HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1890-03-14, Page 44
-NEW ADVERTISEMENTS
ter The ftgure between the parenthesis after
each line denotes the page of the paper on which
the advertisement will be found.
Durham 41'0 for Sale—G. E. Creswell. (6)
Eippen Plow Shop—Thomas Mollie. (6)
Auction Sale—Robb Brothers. (5)
New Music Store—Papst & O'Connor. (5)
Best Valne—Papst's Bookstore. (6)
Farm to Rent—John A. Naftel. (5)
To Tavern and Shop Keepers—W. Ballantyne.(5)
New Spring Goods—E. McFall'. (8)
Cleitring Auction Sale—Joseph Fisher. (5)
New Dress Goods—H. F. Edwards. (8)
To Dairymen—John Tough. (5)
Boots and Shoes—F. O'Neil & Co. (8)
Bell Organs—W. Bell & Co. (8)
Notice to Hoe. Feeders—Estate of H. Robb. (8)1
Pig for Service—Wm. Henderson. (5)
Blood Bitters—I. V. Fear. (5)
To the Ladies—R. It. Downs. (5)
Spring Stock—D. S. Faust. (8)
Servant Wanted—Expositor Office, (S)
Now Tailor Shop—H. Speare. (8)
tiro' expooitor.
SEAFORTH, FRIDAY, March 14, 1890
Two Rowed Barley.
We publish in_another column a letter
from Mr. Wm. Saunders, manager of the
Experimental Farm at Ottawa. It will
be seers by it what the Government are
doing to encourage the cultivation of
two -rowed barley in Canada and the
inducements they hold out. If all that
Mr. Saunders promises is realised the
two -rowed barley will, certeinly, prove
an exceedingly Profitable drop for our
farmers to grow. But, it 'limit , be re-
menibered, that the cultivation of this
graiu be this country is as yet only an
experiment, and that there is a possi-
bility that the sanguine hopes regarding
its success may not be realised. It will
not cost much, however, to try the ex-
periment, and in view of the benefits to
be derived in the event of success, it is
well worth the while of . those who can
afford it to try. The action of the Min-
ister, also, in offering the facilities he
does for the trying of the experiment, IIJS
well as his Bfforts to secure a profitable
market for the product when produced,
is highly commendable, and _will, we
hope, be fruitful of the very best re-
aults.
It would be wisdom on tbe part of our
farmers, howeverenot to part entirely
with an old and tried friend until they
have at least thoroughly tested the:merits
of the new and have proved that it will
serve them as well as the 014 has done.
Our farmers have done well with the
six -rowed barley in the past. Until
this year it has always met with ready
sale and at remunerative prices. In fact
for several years it has been one of the
most profitable erops grown by our
farmers. As is well known, the United
States is the principal market for tkiis
variety of barley. It is maintained y
some that this mardset has permanently
failed US and that it can not be relied
upon hereafter. The ftason given for
this is that the American brewers now
use ern and other cheaper substances
in place of barley, and that this accounts
for the low price and lack of demand
for Canadian barley in the United
States this year. If this were the ase,
then, of course, Canadians must either
cease growing barley or look for an
other market, and as the six -rowed is
not marketable in England, there would
be no other alternative left us if we
wished to gain access to that market but
to grow the two -rowed barley, the kind
they want there, And if we failed to
grow it suitable to their requirements,
to cease growing barley altogether.
But, things have not yet home to , this
pass by a good deal. The substitutes
which are said to have taken the place
of barley for the manufacture of Ameri-
can beer are not used to nearly so large
an extent as to appreciably affect the
price of our article. It is shown by
statistics that the increase in the use of
these substitutes is not greater than the
increased consumption of the -manutac-
tured article, so that under orditary
circumstances prices should remain
about as formerly. It is also.shoWn
that during the past two years there
has been no falling off in the quantity of
barley experted from this country to
the United States, while Canadian bar-
ley, in the American market, retains the
game relative price to American barley
that it has always done. The low price,
therefore, is accounted for by the over -
pro duction, goth in this countrY and in
the United, States, of this cereal, and
also to the fact that large stocks have
been carried over from last year. It
will thus be aeen that the outlook in
that quarter is much more "promising
than some would haveusbelieve, and
that our prospects for A continued f mar-
ket for the six -rowed variety aee as good
as ever they were, but still subject, of
course, to the ordinary fluctuations; from
year to year, as formerly.
