THE CANADIAN ELECTION&
[To THE EDITOS or THE " SPECTATOli.".1 Sit,—It is seldom that I find myself out of sympathy with the conclusions of the Spectator, but I cannot help thinking that in your issue of September 23rd, which has just reached me, you fail to appreciate the true inwardness of the recent elec- tions in Canada. While it is quite true that the sole question was Reciprocity, yet the decision was not an economic one. Undoubtedly the Conservative speakers sought to minimize the advantages that Free Trade with the States would confer, and even to explain them away altogether, but the great mass of intelligent farmers were convinced that Reciprocity would put money in their pockets, and yet thousands voted against it for the sake of an ideal. A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth. There are other interests besides pecuniary ones. These sentiments sound platitudinous enough when uttered in the pulpit, but they become instinct with life and meaning when they are quietly acted up to by multitudes of men who are alive to their business interests. The farmers were told, on the highest authority, that they stood at the parting of the ways. They looked down the one avenue and saw the Stars and Stripes at the end of it, down the other and saw the Union Jack, and the Conservative victory was the result.
May I as a new corner to these parts add a word about the character of Canadian audiences P I attended three meetings at the Edmonton Rink and heard the leading men on both sides. The meetings impressed me deeply, not because of the speaking, which was certainly not above par, but because of the audience. On each occasion there were about four thou- sand present, of whom nine-tenths were men in the full vigour of life. There was very little applause. Perhaps this was partly because so many of the men smoked, and you do not take your pipe out of your month to cheer unless you are really moved. But such sustained attention, such quiet and self-respecting gravity of demeanour, such manifest anxiety to study the subject in all its bearings, I doubt if I have ever
Previous page
