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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1879-02-07, Page 10SUPPLEMENT. .` Now for 1877 including the same Do- minion Funds and deducting liabilities. Dominion Stocks and Bonds, as given in . Hon. Mr. Wood's Budget speech of last session Drainage Debentures Bank Deposits Dominion Trust Funds as before...... Share of Library..:... Municipal Loan Fund debts due Less Liabilities as follows: Advance on account of Deben- tures proposed to be sold ... ._,$ 725,133 Balance of Railway aid Fund not disbursed ......... 400,162 Balance Railway Subsidy Fund 147,319 Balance of Railway Grants 39 Vic 393,308 Balance of Surplus Distribution 202,234 Quebec's share of Common School Fund . 270,052 Due for Rockwood Asylum.... 96,500 $2,945,000 520,277 562,807 2,699,407 105,541 • 154,385 $6,987,507 $2,234,708 ;4,752,799 Or within a paltry $53,000 of the amount it stood in Sandfield Macdonald's time, and that notwithstanding that over $5, 000,000 had ,been given in aid of Railways and distribl ted) to the people by the pre- sent Administration.—Hon. gentlemen will see that I leave deducted from the as- sets in 1871'.-J±The Railway Fund, and Quebec's share of the Common School Fund collected and in our hands up to that time. This, I hold, I am perfectly justified.in doing, as in all, late statements by our present and former Treasurer, all balances unexpended of Railway appro priations are included' as liabilities. So also with, Quebec's share of the School • Fund. If we deduct what we are due to Quebec now from our present assets, we— to make the comparison fair—mustsdeduct what we were due in 1871 also. He desired `now for a few moments to refer to the amendment to the amendment now more immediately before the House. He could not in too strong terms regret that the leadership of his Hon.` friend from London whom he had always here- tofore considered as an honest and fairoppo- nent—should be stained on the very thres- hold by so discreditable a motion as he has placed in the hands of the member for South Sitncoe. His Hon. friend the Commissioner of Public Works had aptly described this proceeding as raising the black flag, and the question had been rais- ed who was the first to hoist it. .He would ask permission of the House to read to them` from the Mail of July 10th,1876, an article copied from the London Herald, one of the organs of the now leader of the Opposition, copied . approvingly in the leading organ without one word of cor- rection, for the purpose of giving this tis- sue of alsehoods the benefit of its wider circulation, and for the purpose of creating the impression that the Opposition had resisted the increase in the indemnity and Ministers' salaries, and that too, almost be- fore the echoes of the speeches of Hon. gentlemen opposite and their leaders— approving of these increases and agreeing to bear their full share of the responsibili- ty—had died ,out of this House. (Hear, hear). He here' read the article which accused the Government of increasing the indemnity and salaries against the strenu- ous protest of the Opposition, mentioned names of a number ofMinisterial support- ers whom Mr. Mowat depended on to car- ry the iniquitous proposition, amongst them his own, and declaring the country would hold the Government alone respon- sible. Hon. gentlemen well know that not one word i of that article was true. Had there been one word said in repudia- tion of it by gentlemen opposite? (Mr.MEREDITH) Yes. Mr. ROSS. He: had no recollection of any denial. Had either the London or Toronto organ ever published one word in contradiction of the slanderous statements they had given circulation to 2 That had been the first hoisting of the black flag. That article had been the text upon which a local paper in his county had- made a bitter , attack upon him, stating that he was one of those upon ,whom the Govern- ment could depend to support the increase, and laying the whole blame upon the Go- vernment, who had acted against the pro- test of the Opposition. For himself, he had refused to sign 'the round robin, and, as was well known to members, when the matter was first brought up in secret ses- sion, he was one of only two who had raised his voice' against it. He kne.w that for the action he took then, on this ques- tion, he had been looked coldly upofi by some of the members, who, though they felt and spoke boldly upon it then, desired to take a political advantage of it now. He admitted he had remained silent when the estimates with this item passed. Had he actively - opposed it then, with seven- eighths of the House committed to it, he would have laid himself open to the charge of seeking to gain a little cheap popularity. For that silence he was re- sponsible, and was willing to accept his full share off -the responsibility, when the proper time came. When the estimates were submitted, she would take the oppor- tunity to support the Government, if they propose a reduction, or vote for any resolu- tion to reduce the amount if they did not. He did not disparage the services of mem- bers of this House. There were as good men here as -at Ottawa, and their services worth just as much to the country. The Hon. member for Dundas (Mr.' Broder) had to. -night candidly