The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1911-09-22
HEAVY VOTE
AGAINST
TREATY
Great Majorities for Conserva=
tive Candidates Show OPP
position by the People
BORDEN WILL HAVE
LEAD OF FIFTY
Province of Ontario Gives Lib
eral Party a Tremendous
Drubbing at Polls

n ~ ONTREAL, Sept 21.-The
M Laurier government and
N reciprocity suffered an over
whelming defeat in the
Canadian elections today.
By a political landslide the liberal
majority of 43 was swept away, and
the conservative party secured one of
the heaviest ajorities-upward of 50
that any Canadian party has ever
had. Seven cabinet ministers who had
served with Premier Laurier were
among the defeated candidates.
The liberals lost ground in .prac-
tieally every province of the dominion
Where they won their nlajorities were
small Where the conservatives won
their majorities were tremendous.
Ontario, the leading province of
Canada, declared almost unanimously
against the administration and reci-
procity.
Borden New Premier
Robert L. Borden. leader of the con-
servative party will shortly become
the prime minister Of Canada He
will be supported in parliament by a
working majority of members far
more than ample for his purposes.
The government defeat means that
the Fielding-Knox reciprocity agree
ment. ratified by the American con-
gress in extra session. will not be in
troduced when the twelfth parliament
assemblies next month, and that a
revised basis of trade with the United
States, looking to closer commercial
relations. will not be possible in the
immediate future The conservatives
are committed to policy of trade ex-
pansion within the empire and closed
door against the United States.
Laurier to Retire
Although reelected in two constitu-
eneies in Quebec, the defeat of the lib
eral party also means the retirement
from public life of Sir wilfrid Laurier,
who for nearly two decades has direct
ed the destinies of the dominion. Sew
eral times during the bitter campaign
which preceded today'ss election the
venerable premier said that defeat of
his party at the polls meant the end of
his career: that he never would consent
to lead minority in opposition to a
government.
A liberal membership of So from Que
bee was cut down to SO. which. taken
alone, seriously threatened the SUI
premacy of the party. But it was in
Ontario that the conservatives won
their greatest victories. Spurred on by
appeals to patriotism and by the cry
that reciprocity was the entering wedge
for annexation, the conservatives swept
nearly everything before them
That province which in the last par<
lament was represented by 35 liberals
and 81 conservatives will send dele
cation to the next composed of 1s lib
erals and 75 conservatives. A notable
feature Of the defeat was the opposi-
tion's capture of two hitherto liberal
seats in Saskatchewan.
LANDSLIDE UNEXPECTED
The landslide was not expected by
either side.
The liberals were confident that they
would be returned with an increased
majority, for they believed that recip-
rocity would be most acceptable to the
Canadian electors. While the conserva-
tives claimed they would have a ma
jority, they did not expect it would be-
SO large or that the general verdict OF
the country would be given so decis
lively against the government.
Effect i'm United States
WASHINGTON. Sept 21.-The ques-
ton which tonight is agitating politi-
cal leaders throughout the United
states is how their fortunes in the ap-
preaching national campaign will be
anected by today's defeat of Canadian
reciprocity.
1t Is evident that the replies viii be
as varied in character as were the po-