Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1911-03-02, Page 7e RpundC A Romance of Arizona Novelized on Edmund DaY'e lelelOdrarna By JOHN MURRAY and MILLS MILLER copyrieht, IP% by G, W. Dillingham Co. ssessiet***6.444.4044404114.0•444•••0444•••••••••444444444 Atter:, the job, rode a Faeroe bore," anewered "Gioia'?" laugbed Jim. between puffs of his pipe. what I call ft If 7 "Then 130 a stranger to these pees Jack's pinto paces. • WS Ws regnittr gait. It's the only pache boas around here." "That's so." he asseuted. but made no further comment. The full force of the observation did not strike him at the time. Polly began to pump t.;olonel Jim. There were several recent happenings which she did not fully comprehend. At tee inquisitive age and a girl, she wanted to know all that was going on. °Jack's been actin' mighty queer of late," she 1.;,entured, "like he's got somethhe on his mind," Jim smiled at her simplicity and Jok. ingly replied, "Well, he's married.' The retort exasperated. Polly. She was not meeting with the success she desired. "Do hush1"-she cried in her annoyance. "That's enough on any man's mitid," Jim laughed as he sauntered out of the door. • .44T hat's U. Now wen- stalled," he cried ematanay. switch off you'll get a callous on that ,one finger of yonm." Fresno looked at that member dubiously. "Ain't music eivilizin'?" suggested 'Show Low to Jim Allen. "You bet!" the ranchman agreed. "Take a pianny an' enough Winches- ters an' you can civilize the hull of China." •"Fresno could kill more with his pianny play than his gun play," sug- gested Show Low. •• efrs. Allen bethought herself that there was a lot of work to be done in preparation for the party. Even if ev- srything was ready the,dear old soul •would find something to do or worry .about. "Come, now, clear out of here, the ;hull kit are.b'ilin' of you!" she ordered. The men hastily crowded out on the i piazza. "Take that packin' case out of sight cif you mean this plainly to be a sur - .prise to Echo. She'll be trottin' back !here in no time," she added. • Fresno had lingered toassure Jim: • 'This here birthday's goin' to be a :success. Would you like another se 'lection?" be eagerly asked. "Not unless you wash your lingerr • snapped Mrs. Allen, busy polishing the keys Fresno had. struck. "You left a • grease spot on every key you've touch- • ed," she exPlahled. Fresno held up bis finger for Allen's inspection. "I've been greasin' the wagon " was his explanation. "Get out with the rest of tbemr' she • commanded. "I've got enough to do to look after that cake." Mrs. Allen dart- ed into the kitchen. Jim slowly filled his pipe and hunted up the most corn. _fortable chair. After two or three heals he found one to suit him and sank back, with a sign of content. "Jack ain't back yet?" Polly put the leuestion. • . •• - • "No; he rode.'oe'er for the ^ ! leolly rearranged the chairs in the rocim, picking up and replactsig the • articles on the table to suit her own >Ili- tIstic conceptions. She straightened out a war bonnet on the wall. She was flicking off a spot of dust on the gut chair that Jack had got as a wed- ding present for Echo on the day of the station agent'vmurder, and, being reminded of the tragedy, she asked, "That posse didn't catch the parties -that killed Terrill, did they?" "Not that I hear on. Slim Hoover he took the .boye that night an' tried to pick up the :trail atter le entered the river, but they couldn't find where it -polite out" "One of themfellers, the man that left the station alone and probably done Wee:3 Troubled With Complaint For Three Years. Milburn's taxa -Liver Pills will regu- latz tee flow or bile to act properly upon Powela. and will tone, renovate .and writ*. tne liver re.noving every result ave. trotwie :torn the temporary but iisegreeable ecaltehe to the severest ter,ne of liver complaint, Mr. S. Nelson, North Sydney, KS, • :nteq 4--" 1 wive used your Lase -Liver I '(I fwits e whiled with liver eotn- pi 'at or tnree years, and could get no fetid. 