achievements may properly be compared with his. Vision he has had beyond all Canadians. It has been given to him to see the possibilities of Canada in the large; he was among the earliest men of our day to grasp fully the wondrous possibilities of the land we live in. He has brought about vast projects of development, sought out immense new markets for our products, given breadth and solidarity to the erstwhile thinly populated country, brought new provinces into being, filled up the great West, linked up the various sections of the country by means of transcontinental railways, crowded the ocean ports with steam tonnage, given us a new reputation and solid financial standing in the bourses of the world."

There were 7,000 people said to be present in the Rink. Upon the Preference question he was very clear: "We created the British Preference of our own free will. We raised it twice, and we are ready to increase it again, if need be. But we will do it of our own free will. We will not bargain with the Motherland; we are concerned only in this: that the British people will do what is best for themselves. If it suits them to continue the policy of free-trade, well and good. If they change their policy and offer us Preference there is nothing in this Agreement to prevent our entering into a similar policy with Great Britain." Every one had wanted Reciprocity until now when his Government had obtained it. The loyalty and annexation cries he described as nonsense. The following phrase was afterwards much quoted by Conservatives: "Removal of the duty means that trade will flow from Canada into the United States as water through a millrace."* closed as follows:

He

I appeal to you who know me and the work of my Administration to uphold me and my Government against the unholy alliance of the Tories of Quebec and the Tories of Ontario. I am branded in Quebec as a traitor to the French, and in Ontario as a traitor to the English. In Quebec I am branded as a Jingo and in Ontario as a Separatist. In Quebec I am attacked as an Imperialist and in Ontario as an anti-Imperialist. I am neither. I am a Canadian. Canada has been the inspiration of my life. I have had before me as a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day a policy of true Canadianism, of moderation and of conciliation. I have followed it consistently since the day of our triumph in 1896, and I now appeal with confidence to the whole Canadian people to uphold me in this policy of sound Canadianism which makes for the greatness of our country and of the Empire.

Digby, N.S., was visited on the 29th, and speeches delivered by the Premier, Hon. W. S. Fielding and Hon. Charles Marcil. The speech of Mr. Fielding at this place contained an afterwards much quoted remark: "I am a reasonable, sane and rational freetrader, but I am not such a free-trader as to strike down any legitimate industry, and I have told the manufacturers that if they are fair and reasonable they can count on my support." The

*NOTE.-Report of speech in St. John Telegraph (Lib.) Aug. 29th.

Premier and his party were at Halifax and Truro on the 30th and at Stellarton and New Glasgow on the 31st. At the latter place Sir Wilfrid paid high tribute to British policy in South Africa and denounced Le Devoir for publishing as a campaign leaflet an article published on July 13 which charged him with being an ultra-Imperialist and as intriguing with Mr. Chamberlain to support that policy through an "infamous war." Charlottetown, P.E.I., was reached on Sept. 1st and addresses given there and at Summerside and at Moncton, N.B., on the 2nd. Here the town was ablaze with coloured lights and rockets and the streets thronged with torch-bearers.

The Premier reached Montreal on Sept. 3rd-addressing gatherings on the way, of at least 25,000 people, at Pugwash, Oxford, Maccan, and Amherst with expressed certainty as to results. At Montreal he said: "The endorsation of Reciprocity is as sure as it is that yonder sun shines." At Coteau, on the following day, Sir Wilfrid accepted a nomination for Soulanges County in order to settle a dispute between Liberal factions. He told the electors it was their fight and that he had not five minutes to give them between this time and election day. "We are going to win throughout the country. All that is left of the Conservative Party is a few voters in scattered parts of Canada. It has no leaders. It has no head. Mr. Monk, one of the nominal leaders, is against everything and against everybody in his party. Mr. Borden is against Reciprocity and Mr. Bourassa is against the Navy and each is against the other."