confessed the object of the present motion. He had stated that the motion to reduce the indemnity had been made by the Government. That a prominent member on this gide of the House had announced his intention of moving to reduce it this session—and that they expected a the Government- would make the reduction in the estimates. That they were justified, therefo'i•e,, in making this motion, so that this side of the House could not claim all the credit. Feeling this and expecting this, they seem to have come to the conclusion to cast aside their former promises', not to attempt to make any party capital out of this question, and spring this motion upon the House with- out warning, in the hope that it would place Hon. gentlemen on this sideof the House in a false light before the electors —who, they think, will not draw the dis- tinction between what are motions of want -of confidence and what are not -that it will place them inthe awkward position of either voting want of confidence in the Government, or opposing a reduction which a majority of them are in favor of. When Sir John Macdonald proposed and carried an increase in the sessional allow- ance to members at Ottawa to $1,000, and -raised his own salary from $5,000 to $7,000, no outcry was raised by the press of the country then. hat increase as made by a Conservative overnment, nd the Con- servative press had not one IV rd to say in condemnation of it then or since. But when a Reform Government anctions an increase to Ontario members t the almost= unanimous request of the H use, -includ- ing the Conservative leaders who coupled their approval with the assur nce that no political.capital should be att mpted to be made of it, the, Conservativ press and politicians are loud in their denunciatioux, and although not. daring to deny that their representatives voted -s§lidly for it, endeavor to throw`, the whole blame on this side of the House and Ithe Govern- ment. Could anything be more unfair or unmanly. The fact is both sides of the House are equally responsible. If we have made a mistake, let us a willing to acknowledge it and rectify it ii a straight- forward and honest manner. He believed we did make a mistake. He believed that such was the opinion of the. dountry, and if the Government proposed a reduction in the estimates, as he hoped and believ- ed they would, he was assured that a pretty unanimous vote of the douse would sustain them in that proposition. But let gentlemen on this side of the House •re- fuse to be caught in a trap baited so clum- sily, and with such offensive Offal– And let not gentlemen on the other side be car- ried away with any desire flit a fancied party advantage, to support so dishonor- able a move, which will cause every man amongst them—who has a sp rk of man- hood, and who approved of tie increases when made, and was instrumental in in- ducing the Government to acljopt them— to hang his head' in shame for himself, his leaders and his party, when this discredit- able motion is referred to. (LOud cheers,) MR. GIBSON'S . SPEECH. The following is the Address delivered by Thomas Gibson, M. P. P., i the Local Legislature, on the occasion of the Debate on the Address during the press t session : Mr. SPEAKER : Speeches at the opening of the Legislature are generally of a stereo- typed character. The discussion is apt to run in the same groove, but perhaps it is just as well that our views should be given and our grievances stated now as at any other time during the session, more particu- larly as this is the last session of the pres- ent Parliament. I do not intend adverting to the whole of tlie address, only to its lead- ing features. Thel second and third para- graphs state exactly what is true ; no action taken here could have altered the present depression, which the mover . of the first atuendinentknew as not in anyw&y under our control. The 'stress felt in all civil- ized countries is due to economic causes prevailing alike in countries with the most diverse financial p licies. The member for Cardwell took occ sion to say that no coun- try can ever beco a great without being a manufacturing on . Reformers, -as well as Conservatives, wo Id be well pleased to see manufacturers flourish, but if nature has de- nied us the tools, as we may say, it no use struggling against ate. To be a great man- ufacturing countr we must have coal and iron in close proxiiity,. joined to an equable climate, and cheap capital, none of which we have. Artificial processes cannot com- pensatefor the loss of these. Agriculture is and. must be, in the nature of things, one of of the principal m instays of Ontario. In a short time the member for Cardwell and nine -tenths of thhose who will be seeking the suffrages of the electors will be declaring from every platform, however we may seek to belittle that interest, that the farmers are the bone and sinew of the country. (Hear, hear.) It has been often remarked, that as one door -shuts another opens, and the open- ing of an outlet for our. live stock and dairy products has greatly helped us to tide over the difficulty, and to make the state - of de- pression less ;intense than it would have been. It is a matter for congratulation that the controversy between this Province and Quebec is settled. As was