company demands. Some
may come up and deny this statement,
but we can refer them to farmers living
along that branch of the Canadian Pa
oific that runs through t4e Penlbina
Valley and through the towns of Cart
wright, Killarney and Deloraiue. Heavy
taxes and exorbitant railroad rates have
had most depressing effect on Canada
prosperity, end the desire of English
capitalists TO seek Investments in this
country in preference to Canada, has
also given her setback. But 1t re-
mains for her to do something, now shat
her rudder is gone and her sailing 50
rough. We may expect to see some
very radical measures introduced in
parliament in the near future. The
Tory government of Canada is practl-
cal}y thing Of the past. Reciprocity
with the United States will soon be &C"
complished and for time at LEAST CAN
ada will be torn to its foundations.