El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-02-21

accuse US of having the stolen mace
hid somewhere in Washington today
This is set down merely to Illus
trate the binding and continuing Iorce
of tradition in politics The I. l.
LoyaIists were granted such subsran-
tiaI favors in upper Canada that they
soon were in complete control Of the
country which they exercised under
the peculiar system known as the
family compact" This means an
office holding trust for the benefit OF
the u E. Loyalists and the Church OF
England. Men of other anteceGents'
and especially those of other religions
were kept without the pale The us
senting Protestants organized TO fight
the family compact and were de-
scribed by one of their own leaders
as men of clear grit Thus the OPP
position to the party that then STOOD
for special privilege was given tue
name of '.Grits." Since that time the
Canadians have been divided into
'fGrits" and Tories" although the Ola
lines of division are now only sehtl-
mental in character.
The First Canadian Government.
When the Dominion OF CANADA was
formed in 1867 the Tories were in the
ascendant = The first government was
that of sir John Macdonald, who was
premier from 1857 to 1873, when he re-
signed because of a scandal growing
out of the projection of the Canadian
Pacific railway. He was succeeded Dy
a Liberal. Alexander Mackenzie, who
held office for five years During this
Liberal administration the property
qualification was removed from the
elective franchise, the whole suffrage
system was reformed and mucn was
done to develop the material resources
of the country.
The panic of 1873 drove the Liberals
from office and sir John Macdonald
again came into long lease OF power
which ended only with his death IN
1891. At the very first OF this al
ministration sir John announced the
adherence of the government to the
national policy" which was another
name for a protective tariff, At once
the Liberal party arrayed itself against
the high tariff and from that ttEpe I'M
til now the two parties have been d.
vided essentially as are the TWO par
ties in the United States
After sir John MacdOnald's death, sir
John Abbott, sir John Thompson, sir
Mackenzie Bowel and sir Charles Tup-
per were prime ministers at the head
of Tory governments, the latter seFV-
ing only from April TO July, 1886,
where he was succeeded by the pres
6IL LlDSId1 p4 81
rier.
Liberals In Power.
Since 1896 the Liberals have been In
complete power and the Conservatives
have conducted a warfare OF opposi-
ton. Sir Charles Upper led the
Tories until he became too old for
active work. He was then succeeded
by R. l. Borden, who is still the mill
tant general in chief Of the Tory
party.
In general way it may be said
that-the two parties in Canada now
reflect the same division or OPINION
as the parties in Great Britain The
Canadians are careful always to insist
upon their complete independence OF
British politics. but there is no doubt
but that Canadian Liberals support the
British Liberals, and vice versa, While
British Tories and Canadian Tories are
of the same mind. The fact that the
Tories are in opposition in both coun-
fries at this time may accentuate the
kinship. At any rate, the Liberals
are of the same blood on bOtn sides
Of the ocean
The Canadians have a party system
that compeIs division along INES OF
policy rather than Of name, enjoying
in that respect a distinct advantage
over the United States. 1t may De
said however, that the L1DerdiS %
Canada bear a close resemblance to
the Progressive Democrats and Insur-
gent Republicans of the United States
while the Conservatives are close AKIN
to the socalled Standpat Republicans
and the Conservative Democrats
One thing is certain, however, and
that is that both Grits and Tories be-
lieve that their system Of government
and politics is immeasurably superior
to that of the United States Their
attitude toward US in such matters Is
that of patient pity. They are certain
that the Americans will yet come to
realize the advantages of the parlia-
mentary cabinet system over tie rrl-
partite division OF executive, :egisia-
tive and judicial powers in separate,
irresponsible and independent oe-
partments.
If the remote question: Of annexation
Of Canada to the United States ever
comes up. what will be the attitue OF
the Tory U. E. LOyalists? What viii
be the attitude of the Liberal French
Canadians? It Is safe to say that 4
great majority of both the Grits and
the Tories always will be foun0 on the
side of a continued separate existence
for the Dominion of Canada.
Tomorrow-Problems of Industry.