The Liberal press of the Province followed in eulogy of Mr. Rowell's high ideals and personal character. Outside of the Province the Montreal Herald (Nov. 6) had a very good analysis of the personal equation: "Mr. Rowell may or may not have the peculiar qualities which fit a man for the task of leading other men. That time will tell. But certain qualities he undoubtedly has which make it look not unlikely that he will succeed. He is, to begin with, a man of the best type in all that has to do with personal conduct and ideals. Secondly, he is a hard worker and, what is better, an efficient worker. If his close associates admit a fault in him it is that he overdoes it, works beyond what his physical strength is able to sustain. Finally, he is one of the few public speakers who has the genuine oratorical fire. There is plenty of brain work behind what he says, but he is in essence not a debater nor a lecturer, but an orator, an evangelist." The Toronto News represented the Conservative view in the ensuing contest as follows: "Of high character, of undoubted ability at the bar, and a popular and powerful public speaker, he is wholly without actual political experience. He has always been a confirmed partisan and, despite its corrupt electoral methods, he supported the Ross Government to the bitter end, as he likewise followed the Laurier Administration to the grave." On Nov. 7th Mr. Rowell issued an elaborate Address to the Electors in which he reviewed the political situation and outlined a wide range of subjects for Liberal and public support with the preliminary statement that the Whitney Government had failed "to grasp the urgency and importance of the settlement and development of New Ontario "; that agriculture was the basic industry of Ontario and must be organized on progressive lines; and that even more important than material development was "the promotion of the social, moral and industrial welfare of the people." The Party platform, as then enunciated, may be summarized as follows: 1. The creation of a Government Department of Immigration and Colonization for the purpose of promoting, primarily, the pioneer interests and development of Northern Ontario. 2. The maintenance of the Colonization character of the T. & N. O. (Provincial) Railway, the protection of shippers and settlers from inequitable rates by its subjection to Dominion Railway Commission regulation and the general railway law, the allowing of actions at law against the Railway without the permission of the Attorney-General, its extension to Hudson's Bay and removal of restrictions as to Municipal taxes thereon. 3. The promotion of mining by reduction of Prospectors' fees, provision of reasonable transportation facilities, increased stability in titles and the securing of an 8-hour day for underground miners. 4. The determination of the Ontario Manitoba boundary line so as to give Ontario a suitable port on Hudson's Bay for ocean-going vessels. 5. Future alleviation of conditions causing the decline in Ontario's rural population by the appointment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry as to the best course of action with, in the meantime, active encouragement of immigration, the inducing of land-seeking farmers to go to New Ontario instead of the West, the building of a good road system throughout the Province, the extension in rural districts of public light, heat and power services, the provision of suitable demonstration farms and orchards throughout the Province, the appointment of more Provincial Inspectors with power to stamp out noxious weeds, insect pests, and orchard tree diseases, the enlargement of the experimental work of the Agricultural College. 6. The removal of existing inequalities in taxation; the permitting of municipalities to exempt improvements from taxation in whole or in part; the contribution of railway and other public utility corporations to the revenues of municipalities and the Province on a basis of assessment and taxation equal to the imposition on private citizens. 7. Consideration during the Parliamentary term of "the best form of legislation to deal effectively with the evils of intemperance," the immediate abolition of the three-fifths clause and the removal of Liquor license administration from political influence; the passage of a measure regarding Compensation to injured workmen based upon the British law; investigation and supervision of matters affecting the health and well-being of workers; encouragement to town-planning and prevention of congested areas; suppression of tuberculosis and avoidance of occupational diseases. 8. Promotion of a co-operative relationship between the primary schools, high schools and Universities; more liberal grants for encouragement of primary education and industrial training; the restoration of Model Schools and formation of adequate training schools for a sufficient supply of competent teachers. 