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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1908-10-15, Page 78..•••••••••••••••••• LAURIOR AND THE LARGER CANADA SUPPVPMENT How Liberal Government Has Protected the —.— Advanced Legislation for the Pre- vention of Strikes and Look- outs Inaugurated, —4— CREDIT TO MR, W. L. M. KING PrObably the particular meaaure with which the name of Mr, W. L. Mackenzie King, tho distinguished civil servant who has jug taken a plunge into politics in North Waterage is most closely identified, Is the Le- mieux Act, It Is well understood, and the Minister of Labor has himself stated, that tiro measure is the diroot result of recommendations made bY Mr. Mackenzie King, as the result of hie Investigations into industrial dis- putes. The particular aim of the Lemieux Act Is to "aid" in the prevention and settlement 00 strikes and lockout; in certain industriee. The Act does not undertake to "prevent" or to "settle" strikes and lockouts, but simply to in thane, this. Whet it Does Not Do. Nor does the Lemieux Act forbid striking, It simply requires that be-, fore a strike or lockout is commenced. the parties concerned hall have their ease fully investigated before a Board established under the provisions of the Act, the theory being that. in nine oases out 00 ten, 5. strike is the result of misunderstaudings which a frank and informal discussion, such as may take Place before a Board, Will re- trieve. The experience of eighteen months shows that this theory is well-ground- ed. Not less than 50 disputes have been referred under the Lemieux Act, and in only two cases after an invest'. gallon has taken place bets a strike occurred, one exception being that of the Canadian Pacific machinists now in progress; and the second, that of coal miners at Springhill, M.S. In each of these cases the findings of the Board had. been in the nature of a com- promise, favoring some contentions of each party. The findings in each case also had been accepted by the company and refused by the mon. In the case of the Springhill strike the men, after a strike of throe Inonths, returned to work on the findings of the Board. and work Is now being conducted on tae beats of those findinge. In the case of the Canadian Pacific and its ma- chinists, the company also put the findings of the Board into opera- tion before the strike started. it will be generally admitted, however, that the amicable settlement of 40 out of 50 eases referred under the provisions of the Act is a very VIM record, especi- ally when IL Is taken luto account that the machinery of the Act 10 new, and that the methods of working it beat bad to be learned by experience. Strikes Averted. In each of these 50 eases, the parties concerned 0100.0 sworn statement; that 0 strike or lockout \1'OUtd occur if the dispute was not settled by a reference tinder the Act, Its jai but two or three instances at was the strike, and not the loekoitt, that was declared to bo impending, and It was the men who applied under the terms of the Act. In four or five eases the result Is still pencline, In all othercases but two the recall of the reference has been to avert the threatened strike, tnie example of the more important among the disputes arranged underthe Art may be mentioned briefly. Seven thousand employes or the Dominion Coal Company of Nova Scotia applied for a Board. It was an open secret that the negotiations between the company and its employes had come to a deadlock, and that a strike of most disastrous character was pending. Neither side thought an amicable ar- rangement of the dispute possible, but the Act forbade a strike until a further settlement before a Board had been attempted. The machinery of the Act was applied by a tactful ehairman, Prof, Semite recently appointed to the Civil Service', Commission, and the resolt was a triumph over all difficeds ton and the conclusion of a two years' agreement. This one agreement would have -more than justi- fied its existence on the statute boolt end the slight cost of adreinistration. And this success is but one at more than two score eimilar successes that Could be indicated, though they are not all of equal importance to that of the Daminiob Ooal Company. ,The former Deputy Minter of Labor may well be congratulated on being the author of o measure so beneficial to the indus- trial community of Canada. Workers' Interests " I ACCEPT THE ISSUE," "And Mr. Borden has said that purity is the issue in this campaign. If that be true, I accept the issue.: If that be the challenge, I accept the challenge."