While theae are facts which farmers
should bear in mind, they should not
deter any from experimenting with the
new variety. It is always well to have
• two strings to one's bow. If our climate
and soil are adapted for the growth of
the two -rowed variety, and we can pro-
duce it as successfully as the six -rowed
and find as profitable a market for it, ao
much the better,. It will not only prove
a new source of wealth, but it will also
tend to improve the market for the old
variety by reducing the supply. We
will then have two barley markets in-
stead of one. There is this differenoe,
however, between the two markete. We
will always have the market for or
six -rowed close at hand. and consequent-
ly more eay of access, at least it should
I;
be more easy of access, and would be if
the artificial barriers which now exist
were removed. And the nearer we are
to the market the less expense we will
have to incur in getting to it. If,
therefore, the Government would
display the sameenergy and zeal
in securing us free access to the
American markets that they :have
in inducing us to grow an article for the
English market, they wogld then, cer.
tainly, be entitled to the very greatest
thanks and gratitude of the people.
But, in this as in everything else, they
still strangely persist in efforts to open
up for us markets thousands of miles
away, while they refuse to take the
first step towards securing the removal
of the barriers that preclude out free en-
trance into the markets we already
have at 'our very doors. This strange
perversity can scarcely be accounted for
ou business principles.
There is another danger which our
farmers who grow this two -rowed barley
will have to carefully guard against,
and that is getting the two varieties
mixed. The two -rowed is as unsalable
in the States as the six -rowed is in Eng-
land, and a mixture of the two would
.net be salable in either market, as it
would be useless for the purposes re-
quired. Should there be a danger,
therefore, of tlhis mixture, the deputa-
tion which ouij six -rowed has obtained in
the United tates would be ruined,
*bile English maltsters would beequally
chary of running any risks, and as a
result we would lose our old market and
not gain by the new. The necessity for
caution, therefore, is very great. The
experiment, on the whole,is a risky one,
and should not be tried by any who
have not the time and facilities at their
disposal to avoid even the possibility of
danger.
The Princeton Tragedy.
Whit . has now became familiarly
known as the Princeton Tragedy is
creating a great deal of public interest..
For several days the city papers have
teemed with the, most sen eational reports
of the affair, in some instances the
statements of one day being contradicted
by those of the next. The bare details
of the tragedy, are sufficiently distress-
ing,without the usual embellishments of
the very fertile itnaginations of the city
reporters and telegraphic news gatherers.
The leading particulars of the occurrence
are as follows :
A few Weeks ago the body of a young
man was found by two wood -cutters in a
lonely and unfrequented spot on the
edge of a large swamp a few miles from
the small village of Princeton in -the
tewnship of Blenheim, County of Ox-
ford. There was nothing to show who
the unfortunate man was, and be was
entirely unknown in the neighborhood.
The cause of his death, however, was
quite evident as there were two bullet
holes in the back of his head, thus show -
that his death had been the result of foul
play, .and that a heartless murder had
been comilitted. On closer examination
iC was found that all his underclothing
had been marked, evidently by his name,
but in order to remove all traces ,of his
identity these marks had been carefully
cut out. In due time an inquest was
held on the remains, a verdict re-
turned in accordance with the facts thus
related, and the body was interred in
the Princeton cemetery. Thee far it
seemed as if the identity of the mur-
dered man, As well as the perpetrator of
the crime, would remain a mystery
and. the occurrence soon drop out of
memory.
The affair, however, was ultimately_
taken up by the detectives who, on vis-
iting the place where the body was
found, and near where it lay, picked up
a cigar case on which was written in a
b31d, clear hand, the name "J. H. Ben -
well." This was a clue for the detec-
tives to work on and they have followed
it up well and successfully as the sequel
will show. ,dThe discovery has led to the
identity of the murdered man, and,
most likely, to his murderer. The an-
nouncement of the finding of the cigar
case was pablished in the papers and
came to the attention of a young Eng-
lishman marned J. R. Burchell, who,
with his wife and another young Eng-
lishman named Douglass R. Pelly, had
arrived in this country and were then
staying at an hotel at Niagara Falls,
Burchell and his wife went to Princeton
to see , the body of the deceased man,
which had been exhumed. They fully
identified it as that of :Benwell, and
stated that he had cameto this country
with them a short time previous and
had left them at Buffalo for the purpose
of going up west to look for a farm. On
his way back from Princeton, Burchell
was over -hauled by detectives at Paris,
who had an interview with him regard-
ing the murdered man. During this
interview something in his conduct or
manner caused suspicion in the detee-
tives mind that he knew more about the
niurder than he chOse to tell. From
that oat they kept their eye on hies and
followed, him back td4Niagara Falls.
They Also secured Pelly there, and on
the strength of informatiOn received
-from him they arrested Burchell,
charging him with the murder of Ben -
well.
