The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-07
POLITICAL PLANS
ARE BEING FORMED
L e aders T aiken Un
awares by Dissolution
of Parliament.
Ea
CANADA ENTERS
UPON CAMPAIGN
Election Machinery Not Yet in
Running Order, but Hurried
Preparations Are Under Way.
Reciprocity Sole Aim of
Government Leaders in
Fight for Control.

Ottawa, Ont, August 6.--Readjust-
ment of political plans and preparation
for the campaign Throughout the Do
minion. involving reciprocity with the
United States. have characterized the
past week since the Laurier govern
ment dazed most OF its own followers
and the opposition by sudden dissolu-
tion OF Parliament.
The extent OF the surprise is indi-
Gated by the fact that few members
were ready 10 leave for their constitu-
encies to seek reelection, and the last
groups are now leaving Ottawa Mean
while tons OF printed matter have been
put into the mails. the franking priv
ilege having been extended one week.
Not in IsunDing Order.
Little election machinery is in run
ming order. This is because the con-
test has been precipitated a year be-
fore It's normal time. This would have
been after four sessions OF the Elev-
enth Parliament. instead or after three,
general election being required
every hve years. Neither party had
enough convention named candidates
In the field TO begin extensive cam
paignins a once. Nominating conven-
tions, however, are scheduled, and the
naming of candidates Will be completed
in month, Both party leaders vii!
be well started on their speech maxi
ing tours BY that time,
1t lis the evident purpose of the op-
1oncnts of reciprocity 10 ignore and TO
divert attention from Il as much as
possible. But the government and its
supporters Will insist that in the cleo
tion six weeks from now every. ballot
for candidate shall be. morally. II not
politically, a decision whether there
shall ne reciprocity with the United
States. In SO deciding the people Will
determine whether Sir Wilfrid Laurier
shall continue TO he Prime Minister or
whether he shall be replaced by r. L.
Borden. the opposition leader.
Prominent members OF the govern
meni express increased confidence
that after the first week of pulse-feel-
ing, far and near. the new Parlia-
meat TO he opened in October by the
new Governor General. the Duke OF
Connaught, will be SO constituted by
the reelection results S to be able to
make It's initial act the ratification OF
the reciprocity agreement. The oppo-
sition forces, on the contrary, assert
that the crest OF tidal wave of anti
reciprocity sentiment ha S been sighted.
and that after II has rolled across the
the nap a resultant Conservative and
fresh Nationalist majority in the new
Parliament will Kill the pact by leay-
Ing II in Its present condition-ratii!ed
at Washington. but not at Ottawa.
Needs Twenty-Five More Members.
To end reciprocity the opposition will
have to return with twenty-five more
members than they have now. This
would give them majority of five in
the House. But as one OF these would
have TO be elected Speaker, the work
ing majority WOULD be but four. This
small margin, however. would suffice.
Parliament has a membership OF 221
To-day 133 are government supporters
and eighty eight are opponents OF the
government. the administrators ma
joriry being forty-fve.
The governments principal strene,h
lies east of Ontario. It's supporters
from that portion OF Canada number
seventy-nine, while the opposition has
but twenty-one. In the part of the
Dominion comprised by Ontario and
the provinces to the west the parties
are more evenly divided. there being
sixty-seven opposition and sixty-four
government members.
President Taft is almost as great :,
personality AS Sir Wilfrid Laurier In
the present campaign. and 1t is safe To
say that his utterances on reciprocitv
VIII be more often quoted Throughout
the provinces these coming weeks than
those of Sir Wilfrid or Finance Minis
ter Fielding.