stated by the member for North Bruce, little or no praise is due to the arbitrators. They sat in judg- ment only, and whatever justice was in their verdict, (and we thought it scant enough at the time), was due entirely to the, able way in which it was presented for consideration by Messrs. Wood and J. H. Cameron. The very phraseology of the .award was no doubt .drawn up by some expert conveyancer, but all the subsequent trouble of having the case arranged for submission and . presenta- tion to. the Privy Council was undertaken by the present administration. I was surprised to hear the `member for South Leeds so very denunciatory in his remarks as to educa- tion ; he seems to have made- quite a sum- mersault from the views held by him last year. Since the Minister of Education has held his present position, all agree as to the attention and assiduity he has displayed. That our educational system has been costly cannot be denied, but it ought not to be for- gotten that previous to the departure insti- tuted by the Sandfield Macdonald Govern- ment a large proportion of thescbool houses in the 'country were almost uninhabitable, many of them built of logs and Very few of them with suitable bccornodation for teach- ing purposes. Now all that is changed ; most of the expense of building for a quar- ter, or perhaps half, a century is over.' But there is a growing feeling in : the country that there should be a check upon the ex- penditure ; that in bur villages, towns and cities a veto power should be placed in the hands of the councils, and with tle electors in the rural sections. - This change would be is conformity to the provision which gives trustees virtual power over text books. Iu regard to tax exemptions, I hold that it is not one of the burning questi ns in the country. It has been almost e tirely dis- cussed and agitated in the cities, more par- ticularly in the city of Torontp. Public .opinion throughout the Province is not suf- ficiently crystalized- to warrant immediate action. There can be no doubt that taxes are very high in the cities, especially in Toronto, but it is due entirely to the extrav- agant expenditure of the last decade. Thedebt of this city in round numbs rs is $6,- 000,000, of which $4,000,000, has been °con- tracted on account of bonuses to railways and waterworks. /' What right would there be in taxing Government property for such expenditures or to educate the children of Toronto ? It is principally from the taxa- tion df Dominion and Provincial property that a gain is expected; anything else would be only a re=distribution of the burden of taxation. As I suggested last year, it might be worthy of consideration, whether or not the time has not arrived when our cities should not, as in the cities and boroughs of th8 Old Land, have charters with permissive clauses adapted to the wishes or–wants of the inhabitants. - 'The idea of a frontage tax on account of constructing and repairing the streets may- help to remove some of the difficulties surrounding this question, and TRE HURON EXPOSITOR. SUPPLEMENT - under certain -restrictions there would not be much objection to Governmentproperty contributing a certain amount for that pur- pose. But; as the Commissioner of Public Works said, it would be very nice for the honorable gentlemen opposite to have all the knotty questions taken out of their way,if they are, as they'say they are, going to succeed at the next election. It ie well for them, how- ever, 'to bear in mind that there is many a en the cu andthe li andi slip between p p, it well known that, as a rule, but for th efforts of Reformers, either out of office o in office, none of those knotty question would be settled. One thing is certain, th for the last seven years the Conservativ mind has been singularly barren so far a public measures have been concerned. The may have been one, or at most two, Bills that description brought in from the Opp sition side of the House, and of so unim portant a nature that I do not believe half dozen members know at this moment who they are. Such a remark -will not apply to th Reform Government who, during that p riod, have raised a monument to their fain in the Statute books which will not be soo forgotten. The question of taxation, eithe general or municipal, is one surrounded wit difficulties, and'the friends ot gentlemen op posite will find that out before they ar through with the National Policy. Change are to be deprecated, and should not be in dulged in without grave deliberation. Th setting apart of ern increased amount fo drainage is one which will give general satis faction, and will enable some of our land now waste to be developed, and improved I `would suggest that • the preliminar expenses might be reduced. Wher all the people interested are resident advertising might be dispensed with, wher all those interested know that the work i being proceeded with. The provision in th Drainage Act, and also, in some cases, i Municipal By-laws, whereby Councils ar bound to advertise in the nearest news paper, should be altered, as thereby compe tition is done away with. The municipal councils may be safely left to deal with such matters. I�agree entirely with the member for West Huron, that the Drainage Bill of last session. might be amended