From this meeting Sir Wilfrid passed in the evening to Glengarry where he opened an Ontario tour accompanied by Messrs. G. P. Graham and Charles Murphy. Here the Premier presented the argument that as an Arbitration Treaty had been signed by Britain and the States there could never be war between those countries and, therefore, no possibility of the forcible annexation of Canada. As there could never be a peacable annexation the question was not involved in Reciprocity. On the 5th the Premier was at Cobourg and again combined the points of an argument which he presented frequently during the campaign: (1) Reciprocity would do the farmers good and the manufacturers no harm; (2) the favoured-nation treaties would be abrogated, Canada be still more free to negotiate its own arrangements and to continue its "development of an autonomous nationality"; (3) he was "a Canadian pure and simple," neither an Imperialist nor the reverse; (4) selling hogs in the United States did not involve a selling of our nationality; (5) Reciprocity and the Arbitration Treaty together would "show to the world two great peoples living side by side on this continent in peace, amity and friendship."

The Premier was at Collingwood on Sept. 6th and in a far leap reached Sudbury on the 7th where a large part of his audience were French-Canadians. A reference was here made to Presi

dent Taft's utterances. "If it be true that President Taft said that Canada is at the parting of the ways I would say to President Taft that he does not know what he is talking about. I would say to him: We are prepared to meet you in business, but if you want to talk politics, keep to your side of the line and we shall keep to ours." Then the Premier jumped away west to Stratford and London, which were visited on the 8th. To the railway men of the former place Sir Wilfrid presented this view: "At present raw products are higher in the United States than in Canada and finished products are higher in Canada than in the United States. Under Reciprocity there will be a levelling of prices. I think that if the railway men have the same scale of wages as the Americans, they cannot object if we have the same scale of prices on both sides of the line." To the farmers he adduced the following argument: "There is a good market for apples a little to the south, but at present when the farmers get to the American border with their apples they have to take 25 cents per bushel out of their pockets and hand it to the United States tax collector. It is the same with horses, so many of which are raised in your district. On a horse of $200 in value you have to pay a duty of $50. That might be well, but to keep that $50 in your pockets is better."

At London the manufacturers were promised that there should be no revision of the Tariff affecting their interests without a Commission of Investigation. At Windsor, on the 9th, Sir Wilfrid completed his Ontario tour. As at Cobourg, where hundreds of Americans reside in summer, so here where Detroit rests just across the River, United States citizens were largely in evidence. Out of this rather natural situation the Conservatives afterwards made considerable capital. Senator W. A. Smith and M. A. McRae, President of the Detroit Chamber of Commerce, were on the platform. Here the Premier proclaimed his ideal. "It is not Imperialism. It is Canada, first, last and always." Outside of this" the aim which is the goal of my life is that there shall be absolute peace between the two peoples on this North American continent, and that, while preserving their national identities they shall show the world a noble emulation in the arts of science and trade. That is the goal to which we are tending and, if we succeed, we shall give an example to the world such as she has never seen, and achieve a destiny as noble as any that can be dreamed of.”

On Sept. 11th the Premier was back again in Quebec making speeches in a variety of small centres. At Victoriaville on this date, at Beauce Junction and Thetford Mines on the 12th, at Montmagny on the 13th, at Quebec-to English-speaking electors -on the 14th, at Rimouski on the 15th and Grand Mêre on the 16th, at Joliette on the 17th, the Premier denounced the "unholy alliance" of Nationalists and Imperialists, of Messrs. Borden, Monk, and Sifton; described how under Liberal rule Canada had

grown from "a geographical expression" to a country whose citizens were received in London or Paris, Berlin or Rome with lifted caps and open doors; stated that Reciprocity was the result of a Pilgrimage from Washington and its rejection would be a crime against civilization; declared that the Trusts in the United States and Canada had made common cause against it; denounced the mountain of words " and persistent obstruction used by the Opposition in Parliament against the Agreement; claimed the Opposition argument that the country is prosperous and change therefore unwise to be a great tribute to Liberal administration; urged the farmer to put into his pockets the $4.00 duty per ton now paid upon hay entering the United States; declared again and again that the Canadian Navy meant neither conscription nor increased burdens for the masses and that its creation was necessary to maintain Canada's national position and pride; announced his splendid health and assured hope of victory.

