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United States, or tholr confederate, Taft, to mcddlo
with our olcctionsT
"Do wo not know the duties of citizenship as well
as tho barons of tho money barrel, who build
thomsclvcB ivory mansions with tho skulls of their
greed-slain workers?
"Arc not our liberties as partners of Great Britain
larger, and our responsible government more con
sonant with the popular will than in tho United
States, that wo need tholr ofllclous instructions?
THE HEARST PLENIPOTENTIARIES AFTER
THEIR OWN INTERESTS
"But it Is not to help us in this election that Hearst
and tho president have acted as plenipotentiaries
for tho gigantic American trusts.
"It is help thomsclvcs and that, too, first to our
resources and then to our dominion. Tho design Is by
no means fair or foul, to decide tho issue for us.
"With impious hand Taft would snatch away tho
sacred right of tho suffrage. By debauching tho
cloctorato with his tons of imported shoots, flar
ing forth tho praises of Laurler and his commercial
pact with Washington, by dispatching highly paid
propagandists to Canada, by publicly bestowing
his blessing on Hearst for his annexation screeds,
and most of all, by himself Instituting and abetting
this shameless agitation. President Taft stands
beforo tho world convicted of tho grossest inter
meddling In tho Intimate concerns of a friendly
nation.
THE MASSIVE FIGURE OF THE ARCH
' PLOTTER TAFT
"Tho mlno has exploded. Desplto tho utmost
caution and closest secrecy the 'infernal machino' ,
which was being laid in order to shatter Canada's
lndopendenco has been set off. In tho lurid light
of that explosion stands tho masslvo flguro of tho
arch-plotter President Taft.
"Tho intriguo which tho Journal exposes today is
tho most dastardly conspiracy ever concocted
against Canada.
"Tho Fenian raids of 18CG bear no comparison.
They woro not hatched in Washington.
"Tho war of 1812 when tho powerful United States
tried to bully our focblo and sparsoly settled
country Into submission, was tho essence of honor
compared with this plot of 1911.
"That was at least open war. This is an under
hand and underground plot.
"Tho flooding of Canadian cities with the Hearst
organs has stirred up tho passionate resentment
of ovcry self-respecting elector. Thousands upon
thousands of Boston-Americans, for example, havo
boon imported as far from tho border as Ottawa.
With such calculating effrontery has their distri
bution been carried out that not a door-step within
tho city limits but was littered with these sensa
tional sheets, filled with pro-Laurler and pro-reciprocity
concoctions. Montreal. Halifax. St. John,
and other Canadian communities havo been simi
larly blessed.
"Was It for this that tho illustrious heroes of our
British history fought their ago-long battles and
freely gavo their lives?
"Was tho soil of England empurpled by a hun
dred wars, to vouchsafo to succeeding generations
tho right df tho subject to tho untrammelled ballot
only to havo this priceless heritage torn from our
grasp by tho greedy magnates and tho designing
demagogues of tho United States?
"And did Canadians resist tho armed violence of
tho voracious southerners, hurling back, by God's
help, forces ten times as great as our In 1775, 1812
and 18 CG. only to witness our country delivered
over to Taft in 1911 by Taffs own machinations
and our British heritage bartered for a mess of
pottago?
LINKED TOGETHER FOR UNDOING OF
NATIVE LAND
"Much has been said of certain 'unholy alliances'
supposed to exist in tho present election. But
every other union appears righteous contrasted
with tho black spectre of Canadians and foreigners
linked together for tho undoing of their native
land.
"Evory other alliance Is composed, to say tho
least, of Canadians.
"In joining Hearst and Taft, Laurler can not
ovado responsibility for membership In that trinity
of evil.
"Hearst has preached from tho housetops tho
damnablo heresy of Canada's early annexation.
"Taft, more cautions in his public utterances, has
still committed himself to open avowal of Hearst's
harangues.
"And now, to cap tho climax, wo know for a
certainty what was hitherto a matter of shrewd
conjecture, that Hearst's" godfather in this under
taking is ho president himself.
"To these reiterated insults, crying aloud to
heaven for vengeance on tho would-bc-despollers
of a happy and prosperous nation, Laurler's only
rejoinder is tho bantering remark, "They don't
know what they are talking about."
"With a host of wily foes making a desperate
assault upon tho citadel of our national existence.
Is it tho tlmo for a patriot to coin frlvllous jests?
"Is It a matter of little concern that tho dicta
tion of alien rulors, and abetted by alien gold, tho
protecting folds of tho Union Jack aro to bo torn
from our masthead to make room for tho black flag
of plrato trusts America's real rulers?
THE PLOT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN TIME
"With Canada aroused, tho plot will surely fail.