1 %%a' perstrecled by a friend to try eour re ;dg. and After. taking one vial I gat Meet. Alter 1 had taken three more t was cured co•npletely. and 1 have hot been trmi ied since, thanke to your Vaeta e (Ovine." Mee:ire [. a f..ive Pills ere 25 .teate, e. e•al or 6 vtals for $1,00. at6.4 ,deetc s or tetteed direct on receipt of „Prix ny the I: ililourn Co., Limited, egetronte, Ott. tito in( titIATA TANTA MARCH 2t ilare you. didh't We Dick adeal." eguatill Allen liked his sonellnittle and wee gong to stand by him, but in Arleen% the saying "All's fair In lime and war" is not accepted at its face value. "I didn't," acknowledged Jack. .41 was deiperate at the thought of losing her. Site loved me and had forgotten him. She's happy with me now." "I reckon that's right," was Jima congioling• reply. To clinch his argument and soothe Ids troublesome conscience Jack con- tinued, "She never would have been happy with him." • "That's what I told him," declared Allen "Ile knew it, an' that's why he went away, an' Echo, no matter what comes, she must never knoW. She'd never forgive you—an', fer that tnatter, me neither," Jack looked long out of the window toward the distant 'mountains, the barrier behind which Dick was wan- dering In the great desert, cut off from the woman he loved by a false friend. "How I have suffered for that del" uttered Jack in tones full of anguish. "That's what hurts me most — the thought that I lied to her. I might have killed him that night," pondered .Tack. Ile shuddered at the thought Sint he had been on the point of add- ing murder to the lie. He had faced the same temptation which Dick had vet to overcome, "Mebbe you did. There's more'n one way of killin' a man," suggested Allen, Jack swung around and faced him. 'rhe observation had struck home. He realized how poignantly Dick must have endured the hew of Echo and the thought of his betrayal by Jack. As he had suffered mentally so Dick must be suffering in the desert. In self jute tificatiou he returned to his old argu- ment. "I waited until I was sure he wits dead. Six months 1 waited after vee heard the news. After I had told Eche I loved her and found that I was loved' in return—then came this letter. God, what a fight I had with myself when I found that he still lived—was think- ing of returning home to claim her for ' his ownl I rode out into the hills and fought it out all alone, like an Indian. Then I resolved to burry the wedding— to lie to her—and I have been living that Ile every minute, every hour." Jack leaned heavily on the table. His head sank. His voice dropped al- most to, a whisper. Allen slapped him on the back to cheer him up. Philosophically he an- nounced: "Well, it's got to be as it is. You'll mebbe never hear from him again. You mustn't never tell her. I ain't a-goin' to say nothin' about it Her happiness means everything to me." Jack grasped his band In silent thankfulness. The two men walked slowly out of the room to the corral. "Momethirt' queer about Jack," ob- served Polly, seating herself at the table. "He ain't been the same man since the weddin'. He's all right when Echo's around, but when he thinks no one is watchin' him he sits around an' sighs." • Jack entered the room at this mo- ment. Absentmindedly he hung hie hat and spurs on a rack and leaned bis rifle against the wall, sighing deeply as he did so. So engrossed was he in his thoughts that he did not notice Polly until he reached tite table. He started in surprise when he saw her. "Hello, Polly!" was his greeting. "Where is Eeho?" Polly rose hastily at the sound of his voice. "Didn't you meet her?" she asked. "We got her to :ride Over towardTuc- son this Mornin to get her out of the way so's to snake the Dianne, in with. out her seein' it." Polly glided over to the instrument and touched the keys softly. With admiration Jack gazed at the Instrument. came around by Florence," an- swered Jack, with a smile. Eagerly Polly turned toward him. "See anything of Bud Lane?" 'she queried. • "No." Again Jack smiled, this time at the girrs impetuosity. • "He'll lose his job • with me if be don't call more regular," she said: "Say, Jack, you , ain't fergettin'• what you promised—to help Bud •Wtth the money that you said was comin' soon as Dick's share of a speculation you and him was pardnere in? Pin powerful anxious to get him away theta McKee." • - Jack had not forgotten the promise; but, alas, under the goading of Mrs. Allen that he should clear off the mort- gage on his home, he hadeused Dick Lane's money for' this purpose. In - what a mesh of lies and broke* prom. • ises he was ientatiglIng himselt! Neer he,was forced furtherto deceive true; ing little Polly in the matter that was' dearest to her heart. "No, Folly, but the fact Is -'that Spec- ulation isn't turning out so well, after all." The disappointed igirl turned nadir away and went out to MtS. Allen inthe kitchen.. e Jack removed his belt and ten and hung ,thern; on the rack- 'by the door. Spying 'Echo's father at the corral, he called to him to come into the house. "Hello, Jack!" was Allen's greeting as he entered, shaking the younger mail's hand. • "When did you come oVerr • -4. "This ,Mornitte," e Alien, told e " him. 