ve cepencecaeeteeicee aaa

—— Sse > mom a a

Tae Dairy EXAMINER,

~ APRIL 16, 1878.

A Reason Wanted.

Tux Patriot is rampant against the pre- xosed duty on flour which another supporter of Mr. MeKenzie moved for in the House of Not content with condemning the Ontario wing of the Grit Party, the Patriot tries to bring the Exammer into It actually has

‘‘ommons !

his sume condemnation. the audacity to assert that ‘“The ExAMINER daty on flour.” audacious assertion

is found to advocate a

To this we give a taost emphatic denial. We have never written one word in advocacy of the duty reoposed by Mr. McKenzie’s followers and opposed and voted against by Mr. Pope. Our position is clearly defined. We want to come—and we want the people of this Island to come—to an intelligent under- stamling of this trade question. to the article of flour, we find that prices are no higher in the Protected States than

they are in Free Trade Canada. Qn en-

gairy of our flour merchants as to the cause,»

the reason given is that the prices of flour in both countries are regulated and yovernec Di the prices of flour in Great Britein. Now, we want to know how this duty which Mr. McKenzie’s follower— Brown—proposes, can raise the price of Ca- nadian flour? But the flour merchants— not being political economists—are not very clear in their answers. Like ourselves— and the rest of the people of this Province they want a little enlightenment on that point. We appea'ed to the Patrwt or any of its correspondents. We hoped that if the Patriot failed, Mr. W. D. Stewart would come to therescue. We havewaited a week, and «till there is no answer, except the wholesale that ‘‘ This tax on flour, thon, would cost every such family Give dollars_a year.” We now ask the Pa- trivt oz any of its correspondents to prove this assertion. But it must not be inferred that because we askthem todo this we adro-

assertion

cate the imposition of the tax.

The Petriot,

York Herald as an authority upon the ques- tion of Reciprocity. The friendly disposi- tion of the New York Herald may be judged irom the fact that it has persistently op- posed the payment to Canada ot the five and a half millions awarded by the Fishery Commission and advocated a breach of the Treaty of Washington, by proposing to shut out of United States markets the products of our fisheries. - And the New York Herald is the high authority the Patriot asks its readers to ac- gapt before they do the opinions of Sir A. ‘f. Galt, Mr. Alex. McKenzie (Premier), Mr. Workman (the Premier’s supporter), Senator Fabre (the Premier’s pet), and many other eminent Canadians of both political parties.

The Patriot says “the Americans are a high spirited people.” What idea the Patriot has of high spirit we know not. The ‘‘Americans” deny us privileges in their markets which we fully accord to them and they accept in our markets. Would a “high spirited” people do this?

And what shail we say of the ‘‘high spirit” of Canadians if they cringe to the strongest, and while being ruined for want of Reciprocity are yet afraid to raise @ finger to obtain it?

The course likely to be adopted by the *thigh-spirited Canadian people” has been indicated by an United States statesman, whose opinion is, at least, equally as good as that of the New York Herald. While op- posing in Congress the abrogation of the ‘‘Reeiprocity Treaty,” and while denounc- ing the mean and selfish policy the Govern- snent of the United States were then about

we observe, cites the New

to begin, the Hon. Elijah Ward, of New|

York, said :—

‘Until 1847, the produce of the Colonies was admitted under special privileges into the markets of Great Britain; but when these were removed, the authority of that country over the financial affairs of the Colonies was also relaxed. At that time the Canadian duties on American manufactures were seven and a half per cent. more than on similar ar- ticles made in Great Britain; but one of the first duties of their increased power was to equatize taxation on the manufactures of both countries by a uniform tariff of 74 per cent on all.

** As Colonies of Great Britain, the Provinces may easily retury to preferential duties in fa- vor of the nation with which they are politi- eaily connected.”

« * * * "There is little room for doubt that if we rashly and persistently pursue a hostile aud exclusive course most of this trade now in our possession will be divided between the Colonies themselyes and Great Britain. The Provinces will be compelled to execute their old projectofanintercelonial railroad from Halifax and St. John, and perhaps other ports in the interior of their country, thus complet- ing the only remaining link in their present vast system of internal communication, and

iving them uninterrupted access from Lake Se. Clair and Lake Huren to the ocean through their own territory, at all periods of the year. Their people, by commercially npyjiting the Provinces together, may soon jana the development ‘of a system of home industry which will make them independent of our

In regard |

manufactures, and compete with us in every neutral market. They will become their own shippers and traders for every cormmodity of foreign origin.” —Hon. Hlijah Ward, 1864.

