The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-06
THE CANADIAN
ELECTIONS SOON
Continued from First Page.

;ly toward it's downfall. The resigna-
ton of the minister of railways and
canals, following the adoption of the
governments transcontinental rail-
road policy, weakened the administra-
ton materially in the maritime prov
inces, where Mr.. Blair has a large per-
sonal following. Similarly, the resig-
nation Of Mr.. Tarte, minister of pub
lie works, on account of the extreme
views he had adopted in opposition
to the governments fiscal policy,
weakened the government, for time
at least, in the province Of Quebec.
Recent =events have, however,
tended to minimize the power of. these
hostile elements Mr.aBlair has been
placated by his appointment as chair
man Of thetnew railway. commission,
where he. will WELD an: influence all
most as potent as that of a cabinet
minister, and the government have
thus doubly strengthened their, posi-
tom They have satisfied Mr.. Blairss
Immediate followers, and they have
at the same time done much to win
public support for their Transporter
ton policy.
-; =! Tarte Loses His Grip. @s$
: AS for Mr.. .Tarte, her has steadily
Quebec, since his rather Spectacular
removal from the government. A
year ago his influence in the province
was only. less than that of Sir Wilfrid
Laurier, but now it is doubtful wheth-
er he. has power to affect materially
the governments majority in French
speaking Canada. He has been stump
king : the province for several months
past, in opposition to the trade pol
|,icy of the administration; and .advo-
eating the adoption of a higher tariff,
especially as against the United States,
but there are no evidences that he has
won any considerable support. s.*
In western Canada, where the redis-
tribution bill of last session has added
several new constituencies, the gov
eminent will probably hold it's own
The west is not enamored Of the pol
icy of extreme protection advocated
by the conservative opposition, and is
much more likely to support the mod
crate revenue policy of the present
government. -
In Ontario, the administration will
probably lose several seats, because
the people of that province are pro-
foundly dissatisfied with the corrupt
practices Of which the local liberal
government has been convicted, and
however, illogically, show a tendency
to visit the sins of the provincial lib
erals upon the heads of the Dominion
| liberals as well.
Issues Not Clear Gut.
It is difficult to say, as yet, what
the principal issues will be in the cleo
ton. If the railroad question
is satisfactorily settled at the ap.
preaching session, and is removed
from practical politics, the main
point Of cleavage between the
two political parties will probably be
the tariff. The conservatives have
pinned their faith to high protec'
tive tariff, with the cry Of Canada fol-
the Canadians, and are particularly
opposed to any concessions beine
made toward better trade relation!
With the United States. The liberals
on the other hand, are convinced thai
| the country Is much more likely tt
prosper, as it has during the past few
years, under a, moderate revenue tar.
if.
Undoubtedly, the only chance for {
reciprocity treaty lies with the liber
ais. While they are not a unit on thu
that, after the many rebuffs suffered
by Canadian trade delegations a
washington, any further proposal
looking to reciprocity should com,
from the United States, yet the liberia
party in Canada is unquestionabl.
disposed to. meet in the most friendl!
spirit any advances coming from tn
4 other side of the border. The con
servatives, on the other hand, frankl.
oppose any sort Of reciprocity witt
1 the United States. Both political par
ties are favorable toward the much
talked-of policy of preferential trad
4 within the British empire, but il
rather an academic way. Whethe
Canada, under either a liberal or
conservative government, will be pre-
pared to make such concessions, in ad
! dition to the existing preferential
tariff, as would inevitably be asked 70
by the mother country as a basis O
inter-imperial preferential trade, re
mains to be seen. The Canadian man
ufacturing interests are already look
ing somewhat askance at the result
of the Canadian preferential tariff
|. and particularly it's repressive effec
on Canadian wooden mills. and it
certainly open to grave questio
whether they would not bitterly op
pose anything IN the direction of a.
increase in the preference granted t
I British goods, at the expense Of tn
home made product.