The sun., 1919-11-04
Drury Succeeds Hearst.

Drury succeeds Hearst.
The resignation of Sir William Hearst
was placed in the hands of the Lieu
tenant-Governor after It became evident
that the United Farmers had formed an
alliance with the Labor party which en-
abled them to form a Government, and
after e. c. Drury. long prominent
In the agrarian movement, had been Sc
lected as their leader. Mr.. Drury, who
was Immediately summoned to form a
new ADMINISTRATORS the Kings
Government must be carried on--is a
successful agriculturist, an educated
gentleman. keen student Of political
affairs and forceful platform speaker,
The son OF a man who was Minister of
Agriculture in the administration of Sir
oliver Mowatt, he has inherited an apti-
tude for public life, and his selection as
leader OF the new party. almost wholly
inexperienced in political affairs and
barren Of tested administrative capac-
ity. has been well received. Although
the leader of party which. as its name
implies. Is a class party, the new Pre-
mier, in a statement to the people, de-
clares that in real sense he repre-
sents every class in the Province and
that under his regime there need be no
fear of sectional favoritism or sectional
legislation.
After the political revolution which
swept Ontario the triumph OF the farm
ers In the Dominion bye-elections was
rot surprising. but the overwhelming
size of the majorities astonished the
country. In Victoria, for ex-
| ample, an orthodox party seat. the for
ner constituency on Frank Carvell, the
Governments candidate, a returned SOL
= der, lost his deposit; this, too, despite the
fact that three Cabinet Ministers went
| TO his assistance. In Glengarry the
| Governments candidate, a distinguished
| General, was all but submerged and in
| Assinaboia. Mr.. Motherwell, a former
member of the Martin Government in
Saskatchewan. who ran as a Liberal (the
! Unionists did not even venture to put
UP a candidate) was defeated by more
| than four to one. The moral OF Mother
| wells defeat was that while the Govern
ment faces a revolt in the country Lib
| eralisrn Is recruiting little strength; that
the farmer movement is aimed as much
| against the opposition as against the
Government.
| Canada and Her Soldiers.
The report of the House of Commons
Committee on the System. and Scope OF
Soldiers Civil Reestablishment has pro-
! foundly impressed the country and is
bound to be the subject OF an important
debate in Parliament The report re.
jects the demand of soldiers for war
gratuities on two grounds: First, tina,
the demand is not justified; second, that
the financial position of the country
prohibits It from assuming additional
financial obligations. The report points
out that Canada's liberality in the treat
ment of returned soldiers is unequalled
by any other country. and, in supper,
of such claim cites the following ex-
penditures:
Pensions s53 $50, 49S. z
Gratuities 1853 $50, 557
Dependents fares .................. 1916, $50
Department of soldiers civil re-
establishment Observation-Disclosures. 81 0i5, 664. 3
Soldiers land settlement. AZ DDS, 100. 1
Labor department .................. 155, 324. 6
Total .SSl4 5ss. 72e 9
The report adds that in order to carry
to completion the various provisions thai
have already been made for reest ablish.
ment work no less a sum than Sl75,97l.
! S96.SS will be required. Thus the tota
expenditure for reestablishment worI
either already provided for or now being
| carried on will reach the colossal tota
of $491,540. 62S.50. This. the report
points out, constitutes a very heavy
burden upon the country. and, maintain
ing that II the demands Of the soldier!
for additional gratuties were accedet
TO, II would mean an additional expendi
, ture of from $500. 600 900 to 81, 900, OOO,
, 900. goes on to show that this would in
volve national bankruptcy that the ne
national debt has Increased from 1895,
, 100000 in 1914 to approximately $3.50,
, 100000 in 1919; that the ordinary ca
, penditures OF Government have increased
during the same period by more thar
twofold; that approximately $50, 600, 00l
. will be required annually hereafter TO
pensions that the estimated interes
on the present national debt Is 1902 cO,
600, and that there will be furthe
heavy increase in this item in the comm,
few years. In summing up these figure
the committee concludes that. incud
ing the present Victory loan, Canadi
within the next twelve or eighteen
months will be compelled to raise, b,
borrowing sums OF money aggregatinI
from 500, 100000 to $3.50. 600. 900 Il
order to provide for expenditures I
which the country now is or will be com
mitted.