The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-14
1--we POLITICS IN
MODERN CANADA
Myndham R. Mercdith's I'm
pressions OF Present
Contest.
HEARD SPEECH BY LAURIER
Draws Lesson for Virginia That
Two Parties Are
Desirable.

Much Impressed by the features which
characterize the political contest now
In progress in Canada, Wyndham H.
Meredith has returned TO TINS Guy
from vacation spent in the dominion
He talked yesterday of political gain
ering which lie attended and oil the
personality OF Sir Nllirio Lauriet' 'he
Canadian Premier,
Reciprocity with the United states
is en important factor in the cam
paicn. and of this Sir Wilfrid spoke
lie seemed to scout the possibility Oh
annexation with this country AS Il re-
suit of trade relations. Such result
IL predicted by the adherents ot the
opposition TO reciprocal trade relations
Mr.. Meredith was struck with the ao-
scnce of personal denuciation in Cana
dian politics He attributes TINS to the
fact that there are two parties there,
divided on principle lie argues, there
fore, that there will be no improve
mont in the tone OF public contests III
the United States until we create two
parties of nearly equal weight in per-
sonal character as we'll as In numbers
The Canadian Premier.
Following Is Mr.. Meredith's inter-
view:
Now that the Bcattie trial no longer
furnishes copy to your excellent stan
mary. with its attendant bitterness, has
become n thing of the past, 1t may In.
terest your readers TO near how one OF
their number was impressed by the
stirring political contest now being
waEed throughout the Dominion OF
Canada, and especially by the Liberal
leader, Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
I'm company with other Richmond
ers whose families were summering In
Canada, ! attended the great Liberal
meeting at Sherbrooke. That town Is
the most important manufacturing.
commercial and railroad centre in five
counties OF the Province of Qubec.
The province is chiefly inhabited by
small French farmers. They and their
families treated the occasion as one
of public festivity, the wives and chill
dren crowding the rooms and porches
of the hotel opposite the place OF the
meeting, which the men OF the family
attended
Undesirable Hall.
THE meeting was held in the skating
rink. II was an unfortunate selection,
as the acoustics were bad. and tie
greater part of the crowd had TO stand
throughout the exercises. The building
was decorated with numerous flags OF
Great Britain and Canada. and here
and there the harp OF Ireland was to
be seen. over the speakers stand were
portraits of King George V and his
consort. They were cheap chromos.
Opposite the stand was nm excellent
crayon, a full length portrait. of Sir
Wilfrid. We head no reference by any
of the speakers to Their MaicstIes and
very few TO the mother country. 1t was
all Canada and the United States. The
motto of the opposition 1.-THE Conserv-
alive party. which we afterwards saw
swung across the street. was: We are
for United Canada, not for the United
States
Our attention on entering the sknt-
ing rink, was attracted to. two large
notices, one a each end of the build
ing, and which gave the Keynote OF
the meeting. The first was 'Canada's
Grand Old Man Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Is in his SEVENTEEN year and has been
In office continuously for fifteen years
The other motto was I.aurier. lie Napo-
leon dc Canada
The proceedings differed from our
political meetings IN that they were
presided over by two chairmen one TO
introduce English speakers, the other
TO introauce the French Canadian
speakers. :. The speakers were about
equally divided rs 10 nationality, as
was also the crowd. The Province of
Quebec is Overwhelmingly French. but
the town OF Sherbrookc has a large
English population. The audience was
d!ficnlt to hold because OF this diver
s'ty of Language, the French NOV
Ing up close to the stand when speech
was delivered in French. then retiring.
and the English moving up when the
ADDRESS was In English. Two thirds of
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