New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-25
RECIPROCITY TO BE THE ISSUE.
SIR JOHN NACDONALD ~ HIS FAVoRlTE AL
OF DGSHING' THE OPPOSITION

OF DIsmNG7 THE OPPOSITION.
Ottawa. Jan II lSpcciaD-ln the belief that Par
lament would bc called the second third week oi
March and would not bc dissolved until after the tah-
of the census some time after the harvest the lio"
Wilfrcd Laurirr summoned convention oi thc Llnc'"
lador- and party at Toronto for February IL ana -
II had been impossible 10 discover thr lhtch'""' ~
sir John Macdonald. but the Hon Mr. Chaplain, speiA
ing a. the moutIpiccc Of the Government, hah ic
pcatcdly declared that there would be no dissolution
until after the harvest. II had all along been su'
pcctcd that tins might be a Of sir John 10 ''N'
the Liberals by surprise. OF late there has bee q"'o
an influx Of active political agents to The capital II
leaked ont in spite Of the most rgd nluh'uohS VI
secrecy that members of Parliament Tor AL distant
constituencies had been warned not u leave l'r US
trict. but remain within easy reach of wire ana rail-
This week there va, suddenly great demand from All
over the country for voters isis pretty plln lhd'
lion that the party machinery had unexpectedly p'c'
put in motion with view 10 possible ea'ly ele'uoh
on Thursday It openly stated AZ All the d'p"'V
mcrts that notice of dissolution would Doe is'uch lh "
davis Official Gazette and the Liberal, thereby
dlshcd. Yesterday there was positive Information
that the notice Of dissolution in the hands of the
Queens printers and that II not presented In odaS
"Gazctter IL would appear in supplementary ia
zettc7 orders for the issue Of which had been gwen
In case Of dissolution, the Liberal convention VIII
have 20 be fastened dispensed with unless The "ov
ernmcnt gives longer time for the campaign than sr
Johns usual tactics would justify The Liberals In eN
pectinc The object OF the convention j. 10 reun.tc
all sections of the opposition on the one great issue o
unrc-trctcd rcciproclty with the United states. Tie
Hon Wllfrcd Laurcr the leader. and sir Richard Cart
wright the chief of the ontario Grt'. are solid on Tie
imperative and absolute necessity Of making that The
e.rt camplgn cry Of the opposition II they can Ther
are minor questions, such a, the. dual language and
the separate schools but they sink into in'gnhcan"
beside the one great question of unrcStrcicd r''r
procitv. The last session Of Parliament was one
continuous fight between the parties to educate
the country for and against this policy. But now. on
the very thrc hold Of the election. there is 70 be an
election the Government suddenly turns around. and
through IL organs announces that II is IN com
municaton with the United state, and British Govern
ments with view 10 unrestricted reciprocity. ana
shows in a hundred way, complete clan.c Of front
preparatory 10 the act # posing as the champion
Of that policy, thus again di,hing the Grts. In
order that there may be no doubt whatever on TIN,
pont the words of a Cabinet Minister fcw days
back may be quoted. Correcting statement. widely
tclccraphcd. that the Imperial Government was en-
gagged IN bringing pressure o. bear on the Dominion
Cabinet 10 enter into negotiations with Washing
ton looking 10 reciprocity he declared the fart to lie
that IL was the United Statc5 that had taken The
Initiative I'm that wise and statc,manlkc direction. aud
that not only was the Cabinet willing and anxious
matter had already assumed the outline Of very wide
measure such as should suffice 10 settle all existing
causes Of soreness between the United htateS ana
Great Britain and between the great Republic and
Canada. Since that time, only few days ago, the
Ministerial press has been labOrng TO show that
unrestricted reciprocity has ceased u be the
a-dent desire Of Sir John Mardonad's Administra
ton and that the only obstacle to negotiations was
the inability at early period Of the United states
Government to meet Sir Johns views or do anything
IN that direction The Liberal press # charges
sir John with stealing the opposition policy
The situation IS almost unpreccdcntcd-a party
going to the country the policy Of the pppo.lnon
which II has fought In and out Of Parliament ior
YEAR. and STAYED of with many legislative acts de
ubcritey and evidently and avowcd.y designed I"
make II imprdcticabc ard to take ont
of The region Of prac ical politics IL - Only pdr
IcIIed By the rirItab0ui face policy Of the Tory
Government in England, under The late Lord Ieaf0m
ned', guidance, when, after fighting "A Reform Dill
Nerccy for years, 1t suddenly accepted the principle
Of reform had been opposing and carried measure
far in advance of th. opposition. What the people
wanted was. Reform in the Franchise not ANY par
ucIdr SCI Ui Ofcchodcrs. ana II got what IL wan 'u
crv and their vital policy and their guiding siar
FOR years. but from the mcn who had been uheom
pron,inely hostile 10 li.
= The nut may be a hard one for the Liberal leaders
10 crack II the Government really decides % go 10
the country on the cry Oi the oppusl Ton, ana tic
ou of the lengths which either SIDE l. prepared &"
eo Most of the Liberal leader, are willing to 20
even the lcng Of a ,cm- -pOiucal alliance with thc
Iufcd S'atcs IN order TO secure Inrtstrctci Ken
nrocitv: the MlniStcr!asis are not prepared to Z"
inu length. Fiie Liberal cry Is InrstIicled Ecl
nrocitv unfs.t-rrd and unlimited. Thc Mni't riallst
iun,.e, may consent t. swallow Unrestricted Rec
urocty and forget all they have been taught against
H. but will demand ASSURANCES that the British con
ntctlon II -afcguaidcd.
Th, /, tn situation. bn' II may bc changed AT any
ponrnt by one of the unlOokcd-for movements WIN
which Sir John IL 4 accus Omed 10 astOnsh hl'
friends and cOnfOund h, enemies. The recent p0slhS
a. au active worker for reciprocity may Dc thrown
aside a, soon as it has served s purpOs', ana III,
signal may be out to right about face ana rcNcfl
-. a p0licy of hostility to reciprocity of rtish con
nccti6n. Canadian independence and National pro,
tectlon The closest and most Intimate friends Oh
.it Iohn have no idea whether the policy of t0daN
,ru nof be reversed and disowncd tomorrow Ihc
Premier is surrounded 10y disintegiating inhucnc,a'
The Dusl Language and French schools questohs
have SET sections Of his French well as OF MS
English supporters at lOggrheads. The French MN
istrriallst camp II divided and the English Mlnlf
teriast camp f. undermined by the Equal Rights
chn The French divisions head d reSpec lv.ly b
sir Hector Ianccvn and the Hon. Mr. Chapleai ana
~ Ittcr is the anagOnism between thee two men m
and heir parsans who UNIFIED have controlled inc
Miii,trv il seems impossible both should remain III
tbcy and the English as well NAV with difficulty be
hrcy,cm IN fight shoulder shoulder. The Liberals
IS united as one with office for their prospc,lNo
c,St ~ thn coming Liberal convention, Wmeh mas
afstin IL n.-lD