Pelly's story, which is fully borne out
and corroborated by succeeding facts is,
in subetance, that in January last
through answering an advertisement in
one of the London, England, papers, he
entered into correspondence with and
finally met Burchell and arranged to
come to Canada with him. Burchell
represented to him that he had a large
farm in Canada, near Niagara Falls;
that the dwelling house was lighted by
gas and the stock barns by electricity,
and that he was .extensively engaged in
dealing in horses, buying 'them and fit-
ting them up on this farm for shipment
to the old country markets; that he
bed another large feral near Woodstock,
end that he wanted to engage a sort of
travelling manager to assist him in look-
ing after his business. This was just
the position young Pelle, wanted, and
he made an engagement with Burchell.
THE HURON 'EXPOSITOR.
In consideration of an advance of $600
Burchell was to pay Polly's' expenses to
Canadas initiate him into the mysteries
of managing a farm, the stables on
which were lighted by electrid light,
and give him 20 per cent. Of the profits
of his extensive stock business. After
considerable uegotiations the money was
paid, and arrangements were completed
td the evident satisfaction of both par-
ties. When Pelly got on board the
vessel for Canada he was somewhat sur-
prised to find with Burchell another
young man named Benwell who, he
came ,to find out, had also en-
gaged ,with his employer in a
similar capacity to that in Which he
had himself been engaged. This very
naturally aroused his suspicions that all
was not right, and during the voyage he
asked Burchell for an explanation.The
explanation of course was readily given,
and was so plaueible that Pelly's fears
were allayed'and his confidence restored.
Benwell, also, was suspicious that all
was not right, but as he had not paid
any money in advance, and had only
agreed to pay the money if he found
things satisfactory when .he reached
Canada, hnevaa not so particular, and in
the meantime Barchell had succeeded in
creating distrust and ill -feeling between
the young men so that there was little
intercourse between them. The whole
party, consisting of Burchell and his
wife, Pelly and Benwell arrived safely
in New York in due course, and after
remaining there a few days they came
on to Buffalo. While here, on the 17th
of February, Bluebell and Benwell ar-
ranged to go to Niagara to see how
things were getting on at the farm, and
if the house was comfortable mid every-
thing satisfactory, Burchell was to
telegraph to Pelly, and he and Mrs.
Burchell were to follow immediately.
Burchell, however, returned to Buffalo
that evening, but Benwell was not with
him. When asked where Benwell was,
he said that he did not like the people
at the farm and had gone on to London
to see 'some friends there who had come
out on the vessel with them. He also
-said that the house on the farm
had . been rented by the mana-
ger, and that it was in such
a filthy state that it would have to be
cleansed and renovated before it could
be made habitable, and proposed going
to Niagara Falls tostay until the house
could be made ready for their reception.
They came to the Falls and enjoyed life
there for a few days,but before they got
to the farm; -the finding of Benwell's
cigar case tine( the other circumstances
we have narrated transpired. It is al-
most needless to say that the farm was
a figment of Mr. Burehell's imagination,
get up to deceive his dupes, and that
instead of being a wealthy land owner
he has turned oat to be- an adventurer
and rogue of the deepest dye.
Now for the sequel whioh connects
him with the murder. Last year
he Spent several months in Woodstock
passing himself off as Lord Somerset and
became notorious in the town and
neighborhood by his extravagant p.bits
and fast way of living. He spent oney
lavishly, gave champagne suppers and
drove stylish livery rigs, and in the fall
disappeared mysteriously, leaving his
champagne and livery bills unpaid and
was not heard of again until now. On
the very day on which he left Buffalo
with Benwell the two men were noticed
on the cars betweem Hamilton and
Woodstock, they Were seen getting off
the train at Eastwood, a small way
station near Princeton and were seen
on the road at different parts by differ-
ent people between • the station
and the lonely swamp where the
body of poor Benwell was af-
terwards found, and in the afternoon
of the same day Burchell was seen on
the road returning from the swamp
alone, was recognised and spoken to
at Eastwood station, and was also seen
and recognised on the train on the way
back to Niagara. The supposition is,
and the evidence justifies it, that Bur-
chell, on the pretence of going to see his
farm near Woodstock, induced Benwell
to accompany him, and that on arriving
at Eastwood station, they started out on
foot for the supposed. farm, Burchell on
this pretence leading --his victim to this
lonely, spot and getting in behind him,
shot nim. He then cut the marks from
his clothing, rifled his pockets, and re-
turned to the station and from thence to
Buffalo. The diabolical scheme was well
planned and faithfully carried out, and
had it not been for the finding Of the
cigar case with the name on it the mur-
der would, in all probability, have re-
mained a mystery, and the murderer
would be free to choose more victims,of
whom young Pelly would, it is most
likely, have been the next. During
Burchell's stay in Woodstock last Sum-
mer, he was in the habit of making fre-
quent excursions to Eastwood and
Princeton, and fished and hunted in
those neighborhoods and was thorough-
ly acquainted with all the country
around. He had,therefore, selected
the spot for his crime from a previous
knowledge of its suitability.
