The Washington herald., 1917-12-18
BORDEN WINS
CANADA'S VOTE
IN HOT FIGHT
Early Returns Indicate Vic
tory Of c Government Over
Laurier's S Party.

government and the win the War
party won a great victory at the polls
in Canada today.
1t Is a solid Canada against the
province Of Quebec. Even Sir Wilfrid
Laurier, the leader Of the opposition
and onetime idol of Canadians. was
defeated in Ottawa, the capital. Two
Union government cabinet ministers
went down to defeat in Quebec. but
this was expected. They are Col. the
Hon. Mr.. Blindon. now overseas. and
Hon. Mr.. Savigay. the Postmaster
General. Hon. Newton Sewell. who
threw in his lot with the conservative
leader, Sir Robert Borden. and made
Union government possible, wa 6
elected with a majority OF 1900.
One estimate made tonight Is that
the Union government will have a
majority in parliament Of twenty-five.
not counting the soldiers votes, which
are expected to go overwhelmingly
for the Union government.
1t is estimated that more than 1000, =
COO votes were cast, nearly doubling
the number cast in 1911. OF the total
votes polled probably more than go
600 will be those of soldiers. The SOL
diers' vote will not be made known
until about thirty days.
West for Borden.
The swing in the west Is undoubt-
edly toward the Unionist camp. and
wires state that Manitoba has So far
announced twelve Bordenite sup
porters to nothing for the opposition
camp.
Indications tonight are Messrs.
Fripp and Chabot. the present Ottawa
representatives. will each poll about
1900 votes to 1900 of their opponents.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier and II. NJ. Giverin.
The opening Of polls three hours
earlier than usual brought out an
unusually large vote in Winnipeg.
Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and in
fact all the cities. Contests were
held in 2O2 CONSTITUENCIES Of 235. the
remaining 80 being made up OF four
deferred elections. Namely. two at
Halifax, one at the Yukon, and one
at Nsisoit,s Man4.oba. plus y. accls-
nations. Of which II go to Laurier
and II to Borden.
With the four deferred contests out
of a total of 2S5 seats, the party
which secures lie seats or more will
be in the lead until the soldiers vote
is counted as the votes OF the fight
ing men will be known. before voting
takes place in the double Halifax
seat and Yukon and Nelson.
Canadian women everywhere-es-
pecially in cities and towns-crowded
to the polls and showed great eager
ness to vote.
For seleetive Draft.
The Unionists favor selective con-
scription.
Eight million Canadians at home
and abroad are thrilled with excite
ment tonight over the election of
a government.
Not in the fifty years since con-
federation has there been such a
bitter political campaign. The issue
is the French-Canadian versus the
new pro-war party, which is COM
posed of members of both of the
old parties, united under a Union
form of government.
Led by Laurier.
The French canadians are led by Sir
Wilfrid Laurier, for thirty years the
leader of the Liberal party. and who
went down to defeat five years ago
when Canada rejected reciprocity with
the United States.
Sir Robert Borden, who has shoul-
dered governmental responsibility
since the war began, has had a hard
row to hoe-but he has been patient,
and Of late aggressive, in serving Can
ada and maintaining her place among
the English colonies helping the moth
erland.
There are 100000 Austrians and Ger
mans in Canada, and on the whole
they have acted with discretion, only
CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE.