Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-02
CANADIAN ELECTION
To Come Next Week Will Be of Much
Importance to the Dominion.

st. John, N. b., Dec. IA general
election throughout Canada which will
decide the fate of the Laurier govern
ment IS pending and although the war-
rants have not yet been issued, the
House of Commons may be dissolved
The campaign in the Atlantic provinces
has already begun. candidates having
been placed in nomination in many con-
stituences. 1t is expected the disso-
luton of the House of Commons Will
occur during January. In Nova Scotia
the Conservative party has already
nominated candidates, in nearly every
riding. The leader of the opposition, II.
L. Borden, M. F., represents one of the
seats in Halifax and has been active of
late. He opened the campaign at North
Sidney, q few days ago and. Monday, OF
next week, he will formally open the
contest in New Brunswick, by address,
ing a meeting in this city. Ali the can
didates in Nova Scotia nominated is
Simon Gourley, who has won fame in
the United States.
The Liberal party in the maritime
provinces has not as vet been as ac-
tive as their opponents and have noml-
n2Ieu rev LII liiio III I'M
the former leader of the party, Hon. A.
G. Blair, NJ. p, for this city, who re-
signed his position as minister OF rail-
ways and canals in Sir Wilfred Lau-
rier's cabinet because of q, disagreement
with his leader over the celebrated
Grand Trunk Pacific Railway bill, has
rot declared his intentions, but in Lib
eral circles it is understood he Will
again stand for st. John as sort of an
independent supporter of his former
chief.
In fact, many think that Mr.. Blair
may again enter Sir Wilfred's cabinet.
1t is considered significant that al
though Mr.. Blair resigned his cabinet
position, last spring, the vacancy has
not been filled. The situation in the
province from Liberal view was fur
Their complicated by the DETECTION in
the Liberal party of the st. John Tel
egraph, the party mouthpiece, edited
by Ernest w. McCready. formerly OF
Boston. The Telegraph declined to sup
port tho Grand Trunk Pacific bill.
which measure the newspaper claimed
would divert freight traffic from st.
John to Portland and Boston.
This bill is ore of the leading issues
of the campaign. BY this measure the
government gives unusually large fl
nancial assistance to the Grand Trunk
Pacific Company which proposes to
construct a rans-continental road.
The Conservative party is endeavor-
ing to make capital out of the Alaskan
boundary award, claiming that Sir VIII
fried Laurier should not have assented
to a "one-sided" tribunal. 1t is prob
able that tho Chamberlain preferential
tariff campaign in England, VIII figure
TO some extent in the election although
not probably as a, purely party issue.
Tie Conservative party is not well
organized in this province and is not
as strong in leaders IS formerly al
though Mr.. Borden himself campaigned
as ali able man. The election when it
occurs is expected to be much closer
than the last contest.
In Quebec province, the situation is
complicated as L.aurier will not have
the support OF Hon. J. L. Tarte, also a
member of the cabinet, because of a
agreement over the tariff policy.