Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-08

The people of the Dominion of Canada
are now engaged in a most tremendous
political struggle The present campaign
which will terminate with the general
parliamentary elections September II, Is,
perhaps, the most holly contested i'll the
history of the dominion, and certainly
the most exciting since 1886.
The issue that will be settled by the
event of the election is whether or not
Canada will ratify the reciprocity pact
already assented to by the United States.
This is the chief question involved in the
campaign, and is, indeed. the only one
that will be settled by the election. But
topic of discussion.
Annexation to the United States, a
bogie and a bugbear, and the naval ques-
ton, a racial scarecrow. are the cross
cutting issues which have usurped the
greater part of public discussion in the
campaign.
The liberal party, headed by Sir Wilfrid
Laurer, now and for fifteen years past
the prime minister and actual ruler of
Canada, supports reciprocity. II the lib
eral party wins in majority OF the par
liamentary constituencies Sir Wilfrid will
he continued in the Office of premier and
the newly elected parliament, upon as
sembling at ottawa, will at once ratify
the reciprocity pact, and 1t VIII then be-
come effective.
Sir Wilfrid and leaders, candidates and
supporters Of the liberal party assert
that reciprocity with the United States
will be beneficial to the people of Can
ada as whole that 1t will tend TO cor
rect present inequalities in the Canadian
tariff system; that it viii not in the leas,
affect the relations Of Canada and Great
Britain and that its operation VIII be
in every respect advantageous, not only
TO Canada. but to the British empire as
we'll The slogan of the liberals is
"Laurier and larger markets.
To this the conservative party. headed
by Mr.. r. l.. Borden, for several years
leader of his majesty :
The Annexation loyal opposition in the
Canadian parliament,
Bogie. replies with a truly
conservative slogan: Let wen enough
alone" The leaders of the opposition
party assert that the reciprocity agree
ment will have the inevitable effect OF
disturbing the national and 1mperlai
course now being taken in the progress
of Canadian trade and commerce. that 1t
will lead inevitably to still further re-
auctions OF the tariff between the Unted
States and Canada; that its immediate
effect will be commercial union. and that
its ultimate result will be the annexation
of Canada TO the United States.
BY process of elision, so easy in the
heat of the campaign, the intermediate
steps in the conservative prophecy of
woe are generally omitted. and thus the
ultra conservative slogan has been made
up: "A vote for reciprocity is vote for
annexation"
If there is any one thing about which
the people of Canada are unanimously
agreed. it is that they do not desire to
be annexed to the United States now or
at any future time. Therefore, the as
sertion of the conservatives that a vote
| for reciprocity is a vote for annexation
has brought into the campaign the prn-
| cipal cross-issue of annexation.
| 1t is used by the opposition party a
bogie and bugbear. but its use, even in
| this way, compels the liberal party to
| take up the issue and to endeavor to con-
vince the voters that the reciprocity pact