These are the bare details of the ter-
rible tragedy. - it is not supposed that
Burchell got much money from his vic-
tim, not more than a couple of hundred
dollars, but his object was, as his sub-
sequent eonduct showed, had the mur-
der not been discovered, to get more
money from Benivell's father in the old
country, ati two clays after the murder
he had written to him, telling him that
his son was well satisfied with everything
as he found it inCanada and asking him to
send him a large sum of money, naming
the amount, and saying that his son
would write in a few days. Burchell is
ndw confined in Welland jail, awaiting
the close of the preliminary investiga-
tion, at which he will, no doubt, be
committed to stand his trial at the prop-
er court having jurisdiction. Mrs.
Burchell is also under arrest, but it is
geVerally supposed that she did not
know anything of her husband's 'doings,
and that she is herself the victim of a
designing villain. She has only been
married about a year, and is said to be
very respectably connected in England,
and her father and mother are now on
their way to this country to look after
her, interests. The father of the mur-
dered man is also on his way to this
country.
Burchell is a man of about 25 years of
age. He is the son of a ouce prominent
clergyman in England. His father died
-a few years ago and left him a small
sum of money. Be is well educated,
highly cultured and it is said of most
engaging manners, being a charming
conversationalist when he likes. But he
leas led a wild and dissolute life, and
although so young has a more checkered
career than many older veterans in
crime. His victim, Benwell, was the
MABorr 14, 1890.
son of a retired English army officer,
was about 22 years of age and was
also well educated,anci had been brought
up a gentleman, as the phrase goes.
THE report of the Minister of Edu-
cation recently laid before the Legisla-
ture shows that the amount of money
received for Public School -purposes in
Ontario in 1888 wail $4,456,352. Of this
sum over two -third ---$3,08O, 995—was
contributed by the people of the various
municipalities and school districts,while
one-foutth — $1,100,846 — came from
clergy reserves, balances, etc., and the
remaining onetwetith—$274,511—from
Legislative grants. The expenditure on
schools was $3,859,365. Of this the great-
er part, $2,521,537, was spent in teach-
ers' salaries; $575,973 on new buildings,
sites,etc.; $732,473 on rents, repairs,fuel,
etc.; and $29,383 on maps, apparatus
and prizes. Great progress in educa-
tion is indicated by the simple fact that
in a single year the people jf Ontario
spend more than half a million dollars
on new school buildings and sites, In
the past twelve years they have spent
-about forty-five millions in this way.
• saeseemesee....em+
APROPOS of this latest election in
Haldimand, in which Mr. Coulter was
defeated by Dr. Montague, a leading
citizen of Dunnville writes to Grip as
follows :
"It is a great pity that you had not
had an artist on the Indian Reserve in
Haldimand the night before the election,
for certainly there must, as the saying
is have been 'a scene for an artist.' Dr.
riontague had lashings of beer and liquor
and eating supplies carted in there, and
after feeding the Indians and giving
them all they could drink, and giving
them it good time generally, they got up
a dance, which was kept up until day-
light, and my informant tells me that the
Doctor took part in the dances, swing-
ing the squaws around in , the loudest
• kind of style. - Then, next morning, he
headed a gang of bucks, numbering at
least forty, and led them down the road
to the polls and voted them. Such
electioneering is certainly novel, and
speaks volumes for the Indian voter. It
occurred to me that if you were in need of
a subject for a cartoon you couldn't have
a more Apropos subject. It actually
took place, for my informant saw it and
is reliable,"
FROM THE CAPITAL.
(From Out Own Correspondent.)
OTTAWA, March loth, MOO.
The week has been a comparatively
quiet one. No great results have been
achieved in the way of legislation, but
a number of subjects which had to be
discussed have either been finally dis-
posed of or advanced one or more stages.
For one thing the Orange Bill has
been passed in the Commons, and now
stands for consideration by the Senate,.
and it is pretty cert s ia to pass there by
a good majority. There is a generdl
feeling of relief that the Bill has been
disposed of at last. Even the French
Canadians, who are tribally supposed to
be fiercely opposed to the Bill, are priv-
ately gratified that this cause of griev-
ance is removed. They look to see the
Orange organization Much weakened by
the fact that it will now be a rich cor-
poration fully reeognized by the law,
instead of an institution capable of com-
manding public sympathy because of
alleged unfair treatment.
Another good job done -is Sir John
Thompson's bulky andcomplicated Bill,
codifying the law regarding checks,
notes, and bills of exchange, which was
read the third time on Friday. This
Bill'is quite beyond the Senate's com-
prehension and the probability is that it
will go through at once.
On Tuesday, Dr. Montague, the new-
ly elected member for Haldimand, was
introduced and took his seat. There
seems a thorough determination on the
part of the Liberals hare that this elec-
tion shall be ventilated in the courts, for -
it is believed that such 'revelations will
result as will not merely unseat the doc-
tor, but will aim) awake the people of
Canada to the danger which has so long
existed of a perfectly reckless reign of
corruption.
