Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-28


talked-of and best-hated man within
the Canadian confederation today is
Henri Bourassa, journalist, pam
phleteer. politician and leader of the
Nationalists in the Province of
Quebec. From tlfe Atlantic to the
Pacific Canadian editors have dipped
their pens in gall to assail him for
his outspoken criticism of Sir Ed
ward Grey, the British foreign Sec
retary; his attitude toward recruiting
In Canada, and especially IN Quebec,
and his conception of Canada's duty
at the present hour. Less than
month ago the Montreal Canadian
Club decided to expel him from Its
membership, the Political Science
Club of Queens University cancelled
a lecture which he had consented to
give them. and the other night he
faced q mob Of citizens in the capital
Itself who refused to hear him state
his views.
Henri Bourassa is descended from
an ancient French Canadian family,
long located In Quebec, and Is the
grandson of the celebrated Louis j.
Papineau, who In 1887 united forces
with William Lyon Mackenzie In the
fight for Canadian self-goyernment
and raised the standard OF rebellion
against the imperial authorities OF
Britain. The Nationalist leader has
thus inherited semi-revoiutionary
blood and profound aptitude for
politics. In 1895, at very early age
he is now only forty-five-he en-
tered Dominion politics as the repre-
sentative In the House Of Commons
OF FTench-Canadian constituency,
as q Liberal and supporter of Sir
Wilfrid IIaurier. He at once attracted
wide attention by his parliamentary
eloquence, his sound economic views
and his undouoted honesty of pur-
pose; became the pet of Sir Wiifrid
Laurier, and promised to go far In
shaping the destiny of Canadian
Liberalism
Opposed Aid in Boer War.
But In 1899 came the Boer war, and
with IL a rapid change In Bourassa's
relations with the government of Sir
Wilfrid Laurier. At first Sir Wilfrid
hesitated upon constitutional grounds
about sending contingent to Africa,
but he bowed to public sentiment and
the soldiers were dispatched. Mr..
Bourassa adopted a most outspoken
and independent attitude on this ques-
tion. He not only opposed the war on
principle as unjust and unnecessary,
but he opposed still more what he re-
garded as the unconstitutional action
of the dominion government in COM
hitting Canada to take part In the
war without consulting the people. In
the House OF Commons he made pow
erful attacks upon his old political
friends, and he carried the campaign
into the country, facing mostly hostile
audiences and meeting with frequent
fhraatc ~ parG,N,.al Hyinianna
In that year he visited England and
quite naturally fell in with some Of
the leading British radicals and other
Kindred spirits, He came back to
Canada more confirmed in his radical
views than before, and in the do
minion elections OF 1900 he made a
campaign against the war, and al
though he was returned TO the COM
mons, his severance from the official
Liberal party became generally rec
ognized. He gave them a nominal
support on economic and domestic
questions, but maintained his position
as a free lance until 1908, when he for
sock dominion politics. BY this time
he had ceased to take much interest
IN ordinary party politics, bitterly as
sailed both parties for alleged mall
practices. and turned his attention ia
movement, which actually dates from
the Boer war, but only began to at.
tract attention at the beginning Of
1909.
Its sponsors did not begin by pos.
ing as a definite party but professed
them selves merely to be group Of
young French-Canadians who had
adopted a certain political creed or
which they were determined to basS
their future political actions.
They declare it as their creed thai
Canadians should set their owl
house In order before they embral
upon the wider responsibilities, ant
claim that Canadians la attempting
to extend their imperial responsibility
ties are wasting national energies
| which cannot be spared from othe
duties at the present period o
Canada'B history.
It is upon this principle that he 1
| not disposed to be enthusiastic owe
| Canada's participation In the pres
emit war. In UNFOLDING these princl
| pies he asserts that he and hi
| friends are not only exercising thei
liberty as British subjects, but the;
are taking a stand on most ancien
and traditional principles of tn
| British constitution whose destructio
/ WOUlQ mean IIl5 dFClttuot Sthphloh v
the British empire, These principles h
declares to be the liberty of the sub
ject and the right Of each commu
nifty to govern itself according TO II
own needs, interests and aspiration
with the same liberty and the sam
powers of government az are at pres
ent exercised by one and only on
British community, that body {
citizens who make their home In III
British Isles.
Assslis Imperialistie poliey.
Mr.. Bourassa Is an snti-imperia
list, and offers frank and open hoi
tility to all schemes which ten
toward imperial federation In tn
he Is not entirely out OF harmon
with his old political comrades In Il
Liberal party. He has in his p'
iit'cal makeup large strain or Enl
fish Radicalism, and through its Il
f1uence is strongly opposed to mil
tarism in any shape or form: bV
quite apart from this he maintain
that Canada's responsibilities In q
matter of imperial defense und
existing political conditions with
the empire are limited TO making h
own ports and coasts secure ~
ceasing 10 be- burden on the o
land for her own defense.
r4bv,e ~ s,vv1oaaA tha naval roifCi