Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-10-01
CANADA'S GENERAL ELECTION
The Political Contest which Will
Shake the Dominion Next Month
"A ussvcspe~s
(From the New York SUM

(From the New York SUM
The official announcement from OF
tawa on Thursday that the Canadian
cabinet has decided tina, the Dominion
general elections shall be held on Oct
ober &c had been partially discounted by
the unofficial intimation few weeks
ago that Parliament would be dissolved
and r general appeal made to the people.
Canadians, therefore, will have prac- |
tlcally n direct campaign Of little moro
| than montn, as constrastc1 with the
| American campaign. which got under
way in August. after the official noti-
hcations to all the candidates, and will
| continue until November 3.
| In Canada with the general elections
only five weeks ahead there is as yet
scarcely ripple OF excitement. This
situation arises from the fact that the
conservatives have 80 far failed to raise
any commanding Issue which stirs the
| people. The liberals. on the other hand
have a substantial majority in Parla-
ment, and Sir Wifred Laurier goes TO
the country on the general policy of
completing the great works which have
had their inception under Liberal rule
during the last twelve years, and more
particularly the pushing to completion
of the new transcontentnal railway. An
added impetus will be given to the lib
eral onset by the announcement that
next Monday tho Grand Trunk Pacific
will open up passenger service over 6G
miles of newly laid track from Winnipeg
to Wainwrisht In Athabasca.
on the conservative side Mr. Borden,
Mr.. Foster and Mr., Ames. who chiefly
represent the opposition. seem to he
making the issue of higher duties their
principal constructive plank, together
with an attack on the increasing ex
penditures of the government and some
revelations Of hoodng and graft in Ger
tain departments. The question of tariff
therefore. figures perhaps the chief
Issue on the conservative side. while
the liberals have raised the campaign
cry Of Let I.aurier nnish his work"
The liberal position on the tariff Is
simple The liberals sold that the tariff
can he raised SO high as to produce
absolutely no revenue. with the result
that taxation must be greatly increased
in order to provide foi the governments
expenses Granting this the CON
trary is also true, namely. that the tariff
can be made 80 low that no revenue
would be the inevitable result while the
burden OF government would In that case
also fall wholly upon the people In the
shape OF taxation. Between these eX-
tremes ri a prohlbitory tariff coupled
with high taxation, the liberals attempt
to hold middle course with. Is they
claim. the consequence that large
revenue is received and the burden OF
taxation is proportionately decreased
Adding to this the policy Of British trade
preference, adopted partly from imperial
and patriotic motives and partly as n
shrewd bid for Increased trade with the
mother country, the liberals may be
said to have an economic policy which
appeals to Canadian pride and on the
whole has produced fairly satisfactory
, results. 1t Is true that the conserva-
tives claim that they originated the
doctrine OF British preference. but 1t is
now admitted to be liberal doctrine as
that party has become Its acknowledged
sponsor.
In justification of its general economic
policy the I.aur!er administration points
to the fact that in 1896 when the Liberals
, came into power, which they have held
! ever since. the total revenue Of the Do
minon was s966ls.cOO, while In the pres
ent year II has reached s96,5cn0. In
the matter of expenditures the liberals
also take pride in the fact that the gov
eminent has expended during eleven
years Of control si270oo,oo0 on public inn
, provements and was compelled TO Dor
row only 10000. whereas during tho
last eleven years of conservative ruiz
ending In 1896 the government expended
$50 00o,o-J in public improvements, but in
order to DO so was compelled TO borrow
, $50 5000
n tiu rtr1trr lc ac iD1iC
In that 1t does not take into accoun,
the increasing development of the Do
A mnion and its consequent increase in
wealth. but the contrast of figures Is
. impressing in the popular view
The distinction. therefore, between
liberals and conservatives in Canada
t has the somewhat unusual merit of be-
!, Ing more or less clearly indicated in the
B.. names OF the parties themselves The
= conservatives have been compelled t.
d" follow In the wake Of liberal progress
" and with no dominating personalities
, among the leaders since the resignation
OF Sir Charles Upper they have natural
ly concentrated their attack for The
most part not upon the undeniably biz
things Premier Iaur!cr and the liberals
8 have done are doing or propose to do
!. but rather upon special Instances II
@ which there has been n lax or corrup
, administration of certain details OF gov
eminent. Especially have they beer
, able to make point in regard to par
ticular instances Of negligent or corrup
, civil service and in the marine and IN
J. terror departments and they couple will
this a general count of extravaganza anC
d recklcssncss in governmental admnistra
Q ton, expenditure and policies. Even OF