—Sir Wilfrid Laurier at Niagara Falls. ONTARIO LIBERALS WILL STRENGTHEN URI ..R Liberalism Is Frond of the Pros. pective Minister of Labor, Mr, W. L. M. King. REFORM BLOOD IN HIS VEINS No Reason for Creating a Situation That Might Approach a Deadlock —No Possible Chance of Conservative Victory in the Approaching Contest. /1 is generally conceded that the net result of the election, outside of On- tario, will be to give a large majority to the Laurier Government. Conserva- tive prophets hope, or profess to hope, that the Laurier majority elsewhere will be destroyed by an overwhelming Borden majority In Ontario, or so fax reduced as to render It impossible to carry on government. By no possible figuring can they make out a substan- tial. working Conservative majority; the best thereon figure out is a dead- lock, or a condition approaching a deadlook. Even this result is condi- tioned upon the expectation of an over- whelming Borden majority in Ontario, a result which could be brought about only by a large body of Liberals voting for Conservative candidates, or stay - Ing away from the polls. Can Mr. Borden, or any of his friends, give the Liberals of Ontario a reason why they should weaken and embarrass their own leader, efface themselves, cease to play an Influential part In the man- agement of the affairs of Canada, and at the same time rut the risk of creat- ing a deadlock and throwing the busi- ness of the country into confusion? A Contrast, Not a Parallel. The Toronto News says that Ontario ought to do this because Ontario gave Whitney an overwhelming majority, and Is fairly well satisfied with the result. But surely the cases present a contrast rather than a parallel. In 1005 In nominating Mr. Mackenzie King, the Liberate of North Waterloo show regard for the future as well tut the preeent It Is important to win the present election, and it is still more important to send. to Parliament mon who will uphold the basic prin- ciples of Liberalism, men wlio will not tamely follaw but lead, men of originality and independence, who will bring to the Liberal party not merely a vote on a division but new ideas. There will be many elections after this, and many Perliaments, and Mr. King, as a young man. may be ex- pected to take a part in public life for many years to come. Mr. King Is the grandson of one et the Ilberators of Cenadia The part played by William Lyon Mackenzie and by Robert Baldwin and others In winning responsible government for Canada ought never to be forgotten. But Liberalism cannot afford to rest upon the achievements of the past. Those achievements ought to be, not reasons for inaction, but sources of Inspiration for earnest endeavor, for new deeds of courage and sacrlfiee in the never-ending battle for the rights of the people. Responsible government was not the end but the beginning of that battle. It removed one great ob- tacle to selfgovernment. Edmuna Burke says that there never will be time when liberty will not be obnox- ious to &Main classes and interests Enemies of liberty are never tired of quoting Madame Roland's saying: "0 Liberty, what crimes are committed in thy name!" For one crime earn - mated in the name of liberty a bund - red have been committed in the name of authority, of privilege, and of class interest. Mr. King's Training. the people of Ontario put an end to a deadlock. To -day they are virtually asked to create a deadlock, such as existed in Canada just before Confed- ertstioe, or such as virtually existed in Ontario between 1858 and 1005. The consequences of the, former deadlock were so serious that the remedy was found only In a vital change in the constitution of the cotmtry. As to Lite latter casee, it would be conceded that the chief source of the evil was simply the numerical weakness of the Govern- ment, the feat Oa 0 it could not coin- ma,nd a working zeajority in the Leg- islature. Will Strengthen Laurier. Ontario Liberals might very well re- gard the result ol the Provincial elec- tions with resignation If not with en- tire satisfaction, because they put an end to a condition which was satisfac- tory neither to the party nor to the Province. But surely it is the height' of unreason to expect that those Lib- erals who acquiesced in the giving of a great working majority to Whitney In Provincial affairs will seek to weaken and embarrass Laurier in Fed- eral affairs, and to run the risk of creating a deadlock, such as was the Main cause of trouble In Ontario before the change. A party may be asked to subordinate itself In order that the country may have peace and ordered government, but surely It ought not to be asked 00 efface itself In order that the affairs of the country may be thrown into confusion. Tbe wise Lib- eral policy in this case Is to strengthen Laurier's bands, and at the same time, by electing a strong Liberal con- tingent from Ontario, to give Ontario Liberaliem he rightful share In direct- itig the policy of Canada during the next Parliament. Mr. Xing has had a training which peculiarly fits him for the career of a tribune of the people. His regard for, the people has not evaporated in sentiment. Ole has done things. has been confronted with the dIffi- cultiee which lie In the path of the advancement of the people, and has overcome them in a practical way. Nis friends will be deeply disappointed if he does not carry his popular sym- pathy and the fruits of his experi- ence into his new career, and we do net believe that such disappointment awaits them. We need have no anxiety as to the material progress of Canada. That progress Is assured. The prosperity Vetch we now enjoy is only an earnest of the prosperity to come. The re- sources of Canada, its fertile sole its minerals, its forests, its water pow- ers, have only been touched. But greater than all these things Is the condition of the ramie of Canada, of the workers In the fields and the for- asts, the mines and the workshops. The Work of Liberalism. Canada will have great cities, great in population and wealth, in huge fac- tories and