The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-31

mapination. The i = IN. str,Icfi,n of the
road, will Mace An 8 Tnr,ensa4 amount L
Of patronage at the governments dis
posal, and the government is not like
ly to suffer from lack of an election
fund. This may prove more potent
In the constituencies than the argu-
ments Of the opposition on matters
OF detail.
RECONSTRUCTION Bill.
The other measure on which the
opposition has made it's chief light IN
parliament has been the; redistribution
bill. The liberals have always charged
that Sir John Macdonald's redlstrlpu-
mander, by which they We're done
great injustice. This injustice, they
claim, was continued by the redistri-
button bill Of 1892. The British North
America act (Canada's constitutional
act) requires a redistribution, OF the
constituencies after each decennial
census. This is the first occasion on
which the liberals have had the chance
OF rect1fying the alleged conservative
lgerrymander. Sir Wilfrld Laur1er
professed a-&desire to be perfectly fair
and non-partizan In the redistr1b button
measure ne introduced, and left,.the
details to joint committee or TOUR
liDerals ana tnree conservatives. b 81,
the conservatives claim that the no
eral majority on the committee, in
spite Of the premiers profession 81
FAIRNESS, mas succeeded IN turning the
Dill INTO an atrOc1ous gerrymander,
which will deprive the conservatives
of number OF seats.
Much useful legislation of a non
contentious character was put. thru
during the session. The chief meas
ure of importance was an act bring
ling the Canadian railways under the
control of a railway commission.
The Alaska boundary question pros
voked two important discussions. At
the commencement of the session the
opposition censured the government
for having failed to get the Alaskan
boundary dispute settled in connection
with the abrogation Of the Clayton
Bulwer treaty: contending that, had
| Great Britain insisted. the United
States would have been willing. to have
made a settlement which would have
given Canada SUBSTANTIALLY what She
| desired in return for the concessions
the Tinted States wanted from Great
Britain in connection: with the Mica
raeua, canal. The onnosition objected
strongly to the American Commission
arc ~ the adi11dicatinn con,noission
nta,,,;ne IT, nc, ere nnt 49,
Martial inrists -, :. -. - ..
80 - AIos,-av pa,,, Da1.+. =,
Aiaskan boundary Deoate.
4 occ,,rrod TIE dan beeo 0 ~, ,roraaatin,,
! et 49, 5s;i 20 u - e. -:
h . u ,,h1;s ~ IN NJ 1anan, ~
t nslu peen puolisneu. Inc Ieaoer ol
the oppositlon again censured the gov
eminent Tor not having secured a set
tiement OF the matter at the time or
me negotlatlons Tor the .Hay-Paunce-
Iote treaty: ne also attacked the
f tSS it; TOT naylnE Isceaea from OF
ny saiS tpi. !. :ook 81 the. LIME me
Jo1Ht ulSH COnlHlSSlOn was SlIllllS, ana
having accepted a tribunal OF adJud1-
catlon sucn as II then relected. = he
cohtSLoeu that' aIter the appointment
OIL me american commissioners was
announced the canadian government
should nave insisted on the appoint
ment or three .Canadians as the Brit
l Isl isptesen.at me premier de-
ci!lieu ~ discuss the meIlts OF the
4uesIOn Wlthout having before him
the 1ull text or Lord 3AAllyerstone's rea-
! sons Tor ms accession. But he admit
! ted he could not comprehend on what
prEhclPle Loro Aiverstone could have
! conceded Two or the Islands at the
NOUN OF PortlandE channel to the
United States. He made the very i'm
Portant announcement that he be-
iieyeu tne t1ne nad come Tor Canada
:. W nave increased powers OF self gov
erance,s ana That the right to conduct
1 hers own y diplonaatic Ysarrangegne nts
should be demanded Of the Imperial
government by the dominion.
Il There have been several sensational
happenings during the session. Like
bolt from the blue came the an
tbs of railways had had resigned from
c ponfal OF 5ne governments new trans