Evening star., 1901-05-11

main entrance to the beautiful hall In
which they sit. and shown to seats on the
main floor in the space which in the House
of Representatives in Washington Is re-
served for those who have the privilege
of the floor by act of Congress. There are
eighty-two members of the dominion SEN
ate Many of them are over eighty years
of age and two or three are over ninety.
Very few are below sixty. Nearly all of
the ministers of the party in power sit in
the house of commons, but, out of compli-
ment to the senate. two of the older and
least important cabinet officials sit with
that body. The conservative party still
has a majority in the senate, but rarely
exercises this power to cause the liberal
party any inconvenience, except by delay
ing final passage of measures which come
from the house of commons.
Pay of the Members.
Members of the dominion parliament re-
ceive 81. 900 a year and their mileage as re-
muneration for their services. This would
not be considered much in Washington. but
in Canada. where living is cheaper. and
dollar goes much farther than it does in
the United States 1t is looked upon as
desirable billet. Members of sthe house
only hold their office for the term for
which they are elected, but members OF
the senate are appointed by the governor
general in council. or in other words, un-
der the advice of the party in power.
When a vacancy occurs through the death
by this process the liberals expect to Sc
cure control of the senate within a year.
Men are generally chosen for membership
in this body who have been of service to
the party in years gone by and who are
sufficiently well supplied with this world S
goods to make a liberal contribution to the
party campaign fund in return for the
honor bestowed. Few sessions of parlia-
ment tranSpire without one or more trials
of party agents accused of disposing OF
senatorial seats The present session is no
exception to this rule, for one of the lead
ing liberal whips has been on trial before
a senate committee charged with offering
for sale a seat in that body for slo,0to.
Alleged Deals for Seats.
The story is told of one Canadian poliu-
. clan well advanced in years, who was Of
fer I'd d senatorship for $4,000. that he sent
for an actuary to make an estimate before
he would accept the honor at the price
offered. He found that an insurance COM
pany would sell him an annuity of $1,000
for the remainder of his natural life for
S16.Joo. hence his answer was to those who
made him the offer that S2J,O0 was more
than the seat was worth and that he
would only give it's annuity value. AS
these considerations are in the shape of
contributions to party funds, it is seldom
any proof of q sale can be produced and
great many very respectable citizens see
nothing out of the way in this exchange
of cOurteSies between the party in need of
IunuS ana wealthy pOILtlCldiS Ol iuNduteu
years who desire to add this leaf to their
laurels.
As a whole the dominion parliament is
body of earnest. capable and thoughtful
men, who mainta ain more serious attitude
toward the affairs of their country than do
the members of the American Congress to-
ward the affairs of the United States The
dominion law makers struggle under the
handicap of an annual deficit in the treas
ury, an enormous country with a small
population. tremendous demands upon the
treasury with limited power to meet them
and the peculiar isolation which is Cana
da's portion as a part of the British en-
pire. Under these circumstances the cares
of state fall heavily upon the party in
power and only the most able men could
have inaugurated and carried out a policy
which has made Canada Il prosperous and
growing nation.
J. D. WHELPLEY.