New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-14
Al Vacancies in Parliament;
West at a Disad-
vantage
Vote of the Soldiers
To Be Big Factor
Their Women Kin Will Have
Rallot-Aliens Dis
franchised
By SIR JOHN WILSON
Canadian Correspondent of THE Lon
don Times"

/
! TORONTO, Sept. 6.-Canads faces
! an immediate general election in which
/ conscripton will be the chief issue.
: The natural lie of Parliament eX-
pired twelve months ago. There has
been strong feeling in the country
sganst war contest. In 1914, and
again in 1915. the government desired
! TO dissolve Parliament, but the Oppo-
/ sition, the Liberal newspapers. a few
! Conservative journals, and many COM
mercial bodies and patriotic assocla-
] tons protested so energetically that
: the Prime Minister did not persist.
| In 1916 a resolution to extend the
| life Of Parliament by twelve months
was supported by the Opposition and
| sanctioned by the Imperial Parliament.
| When q further extension was pro-
posed few weeks ago the Opposition
objected. On division there was
majority OF only twenty in favor Of the
! proposal. The minority embraced the
full Liberal representation in the
| House of Commons and the Conserva-
| tive members from Quebec. who are
opposed 10 CONSUMPTION. Before the
division was taken the Prime Minister
declared that unless there was substan-
! tial unanimity in the Commons he
would not forward the resolution 20
| the Senate or to the imperial authori-
| ties. 1t was held that.to ask the I'M
perial Parliament to ratify a resolu-
! ton carried only by party majority
would involve British ministers in the
| domestic politics of Canada and pro-
woke mischievous attack and recrimna-
ton.
There are those, however, who con-
| tend that the Canadian Parliament
should not require imperial sanction
! for such legislation. 1t is understood
that there is no such provision in the
Australian constitution. Again and
again the British Parliament has ex-
tended its life since the war began.
There is no sound reason why the
Canadian Parliament should not have
equal and complete sovereignty. II ~
certain that the British government
| sets no value upon its right of veto
and is averse to any suggestion of in
reference with the legislative auton-
omy of the Dominions.
Twenty-Five Vacant Commons Seats
But possibly the government was not
seriously averse 10 general election.
There are now twenty-five vacant seats
: in the House of Commons. In the first
year of the war seats which became
vacant by death or otherwise were hlled
| BY agreement between the parties with
/ out a contest. But two Conservative
members were required by the Prime
/ Minister to withdraw from Parliament
owing 10 doubtful transactions with
| the Department Of Militia, and the Op-
position, probably suspectng that the
discredited members would offer for
reelection, would not agree that the
constituencies should be uncontested.
| This terminated the agreement TO fill
! vacancies by consent, and for more
| than two years there have been no by
elections save for ministers who are
| obliged by the constitution to be re-
| elected on appointment to office.
| Not only are there twenty-five vacan-
cies in Parliament, but the West is
grossly under-represented. In 1914
| there was q redistribution of constitu-
encies which reduced the representa-
ton of the East in the House of Com
mons and gave twenty-five additional
seats to the Western provinces. These
seats have never been filled. although
| they only give representation 10
which the West was entitled before the
last general election. Thus there are
| actually not twenty-five but forty-seven
vacancies in Parliament and proper
tionate misrepresentation of the
West in the Senate, since until the re-
distribution of 1914 takes effect addi-
tional Senators for the newer provinces
cannot be appointed.
| Furthermore, Parliament is stale,
! ouerulous, contentious and ineffective.
| The war has made new world, while
Parliament cannot wholly escape from
the circumstances and conditions of its
| birth. Thus even when 1t is remem-
bered that Sir Wilfrid Laurier, oppos-
ing an election two years ago, declared
he would not attempt TO open the door
of Office with a bloody key" there is
strong support for his argument that
there should now be an appeal to the
constituencies.
Soldiers To Be Enfranchsed
A bill has passed both houses to en-
franchise soldiers in training IN Eng
land and in the trenches in France and
Flanders. Under this measure all men
in uniform, whether twenty-one years
of age or not, OF whether residents OF
Canada or not Before enlistment, may
exercise the franchise. 1t was insisted
shat many British subjects came from
the United States to join Canadian reg
iments and that six months service at
the front was an adequate title TO cit
Izenship. These non-resIdents VIII vote
in the constituencies in which they en-
listed. or rather their ballots VIII be
counted in such constituencies.
That il is difficult to poll the votes
Of soldiers in the field is admitted by
the government. The opportunities for
fraud and personation are manifold and
almost irresistible. In u provincial
general election for British Columbia
few months ago the soldiers oversee
voted, but while no serious irregulari-
ties have been established there has
been an Official inquiry and there viii
be a subsequent report In Alberta
the provincial government provided for
direct election of two members by the
soldiers. In Saskatchewan provision
was made for the election of three such
members.
II is clear, however, that the troops
would be far more influential II their
ballots could be counted in the constit-
uencies in which they resided before
enlistment. In a close division score
4 L vHNN