The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-21
Has Been Most Exciting
7 in Memory of Press
ent Generation.
TODAY rkLLSFATE
OF RECIP ROCITY
Eve Before Battle Finds Both
Liberals and Conservatives
Confident of Victory at Polls.
Fine Weather and Ire
mendous Vote Are
Forecast.

L'ol CSdSl.
st. Johns, n. B.. September 2o.-The
concluding rallies were held tonight
end' aside from the last pontical.
nroadsides from the party newspaper
organs In the morning, the campaign
in Canada may be said to be over.
The campaign has been the most ex-
citing within the memory OF the pres
ent generation.
Both sides claimed tonight to b,
confident of the result Tomorrow. The
indications tonight pointed to fine
weather and tremendous vote
1t is possible for political party
IN canada to elect a majority of mem
oers of the House of Commons, and
yet be In a minority SO far as the
popular vote Is concerned
1t is expected that many of the
cities VIII vote heavily for the Con-
serVatiVe candidates tomorrow, while
the country districts in some provinces
WIZ largely support reciprocity.
Should neither party have a large
working majority in the House of
commons, another general election
would be possible. although should
the Conservatives be elected 1t Is said
1t would be impossible to get tho
proposed reciprocity agreement be-
lore Parliament. as 1T would have 10
be introduced by the government side.
Should Mr.. Borden win. It is said, reel.
procity would become a dead issue fo,
the time being.
Another contingency is the POSSIBLE
ity OF the Conservative party block
Ing the pact again in the House OF
Commons. should that party be able
TO obtain a majority of the popular
vote and yet lose the Commons
Should the opposition party again
adopt policy of obstruction the lead
ers would claim they were warranted
In doing SO by the popular vote.
The Liberal party leaders. however,
DO not look for such q situation and
claim to be confident that reciprocity
with the United States will become a
law before the year ends.
Both sides Confident.
Montreal. September 2o.-This cleo.
ton eve. when great question mark
lies across the Canadian map from tho
Atlantic to Pacific, finds the Dominion
more interested in itself, and the
whole world more interested in il
thnn ever before. Tomorrow will
answer questions vitally affecting thu
country. and of nearly as deep con-
Germ to the United States-shall the
Laurier regime continue. and shall
Canada, by giving the governments
party Of the last ffteen years con
tinuance OF power. put into effect the
reciprocity agreement already ratified
by the republic across the border.
on this night before" the leaders
OF both sides are expressing extreme
confidence. The government papers
Tonight assert that the Liberals will
win by fifty majority. thus increasing
their strength for the twelfth Parlia-
ments House Of Commons by seven
seats. The opposition papers claim
an equal majority for the party of
Leader Borden. and point with un-
equivocal certainty to the govern
ments defeat and its realization that
defeat Is impending.
Clnfms Government Defeat.
The Montreal Star, which has con-
quoted an especially aggressive anti
reciprocity campaign, prints In largo
type tonight the statement govern
ment defeated" Newspapers on both
sides support their claims by detailed
statements telegraphed by the marty
organizers in the capitals of each OF
the ten provinces.
Observers OF the situation saw thew
expect the government to be returned
with reduced majority. This fore
cast ranges from ten to thlrty-five.
though few are willing to conceds SO
nigh figure as the latter There
are some who count upon the govern
inent being returned with an unwork-
able majority In such an event 1t ,s
probable that no attempt would oa
made 10 secure ratification Of the
reciprocity agreement before another
election was held
1t is generally conceded that the
Province of Quebec holds the key to
the situation, During the twenty-five
years that Sir Wilfrid Laurier has
been in power this province ALWAYS
has rolled up a majority sufficient 70
offset the adverse voting In other
provinces In the present election.
however. n coalition has existed in
Quebec between the Conservatives and
the Third Party. known as the Ne
tonalists. as a result OF which there
is a contest for every seat.
The Nationalist party in Quebec has
paid but little attention to recipro-
city. II has conducted it's campaign
upon opposition to the governments
naval program and its record in gen.
eral. 1t has been led by Henri Bou-
i-assi. a former Liberal member of
Parliament, who is not at this time 4
candidate, Upon the result OF the cleo.
ton in Quebec probably hangs file
late OF Laurier's political future
Premier Is Confident.
HNN.eHt' -Nat1p'iaiiStS are claiming
that their party, together with the
straight Conservatives. will elect fif-
" members from Quebec al .o-mor.
rows election. II they do this, Il IS
generally conceded that the govern.
ment will be defeated. The Liberals
have conducted a strenuous campaign
throughout the province. They say
they are awaiting the result with con-
tidencc, and that the old province VIII
roll up the customary majority Tor it's
favorite son. Sir wilfrid I.aurieri
The premier himself has declared
himself thoroughly confident &c vim