Several grave scandals have been
brought up during the week. One of
these affects the Government only indi-
rectly through its officers, but it is a very
serious matter in any case. The case
was brought up by Mr. Lister, who is a
heavy -weight physically and a etrong
slugger in debate. The ease was not a
new one to Parliament, but it was never
brought forward in the shape of a direet
charge and a demand for an investiga-
tion. The case arose out of the charges
of looting made against prominent offi-
cers during the lkorthwest Rebellion.
The principal Charge was that the whole
season's catch of a wealthy half-breed
fur trader, Mr. Charles Bremener, had
been taken from him by order of General
Middleton to be cared for by the Gov-
ernment
Middleton,
of the Government, but
when Bremener wentto get his furs after
the war was over he found that they had
been sent away and the officer in charge
told him that this had been done by
order of General Middleton. It subse-
quently appeared that Mr. Hayter
Reid, Indian Commissioner at Regina,
had written to the offieer in charge
directing him to put up the furs -in four
boxes and direct two of them to -General
Middleton, one to himself (Mr. Reid),
and one to M.,S. Bedson, Warden of the
Manitoba Penitentiary. If this was
done it was a case simply of robbery.
At first, notwithstanding Mr. Lister's
strong presentation of the case the Gov-
ernment declined to appoint the commit-
tee of investigation on the ground that
Mr. Bremener had taken his case before
the courts, and it would not be fair to
have him before two tribunals at once.
But the General has found it impossible
to remain longer quiet under the chargee
made against him. The whole volunteer
force of the country is talking about
these charges against their commanding
offic,er, arid that gentleman finds he
might as well fight, for if he doesn't he
will be sure to lose anyhow. Conse-
quently he asked the Government to
agree to the appointment of the commit-
tee, and all that remains now is to agree
as to who shall form the committee and
then the investigation will proceed. It
will be one of the most interesting fea-
tures of the session.
The other scandal of the week is the
Government's expenditure on the short
line railway. It will be remembered
that last session the country was start-
led as by a thunderbolt from a clear sky
when the Senate actually threw out the
Government's bill which provided for
the building of the Short Line railway
from Harvey, New Brunswick, to Salis-
bury or Moncton, which was intended
to give the Canadian Pacific a short
means of access to the harbor of Hali-
fax. When the Government forced the
matter through the House of Commons
no information was given to the mem-
bers as to why they should vote for the
Bill, it was simply pushed through by
the main force of the Government and
the Canadian Pacific united. When
the measure was throwu out in the Sen-
ate Mr. Abbott, the representative of
the .Government in the Senate, gave a
solemn promise that no money would be
spent on the line until authorised by
Parliament. But hardly had Parlia-
ment adjourned before the Government
began to survey the line, and before the
season had closed they had spent over
$22,000, of which $9,000 was spent out
of the general survey's fund, while the
balance of $13,000 was appropriated by
Governor General's warrants. This is
one of the worst features of the case for
Governor General's warrrants as pro-
vided for by law are not to be issued
except in case of unforeseen emergeney.
Aside from the wrongfulness ef doing
the work at all this expenditure of
money by Governor General's warrants
is nothing more or leas than a breach of
trust. Unfortunately the only court
before which the Government can be
tried is the House of Commons and the
members are too much under control of
the Government to allow of an adverse
vote. The defence entered by the Pre-
mier wise a very curious one. He de-
clared that the Opposition had cried out
for surveys before consenting to vote
for the building of the railway, and he
was only carrying out the wishes of the
Opposition in surveying the line, so as
to be able to lay the information before
Parliament for a vote on the building of
the line. This amounted to a confession
that Parliament had no informations
•
when they voted on the subject last year.
This is a rather curious dilemma for the
Premier to be in. When the vote was
taken on Mr. Laurier's motion of
censure on this subject, there was a
solid party vote except that one French
Canadian, usually a Government sup-
porter, voted with the °position. Of
course the motion was lost.
The great scandal is yet to come.
Arrangements have been made to dis-
cuss the Rykert case to -morrow. Sir
Richard Cartwright who has taken the
the place of prosecutor in this case has
formulated his resolution and given no-
tice of it for the benefit of all eoncerned.
