The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-09-21
BOTH SIDES CLAIM
THEY WILL Win
IN CANADA
Interest in Canadian Elections
is World Wide
FATE OF RECIPROCITY
Forecast Of Result Difficult as Many
Liberals Have Deserted the
Party

I
yesterday found the Dominion more in
terested in itself and the whole world
more interested in 1t than ever be-
fore. Today will answer questions vi
tally affecting the country, and of
nearly as deep concern to the United
States-shall the Laurier regime con-
tinue, and shall Canada, by giving the
government party of the last Is years
continuance of power, put into effect
the reciprocity agreement already
ratified by the United States. The
leaders of both sides are expressing
extreme confidence. The government
papers last evening asserted that the
liberals will win by so majority, thus
Increasing their strength for the 18th
Parliaments House Of Commons by
seven seats. On the other hand, the
opposition papers claim an equal ma
1ority for the party of Leader Borden
and point with unequiyocal gertrude
to the governments defeat and its
realization that defeat is impending.
The Montreal Star, which has con-
Quoted an especially aggressive antire
clprocity campaign, printed in large
type last night the statement Govern
ment defeated" Newspapers on both
sides support their claims by detailed
statements telegraphed by the party
organizers in the capitals of each OF
the 10 provinces. Observers who
claim the opportunity for impartial
survey of the situation say they ex-
pect the government to be returned
with reduced majority. This fore
cast ranges from 10 to 80. although
few are willing to concede so high a
figure as the latter. Some count upon
the government being returned with
an unavoidable majority. which, IL is
supposed, anything below 10 might
prove 10 be. In such an event, II is
probable that no attempt would be
made to secure ratification OF the reci-
procity agreement before another elec
ton was held.
II Is generally conceded that the
province Of Quebec holds the key to
the situation. During the Is years
that Sir Wilfrid Laurier has been in
power this province has always rolled
up majority sufficient to Offset the
adverse voting in other provinces. So
consistently has this been the case
that II has come to be regarded as a
certainty, and In recent elections the
conservatives have made but infre-
quent and spasmodic attempts TO
gain any seats there.
In the present election. however. a
coalition has existed In Quebec be
tween the conservatives and the third
party, known as the nationalists, as
a result of which every seat Is con-
tested. In a few instances there are
three cornered contests, an indepen-
dent liberal running against straight
party candidate and nationalist
conservative. Extreme nationalists
claim that their party, together with
the straight conservatives will elect
30 members from Quebec today. II
they do this, II is generally conceded
that the government will be defeated.
The election OF one-half OF this num-
Der would have the same result In
the last Parliament the conservative
seating was II.
The liberals. however, have not
overlooked Quebec. They have con-
Quoted a strenuous campaign through
out the province and have met the ma
uonalists conservative combination
at every point They say they are
awaiting the result with confidence
and that the province will poll the
customary majority for its fayorite
son. Sir Wilfrid Laurier The prem
Ter himself ordinarily not much given
to boastlng, has declared himself
thoroughly confident OF winning, while
r. l.. Borden, the conservative lead
err. In formal proclamation Issued on
the eve of the election. says the pros
poets never looked brighter for n re
turn OF the conservatives TO power.
What makes forecast OF the re-
suit difficult is the fact that a great
many liberals have openly deserted
their party on the reciprocity issue
| They have done this. not because they
have been apprehensive Of the immed
late results OF reciprocity with the
United States. should the agreement
be ratified. but because they fear this
would be but a start toward a gener
al letting down OF the tarlf bars In
Canada. The manufacturing interests
have come out almost as unit
against the agreement and have been
supported by banking aud financial In
terests In considerable measure
Special appeals have been made by
employers 10 their employees to vote
against reciprocity. On the Other
hand the liberal press claims there
have been just as many desertioni
from the conservative ranks.