9. "We believe in and will support public ownership and operation of public utilities and especially the utilization of water powers throughout the Province for the generation and distribution of electricity; also the acquisition and operation of telephone lines." 10. Development of a scientific policy of Forestry with reforestration of suitable Crown lands; the conservation of timber resources by the revesting in the crown of berths containing young pine timber and an adequate system of fire-ranging to protect Crown timber; the sale of Crown timber by public auction rather than by private sale or tender; assistance, financially, to municipalities that desire to purchase and reforest the waste land now existing. 11. Condemnation of the Government's Land grants to Railway corporations and promised enlargement of powers and re-organization of the Ontario Railway and Municipal Board. 12. Opposition to Trusts, mergers and all combinations restricting competition; abolition of the right of Government to deny access to the Courts. 13. Creation of a Civil Service Commission and appointments and promotions in the Service by merit after competitive examination. 14. Prohibition of corporations under Government jurisdiction to make campaign contributions, publication of details of contributions to candidates, and appointment of a Public Prosecutor in contested elections. The Liberal press described this platform and policy as, on the whole, one of practicable reform. The Brantford Expositer considered it "just such a declaration of progressive and truly Liberal principles as might be expected from a young and fearless and absolutely clean leader." The Ottawa Free Press described it as "framed in the best spirit of Liberal thought and faith. The platform is progressive and constructive." The Christian Guardian gave a non-party view on Nov. 8th: "Whatever effect Mr. Rowell's assuming of leadership may have upon the fortunes of the party with which he is identified there can be no doubt at all that his active participation in political life will help to give MR. NEWTON WESLEY ROWELL, K.C., M.L.A. THE HON. WM. HOWARD HEARST, K.C., M.L.A. strength and success to moral issues, and to raise the tone and temper of political discussions and methods." Conservative opinion was naturally inclined to claim that the best things in the Rowell platform had already been accomplished, or were under way, and to assert that Mr. Rowell had side-stepped the (to him) vital principle of Prohibition or "abolish the bar," and the muchdiscussed Bi-lingual problem. They also dealt with his advocacy of Reciprocity and his old-time support of the Ross Government. Following this incident Dr. Andrew MacKay retired as Liberal candidate in North Oxford and, on Nov. 12th, Mr. Rowell was given the unanimous nomination of a new Convention. On the 14th the new Leader put his policy before a great meeting in Massey Hall, Toronto, and delivered a speech of distinct force and eloquence. He did not deal with all the points in his voluminous party platform, as reviewed above, but confined himself to a few of the chief planks. This platform was, he declared, not the last word in Liberalism but would at once help to promote the moral and material welfare of the people and better their social and industrial condition. After paying tribute to Mr. A. G. MacKay's brilliant qualities and expressing a belief that he would vindicate himself, and the electors of North Grey show their confidence in that result by re-electing him, Mr. Rowell dealt with what he termed "the bluff and frank honesty of Sir James Whitney," his tenacity of opinion and his courage of conviction, reviewed the past Provincial leaders of Liberalism and thanked the press for its personal, if not political, appreciation of his own selection. He deprecated the "forcing of an Election" at an inclement season and a year before the expiration of the Legislative term, and urged the importance of having a larger minority in the House even if there could not be a Liberal majority. "The tendency of every Government which has behind it an overwhelming majority in Parliament is to become domineering, overbearing and insolent in reference to the rights of the minority and the public weal." His platform he described as follows: "It is but a statement of the pressing and urgent needs, both in legislation and administration, the policies which should be immediately adopted in order that our Province may swing into the line of progress and move forward in her destined course. So soon as these measures are adopted then we move forward to take up new ground." The development of Northern Ontario was declared to be a great issue of the day, the Government's policy a Rip Van Winkle ideal with apathy and indifference as characteristics. In the matter of Education Mr. Rowell described the situation as one of public unrest and dissatisfaction, of Government muddle and mismanagement. The basis for this charge was found in a shortage of teachers for which he blamed the abolition of Model |