The resolution sets torth the documents
showing that Mr, Rykert used his posi-
tion as a member of Parliament to get
the Cypress Hills limit for his princi-
pals and to get a large sum for it, that
he afterwards untruthfully denied the
fact that he falsely charged members of
the cabinet with -helping liim in his de-
signs and consequently "that the conduct
of the said John C. Ryckert in the pre-
mises is, and has been discreditable,.
corrupt and scandalous." It will thus
be seen tint the suggestion at first made
that Mr. itykert should be expelled has
not been carried out. There is great
anxiety to know how the vote will go,
for the case against Mt. Rykert seems
to be absolutely clear, while, at the
same time, the impression is very strong
that the Government will not dare to al-
low Mr. Rykert to go undefended:
Talking about scandals, the Minister
of Public Works, Sir Hector Langevin,
has had a very unpleasant time for sev-
eral evenings past. As a rule this gen-
tleman is let off very easy by the opposi-
tion on the discussion of the estimates
of his department. But this year every-
body seems to have a grievance against
him and charges of mad administration,
jobbery and. downright deceit in rela-
tion to a dozee or more public works
havebeen made against him in a man-
ner that shows the men who make them
mean everything they say. Among other
things alleged, for instance, is that he
spent $3,000 in blasting rocks out of an
important harbor in Prince Edward Is-
land and that the rocks were left there
actually reducing the depth of water
and making the harbor more unsafe than
before. He also built a wharf some dis-
tance up a New Brunswick river, not-
withstanding there is a bar at the mouth
of the river which keeps out all craft
heavier than a birch bark canoe. Sir
Hector does not lose his temper; if he
did there would be a riot for the mem-
bers of the Oppositibn seem to be in
fighting humor. The mutability of human affairs seems
likely to have another proof and illus..,
tration in the length of the present ses:
sion. Everybody said when the rision
opened that there would be nothing to
do but pass the estimates and close up.
But by the time this letter reaches the
homes of ExPosrrou subscribers .the
ninth week of the session will have
opened, and the Budget Speech not yet
delivered. Even were nothing special
promised in the Budget it would be im-
possible to close in less than five weeks
after the bringing of it down. But early
this session the Premier declared that
there were to be "considerable tariff
changes affecting considerable interests,"
and every manufacturer who has a tariff
grievance seems to be heading for Ot-
tawa personally or by proxy to see if he
cannot secure some desired change or
head off one that he doesn't want to see
inaugurated. If Parliament does not
aft seven weeks after the Budget comes
down it will be a remarkable thing, all
the store so because the Liberals seem
at last to have come to the conclusion
that they must fight in order to win.
Mr. Foster has agreed to give a full
week's notice of his intention to bring
down the Budget, so that it will be im-
possible to have it before one week from
to -morrow, that is to say on the 18th of
this month. It will not surprise any-
body if he does not complete the process
of incubation for a week longer than
that,
Meantime the Opposition continues its
atta3ks upon the tariff. Mr. Fisher, of
Brome, moved on Friday to have the
duty removed from corn. This does not
meet with the approval of all members
of the Opposition, nor would it be op-
posed by all Government supporters.
No formal vote was taken upon the ques-
tion, but the resolution was declared
lost. The debate was interesting as
turning mainly upon the question
r
tioon
whether the farmers are prosperous
not. Mr. Fisher'(Liberal), who is a
practical farmer,declared that in the
Eastern Townships of Quebec, with
dvhich section he is best acquainted,
many people have been 'driven to the
Western States because they could not
make a living on their own farms. Mr.
Pope, of Compton, (Conservative), an-
other Eastern Township man recently
elected, took the diametrically opposite
view and declared the farmers to be
prosperous and contented. According
as these Men have judged rightly will
the political sides they repreaent be
favored in the next general election, for
a thoroughly dissatisfied people will de -
feat any government.
The Ontario Legislature.
Tosorro, March ilth, 1890.
(From our own Correspondent.)
Probably the most sensational episode
of the week in connection with the
Legislature is that of the Parliament
Buildings fracas between Mr. Fraser and
the editor of the Empire, Mr. Creighton.
Even that numerous section of the com-
munity which does not read the Empire
has generally heard of the vicious and
indignant attacks which for nearly two
years past that journal has been makii3g
on the Public Winks Department in
connection with the erection of the new
Parliament buildings. Jobbery and
corruption have been charged upon this
Department again and again, often in
terries too pointed to admit of a doubt
that it was at the head of the Commis-
sioner himself that the charges were
mainly burled. Mr. Fraser bided his
time. He had all the Empire's editori-
als cut out, and neatly pasted into a
•scrap book. But he said nothing in re-
ply to them. The charges became more
and more reckless, they were all put in-
to the scrap book. At last the other
day on the floor of the House Mr. Fra-
ser took occasion to turn slightly adder
from -the natural couse of a debate qn
some other subject, and to tell Mi.
Creighton in good set terms that if he
believed these charges of the Empire te
be true, it was his duty to make them
on the floor of the House. He challenged
him to make them there and plainly
asserted his willingness to stake hispub-
lic reputation on the result of the find-
ings of any commission which Mr.
