The sun., 1903-05-17

tanned sn honQrable position IN the Imperial
Parliament at Westminster.
Formidable ~ was tho man whom Mr.
lAurier succeeded In the leadership Of the
Opposition, not less formidable was the
man whom. az leader Of the Government,
he had to confront. Sir John Macdonald
was then serving his fourth term rs Prime
Minister, and for more than thirty years
he had sat either In the Parliament OF Canada
or the federal House OF Commons. or
him Mr.. Willison says: 'He had great
faults and great qualities. His faults
had their chief manifestation In his election
methods, while his great qualities had
their best expression in his wide national
outlook, in his sympathetic management
OF diverse racial and sectarian elements,
and in his judicial recognition OF popular
sympathies and even OF national prejudces
as agencies for the consolidation OF the
Dominion. There is no doubt that he
loved power for it's own sake. 1t was
possibly his deliberate conviction that
his ideals Of policy and methods OF ad-
ministration were essential 10 the progress
and stability OF the country Thus, per-
haps. he quieted his conscience when he
engaged in electoral corruption on great
scale. The author admits that bribery
OF the individual voter, bribery Of consti-
tuencies by promises OF railways and
public buildings. and bribery Of provinces
by timely arrangements Of the financial
terms Of confederation. all obtained under
the regime Of sir John Macdonald; and.
II he did not originate. he at least did some-
thing to perpetuate and establish, these
deep-seated evils in cur politics" Nor Ia
this the worst charge that is pronounced
we'll founded. "A still sterner Judgment
must be passed upon the Redistribution
Act OF 1882 and the Franchise Act Of lsS5.
These were bold and direct attempts to
use the power OF q parliamentary majority
to stihe public opinion and destroy freedom
OF elections, and they stand in direct con-
fiict with his earlier and higher ideals.
He took advantage OF the violence Of politi-
cal controversies and the fear OF the manu-
featuring and financial interests that the
protectionist system would be prematurely
disturbed to pass Legislation that would
not have been tolerated under freer and
saner conditions OF opinion, and which
fatally handicapped the Liberal leaders
In successive general elections
Mr.. Wilson seems to be one Of those
who think that Macdonald may be classed
with Palmerston. considered as q party
leader in Parliament. Neither one nor the
other was a popular orator or Parliamentary
debater OF the 6rBt order. Macdonald,
however, like Palmerston, had keen insight
into character. He had humor, adaptive
ness and readiness. He could break the
force Of an attack with story or an epi-
gram. He had that mysterious quality OF
personal magnetism which gives to its
fortunate possessors q strange and mighty
power over their kind" Again: in later
years he rarely lost self-control. In his
angriest mood he was deliberate, and
seemed. as he faced his opponents. to be
seeking ooolly and craftily for the weak
spots in the Indictment He did not always
meet argument with argument. He had
little eloquence. He had no loftiness OF
speech. He never sought to cover the
whole ground Of an opponents attack.
Indeed, In Parliament he rarely spoke to
convince or win the Opposition. His aim
there, whatever 1t may have been upon
the stump. was to touch the party loyalty
and rouse the party enthusiasm Of his sup
porters. He would often turn his back
upon the Liberals and address himself
directly to the Ministerialists. He would
strike out some happy thought, some SEN
tence full OF keen sarcasm and genial ridi-
cue, and with . shrewd look and smiling
face and jamty air would drop the sentence
with . shrug Of the shoulders and q hall
contemptuous gesture that always uckled
bis followers and often exaspeTated his
opponents
We learn that Sir John Mactonald's
relations with Mr.. Laurier were always
cordial. He seemed to appreciate the
courtesy Of the young Liberal leader and
to respect the hrmness with which Mr..
I.aur1er stood upon his rights, and the
tenacity with which he held to his pro-
gramme. On the other hand, when Sir
John Macdonald died and party differences
a eulogy upon his rival. He
declared that, In many respects, Sir John
Macdonald was Canadas greatest son, and
and statesman.
Il think 1t can be asserted he said,
that. for the supreme art Of governing
men, Sir John Macdonald was gifted as
few men In any land or in any age have
been gifted-gifted with qualities which
would have made him famous wherever
they we're exercised, and which would have
shown ali the more conspicuously. the larger
the theatre. The fact that he could con-
kregate together elements the most hetero-
geneous. and blend them into one compact
party, and to the end Of his life keep them
under his hand Is, perhaps.
altogether unprecedented. The fact that
during all those years he retained unim- !
paired not only the confidence but the !
ardent devotion and affection
OF his party-is evidence that, besides those
higher qualities Of craftsmanship to which |
we were the daily Witnesses, he was also |
endowed with those inner, subtle. unde- |
Enable graces Of soul which win and keep |
the hearts Of men,
Such was tho man whom Mr.. Laurier at |
the age Of so had to face whom he took his |
seat to the left Of the Speaker. as leader Of |
the Opposition in the Ottawa House of |
Commons. He himself had favored the |
appolntment OF Sir Richard Cartwright |
to the leadership. and regarded the selec- |
tion of himself to the office a. q political |
mis- take. He remembered that he was q
Roman Catholic and a French Canadian.
and he was profoundly convinced that his |
race and religion would be fatal barriers to |
the success Of the Liberal party under his |
direofion He could not oyerlook the fact