New-York tribune., 1908-12-08
is CANADA CORRUPT :?
.Studg in Current Politics-Chdrges
4gainst the Government.

not he an absolute negative The time has been
when Canadians looked down the politics OF
their United States neghbors. regarded them Win
a sort of superior air and described American con-
ditions as corrupt alike municipal affairs IN eau
cuses. in legislatures and in elections 4hAt u"s
has gone by. There was time here when poIl't1ai
honor was keen; when mans promise IN poiucal
circles or his pledge upon the public platform MS
as good as his bond. There many men sun NV
ing who remember the thrill Of disgust tne rec
ing Of fear and the sense OF personal ulSHu
which swept over the country in 1873 when the gov
ernment of Sir John Macdonald was proven ~ NO.
accepted money from would-be railway contractors
for a party campaign fund; and they well recolieo.
the storm OF ballots under which the eie9'o'
leader Canada had then produced went DOWN 10 He
feat. Such issue to-day would change very i
! votes
In Quebec there has never been more pic'u
rescue and powerful provincial figure than f1ohor
Mercer Yet in 1892 the charge OF having alIo"ou
q toll gate" between government appointments Va
contracts and the Liberal campaign fund evoked
great popular majority against him despite the
support OF Wifrid Laurier with MS CROWNS
strength as a federal politician and despite Mei
cier's own passionate and eloquent appears 10
French nationalism racialism and religion IN On
taro twelve years later conditions of most de-
plorable were alleged against provincial
government which had been in power for twenty
five years. 4 band of ballot manipulators was
shown TO exist within the party organization Whlch
had absolutely no scrupies in the matter of winning
a constituency From stolen ballot boxes and
switched or destroyed ballots down TO the more
common purchase of individual votes nothing was
too low or contemplate do service for the party
cause Retrfbution came, but it took two bitter
campaigns and years OF strenuous struggle 10
arouse public opinion. In the recent federal cleo
tions of the present year almost the entire plat
form Of the Conservative party was made up OF
graft" and corruption charges against the govern
at Ottawa
Canada, it must be remembered. is peculiarly
open to corrupting political influences. Its con-
stituencies are many and small in population
though large in Local interests are all
powerful In many parts of the country, and in
creasingly so as the great living party principles
Of the past died and been replaced by
political organizations whose distinctive differences
are merely those of the ins and outs. The candl-
date or member for a Canadian constituency has
usually very little time personal means to de-
vote TO his constituents and the nursing" which
he must give them which he thinks is necessary
comes in some form other from the public purse.
When great issues longer exist the best Provider
of public works. public buildings, public wharves
and pap Of all kinds is the best member; and the
best candidate in election is obviously the gov
ernment candidate Free trade or protection Is
no longer at stake in Canada: the farmer and the
manufacturer unlike the lion and the lamb can lie
down together in party peace; empire questions are
not yet serious issues in the political struggle re
lations with the United States have settled down
from the old days of bitter fighting for or against
reciprocity 10 a condition of popular satisfaction
with the existing Canadian tariff The party or
the candidate. therefore. who promises the most
immediate weHbeing of a constituency stands the
best chance Of success
Fl promise 5Ps9ns 6rss III .r9iIs o srsa E2g 'in
III promise you music by day and by night;
come pledge vote ere part from the place
& Ana 4 n iPs o yGT difeF E6a1e T er be the b6on@
soss6qd 8qf in IN w3ts s9GsS @ B0Ta3 in in 5uRH
In short, I will promise YOU any old thing
In touch with these elements of easy corruption
is a popular impression. not uncommon elsewhere
on continent that it is rather smart to do up
government: that getting a personal commission as
an intermediary in government transactions is not
dishonest though similar act in business matters
might still be considered dishonorabe; that public
land and official purchases and public contracts
make q fair field for the political worker in which
reap the fruits Of party service All over Canada
this spirit is rampant. The discussion in the recent
elections proved it, the preceding investigation of
departments in Ottawa clearly indicated it. the de-
bates in Parliament during the last year or two
piled Up the facts; the current Investigations at
Quebec and St John still further illustrate the sit
uaticu. Wherever a man make one. five, ten or
thirty thousand dollars on a sale of some kind to
the government, or by commissions on transactions
with the government, or as go-betWeen in matters
of public patronage he seems to think nothing of
the moral side Of the matter If a portion or the
whole of such moneys should go into the campaign
his party he rather feels that he has done
righteous thing and the fact that they really come
out of the public purse seems TO disturb neither
his friends mis- party colleagues nor his party
press That the opposite party offers criticism or
denunciation carries weight; 1t is put down as
biassec and partisan opinion and, therefore, as
worthless.
During the recent elections the opposition leader
stated that sOO000 900 year lost in the federal
departments through overpayInent for supplies or
administrative careessness. 1t was admitted that
/ political intermediary at St John had received a
! commission Of S35,G9 small contract and
! that this additional sum had been charged to the
! government The practice is Popularly regarded as
very common one. Elaborate and specific lists Of
local appeals the selfish needs of constituencies
indicate that in forty-eght out of eighty-sx On
/ tarfO sSats the people publicly bribed with
promises Of would be done for them locally II
/ the government candidates were elected. 1t has
/ been shown that in nine Ontario seats there were
threats of the Withholding of government works if
| the party candidates elected. The men IN
/ the last Parliament who made charges of wine,
/ women and graft against certain members of the
| government-though white as snow them
! selves-have all been defeated.
| What does this condition of affairs mean? Is
/ Canada really corrupt? 1t seems to the writer
1 that nothing of this sort is ever as bad as it
! looks; that the government Of the country con-
| tains q good average Of honest and honorable
/ men, with leader against whom no one dares to
/ raise a voice in this connection; that Canadian
communities a whole stil divided into two
parties whose members neither be purchased
| persuaded into changing their views and who
! Influenced only by great issue carrying
conviction 10 the most partisan mind, such as the
/ unrestricted reciprocity question in 1881 or the
Manitoba separate school policy in 1896 It seems
! however, clear that floating population in every
constituency which little about politics or
parties has distinctive principles upon
which TO act is becoming and more corrupt;
that this element in constituencies having only a
narrow majority for either party is strong enough
decide the local result that politicians drift
ing with the tide. seeking the lines of least re-
sistance, are corruptly catering to its needs and
. 10