'Echo's birthdayee You know, an' e flee old lady allowed we'd have to be here, Ain't seen you since the weddin'. Got thingseeiokin'. fine here," Allen surveyed the room. ' • .• Jack agreed with him with a ges- ture of assent. A. more important topic to him than the furnishing of:a room was what had become of Dick Lane. -After the wedding ceremony no chance had come to him to speak privately to Allen. The festivities of the wedding had been Shortened. Sling had gathered a posse and taken up the trail of the slayers. Jilt Allen had joined • them. The hazing of Jack and the toasty de- partere of the bridal pair on horee- back in a shower of corn, shelled and en the cob, prevented the two men from meeting. • . • The older Man had volunteered ne explanatioe. Sack knee/ that in his heart Allen did nOtaptiroVe of his ac- tions, but was keeping silent because • of his danghter. .1ftele eould teetrain himself no long. er, "11m, *bat happened that night?" he risked beekettlY. • • Allen ebteved his emberrastment, Mettlilnv Then he hesitated. "Dick," Was all Jack could say. "I seed him. If I hadn't he busted Op the'weddin' able," was bis laeonte anewer. "Whore Is ber Allen relighted his pipe. When he got the smoke drawing freely he glued at Jack thopightfully and .an, ai",1"adl 'We Sobe,-batic Where the tome frorn—ifito the desert." 31rii miffed slowly end then added, "Looka •• CHAPTER. XL S Echo galloped across the prairie in the glorious morning air the sunshine, the lowing of the cattle on the hills and the songs of the birds in the trees along the SWeetwater had banished all depressing thoughts, and her mind . dwelt on her love for Jack and the pleasantness of the lines In which her life had fallen. Only one small cloud bad appeared on the horizon. Jack had not shared with ber. his confidences in the busi- ness of the raeeh. He told ber he did not want to worry he with such cares. True, there were •times when he was deeply abstracted, but in her presence his moroseness vanished quickly. Care- fully as be had tried to hide his secret, she had, with a ,woman's intSition, seen beneath the surface of things and • realized that•something was lacking to complete ber happiness. As Echo turned toward home a song sprang to her lips. Polly spied her far down the trail. • •• • "Boys, she's ecomin'," sheshouted to the men, who were at the bunk house awaiting Mrs. 'Payson's return. As they passed the corral they called to Jack and Allen to join them in the living room to• prepare for the Surprise for Echo.. . .• .1 • The party quickly,reasembled. "Good land," shouted' Alien, "get somethin' to •cover the pianny with!" The, punchers .rushed in confusion about the!reoin in a vain tearek.,, "Ain't -there a plagned thing we can cover that pianny with?" cried the de- nieraliXed Allen, renewing his appeal. Polly came trethe rescue of the help. lest men by plucking a Navajo blanket froth the couch. Tossing one end of it to Show Low, she Motioned to him to help hold it up before the Instrument like a certain. ,• • • . "Stand in font of It, eVerYbedWi ordered Mrs:. Allen who had left her cake baking and hurried In Worn the kitchen. "P0117, ,i4pread your Skirts*, Yeti too, Jim." Allen ran in front Of the piano, hold - .Ing out an intighatty- dress, in finite - tion of Polly. "Which 1 ain't get notte," he cried. Parenthesis jumped In front of .the piano stool, trying *Airily to hide It With his legs. "Parenthesis, put Vitt legs tegath", er," Mrs, Allen erre. .„• . can't, ma'am,'" wailed the 'unfop tunate Dundee'. ,He felt on his knees . before the Stool, spreading • Ott his waistcoat fer a area. Mrs. Alien helped hint out With her skirts. "Steedy, everybody!" shouted,Jrielt, "Here she is!" yelled Sieobtush the door opened and the astonished telio faced those he hired and liked. ram Made it pretty picture framed hi the doorwity. She wore her tiding habit, of OliVe greet?, fretti the him of whiah peerida her Oft beetle hat, broad, picturesque, typical of the eouthweet bald /dipped backward • forming a background for tier pretty tace An amused smile played about the cornea of ber Mouth. "Weil, what Is It?" she earnedle- quTijibtigglYro'uP looked at her R401)1017. • No One ventured to answer her ques- tionW "What's the matter"- she vaunted, "You're herded up like a hunch of cows In a