The sun., 1919-09-02
Special Correspondence to the Cdnddia
Section OF THE SUN.
By GRATTAN O,LEARY.

By GRATTAN O'LEARY.
OTTAWA, Sept. 1.--Noting the intense
warmth Of the Dominion's welcome to
the Prince of Wales, the question has
Deen asked on your side of the line, How
comes 1t that such devotion should be
shown to royalty by a people which only
recently challenged one of royalty's pre-
negatives, the granting of titular dis
tinctions?'
1t Is not an unreasonable question.
The comforting of titles has been one
OIL Thy prerogatives Of British royalty
from line immemorial, and 1t is not en-
tirely the part of thoughtlesmess to as
sumo that a nation which so abruptly
rebufted one of the oldest and most his
toric functions of the King is, to say the
least, not overly enthusiastic about per-
sons and institutions which revolve
about the throne. The answer in this
case. however. is both easy and clear. 1t
Is that when Parliament passed resolu-
lions condemning titles it was far re-
moved from what Edmund Burke said
that Parliament should be, namely, the
image of the nation.
Pitt Proposal Failed.
The story OF the rise and fall of titles
In Canada is an interesting one. More
than century ago Pitt, fearing that
Canada might follow into the indepen-
dent footsteps of the United States,
sought to strengthen its bonds Of loyalty
by creating a titled arlstocracy among
the United Empire Loyalists who had
settled in the maritime provinces and
Ontario. The proposal. however. was
never carried into effect
Whether the Loyalists resented the
implied suspicion of their allegiance. or
whether Pitts Investigations convinced
him that the scheme was unwise, Ia not
clear. but at all events the proposition
was abandoned, and from that date up
to the establishment Of responsible gov
eminent the number of titles conferred
upon Canadians could be counted upon
the fingers OF both hands.
Even after confederation titular dis
tinctions multiplied but slowly. Queen
Victoria conferred honors upon men like
John A Macdonald, George Etienne Car
tier and others who had played a great
part in achieving unlon6 but outside this
outstanding circle titles were only rarely
bestowed. As the years progressed,
however. and Canada became of greater
and greater Importance in the chain of
Britannia nations, the number of titles
steadily increased with every royal
birthday. In 1897 Laurier, then at the
zenith Of his power, was personally hon
ored by the Queen and when. In 1911.
his Government was defeated, more than
half OF its members had experienced
the touch OF the royal sword.
Honors we're not then unpopular with
any section Of the people. The public
felt that they were conferred for ma
tional service of a high order; and. as
most of the recipients were men of char
acter and achievement, the honors be-
slowed upon them were regarded chiefly
as a royal compliment to Canada. True
there were a few regrettable exceptions
one or two cases where honors were
conferred upon men after whose claims
| to especial recognition a large question
| mark could be written; but, as already
said. these were exceptions, and the
public appeared satisfied that those re-
sponsible for the bestowal of honors, al
though wrong at intervals, should be
right in the gross.
So much was this the public mind that
when, In 1914, the question Of the abcli-
ton of titles first came up In the House
of Commons the mover Of the resolution
failed to get a seconder. and bis pro-
posal was treated with but good natured
tolerance. J. III. Burnham, a quaint
member of no particular force or infiu-
ence fathered the motion. but he had
comforting of titles was a perogative OF
the Crown and outside the jurisdiction
of Parliament. Sir George Foster, whc
spoke for the Government, approached
| the question from the standpoint OF hui
, man psychology. holding that titles were
an incentive to human effort; and Sir
Wilfrid Laurier pointed out that honors
| were not inconsistent with healthfu
| democracy.
NicIxIe Leads the Way.
The war came after that Brav,
words about democracy and warn
denunciauons of "the divine right D.
| kings were being hurled about will
| abandon, and w. f. Nickle, member o.
| the House of Commons for Kingston
decided that titular distinctions of {
hereditary character must be banisheC
IL Canada were to be made safe fo
democracy. He moved a resolution call
| ing for the disoontinuance of hereditar!
| honors and for the recognition OF TIL
principle OF Ministerial responsibility II
the granting of all others. In othe
words, Mr.. Nickle would have no it'll
that continued to live after the dealt
of its holder and he would have n,
| Canadian honored by the King withou
the sanction or recommendation OF tn
Premier of Canada.
| It was a resolution to which the pub
lie offered little objection. Although no
opposed to knighthoods and lesser dis
| tinctions, the country was not par
ticularly enamored of hereditary hon
ors. while there could be no possibl
| objection to the proposition that all dis
ktinctions be conferred upon the recon
mendation and responsibility of tn
Canadian Government.