New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-17
YUKON RAILROAD PLAN.
nc REJECTION BY THE DOMINION SEN.
ATE FOR PARTISAN REASONS.
.o,,sr,r1-r1oNAL QUESTIONS RAISED AS TO THE
PROPERTY OF THIS Acr1oN-A GOVERN
MENr ROAD NOW PROPOSED

PROPERTY OF THIS AcrIoN-A GOVERN
MENr ROAD NOW PROPOSED
.so,,-eal April 10 (SpeciaD-In rejecting the
..sure by which the Laurier Government had
.reh, 10 provide means Of communication with
~. KIondike by way OF exclusively Canadian
.ou,s the Dominion Senate has exposed itself to
~. criticism and even condemnation Of many who
70 not generally found the side Of the present
administration. There was feeling among busi-
.,s men that even II twenty-five thousand acres
=, rod field per mile OF railway. with eight
..rs' monopoly OF the carrying trafic included
N the bargain was heavy price 10 pay the
,,.ctors still the Senate might have been per-
r,red Notwithstanding its presumably sincere
Msapproval OF the transaction TO leave the re-
.oonsibity upon the shoulders Of the Government
and allow the measure TO pass under protest as
q were This the Senate has not done. and many
nrecous months Of negotiation have thus resulted
IN nothing.
ot course, the Liberal press is loud in It's out
cries and II the Senate deserves all the hard
,,,nrs that are being said about II just now, It
you'd probably regard rs abolition in the
vrht in which the victim OF long and painful i'll
mess would regard his death-that of happy re-
lease I. Is pretended that. under the Canadian
constitution drafted, it is. in theory. upon the
british model the functions OF the upper house
are no. 10 interfere with any measures introduced
ny Government for the needs of the public service
but simply 20 adopt or reject the same Upon the
Administration tests the responsibility OF making
the necessary arrangements for the carrying on Of
Her Majes,y's Government. and when those ar
,anrenen,s have been sanctioned by the elected
,epresenia tives OF the people the spirit of the
Constitution declares that the approval of the
Senate shall be a mere formal act-like the royal
assent.
A DIFFERENCE IN CONSTITUTIONS.
.hi7 is hat wh
the British Constitution IS which Is the growth
q. centuries in which nothing IS set down in
writing but everything settled by custom and
precedent. Canada has written Constitution, in
which the powers and duties of the two houses Of
Parliament are clearly defined and II II tho IN
,er,ion OF the trainers OF tho British North Amer
lea act restrict the Senatcs authority, there
would have been provision 10 that effect.
Whatever views may be entertained upon the
merits OF the constitutional question. there is no
doub, that the Conservative party in the upper
House used its Overwhelming majority 10 crush 4
generally hold that partisan motives proved strong
er than desire for the promotion Of the country
in many quarters. This can Only be effected by
means Of an amendment 10 the Constitution. adopt
members OF the Senate hold their seats for life.
being appointed by the Government of the day.
the &c: o. Confederation in 1867. and for seven
years atterward. was Conservative; The Liberals
Of unbroken Conservative rule followed.
PRESENT USES OF THE SENATE.
Thus the Senate has become filed with Tory
nominees. and a seat in that house has come TO be
regarded a suitable reward for faithful party
hack. or good place TO which 10 send trouble
some partisan. This state OF things is plainly un-
desirable, but Just how 10 make an improvement
does not seem clea-. Some in favor Of an
elective Senate; others. of giving the Government
OF the day power TO make limited number OF
dismissals on taking office. 10 make room for It's
supporters so as 10 preserve 4 more even balance
between the parties.
Meantime however, the Yukon railway scheme
Is killed. and people beginning to ask. What
Is the Governments intention? Messrs Mackenzie
and Mann, the strength OF their unratihed con-
tract, have already begun work on the proposed
line. and II is said that the sleigh and wagon road
Is completed Ii is thought probable that the Gov
eminent will ask Parliament for authority 10
borrow the necessary sum and build the road at
the country's expense. giving Mackenzie and Mann
the contract for the construction. Unless some
thing is done. and done quickly. IL is felt that
Canada will lose millions OF dollars worth OF bust
ness, which will go the United States instead
AS II is. number OF Montreal wholesale NOR
chants. the news OF the Senates action
was confirmed cancelled large orders.