norther." Sagebrush began gravely to explain. He got only as far as "This here beta' it birthday" 'When Retro iuterrupted him: "Ohl Then It's a birthday party?" Once stopped, Sagebrush mild not get started again, He cleared WO threat with more emphasis than po- liteness. Striking the attitude of an orator, with one band upraised and the other on Ws hip, he hemmed and hawed until beads of. perspiration trickled fret° his temples. Again he nerved himself for the or- deal. "Aelabe," he gasped. Then he opened and closed his mouth. froglike, several times, taking long, gulping breaths. At last, looking helplessly about him, be shouted, "Ole 'Meeks, you tell her, Jack!" He pushed Witt toward Echo, Jack rested his hand on the table and began, "We've a surprise for you—that is, the boys bit re"— bat is it?" asked 0"1—eve got to call it blind," broke in "WWire eagerly. Stireute•bussshi or,,, cried Fresno, "A pony cart," hazarded Echo. "Shucks, no!" said Show Low at the Idea of presenting Echo with anything nn wheels. Echo then guessed, "Sewing nue liSiltre;brush encouraged ben "That's emerblie like it. Go on, go on." "Well, then, it's a"— Sagebrush grew more excited. He raised and lowered himself on his toes, backing toward the piano. "Go it; you're gettin' there," he shouted, "It's ea_ Again she hesitated, to be helped on by Sagebrush with the assurance: "She'll do it. Fire away. It's a"— Affil 11APP_.. "Go on." Sagebrush in hit enthusiasm backed too far into the blanket screen. His spurs became entangled. To save him- self from a fall he threw out his hand behind him. They struck the polished cover of the instrument, slid off, and Sagebrush sat down on the keys with an unmistakable crash. "A piano!" cried Echo exultantly. "Who done that?" demanded Show Low angrily. Parenthesis .from his place on the floor looked at the mischief maker in disgust. "Sagebrush!" he shouted. "Givin' the hull thing away," snarled Fresno. Show Low could contain himself no longer. Going up to Sagebrush, he shook his fist in his face, saying: "You're the limit. You ought to be herdin' sheep." The victim of the accident humbly replied, "I couldn't help it." Mrs. Allen smoothed out the differ- ences by declaring: "What's the differ- ence? She wouldn't have guessed, not In a million years. Stand away an' let her see it." Fresno swept them all aside with the blanket. "Oh, isn't it beautiful:—beautifull" cried Echo. ' "Who—what—where"— she stam- mered, glancing from one to the other, her eyes finally resting on Jack. "Not guilty:" he cried. "You'll bare to thank the boys for this." With happy tears welling 'up in iter eyes. Echo said: "1 do thunk them. I do, I do. I can't tell how delighted I am. 1 can't say how much this means to me. Oh, 1 thank you! I - say it ouce, but I feel it a thousand times." She seleed each of the boys by the hand and shook it heartily. • "Would you like to have another se- lection?' asked Fresno, relieving the tension of the situation. "Nor shouted the punchers unani. mousiy. Fresno looked very much crestfallen since he considered that he had made a deep impression by his first effort. "Mrs. Payson's golu' to hit us out a tune," announced Sagebrush. • Echo seated herself at the Nano. Jack teaued against the instrument, gazing foudly into her eyes as she raised her face, radiant with happi- ness.- Alien had token possession of the bestrocking chaie. Airs. Allen • sat at the table, and the boys ranged themselves nbout the rOom.. Their faces reflected gratification. They watched Echo erecetautly. Bello played the opening bars of "The Old Folks at Home." Before she •sang Fresno, bolding up his right in- dex finger, remarked to no one in par- ticular, "1 washed that finger." The singing deeply affected her lit- tle atidience. Echo had it sweet, nat- ural voice, , She throw her whole soul into. the old ballad. She was so happy she felt like singing, not lively airs, bUtsongs about bonte. Her new home had, become so dear to her at that mo- ment. Mrs. Allen, as usual, began to cry. 1�11y soon followed her example. There were tears even* in the eyes of tome of the punchers, although they - blinked vigorously to keep them back. When she repeated the chorus Sage- brOli • said to Fresno, "'Ain't that great?' • That .worthy, however, with the jealottsy of nu artist and to hide hit own deeply moved sensibilities. re. • T d. • NEST AND HEALTH TO IADTHEIt AND MOLD. Mts. wttisioves Soorttivio‘liviun. has been used for over SIXTY 'Stumm by lereteotts of MaritIMS for their cuitnaget