"Tho annexation wolf tried to array itself in tho
clothing of the reciprocity sheep, but tho sham is
fortunately discovered in time. 'Surely In vain
Is tho net spread in sight of any bird
" 4A party question ?' Yes. If the salvation of
Canada for tho British empire in 1812 was a party
question!
"Laurler is sharing in tho boodle-sided Taft
Hoarst propaganda for annexation.
"Ho must sharo their overthrow.
" 'Awake, awake. Put on thy strength ' O
Canada."
The Commoner. .
government, and th'o man who "bargained" on our
sido were life-long beliovers in the superiority or
tho goods that tho Americans had to offer.
It is as if you sent a "darkoy" to bargain for a
water-melon.,' o wants tho water-melon so
badly ho would pay almost anything for it.
Tho Americans jumped at tho bargain. Their
president risked his political life i to get it. Con
gross carried it by largo majorities. Tho Ameri
can newspapers aro all for it.
Do you think it likely that they havo got tho
worst of tho bargain?
Then they havo one big advantago that we nave
not. They can break tho bargain; and wo can t.
Tho reason that they can break it, is that they
aro ninety millions to our eight millions; and, If
they broko it, wo could not hurt them. But if
eight millions try to get out of a bargain with
ninety millions, which tho ninety millions want to
keep, tho eight millions are very likely to get hurt.
Vote for your own Interests against reciprocity.
Lot tho scheming politicians get other jobs.
PHOM TIIE OLD AND NEW PREMIERS
By Sir Wilfrid Laurler, tho defeated premier:
I regret it, not ony for myself, but for the country,
tho prosperity of which wo had hoped to help with
reciprocity Inscribed on tho political programmes
of every party for long years since.
My regret, though profound, is not for personal
reasons. I regret not only the defeat of the gov
ernment, but that tho country will be led to tho
rejection of reciprocity. Our relations with tho
United States havo always been cordial. I do not
know what tho effect of this will bo on them. Wo
havo tried to make them most cordial. I can say
this In all iconfldence.
Tho liberal party has received a setback, but
I can say to you that it is not beaten. As to thoso
who havo been loyal, they must keep up their
courage in tho face of defeat, for there will come
again for tho old party many days of triumph and
prosperity.
As the chief of the party which has suffered, I
do not fear to say that I can walk with a high
head and without fear of reproach, from any one.
What I mourn above all else, however, is that
circumstances will not permit me to do what I
would havo desired to do for Canada my country.
I would Uko to be twenty years younger than
I am. What good fights we would make together,
for, if tho liberal party has today been defeated
at tho polls, it is not dead. All over tho country
there aro still many brave friends of the liberal
party.
In a sombro hour such as this there remains with
mo, however, a great consolation and source of
comfort. It Is tho fidelity of the province of
Quebec to our flag. Thank God, It was not the
province of Quebec which brought defeat.
By R. L. Borden, the new premier: The people
havo given tho answer to those who desired to
force tho reciprocity compact through parliament
by tho strength of a temporary majority, which
possessed no mandato thereon.
The fight was a hard one, but tho victory would
have been even more sweeping if tho campaign had
continued for two weeks longer. Canada has em
phasized her adherence to the policy and tradi
tions of tho past fifty years. Sho has wisely de
termined that for her there shall bo no parting
of tho ways, but that she will continue in tho old
path of Canadianism, truly Canadian nationhood
and British connection.
Sho has emphasized tho strength of the ties that
bind her to tho empire. Tho verdict has been given
in .no,SIi,,rlt of unfriendliness or hostility to .the
United States, and no such .spirit exists; but
Canada desires and elects to be mistress of her
destinies and to work out thoso destinies as an
autonomous nation within tho British empire.
Whllo tho liberal-conservative party made its
stand and Its pronouncement against this compact
the triumph is that of tho 'Canadian people rather
than of any political party. We gratefully
acknowledge tho patriotic service of the liberals
who realized that this supremo national issue was
above all consideration of party or party allegiance
and throw themselves into tho fight with an
earnestness and an energy which contributed not
a littlo to tho splendid -victory that has ensued.
TAFT ON TRUSTS
President Taft has boldly taken his position
against any amendment of the ojiti-trust law
This is just what was to he expected. The
anti-trust law as emasculated by the supreme
court suits the trusts and the president in tak
ing their side discloses his sympathies if any
further disclosure were necessary. The demo
crats should accentuate the issue by giving him
an anti-trust law to veto. The fight is on.
GIVE US A CHANGE
If Canada' had indorsed reciprocity the
friends of the president would have claimed
great credit for him but since reciprocity has
been rejected, and largely because of the
president's indiscreet speeches would it not im
prove our relations with Canada to have an
other president?
