The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-08-31
CANADA STIRRED
Fight Over Proposed Reciprocity Pae
Wakes Fasi and Furious.
|I,AURIER LEADS FIGHT

Reciprocity Remains The Dominant
Issue in the Canadian Campaign
Great Crowds Hear Leaders Speak
Daily-Annexation Bug-bear De-
nounced by the Liberals.
Reports coming in from all parts
Of Canada show the intensity Of the
election struggle. which is-under fun
headway, and they request also that
position and progress Of the various.
tielenients' on the main issue--recipro-.
city between Canada and the United
States.
Although the campaign comes
while harvesting is at it's height, con-
ventions and political gatherings are
drawing audiences unparalleled in
size. 1t is conceded greater num-
ber of votes will be polled than ever
in Canada.
Recipro city has continued the DOM
inant issue since Premier Laurier
and Opposition Leader Borden made
their initial addresses. Since then
MT. Borden has remained in Ontario,
speaking daily, while Premier Laur-
Ter, after one Ontario meeting, has
swung over to the French-Canadian
province of Quebec, where he has
beec addressing from one q to two
meetings each day, including Sun
day. '"@ ~ x !
Meantime the premiers of the va
rious provinces and. other leaders
have been ranging themselves Oh the
firing,line. Premier Whitney, Of On
tario, Premier Mcbride, of Britiaf.,
Columbia, and Premier - Hazon, Of.
New B Brunswick, have taken the
stump in opposition to ratification of
reciprocity and in opposition to the
return: of the Laurier candidates.
Clifford >sifton, formerly a member
Of the Laurier ministry, is holding a
meeting in Ontario, at which he de-
nounces the reciprocity agreement
and the government for having made
it.
The grounds taken for and against
reciprocity are shown in the reports
coming from all sections. The fight
against reciprocity is made on both
economic and sentimental grounds.
Opposition leaders declare agricul-
ture in the United States is so much
better developed than it ls in Cana
da, and that the Canadian farmers
will be swamped by the arrival of
food products from the United
States.
Conservative papers have been
printing offers from alleged Ameri-
can fruit, dairy and provisions firms
to sell cheese, fruit, vegetables and
other produces to Canadian Dealers
at less than the prevailing Canadian
rates as soon as the reciprocity agree
ment is confirmed. The liberals
have denounced these stories as not
genuine but arranged for to stam-
pede the Canadian farmer against
reciprocity.
The sentimental ground raised
against the return of the government
is based on the report Of President
Taft, in which he said Canada had
come to "the parting or the ways"
as Justification for having passed the
reciprocity agreement through con-
gress The opposition still insists
President Taft has the opposition Of
Canada in view. Leader RoZden gave
instance of this in his speech at To-
ronto saying:
81 don't doubt the loyalty Of the
Canadian people, but If Canada de-
liberately interlocks her interests
with those of the United States she
will be led step by step into condi-
tions which all her loyalty could not
change The time to withdraw Is now
before the threshold is reached"
The fight for reciprocity Is based
by Premier Laurier and his follow
ers on economic advantages which
will accrue to Canada as a whole and
they denounce the annexation cry as
hollow device Of the campaign.
Quebec is regarded as the pivotal
province in the election. Here Hen
ri Bourassa, opposition leader, is Wig
orously denouncing Premier Laurier
as too imperialistic. Rourassa de-
clares Laurier betrayed Canadian de-
pendence to Great Britain by enact.
ing a law for the creation OF navy
which eventually will lead to the
conscription of the young men CT
Canada. This same cry stampedeG
the electors of Drummond at Atha-
baska, where Laurier was brought
up in a bye-election two years ago.
Premier Laurier, at a meeting in
Saint Eustache recently, departed
from his usual dignity and calm by
declaring that Mr.. Bourassa was
"wlful liar"
The prime minister has shown
splendid form in the campaign, and
in spite Of his seventy years he
speaks with more vigor than ever be-
fore.
The opposition claims they will
gain seats from the government in