wilt= SOOTMee the CHILD, elnfire e GUMS, TaItTIUNO, brIth P$RPECT 314SS. It ALLAYS MI PAIN cunre COLIC, atm is the best remedy for DIARRRO/A. It IS lb= eolately hineless. Ile hurt IId Ask for "me whisker's seething Sytup" sad fake 59 ether kind. leteistrate Oats a DOW& Hon. Mr. Mao -Kay �n Provincial Finances CLEAR-CUT AN D CONVINCING SPEECH Deficit of $553,363,25. -Vigorous Colonization Policy for Northern Ontario Advocated-Andustrial Edu- cation—Scarcity of Teachers -- Reforestration-. Reciprocity and Other Subjects Eloquently Dealt With, in continuing the debate on the Budget, Hon. Mr, MacKay, Leader of the Opposition, spoke as follows: Mr. Speaker: This debate Ime now occupied some two weeks, and has eovered a wide range of subject. The subjects have been interesting or oth- erwise, largely, according to one's view point; but I am glad to say, Sir, that in the main the spirit that has pervaded this debate has been, one of courtesy, Moderation, and sweet rea- sonableness. In contrast to some of the jingling and somewhat jingoistic speeches of honorable gentlemen op- posite that of the latest acquisition to this House was rather pleasant as to method and manner of delivery. The' modesty he displayed was no doubt' due to the fact. Sir, that he sits on this side of the House, Current Receipts and Expenditures. The annual announcement by the Honorable, the Provincial Treasurer, as to the financial standing of this province at the close of any fiscal year is always important. and deserves careful eonsideratioo. The question of the correctness of the statement as to the assets and liabilities has been ably dealt with by the honorable the member for West Wellington. Just a few words as to the correct- ness or incorrectness of the financial statement as to current receipts and expenditures. In making contrasts I do not propose to hold the Honorable, the, Provincial Treasurer to the posi- tion which he took while a member of the Opposition; but, Sir, it is emin- ently fair, it is only right that I should introduce the gentleman to himself as Provincial Treasurer. I desire, therefore, Sir, to introduce the Provincial Treasurer of 1911 to him- self as Provincial Treasurer during the years 1905 and 1906. If, Sir, we are to understand the finances of this country, if honorable gentlemen sit- ting in this House, if the people of the i province, are to have anyintelligent conception of how the finances of this province stand, we must have, Sr, continuity of system in the classifica- tion of accounts, else it will be quite impossible to make a comparison from year to year, and it will be quite im- possible for the people of this pro- vince to understand where we are at financially. It will not do, Sir, to allow the Honorable, the Pruv:ncial Treasurer to juggle with figures and to transpose figures at will in order to produce an apparent surplus. He plainly announced to this House, Sir, that there was the small balance at the end of the last fiscal year of cue: rent receipts over current expende tures, giving the exact figures as $3,406. Sir, I desire to tell him frankly and plainly and to tell the honorable gentlemen of this House, and the people, of this province, that that statement cannot be justified, is not true, on the classification former- ly made by the Provincial Treasurer. Nor can it be justified or upheld on the basis of any classification of cur- rent receipts and current expendi- tures as distinguished from capital receipts and capital expend:tures, that any sane intelligent accountant would make. May I be permitted to remark, Sir, that I do not idolize a surplus. There may occur in the his- tory of this province, as in the history of any business enterprise, occasional circumstances Which will demand that the province as an individual should draw upon his credit for a part:cular year, and should perchance make ex- penditures beyond current receipts. A series of deficits, however, such as we have experienced in late years is something to be avoided. In any event, Sir, the finances of this pro- vince should not be juggled or shufilsd Wile after time itt order to produce a seeming surplus. There is no such virtue in the having of a surplus as will justify the production of it. dis- honest financial statement. I contend, Sir, as I have always contended, that the moneys recoived from the abso- lute sae of, crown lands cannot truth- fully or reasonably be treated as aught deethan receipts en Capital account: When this province parts absolutely and entirely