magnificent residences. Bat there is shame as well as pride In great cities. There are dark and filthy tenements. There are places where the natural and healthy instincts of childhood are repressed. and where stealthy vice may easily take the place of honest play. Canada, having before it the experience oe the cities of the old world. and even at the 'United States, may guard against these evils. It may provide playgrounds, battling facilities, cheap and easy access to woods and rivers and lakes, to Places of health and beauty. But always let It be remembered that this work should be done as 0 metter, not of philan- thropy, but of justice; that the wark- ors of Canada are entitled, as a mat- ter of right and justice, to share in the heritage of Canada. This is the work that Iles before Liberalism to -day, just as responsible government was the weak of the Liberate of seventy years ago. In this sense we hope to see William Lyon Mackenzie King carry- ing on the work of William Lyon Mac- kenzie. 1/IN+.• .aa„ Seas a .8* .e \.• • I „ 1' s. • ......... • * • . • .,.;% ,›). : .4:1;' ". 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We' 'crenr EMT ttAtTADA.—NO. 4.--11111 100E111P/CATIONS. *OkaC1 ltrat eattonas awe o, ardagors TraluatatattAirt1O earliaaaar ot Callitela for Civilization ettulthe mon who wro otatat4 it 4113.116141 • o Peri ,I0 The history of Canada of late years naturally divides itself' into two chief periods—the dark days from 1881 to 1891, and later an era off brightness and prosperity which began shortly after 1896. The ark ays The story of the ten years from 1881 to -1891 is burned into the memory of every Canadian of middle age. Debt was increasing, the burden of taxation was growing, and there was nothing to show for it all,. There was stagnation everywhere. Immigrants landed on our shores, but they passed through to the -United States. Some people from older Canada moved to the Canadian West, but the trails were soon cut deep by a second movement aeross the border to the south. Frain factory towns and Ontario farms there was a steady exodous to the cities of the Republic. The whole country seemed smitten by blight, and gloom settled on all when the census of 1891 showed. an increase of 'but half a million in all Canada in the previous ten years. Population all Canada 1881 1891 Increase in ten years 4,324,000 4,833 ,000 509,000 r am wm 0440106MMUM NitAU 1 ML =C9CLIMIC=Ce The reak of Daw X. change came in the late nineties. Under a new and. progressive Gov- ernment the transportation service was improved and charges lowered; tariff anomalies were swept away, and trade helped rather than hindered; con- ditions were made such that our o-wn people were glad to remain at home, and a vigorous campaign was inaugurated with a view of bringing the cream of the population from other lands to this. The result is seen in the figures given. An increase in the population of three Provinces, in 5 years, not so muchless than that which took place in all Canada in 10 years. Population of Western Provinces: 1901.. 1906. Increase in five years 4gyiioli,1119ilion 419,000 809,000 390,000 41 Th y Are Pro cers , Nor has the stream of immigration which has poured into the West found its outlet in the towns. Most of it has gone upon the land—to till the soil. Nearly 130,000 im- Increase in Farm Population by immigration migrants from other cow:L- and tries settled on farms in the West during the five- year period ending with 1906. Of that total Mani- toba received 18,000; Al- berta, 45,000, and Saskat- chewan, 66,000. It is to the wealth produced by these new arrivals that a very great deal of the piosperity since enjoyed by all Canada is due. Immigrants arriving in Western Provinces settling on farms in five years ending 1906 : Manitoba Alberta Saskatchewan... Total 18,000 45,000 66,000 129,000 11111 NONT*1011,11010 PI Whig Iii104410101 444.1,01111,14,000110,,tr4040 Good Stock, ' 11 --- So much: has been said of the antics of a few fanatical Doukhobers that many have concluded these make up a large propoition of the new arrivals in the West. As a matter of fact the fanatics are a mere fraction even of the Doukhobors. The great bulk of the new arrivals from abroad who have United States 60,000 settled on 'Western farms Great Britain 29,000 . Nearly one - sixth came Norway -Sweden Germany 24.7:00000000 are of •our own blood. Austro-Hungary . enable numbers, as shown by the adjoining table, came from the Scandinavian from the British Isles. Belgium and Denmark Almost one -hall are from the United States. Consid- countries and Belgium. These are all good stock. Even the Galicians are prov- ing industrious and frugal settlers, and are rapidly becoming assimilated with our own people. Indeed, competent observers predict that they will prove one of the very best elements in the new communities which are being molded in the West. Where They Came From This table shows the countries from which most of the 130,000 immigrant farmers who have settled in the West during the last five years carne : The story c.f the two periods is before you, which do you prefer? A continuance of progress under an active, aggressive Govern- ment -.-a Government that does things—or return to a period of stagnation under a party, the abilities of which are exhausted in criticism.