El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-21
TOday's Election for the Premier Of
Canada to Decide ReciprOcity's Fate
Sir Wild Laurier who FavOr It. Is Opposed by Robert Laird
Borden ImperiaIst

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who Favors It, Is
Borden, an Imperia
n ORONTO. Canada, Sept. 21.-The
electors Of the Dominion of Can
ada at the pools today choose 221
members of the house Of commons
Of the Canadian parliament If a ma
JOr1ty of these 221 mem bers chosen are
affiliated with the Liberal party, it
means Canada will continue under the
guidance and rulership of Sir WIfrid
Laurier If the majority is made up
OF members belonging to the Conserve
tive panty, it means that r. L Borden
VIII become the actual ruler of the
country.
Need Big Gain.
In the last parliament the Laurier
government had a majority Of As. Hence
the Conservatives must make net gain
Of % seats in order to have a majority
OF one vote As no ministry under the
parliamentary system could hope to
carry on the government with a major
tty Of less than 10, the COnSerVat fve5
must gain at least % seats before Mr.
Borden can be placed safely In the sad
die
The personality Of these two leaders
mas great weight in determining the
issue today.
Laurier the Veteran.
To his admiring followers, Sir viii
frid is the grand old man Of Canada
he as 40 years old, and is a veteran of
every political battle fought in Canada
since the provinces Of British North
America were united in 1857. Despite
the burden Of three score year and 10
Sir Wil1r1d has a young heart, an erect
carriage, an elastic step, and appar-
emily all the physical and intellectual
Figor Of a man in his prime
His French cOmpatriOts delight to
call him the old cock and the great
chief" In personal appearance, he is
deDonalr-courteous affable, tactful
and nearly always in a good humOr.
The top of his head Is completely bald,
and a fringe Of snow white hair around
the back OF his head and over his ears
ne permits to grow quite long. and he
himself does not object TO the custom
OF calling this shock OF silver hair
Sir Wtlfrid's white plumes." During
this campaign he has dressed nearly all
the time in light gray, there is always
a flower in his burtOnhOle, and he has
begun everyone Of his political speeches
with truly Gallo compliment to the
women in the audience.
He was born, French Canadian, in
1871, the year that responsible self
government was assured to the people
Of British North America Fifty years
ago, before he was Of age, he actively
entered politics as a Liberal in the
province OF Quebec. In 1887 he was
editor OF French paper In Arrha-
baska, combining this work with the
~ opposed the federation Of the prov
inces as being inimical to the interests
Of the French Canadians.
beginning OF Career.
Four years later, in 1871, just 40
years ago, he was elected TO the pro-
vlnclal legislature Of Quebec, where
his elOquence and clear thinking gave
him prominence from the beginning
Three years later he was elected to the
dominion parliament, Of which he has
been a member ever sinCe-a space OF
81 years. He at once became the leader
OF the French Liberals in the federal
parliament and, in 1877, entered the
Mackenzie cabinet as minister Of in
land revenue. In the bye-electiOn
which followed his admission to the
cabinet, he was defeated in Drummond l
and Arthabaska, the only personal de I
feat he has ever sustained at the polls I
A few weeks later he was elected for I
the constituency OF Quebec East. which I
ne has held ever since by an enormous I
Upon the return Of the Conservatives !
to power, in 1878. Laurier naturally ]
took up the position of captain Of the Z
French Liberals in opposition, and was I
ward Blake, who succeeded Alexander !
Mackenzie as the Liberal leader. Upon I
Blake's retirement in 1857. Laurier be-
came leader Of the opposition
First Reciprocity Issue.
This was the first time that a French I
Canadian ever had been head OF a fed
eral party In Canada and that 1acr I
caused the English speaking provinces /
brought Quebec almost sOlidly to the /
support OF the Grits- In the first cleo
ton after Laurier assumed the party
leadership. held in 1891, the Liberals D
went to the country on the issue Of
complete free trade between the United
States and Canada The> Macdonald
government opposed this unrestricted
reciprocity, although adVOca ting q reel
nw0CffV in q rTTwaf Dw0HuHrE The Con- ]
servatiTes won the election by a small I
majority In the next general election,
held in 1896, the Liberals came into
power, Laurier became prime minister,
and for is years the party has main
tanned It's complete SUPREMACY
In the election today Sir Wilfrid's ca
-eer is threatened because he advocates
4 reciprocity agreement with the Unit
I'd States which is practically confined
10 natural products, an agreement
which he negotiated after refusing
president Taft's offer Of unrestricted
reciprocity such as Laurier advocated
Ia 1891.
Since 1887, for practically a quarter
IF a century. Sir Wilfrid Laurier has
,een the actual as well as the titular
lead OF the Liberal party in Canada I
de was elected to that position during
Grover Cleveland's first administra-
ion as president of the United States.
That political lives are longer in Can
ida than in the American republic is
by the fact that not one of the [
political leaders Of the
and Democratic parties OF
S87 remains I'm public life
BOrden-Laurier's Opponent.
If the Conservative party wins to-
ay, the new prime minister OF Canada [
viii be Robert Laird Borden, of Nova
Gotta, Mr. Borden is 81 years old, and,
Z it were not for his mass OF irongray
urls, he would look 10 years younger.
ALI, erect possessed of a deep voice
e is of most serious mien- He has not
he grace of Sir Wilfrid, and he never
would be called debOnair. He is. rath-
r, pugnacious, aggressive, forceful
nd unCOmprOmising
1t has been said that he lacks the ]
act required to win the complete 10y
lty OF his party supporters, and sever
times since he assumed the leader ,
hip, nearly IL years ago, Conservatives
ave discussed seriously casting him +
side for some other leader. Two years
go when his party split on the navy
uestiOn and the French Conservatives
Dllowed Mr.. Monk into the insUrgent
amp, IL was freely predicted that Bor-
en- would never lead the Tories IN an s
Their electoral battle. {