with any land all possi- bility of a future receipt from that land is gone, and, therefore, the moo- eys received from the tale shou'd13,3 credited to capital account. What, Sir, would be thought of a farmer who owned two hundred acres Of lane, who for several years worked the same, and year by year struck a bal- ance sheet showing say, $500 a year gain, i.e., that his current receipts exceeded his current expenditure by $500; if in a particular year he sold 100 acres, getting, says, $5,0ee for it; and then claimed at the end of that year that his current receipts exceed- ed his current expenditure by $5,500. If, Sir, he made any such contention the neighbors. would (lend for his friends to take care of him, under the impression that something had gone wrong with the old man's upper story. Well, Sir, it is exactly by such a method that the Honorable, the Pro- vincial Treasurer arrives at respite, and deliberately and. (welly proolsims that there was a surplus last year ot $3,406. I do not ,purpose, Sir, to al- low any such dishonest statement to go Unchallenged in this Howse. Were it not fot the absolute slavery'of party politica that exists in this House and in this province, no Provincial Treae- urer would dare flaunt such a dishon- est and misleadine statement in the face of this House, or before the so- ple of We previnee. Now, Sir, allow diminished, and our timber year by me to introduce the Honorable, the year sold, and nothing done by way of Provincial Treasurer tO himself as conservation of our tercet wealth or Provibeird Treasurer itt the years 1905 by way of reforestration it folloWS, ae end 1906. There is an old Spanish an absolute certainty that our reve- preverb which says, "That you may tete under that head must .yradually always, appeal from Phillip drunk 40 elettfeete, Mid in time be absolutely Phlllip •)lober," alio* me, therefore, *rod out. This, Sir, itt the serious to introduce the Honorable, the Pro- phase of the citation and the oma Of. -Le: -11.40/81$8810/NSMS0 vincial Treaoure: t. himself fts he stands befor -1 the mirror of his e • n financial statements of 1905 and 1 C6 At p. 5 of his Budget seeece, e r, ae published by this Governrrent a al a; paid for by the pee of this pravi: e • the honorable gentleman is two u ly clear that the receipts f •11 • sale of lands must be treated ne ea 1 tal and not as cerront etcceip s In this he was, right. Let me rem ly t 1. position to his finaneiai state .teat fo • which again the people of this ro- vince pay, and what do 1 113 .? 1 find, Sir, that last year from the tibia - lute sale of lands the prnee eereiv- ed the following two items: 44 2.- 109.47; $10,857.42, making a t, tal cepi- tal receipt under this head of $.42 - 966,89.. The honorable gentlenun litv.4 the printed statement before the:n; there is no doubt as to the facts, and the dishonesty and the deception of this year placing such items in cur- rent receipts, in order to product an apparent surplus, is too painfully manifest. Again, Sir, take the item ef bonus on timber sales: At p. 4 the Honor- able, the Provincial Treasurer's bud- get speech of 1905 we find the forow- jug: "Now we distinguish the bonus received from pine timber ealeIssels being a special payment of capital account"; then again at p. 5 he says: "It is, I contend, a capital asset, and such I propose to treat it." Then again, Sir, at p. 4 of his financial statement of 1906 wilP be found the following 4tatement; "01 the revenue, the bonus on pine timber sales sold under the former Government, $520,- 000, may be considered as being paid on capital account"; so that, Sir, in 1905 and 1906 he was very properly treating tho bonus received on timber sales as a capital and not a current receipt. Apply this classification, which is a proper classification, to his this year'sstatement, and we must deduct under the heads of "Woods and Forests" the amount received as a bonus on timber sales, namely $92,- 396.36. Adding these two item to- gether, namely, the amount received for the eale•of crown lands ($442,- 966.89), and the amount received as a bonus on the sale of timber, namely, $92,396,36, you have in all under these two heads, a capital receipt, wrongly and dishonestly placed in the current receipt column of $535,363.25. Now, Sir, if you take the alleged surplus of $3,484.59 from the $535,- 363.25 you arrive, according to the Honorable, the Provincial Treasurer's own statements, according to his own position, an actual cash deficit last year of $531,878.63, and