Saint John Globe, Tuesday, September 19, 1911:
(Advertisement.)
ARE THE AMERICANS POOR BARGAINERS?
What do you think?
What is your experience?
Do they ever try to over-reach? Do they ovor
soil "wooden nutmegs?" Do thoy usually got tho
best or tho worst of a "trade?"
Reciprocity 1b a bargain with tho Americans.
Our government tried to "bargain" with their
POPULAR
The trusts contributed to the defeat of reci
procity in Canada contributed money, it is
reported, but oven more potent was the argu
ment which their presence furnished. "Keep the
American trusts out of Canada" was a popular
slogan.
LAURD3R
Laurier can afford to be defeated better than
the conservatives can afford -to defeat him. His
position will be vindicated by timo. May his life
be spared to see the, triumph of his ideas.
VOLUME 11, NUMBER 38
OHAMP CLARK'S COMMENT ON CANADA
ELECTION
Speaker Clark sent the following dispatch to
tho St. Louis Republic:
"Your telegram received. Tho charge which you
say is made in certain Canadian and Amerlcnn
newspapers that my remarks In favor of annexing
Canada defeated reciprocity is a proposterous" ex
aggeration and magnifies my Influence across tho
border by many diameters.
"My remarks in all human probability did not
have one-half so much influenco against recipro
city In Canada as did President Taft's speech urg
ing Americans to hurry up in agreeing to recipro
city before Great Britain could perfect her Im
perial tariff policy with preferential rates to hcr
colonies, for after that was perfected wo could not
get reciprocity with Canada.
"Some ingenious Canadian forg6d an entlro
speech for me. In my speech in tho house I gave
as one of the reasons why I wanted reciprocity
that it would tend toward a union of the two
countries, a sentiment which I had expressed a
thousand times, and will express hereafter as often
as it Is pertinent. And nine-tenths of tho American
people aro in favor of it. It would bo a great and
beneficient thing If tho two countries were united."
In another interview Mr. Clark said that 'cor
poration funds had much to do with the result.
Mr. Clark is right in assuming that President
Taft's speeches had more influence than his own
(Mr. Clark's) in arousing fears in Canada as to
annexation, and he ia also right in assuming that
trust contributions exerted a large influence,
though it is too early to make any intelligent
comparison as to the relative importance of the
various Influences contributing to the conserva
tive victory, but Mr. Clark simply adds to the in
discretion of his firBt speech when he says that
90 per cent of the people of the United States
favor annexation.
No one thinks of annexation at any time ex
cept as a' result of mutual desire and as thero
is no movement on foot in either country look
ing to annexation and no discussion of the sub
ject on either side of the line it was unwise to
raise the issue in the discussion of reciprocity,
and no less unwise to attempt to commit ninety
per cent of the people of the United States
to the policy without any public expression on
the subject. It simply gives the protectionists
of Canada an additional argument to use in
opposing more favorable trade relations with
the United States. It is of the highest impor
tance that the relations between the United
States and Canada should be of the most
cordial character and the cordiality of those re
lations is not' improved-by 'the discussion of
annexation. The feeling that has been aroused
in Canada would suggest the wisdom of refrain
ing from further mention of the subject.
STRANGE, INDEED!
A reader of the New York World commends
that paper for opposing the initiative and
referendum and recall and then asks: "But
entertaining the views so convincingly expressed
how do you justify your advocacy of direct pri
maries and the popular election of senators?
Investigation will show that there is scarcely a
state where both direct primaries and. the popu
lar election of senators have been enacted into
law but what sooner or later the adoption of the
initiative, referendum and the recall have fol
lowed, direct primaries seemingly being the
entering wedge and the others quickly following
as a matter of course."
The World editor does not even try to crack
the nut offered by this reader.
Is it, however, strange that when the people
have secured primaries in order that they may
directly nominate candidates for public office
and a method of election whereby they may
directly choose United States senators that it
will occur to them to have a method whereby
they may directly initiate laws or pass upon
laws already initiated?
Ib it strange that it may later occur to them
to have a method whereby they may impress tho
officeholder with the importance of attending
strictly to his business and to tho discharge of
his duty with an eye single to the public
welfare?
The World reader ought to' know that these
things are all agencies for the perpetuation of
popular government and that their very neces
sity insures the one following the other "as a
matter of course."
THE REAL OPPOSITION
' Justice Brown of the supremo court, in a
speech beforo the bar association, took a rap
at the recall of judges, but as he criticised the
direct election of senators also he only showed
the real spirit back of the opposition to both.
Possibly if wo ELECTED our United States
judges the bench would not have such Httla
faith in the people.
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