The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-18
"DISLOYAL!" WELLS
EACH CANADA PARTY
Graft Charges on War Orders
Also Banded in Flee
ton Fight.
PARTY LINES frightened

OTTAWA, March I7.--Canadn is get
tin. ready for a general election In the
carly summer. During the last few
weeks the political sentiment Of the
country has undergone II remarkable
change, the party truce proclaimed at
the outbreak of the war tas been ADAM
doned, partisan controversy RACES In tho
press and in Parliament, and while the
Government has not officially s'gntied
its intention of appealing to the people,
both parties are frankly and openly get
ting ready for balloting.
The immediate reason for an early
election is found In the vigorous OPPOSE
ton which the Liberals are Offering to
the Governments war budget. though
there are several other contributing
causes not apparent ON the surface.
Since the open ng of Parliament much
has happened to bring dissatisfaction
among a large section of the public with
the manner IN which the Government
ras handled certain phases OF the wal
situation.
TIL. have been charges OF party
favor u IN the letting of contracts for
war supplies. Of graft Ion The manufacture
of boots. war munitions and equipment.
and these charges are At present the
subject OF Investigation by Parliamentary
committees. Najor-Gen. Hughes. MIN
ister of Militia. IL being openly attacked
by both the Liberal and Conservative
press. and although the opposition TO his
regime IL more political tlan military,
Il is freely int that he will soon
resign from the Cabinet and take a
command at the front.
Liberal opposition 10 the war budget
il chiefly centred against the "a per
cent. horizontal increase in the general
tariff and the > per cent decrease In
the British preference. They mold that
the increased duties will not brine more
rsvenue and charge that the Increase
was not intended for that purpose. but
for increased protection to the manu-
featuring and privileged classes. Par
ticularly objectionable. they hold. Is the
raising of trade barr ers against the
motherland when she is engaged in a
life and death struggle for her very ex-
istence.
As an alternative policy they urge a
land and income tax. the cessation OF
work on scores Of Government under
aking and retrerchment and economy
in every department OF the public SER
vice. The Liberals carefully empha size
that they are IN full accord with the
Government in rendering every poss bio
aid to the empire to prosecute the war
TO a successful issue. but they declare
that they are not going 10 forego their
right OF criticism Wide an attempt Is
being made ITO rob the public for the
benefit Of . few through the med UNI OF
a counterfeit war tax"
Tax nils Are cnounced
The Conservatives defend the budget
by dismissing an income tax policy as
cumbersome, costly and Inadequate, a
land tax as impracticable. and a ceSsa-
ton of public undertakings as ruinuus TO
he development OF the country They de-
e~nd ,ha la.rAaSA - sA, nvtt,ah r.ras
ence with the argument that to tax the
raw material Of the Canadian manufac-
turer without increasing the tariff
against the motherland would he 70
place the Canadian manufacturer AT the
mercy OF his British competitor. ana
% they meet the charge that the new tariff
10 too high Tor the purpose OF revenue
by promising that the elimination Of
the free list and the taxlng Of all raw
material Will in themselves bring an ad-
. ditional revenue of SEQ. 900 600 this year.
As has been usual in the majority OF
o.. Dominion campaigns since confedera-
ton. the cry Of "disloyalty to the en-
pire" is being more or less used by both
parties, The Liberals charge the Con-
Servatives with d~isloyalty for interfer-
.. ing with the British preference during \
war crisis. while the Conservative press
8 violently assailing Sir Wiltrid I.aurier
for his opposition 10 the Borden dread
nought policy OF 1912.
While such appeals 90 prejudice ana
ultra patriotism are not taken seriously
by careful students OF the policies and
records OF the two parties, taey are un-
douhtedly powerful factors in influencing
cd elections In many of the constituencies
q. more especially In sections OF the coun-
try whore the descendants OF the United
Empire LoyIllsts predominant
A feature of the situation which IL Of
' more than passing interest to Americans
. IL that a large and influential wing OF
the Liberal party. which includes Sir
Wilfrid L%aurier. refuses 10 dhandyn
o., It's old platform OF reciprocity with
The United States. and in the course OF
the present debate on the budget a num-
her OF Western members have gone on
record as holding to the belief that In n
70 rec interchange of natural products
with the United states is to DE found tho
economic salvation OF The dominion.
The reciprocity sentiment has not
waned among the grain growers Of the
west, though 1t IS extremely doubtful
whether the Liberals will revive Il as a
i've issus In the industrial centres OF
Ontario and Quebec, The protectlorist
sentiment is very strong IN Ontario.
which is the Conservative stronghold.
and there IL not much doubt that the
Government taxation policy has heen
well received IN the towns and cities
In Quebec the naval issue VIII hold
chief place, there being an undoubtedly
strong sentiment among the bulk Of
French Canadians against the policies OF
both parties, The influence OF the Ma
t!onalists is problematical. the alliance
which existed between Sir Robert Bor-
len and Henr Bourassa having long
since been broken. and 1t seems fairly
.. certain that Laurier's remarkable hold
aver his " province Will remain I'M
broken.
" Speculation as 20 the outcome OF a
e., contest In the other provinces must
he weighed with the fact that under
The redistribution of Constituencies made
AZ the last parliamentary session the
balance Of power In the House OF Com
mons has been largely shifted 10 The
west Tho Governments present ma
jority in the Commons II As, but this
3 chiefly secured in Ontario, where Of
IS seats tho Liberals hold but ~.
The representation Of Ontario In the
rev Parliament will fan from So 20 ~,
Of Nova Scotia from is to lG, OF New
brunswick from II to II and OF Prince
Edward Island from 4 to 3. The rep
resentation OF Manitoba will rise from
" 10 10 -, OF saskatchewan from 10 20
rs, of Alberta from 7 To IL, and OF
British Columbia from I to -
Thus the east loses 3 and the west
gains 90 additional representatives. In
Parliament. Upon this increase In the
90 H. arAtn LNrf ItG