New-York tribune., 1900-10-19
Tile CANADLAN CAMPATGN.

The century comes to its end amid elections.
The United Kingdom is just finishing the most
noteworthy in its recent history. Austria is
about to engage in one which will precipitate
or prevent a revolution in that empire Vari-
Gus other lands have had or will have elections
during the year. And, finally, early next month
the whole North American Continent. from the
| Gulf of Mexico to HudsOns Bay. will be the
scene of electoral strife, the United States on
one day, the Dominion of Canada on the next.
Four years ago the Presidential election in
the United States and the general Parlia-
mentary election in Canada occurred only a
few weeks apart. This year they will be sep
arated by only a few hours. Before all our
ballots are counted our northern neighbors will
begin to cast theirs.
The Canadian contest this year is a straight
party fight between the Liberals and the Con-
servatives, between the Ins and the Outs.
There are no issues of race religion. There
are no party schisms. Louis Riels rebellion,
the Manitoba schools and all such matters are
sheIved. 1t is a contest between the Liberals,
who are in power and who are led in entire
harmony by men so widely differing in repre-
sentative capacity as Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Sir
Richard Cartwright and Mr.. J. Israel Tarte,
and the Conservatives. who are out of power
for the first time in many years and who are
led by such aggressive leaders as Sir Charles
and Sir HILBERT Upper, father and son. and
that promising son of a famous father, Mr..
Hugh j. Macdonald. With such leaders. and
with followers worthy of them, as lively a
three weeks campaign is to be expected as any
one outside Of Donnybrook could reasonably
wish.
We have said it is a straight party fight
But party principles are mixed in a way that
niUbt
to turn in their graves. The Liberals are ira
ditionaI Free Traders. Yet they have been
maintaining stiff protective tariff against all
the world save the mother country, to which
they have been granting that most hateful Of
all things to the true Cobdenite. a preferential
tariff. They are additionally anti-mperiallst
Yet, despite the obstroperous objections Of
Mr. Tarte, they have been sending khaki clad
legions to South Africa and vaunting them
selves upon their loyalty TO the Empire. On
the other hand, the Conservatives, who have
hitherto been loyalsts and imperialists to the
centre of the spinal marrow, are now carping
at the Liberal policy because it closely
Identifies the Dominion with the affairs and
interests of the United KngdOm 1t is right
about face on both sides
The result seems likely to be close. Canada
is probably naturally Conservative. The Con
servatlVeS nave won nYe or the seven general
elections in the history of the Dominion. We
may therefore scarcely expect the Liberal ma
jority of four years ago 10 be repeated, and It
may be entirely wiped out Yet the Liberals
are good fighters, and they have the enormous
advantage Of patronage with which TO aid their
cause. such patronage as neither the United
Kingdom nor the United States knows In
Great Britain patronage amounts to little or
nothing in elections. In the United States Il
is far less influential than is commonly sup
posed. But in Canada, with practically the
whole railroad system Of the country as a po-
ltical machine, it is a vital and potent reality.
We may therefore look for a vigorous fight
by the Liberals for renewal of their lease of
power, and we may confidently expect that,
whichever party wins, the attitude of the Do
mnion toward the United States will remain
practically unchanged.