yet, Sir, in order to mislead this House, in or- der to mislead the people of this pro- vince, the Honorable, the Provincial Treasurer deliberately transfers the large items already mentioned 1-om the column of capital receipts to that of current receipts, and thus produces a bogus and imaginery surplus of $3,484.59, while he knows, and every sane man in this House knows and every truth respecting man will as -ort, that there is an actual deficit of $531,878.66. If, Sir, I desired to go further and desired to hold the honorable gentle- man to his contention when financial critic of the Opposition, where would he land? I find, Sir, at p. 5 of his budget speech for 1905 the following statement: "Sir, we contends.' at times when we were in Oppos:ticn that all crown lands receipts should be treated as received on capital ac- count The late Mr. E. F. Clarke, one of the ablest financial nen who ever represented a consti- tuency in this Legislature, was espa eially wont to argue that that should be done." Sir, were we thus to introduce the Hotiorable, the Provincial Treasurer to -day to himself as financial critic of the Opposition in years gone by, and were to hold him to his then con- tention what would be the result? I take up the financial statement is- sued by him, and I find that for the sale of lands last year the Government received $442,966.89, that the "Crown Lands Receipts" were $1,835,0E1.71, making a total of $2,277,049.60. Now, Sir, deduct the bogey surplus of $442,- 066.80, and you would have according to the Honorable, the Provincial Treasurer's contention, and critic for the Opposition, the astounding deficit last year of $2,273,565.01. Sir, I re- peat that if the financial statement issued year by year by the Honorable, the Provincial Treasurer of this pro- vince, is to be of any value at all, if it is not to become a mere laughing- stock, there must be continuity in the method and classification of our fin- ances, and current receipts and ex- penditures should be truthfully distiri- guished from capital receipts and eapl- • tat expenditures. When the province sells lands the fact should be truth- fully shown in the financial statement, and the sale price and the money re- ceived for the sale of any such lands should be treated as a capital receipt and not one of current aceount. Were it not for the curse of party slavery no Provincial Treasurer would dare stand. up in it House such as this and make the statement he has made, much less would he dare publish such financial *statement. The importance . of honestly and truthfully dealing with our finances need not be etn- phasized. A very substantial portion of our revenue is :wide up of the re- Ceipts from woods and forestq, 11 then, our forests are being gradually 7 • • that particularly t oriy 1 r an, honest statement of the fa.c:zz, li Sir, for all leanest eff .rt to r the result, the unavo'41 I) e les the facts as they n• w or's . under this head tv tt WI.. ' ' 't United Stats, larg .'y t same aceurod slay.ry ki Lie fly Rag: For the past en r • 7' of n -c the experts at Coratli other edueational inesitet!eett 1 • practical lumbe...: et it 1 e a tl, warned the ru:eis 0%4 l'—:t wealth was emit -all:: 1.1i *1 ".• e and that ;artless rracceo, at p p conversation of the eaM " a' • forestretion were take t t' w al be a timber fen:14,3. For mg.,: 7 a deaf ear was lent to all stet it GAB gent *warnings, with the ne• w lila 1, result that our neighbors to tea .n t of us are now in many lines b ni ing on a timber famine. • • gai Sir, I repeat the ueceesity 1 ee lirt honestly with the facts as tn ceipts from Crown 14111F. If. 8 r, tb statement of the IIenorable, the 1': vincial Treasurer were an honest On it would proelaim to this Holm rat to the people of this privi C2 the there wait last year an .actual finqn cial deficit of $531,878 C6. Then, S.r, if we were honestly told, as we shouLi he, that from year to ye., there has been an actual deficA, the peeple would bestir themselvee, and the Gov - eminent would be forced to curtail expenditures, or to take the neces- sary steps by way of a general sys- tematic scheme of reforestration or otherwise to ensure that the receipts from our crown lands would not ne- cessarily year by year diminish, and, if nothing is done ultimately vanish. If, Sir, the Board of Directors in any business eoncexn would attempt to retake an annual financial statement as misleading and deceptive as that of the Honorable, the Provincial Treesurer, they would immediately, by