advantage- ously by allowing the use of other materials thou tile; if convenient. The member for East Toronto took a very glowing view of our financial condition. He did not seem to be very sure whether or. not we had a sur- plus, taking his queue evidently from Sena- tor McPherson's pamphlet. That gentle- man, under the guise of impartiality, has sought to inflict a blow to the Reform party. The honorable member implored us to look to Quebec and take warning, and well he might. That Province, which entered into confederation with the same income per head as the Province of Ontario, has now a debt of nearly $14,000,000 and with, at the time the Conservative Government went out of office, very few of the Provincial railways in operation, showing a very different state of affairs than Ontario does under a Reform Government. The member for East To- ronto described the result of his election as a moral victory. We have often to be thankful for small mercies, and this is an occasion of that kind. The reduction of the majority from 909 to 47, after the plaintive appeals of the Mail to maintain it, seems to me a moral' victory of a very curious- char- acter. In the sketch he gave us of his pre- vious'career, there was one portion he omit- ted. He did n©t tell us that he was a can- didate for election to the -Dominion Parliament, and no doubt he would bewail in fitting terms the amount of the deficits in the Dominion Finance, and dilate upon the large indebtedness, amounting to $128,- 000,000. I have no hesitation in saying that he never once mentioned the reduction of the indemnity in that contest, though the labor in the Dominion Parliament is not more, on an average, than here. It has been well said, " Oh, Consistency t thou art a a jewel ;" but since he came here he finds it necessary, though he believes we have. a surplus, though not sure to -a million or two how much, in the interests of economy, to support a vote of want of confidence in the Government. He is bound by no pre- vious arrangements ; he occupies a very elevated platform, quite above those of the eighty members, publicans and sinners, as they are who occupied seats during the last three sessions. I am forced . to the con- clusion that it is more in the interests of party than of the country that he is now found occupying hispresentposition. Now, as to the motion of the member for South Simcoe, he has been perhaps too hardly dealt with by some of.the previous speak- ers. The voice might be the voice of Jacob ; the hand was certainly'the hand of Esau— in this case, the member for East Grey. This motion emanated from the leaders of thii Opposition. It was evident that the rank and file were taken by surprise, not only from the stand taken by the member of West Toronto, who said he was going to vote with the Government, but from the tragic attitude assumed by the leader of the Opposition, the.only time he has donned the theatric since ole came to this House. He in effect said, "Follow me or I die." (Cheers and laughter.) All alike, on both sides of the House, are responsible for the increase, a.nd all alike should bear their full share of the responsibility, but if I 'had any choice the matter, I would rather have my dame on the large document than on the small oris, to which the name of the mem- er for London is attached. The compact made by the members is still in force. The rst attempt to make political capital out of he increase was made by the organ of the onorable' member for London. [Mr. Meredith ---4 have no organ.] Mr. Gibson— t. is the organ of his party, and it is well gown by every member who was then in he House that that article was wholly un- true, and should have been objected to by the honorable member,—instead of that, it as allowed to be copied into the Hail, without any attempt at correction. The onorable member for London, previous to he next session of Parliament, at a meet - ng in the city of London, or in the ueigh- orhood, took the position that the indem- ity should be reduced, and said that he should move for its reduction.. I would not ave been the man to take such a stand if had written the letter that was read in she House the other night. After all, he did ot make such a motion, for his leader, the on. Mr. Cameron, was far too fair and onorable, and he gave notice to- the Gov - ;lament that it might be done. If he had sen in his place, we world have been spared he_ sorry spectacle of debating here for six ays over a motion personal to ourselves. Mr. Lauder—Why do you speak about it hen ?] Mr. Gibson—The topic has been ne of general discussion, and I have just as uch right as the member fox` East Grey to scuss it. In 1877 Mr. Crooks did perfect - right to lay the matter before the House, nd the result of the vote was to keep it at e same figure. The manner in how the to stood, seeing it was in Committee, was ot taken down. If it was a member on r side of the House who had given the in- rmationoas to how members voted to the ail, let him be named. The Opposition ew that it was one of themselves. Dying testimonies and confessions were always suspicious. I will relate an anecdote for gentlemen opposite. A poor negro,, sup- posed to be dying, was asked by his clergy- man whether or not he forgave one who had done him a serious