At these meetings Hon. H. S. Béland was a strong support for the Premier while Hon. C. R. Devlin, Hon. J. E. Caron and other members of the Quebec Government spoke from time to time. The Quebec meeting was notable for the Premier's reference to the manufacturers: "I do not understand why the manufacturers oppose Reciprocity. It is said to be because they are afraid of the future. If that were the case I would be very very sorry to believe it, and up to the present have refused to believe it. The manufacturers would make a great mistake if by their fear for the future they should refuse to favour something which is going to be a great benefit to the farmer. What benefits one class benefits all classes. The farmers have a just cause and are, therefore, twice armed. This is the cause of the farmers, and if the manufacturers oppose it to-day, they are preparing for themselves a rod which will some day fall across their own shoulders."

Back in Ottawa on Sept. 18th the Premier declared himself "sick and tired of this Annexation talk" and once more warned the industrial interests of the country. "The manufacturers must understand that there are men who are not as magnanimous as we are and forces will be aroused which it will be impossible for me to control. I repeat, and in no spirit of threatening, that the manufacturer is raising a power against himself in the time to come and must not be surprised if he is preparing a rod for his own back." A series of meetings in Montreal followed and closed the severest, most strenuous, and, apparently up to the very end, the most optimistic campaign of Sir Wilfrid Laurier's career. There is no doubt he knew the difficulties and did not under-rate the dangers of the contest but some unconquerable spirit of hope appeared to keep him ever-cheerful and smiling amid all the labours of the period. On Sept. 19th, after speaking at St. Clet on his way, the Premier arrived in Montreal, addressed a meeting on Atwater Ave., another at St. James' Market and one at the

corner of Ontario Avenue. With him were Hon. R. Lemieux and Hon. Jeremie Decarie of the Provincial Government and his speeches were made in both French and English. These open-air addresses were made, it was estimated, before 70,000 people. To the manufacturers who were opposing him Sir Wilfrid said at one of these demonstrations: "On Thursday I will beat them and on Friday I will continue to protect their just interests." On the following afternoon the Premier was addressing 10,000 people at Beauport and, later on, a similar crowd at St. Anne de Beaupre. The day of the Election he spent quietly in Quebec.

den's Speeches

Mr. Borden entered the campaign on Aug. 1st Mr. B. L. Bor- with a record of ten years Opposition Leadership, and Policy in which had been marked by the ups and downs charthe Campaign acteristic of such a position. With them, however, was an ever-growing measure of Parliamentary respect for his debating powers, for his personal courtesy and tactful conciliation of divergent opinions, for his knowledge of Parliamentary practice and principles, accompanied by a steadilyincreasing feeling in the public mind that the Conservative party had in him a Leader of high character, proved ability, clear Canadian spirit and strong British loyalty. His first action following the Dissolution and the issue of a preliminary Manifesto, was to visit Montreal and Toronto and meet those who, in many and varied ways, were to share in the coming contest-its successes or its defeats. Then he issued, on Aug. 14th, the Address to the People of Canada which was to be the pivot of all Opposition arguments in the campaign. In this document he first claimed that Parliament had received no mandate from the public to deal with this issue, described the responsibilities, growing greatness, faith and courage, of Canadians, declared that this Agreement completely altered the status and conditions of national growth, and described the objections to it as "profound and abiding." He summarized them as follows:

It (Reciprocity) interlocks our finance system with that of the United States, and fetters the power of Parliament to alter our tariff according to the just requirements of our people. Its duration is nominally within the control of either country, but actually within that of the United States alone. The conditions of its abrogation would involve so many delicate and difficult international considerations that the stronger party would eventually dictate the terms. Its tendency and aim are complete commercial union between the two countries, to the exclusion of the rest of the Empire.

It opens to the United States our home market, which consumes 80 per cent. of our animal and agricultural product. It also has the effect of opening that same market to twelve foreign countries and to all the British Possessions, for which we obtain no reciprocal or com pensating advantage. Sir Wilfrid Laurier is sending to these foreign nations a polite invitation to forego and renounce this right to enter our markets. The suggestion that they are likely to be thus considerate and unselfish is so foolish that it requires no answer.