The evening times., 1911-08-23
SUNDAY POLITICS IN CANADA

Other latitudes, other customs. Here
in the United States it isn't the GUS
tom to hold political campaign meet
ings on Sunday In the province of
Quebec, Sunday ia the day of the sew
en- for them Last Sundays campaign
meeting at st. Hyacinthe was, by all
accounts, corker. Special trains
were run from Quebec (the city, ;,
Montreal (six from MontreaD, Sher-
brooke, Three Rivers, Sorel, Noyon,
Farnham, Nicolet and St. Quillaume,
Some of the Canadian reporters felt
pretty sure there were $4,000 persons
at the meeting; the more conserva-
tive correspondent Of the New York
Herald said 10000, and let it go at
that. Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux, now
Laurier policies; Henri Bourassa, M.
P, for the nationalists-a compara-
lively new little party dedicated to
the defense Of the Roman Catholic
religion, the French language and
Canadian autonomy, this last being
nlenaced BY the Laurier policy, Lem
ieux and Bourassa do not love one an
other. They were not in an amiable
temper last Sunday. To one friend Of
Bourassa's who started up as II to
interrupt, the minister Of marine
said: Get back from here, Lavergne;
we have no use for YOU" To another
he said he could maintain his views
with his hands as we'll as his voice.
Bourassa himself ne denounced as a
liar and hypocrite who, after solicit
ing favors from Laurier, had made
pact Of hatred with Mr.. Borden, lead
er of the conservatives. against him.
"These are the questions for you,'
he said to the big and very noisy
crowd in closing his speech-"reci-
procity and the navy. We fear not
the verdict Of September 25. Laurier
is now in the evening of his life and
nearly at the end Of his career. He
will soon enter into the history OF
Canada and do not fear to say OF
the world. He Is denounced by Bour-
assa and the idots who follow him,
and their attacks constitute nation
al crime But I do not fear, and Il
leave 1t in the hands OF the voters
who next month on the polling day
will give a just chastisement to those
who excite the passions and pfejud-
ices Of their countrymen."
Bourassa's reply to this speech was
bitter enough in spots, but not 80 We
hement. He fatty contradicted Lem
ieux as to the asking Of favors. He
avowed himself reciprocity man II
the conditions were right. He accused
Sir Wilfrid of thrusting forward the
reciprocity issue at this time in order
to divert Canadian attention from his
naval policy-an imperialtstic policy
that would drag Canada into all Great
Britain's future wars. DR.. Deland,
Canada's new postmaster general,
said 1t would do nothing OF the sort.
Then Lavergne tried to speak. He
accused Sir Wilfrid and Lemieux OF
trying to 'buy" Judge whom he
named in an election case. In the
turbulent ten minutes that ensued
Lemieux called LAvergne q liar, a
fool, a bandit. and foul-mouthed fel-
low ITO think" he exclaimed, that
IAvergne's uncle was my messen-
gsr!" Lavergne was heard by those
near the platform to call the minister
Of marine a traitor.
The Montreal Gazette doubts whe-
ther Canada ever saw the like--or al
any rate, the equal--of the st. Hya-
cinthe meeting last Sunday. We
should hope not. A correspondent OF
the Boston Transcript says 1t was q
melee rather than q meeting. He
rates Bourassa as really fine ora
tor, but 10 amazed at his flop on rect
procity and grieved at his savage at