the shareholders, be driven off the board, and ound financiers and hon- est accountants placed in their stead. I say again, Sir, that I am not stand- ing here to make an extreme party criticism, or to say that a deficit is necessarily a crime on the part of the Provincial* Treasurer, but I do say; that it is nothing short of crim- inal for any public man to so jugglo with his figures as to show an imag- inery surplus when there is an actual and very substantial deficit. If it in advisable and desirable, naY per- chance necessary, that the province should spend such an amountof mon- ey That the current expenditures shall exceed the current receipts; let it be done. The supreme test is whether it was desirable in that particu1ai year that the money should be so spent, and whether the province has received the very best value for such expenditure; but there cannot be, Sire even a relative justification for the sending forth by the Honorable, the Provincial Treasurer to the public an absolutely false statement, purporting to show a small surplus when there is, as already explained, a very sub- stantial deficit. Mining Receipts. Thehonorable gentlemen opposite have indulged in their wonted jingling cemparisons as to receipts from the mines. Last year from mining licenses and recording fees we received $193,- 682.48; in. 1904 we received but $1,- 597.00. The honorable gentlemen point to the large revenues received from mining in 1910 as compared with 1904, and say that had the old Government remained in power the receipts would still have been as they were in 1904. I ask, Sir, was there any complaint from the honorable gentlemen opposite when in Opposition as to the amount charged for mining lands? The infer- ence from the arguments advanced is that the mineral lands in the north country, notwithstanding the valuable discoveries at Cobalt and eleewhere, would still be selling for $3 an acre. In years gone by, when lands were sold for $3 an acre, it was considered by both sides of the House that this was all these lands were worth. There were no valuable discoveries then: made; but, Sir, in `their criticisms. the honotable member for Algoma and other & *forgot the fact that the mining laws .as to revenues that we now haws on the statute book are nearly, if not exactly, in the form that was suggest- ed from this side of the House. Sir, honorable gentlemen will ,recall than when the Honorable, the Minister qf Mines proposed to bring down hie min- ing laws as to revenue, and when interrogated from this side of the House as to what principle he would tax min- ing laws, he answered that the tax would be so much per acre; it will also be recalled that I at once ridi- culed such a proposition. While you may assess farm lands fairly by look- ing at. the surface you never could assess mining lands equitably in that • way. I pointed out thew, Sir, that the tax should: depend upon the revenue received from any particular mine; that if no paying ore were contained in that mine this province would have no right to tax the purchaser, because it had given him no value whatever. What was the result, Sir? The Hon- orable, the Minister of Mines delayed for one year the bringing down of his bill, and when in the following year he introduced that bill, he announced that the tax would be upon the royal- ty basis,i.e., that it would be a cer- tain small percentage of the output of themine. He thus adopted our suggestion, in pert at least; Inc I then argued, and still think I was right, that while the revenue received by the province from our mines should be by means of royalties, that the mine that paid exceptionally well pay a higher percentage than the poor. er mine. So that when the honorable gentlEmett beast of the large revenues obtained under and by means of our present mining law they forgot that the law stands, as IA present on our statute book, as the result of sug- gestions Irote thie tide of the House, and be the tesult of the Honorable, the Minister of Mints completely changing his Mind es a, result Of such ostiggestions. 'What I then said WAS, tbkt no 'mine or company should •'be taxed for the spending of money in obtaining mitelutery and of boring in the earth, 'unless, as a result of their labor some profit were obtAiriedt that the province bed no right to tai a man .who had spent possibly ten. tWenty, tbirty,forte, fifty or one hon. dreil thootand dollars in Mining rna- thinery and work and who bad en- joyed lbe pleataut pastime of vend: iTc bi tiatithatedt)