injury. He replied} " If I die, I do ; if I live, let that nigger take care." (Laughter.) The electors of On- tario are too intelligent to be hoodwinked by placing us in the position of either s voting a want of confidence in the Goyern- e went, or Noting against a reduction of the ✓ indemnity. There is a proper time and s place to do that, without placing us in 'such a position. Our friends opposite no doubt feel somewhat aggressive, but the result of the by elections for the six vacancies was in favor of the Government: We had an ;elec- tion, too, in Huron under every disadvan- at e s Ther of o- tage, and when it was found that the Re- form candidate could not be defeated, i was a implored that the majority should bo re- t duced ; instead of that it was increased and 8. that is what I call amoral as well as a nu- e- merical majority. In regard to the aura- e tion of Parliament, I am perfectly willing n to leave the constitutional question to the ✓ Attorney -General and the member for ptor- h mont. Gentlemen opposite are evidently of opinion that the nearer the 17th of Septem- e ber the better for them. If I were & be- e s°liever in the National Policy, I would have wished time to allow that scheme to bring e forth the fruits it.had been prophesi'd it ✓ would. The issue now was an entirely dif- - ferent one, and it was only fair and re son- s able that the excitement and the strife hen evoked should be allowed to. subside, so ; hat y the people could calmly and dispassionately e give their verdict when the time came, which could not be long delayed. When the vote will be taken, •I will support{ the Government. With all due respeck. to the- e hee member for South Simcoe, I would say;. his motion, put at such a time, did not rise to e the dignity even of parish politics. (Hear, _ I hear.) . b fi h k t w t i n I 4- n H e t [ t 0 m di lay th vo n on f M kn THE DIJXCI1V& DUNCAN, Seaf�ith. S CX'-T.A)1iVG. BALANCE OF WINTER GOODS To be Cleared Out Regardless of Cost. ALL NEW AND SOUND GOODS, NO SHODDY. CALL AND EXAMINE. 500 Remnants at Half Price. 500 H uron Exnnitor SHAWLS.—Wool Shawls at $1 50, worth $2> Heml"Shawls at$3, worth Extra GrayShawls. $4.Heavy at $4 50, worth $5 50. Splendid Line of Tartan Shawls from $3 to $6, worth. from 84 to $8. These are very de- sirable Goods, as Tartan Shawls are quite Fashionable at the present time. Shoulder Shawls in Plain and Tartan from 50 cents to $ 1 50. SEAFORTH, ONT., A Genuine Local Paper. MCL EA N BRO THER5 PUBLISHERS. The Expositor Is one of the Largest and Best Local Papers in Canada. Its Circulation is Equalled by Few and Surpassed by None. Local News and Market Re - !ports a Specialty. • Advertisements Inserted on Reasonable Terms. Job Printing Of Every Description Execut- ed Neatly and Cheaply. All Orders by mail prompt- ly attended to., Local Correspondence Res- pectfully Solicited. Canvassing Agents Liberal- ly Dealt With. Subseription Price, $1.50 a Year. SQUARES.—A Splendid Assortment of Silk Squares in Ssal Brown/._Moosie, Bronze, White, and Black. Something Choice in India Silk Squares. Felt Skirts at cost price. Fringes in Silk and Wool. Fur and Galloon Trimmings. Velvet Cushion Covers. - Crocheted Tidies. A Large Assortment of Velveteens in all the Leading Colors, very cheap. MEN'S UNDER CLOTHING. Shirts and Drawers, Flesh, Amber, and Grey. These Goods are Heavy and All Wool, suitable for the present cold weather, from 50 cents to $ 1 each. Forty Pieces Ail Wool Scarlet Flannel, 18 cents to 40 cents. Shirtings in Fancy Flannel, All Wool, Angolas and Wincey, from 10 cents to 30 cents. BUFFALO RO-BES.—Owing to the very stormy weather, and we having only about one-half of our second lot of Robes left, we have decided to. clear out the balance` of them at cost price: 1 This will give parties wishing to bay Robes lower by- 25 per cent. than last season, and lover than ever offered in this town or county. CLOUDS. Clouds at 15 cents, 20 cents, 25 cents, 50 cents, 75 cents, and $1. These Goods are many of them sam- ples, at very low prices. The newest thing in the markt —The Peg Woffington Scarf and Hood, in White, Fancy, and Self Colors. - TWEEDS.—We have opened out our third lot of 35 Pieces of those Beautiful Canadian Tweeds, which have been bought at 25 per cent, less than regular prices. Heavy Fine All Wool 75 cents, 85 cents, 90 cents, 95 cents, and $1. See them. ' HATS AND CAPS. -Balance of Men's and Boys' Winter Caps at Cost, from 25 cents up to 65 cents. Men's Fur Caps, to clear. the Balance of our Stock, at half price, BLANKETS. White Bed Blankets, Grey Horse Blankets, From $1 50 per pair - up. American Shaped Horse Blankets. READYMADE CLOTHING.—Men's Ulsters, Beaver and Melton Overcoats from $6 to $12. Men's and d Boys Underclothing. LADIES' FURS.—German Mink Muffs, Great Sacrifice. Muffs at $1 75, *2, and $2 50. Canadian Mink Furs, Caps and Muffs. - A FULL ASSORTMENT of Boots . and Shoes. A Cheap Lot of Fresh Groceries and Fine Teas to hand. DUNCAN & DUNCAN. sig ti a d h; h 0 yr 13 to Di 11 Ito he th) oro Fr fpr a;1 a gig Vaal he tli an tel l 104 vita nd su ins tla o'be lav - ova to= ger clef tlit fe W11 nut tIU mo fuze too th ly of+ i cot ter i hug �vru -oin of tn, br< int In A:: So ani min he bi - la Sa tw hlih icl Co 251 oe1 nix ire ter giv -wh