, Creighton might ask for. He could have
the commission he insisted by simply
moving for it. Mr. Creighton did not
reply at the time, he had not, in fact,
the opportunity, and had he the oppor-
tunity, it is to be doubted if he would
have been prepared. But on Thursday
when the House was in committee of
supply, Mr. Harconet being in the
chair, Mr. Creighton threw in his bomb
when the item for the repairs of the old
Parliament Buildings dame up for con-
sideration. It was. a reiteration of
all the charges that had been made,
and a voluntary offer to assume respon-
sibility for all that had been written
in the Empire. He urged, though,
that the charges had been directed at
the Department and at the architect,
not at Mr. Fraser himself. This was,
of course, an attempt to shirk respons
sibility, but it might have saved the
Empire editor from a little of the
scorching that followed had it not been
for his having in an unguarded moment,
just at the beginning of Mr. Fraser's re-
ply, forced in the remark that all the
corruption and jobbery that had taken
place in the Department had been with
Mr. Fraser's knowledge. Mr. Creighton
ix a harsh, uncouth speaker at the best
of times, and this made more unpleasant
than might otherwise have been the
general effect upon the House of an un-
scrupulous onslaught on the personal
character of one of the most eminent
architects of the continent, if not upon
that of the Commissioner himself. Mr.
Fraser talked. for about:three quarters
of an hour, and showed what the House
knew, however, pretty well before, that
there was not a tittle of founda-
tion for all the extravagant charges
made by Mr, Creighton. Mr. Creighton,
after some investigation of the columns
of the Empire, had only been able, so he
said, to, find one article of the nature to
which Mr. Fraser had referred, and
that, which he read to the House, was
really a moderate one. Mr. Fraser,
however, was able to quote from a doz-
en articles most violent and vitupera-
tive in their character, and the number
could no doubt have been easily doubled
if the Minister had wished. The main
burden of the Empire's charges had been
that the architect of the building is a
"Yankee," to whom the work hed been
given in preference to Toronto architects
who had competed. It was also obscurely
hinted that an additional reason for Mr.
Waite's -being preferred was to be
found in the fact that he vial' a Roman
Catholic. it was also insinuated that
Mr. Waite would, no doubt, " divvy "
up a handsome proportion of the archi-
tect's fees as a contribution to the
election fund of the party, and that this
was a strong motive to the Government
in giving him the contract. Now, Mr.
Waite is the same gentleman who put
up the Mail building some years ago,
the same also who put up, and is still
putting up, the two finest buildings on
King street, viz., those. of the Bank of
Commerce and the Canada Life Ineur-
ance Company. Important business
organizations therefore do not scruple to
employ Americans to superintend the
outlay of vast sums of money when thy
consider it to their advantage to do s�s
—not any more than the Canadian
Pacific Railway directors do to work
under the headship of an American in,
the person of Mr. Van Horne. But in
addition t� the fact that the Govern-
ment would have been following excel-
lent precedents had the contract been
awarded to an American, supposing him
well suited for the work, there remains
the additional fact that Mr. Waite was
not, and is not an American inthe true
sense of the word, but a native of Eng-
land who came to the United States
when twelve years of age; so that if
national animosity is to be carried so far
as the Empire would have them still the
Government has an ample defence. A
third point of interest is that Mr. Waite
is not a co -religionist of Mr. Fraser's, is
in fact nothing more or less than an
. Unitarian. The general charges of cor-
ruption and jobbery preferred by Mr.
I Creighton had been ao extremely general
in their scope that they could not well
I be answered on the spot without a most
tedious and exhaustive analysis of all
the monies spent. Mr. Fraser contented
himself with denying them in toto, and
again challenging Mr. Creighton to sub-
mit his charges to the inveatigation of a
commission. A noteworthy incident of
the short debate that followed was the
strong terms of condemnation Mr. Mere-
dith used in referring to the too -prevalent
habit of bringing false charges against
public men, of which, by the way, not a
word was reported by the Empire next
morning though it generally prints every
word Mr. Meredith Utters or pretends
to do so. On Friday morning and again
this (Monday) morning the Empire re-
news its attacks on Mr. Fraser, and
it Is probable the last has not been
heard of the matter yet.
Another interesting debate was that
which arose on Mr. A. F. Woods' Bill,
for the introduction of an a.bsolutelytec-
ret ballot. iThe debate was adjourned
and is not edit concluded, though there re-
mains little to be said on the subject.
The Attorney -General and Mr. Hardy
showed very clearly that the present
system is to all intents and purposes
secret, and that the rendering of it ab74
solutely so can only place a premium
on corruption .and personating. Ex-
ceptin cases of scrutiny all votes now
cast are absolutely secret unless the
deputy -returning officer prejures him-
self, and even then he could probably
only identify one single voter. Mr.
Wood Medea very able speech, how-
ever, in moving the second reading of
the Bill, and it is not unlikely that he
may capture one or two Liberal votea
when the division comes. Two impart -
ant Government measures were intro-
duced during the week, one that' con-
cerning the abolition of exemptions, an-
other dealing with the Separate School
Act. The latter is intended specially
for the removal of all alleged ambiguity
in the interpretation of the sections of
the Act relating to the assessment of
ratepayers for. school taxes, providing
for the nature of the notice to be sentif
the ratepayer intends supporting Separ-
ate Schools, and for the proper filling
up of such notices by the
clerk of. the municipality. The
Minister of Education in introducing
the Bill announced that it did not con-
tain any provision for the introduction
of the ballot into Separate School elec-
tions. There seemed to be no agitation
for it, and so it had not been done. it
had been introduced into Parliamentary,
Municipal and Public School elections,
successively, only becauseoit hadft een
..petitioned for, and the same rule had
been observed with reference to Separate
Schools. Mr. Ross pointed out too
that only a third or so of the mania
paliti es entitled to the ballot at Public
Scho 1 elections availed themselves of
the rivilege, and these in some cases
won:. like to go back to the old system,
but r re unable to do so, having once
adopted the new.
Tho tax exemption measure was one
that touches the people more nearly. It
was introduced by the treasurer, who
did not pretend to claim that itwasgo-
ing'to remedy all the present inconsis-
tencies of the assessment law—only
that it was going to slightly improve it,
and of this there can be no doubt. Pub-
lic opinion, he said, seemed to be qgite
undecided as to what action shiduld
be taken in reference to other frequent
causes of complaint in the assessment
act. The most important provisions oil
the bill are the abolition of exemptions on
church lands; 'the buildings themselves
will remain free from taxation -as hereto-
fore. The same rule will apply toeincor-
porated -educational institutions and
lands attaching to them. And lastly
the salaries and residences of the clergy
are no longer to be exempted. This last
will no doubt affect with some severity
a number of poor clergy, and in such
eases the congregations should add the
taxation ill to their stipend.
News of the Week.
Mune—Sir Teter Coates, of the well-
known thread -making firm of J. & P.
Coates, is dead:
Ennenenti.--There is a virulent out-
break of spotted fever in the vicinity of
Nashville, Tennessee.
DIED.—Mrs. Carolina bonovan, the
-founder of the Donovan chair of English
literature in the John Hopkins „Univers-
ity, is dead. d
GOLD WEATHER IN Naw YORIE.—New
York had ,the coldest weather of the
winter Friday -10 degrees above zero at
8 a. tn.
AN UNNATURAL MAN.—CharlesCamp
was hanged at Charleston, West Vir-
ginia, the other day, for murdering his
son and daughter.,
THE KAISER INQVIRES.—Emperor
William has ordered an enquiry into the
causes which led to the recent election
disorders.
GASLIGHT IN PERSIA. —The Shah of
Persia has ordered his ambassadors to
send engineers to provide large Persian
towns with gas.
A POOR MAN GETS A FORTUNE.—
Daniel D. Blake, of Fall River, Massa-
chusetts,- has received word that he is
heir to a $200,000 estate in England.
Blake is marrpoAoLrLyKr
man.ann. —Capt. Miller,
of the Inman steamship City of Rich-
mond, while the ship was at Liverpool,
missed his footing and falling into the
hold was instantly killed.
HIGH WATER.—The Mississippi is
ing rapidly. In front of New Orleans it
is at the highest point on record, and
fears are entertained of very extensive
inuutmtipoLnoe.yErb IN SAN FRA.Nersco._
There is so much distress among the
San Francisco unemployed that a special
committee has been appointed to
furnish city work at the rate of $1.50 a
day.
RAILWAY AOCIDENT.—A disastrous
collision took place on the Lake Shore
road near Buffalo the other day. Ten
persons were killed and twenty-five
iniUrEewd.
N
CATHOLIC RAM—The London
Chronicle says a Catholic bank is about
to be started at Paris with a capital of
2,000,000 francs. The enterprise is sanc-
tioned by the Pope.
WEDDED AND WIDOWED.—John A.
Hodgson, a young Cleveland man of
position, married Addie May Bishop on
Friday, and immediately on reaching
the Bishops' residence after the eere-
amsosingyuihnegyse.
blew coauuthis brains without
DEATH OF YOUNG LINCOLN. --The
death of young Abrahara Lincoln,grand-
son of the late President Lincoln," which
took . place in London, England, 011
Wednesday last week, resulted from the
after effects of an operation performed
on him for carbuncle under the arm
aboutopera
t seventeenionasp ewr feoerk adgoF.obAruseeryecog
though with little hopes of permanent
benefit, and from its effects he never
effectively rallied He was 19 years of
age and was an exceedingly intelligent
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