We yive that to the Patrioi as the opimon of a ‘thigh-spirited and a very eminent American,” whose opinion is worthy of con- i sideration,

The Patriot's unprofessional and dispa- raging remarks concerning the ExaMInek gives us no concern. Every day we receive evidence that the Examiner’s efforts to ex- plain the Trade Question and the position of the two political parties respecting it, are being appreciated. Only this morning we received a note from a gentleman of English birth and highreducation, in which he says :

Avserron, April 13, 1878. * * {think your remarks on Dr. Tupper’s speech and on * Free Trade” very conclusive, and such as ought to meet with universal attention. ‘There can be no Free Trade properly 40 called without Reciprocity.

| ebate on the Abolition of the Leg- islative Council.

| [o cHANGE the Constitution of even this small Province is a serious matter; and al- though we believe the people long ago made up their minds that the Legislative Council is now unnecessary, we do not blame the Government for adopting a cautious policy

the abolition shall take place. political changes it is always best to ‘‘ hasten slowly.” ‘The present Government hive al- ready suffered much on accownt of their over-hasty Legislative action—and, we may add, the people also have suffered much on account of their over-hasty Legislative ac- tion. Itis well that Mr. Davies and his colleagues are beginning to learn wisdom by experience.

We must confess, however, that it is somewhat confusing to ordinary men to hear members of the Government declaimand pro- test against a measure which the Govern- ment propose. Nor is it, inour opinion, much to be wondered at that the Hon. W. D. Stewart’s attempt to introduce, by a speech, a resolution from the first and main proposition of which he dissented, was pain- fully ridiculous. Mr. Stewart is, he says, opposed to the abolition of the Legislative Council. Yet he is the introducer of a reso- lution which sets forth that it is expedient to abolish the Legislative Council.

Even Mr. Davies might have failed just as miserably as his lieutenant had he openly expressed his private opinions. But Mr. Davies had the wit to conceal his thoughts respecting the expediency of abolishing the Council, and to confine his argument to the qualifications property holders should pos- sess in case the people decide at the polls that the Council should be abolished. In speaking to this point Mr. Davies for once threw off the false radical garb—the thin dis- guise which barely covers the high toryism with which nature has invested him—and posed in the character of a true Conservative. We must do Mr. Davies the justice to admit that he acted the part infinitely better than he does that of the advanced radical. The phrase ‘‘conserve the rights,” and ‘conserve the interests,” and ‘‘conserve the political privileges” ‘‘held and enjoyed” by property holders fell from his lips as naturally as if he were a Conservative to the manner bone. His speech, from the premises he laid down, was a good one. ut, in our opinion, the premises he laid down are false. What is the ground taken by those who favor the abolition of the Council ? Not, certainly, that property holders enjoy any privileges under it or derive any bene- fit from it. Quite the contrary. It is asserted that the interest of property hold- ers are not conserved by the Council. It is stated that the Council has invariably failed in its duty to property holders when put to the test. It is declared that it has always been the obedient tool of the Lower House. It is said that the Council has never—since it became elective—put a check upon Legislation. It is said that sine2 the Island entered the Confederacy, and the most important functions of the Pro- vincial Legislature are performed by the Dominion Government—and the sphere of the Provincial Legislature is hedged about by the Dominion Parliameyt-—and the Acts of the Provincial legislature are subject tothe inspection of the Minister of Justice and to the veto of the Dominion Government—the Legislative Council has been a_ useless in- stitution. ‘Thisis the contention. And if this contention be not just, then there is no reason why the Legislative Council should be abolished. ‘The mere saving of six or seven thousand dollars a year is a ridiculous 'plea for the abolition of a useful factor ‘in our Legislative machinery. It is because ‘the people believe the Council to_be useless and unnecessary in this small Province of ninety thousand inhabitants, that they clamor for ‘its abolition. That they are right seems, in view of the circumstances, reasonable. It is remarked by John Stuart Mili that :-—

'

| ‘*T€ there are two Houses, one considered to jrepresent the people, the other to represent only a class, or not to be representative at all, i cannot think that where democracy is the ‘ruling power in society, the second House

aberrations of the first, It might be suffered to exist, in deference to habit and association, but not as an effective check, If it exercised an independent will, it would be required to do so in the same general spirit as the other House; to be equally democratic with it, and to content itself with correcting the accidental oversights of the more popular branch of the legislature,or competing with it in popu- lar measures.”

We do not suppose that John Stuart Mill had the second House of Prince Edward Island in view when he made these remarks; but certainly if has been unable to resist even the ‘‘aberrations of the first,”—as witness the Legislation of last Session.

lf, then, the observatio;; of John Stuart \Mill be not at fault; if the contention of the people that the Legislative Council af-

would have any real ability to resist even the |

with reference to the conditions upon which | in making} i which may safely be entrusted with the elect- ive franchise, does his loss of these pecuniary |

John Telegraph.

[right contention, what ground is there for

Mr. Davies’ argument in favor of giving to property holders two votes (in the event of its abolition) to non-property holders one ! Olearly, none whatever. To do 80, would be to simply give something 1 lieu of nothing, to make an invidious distinction between man and man—to introduce still more generally the principle of discord which now, unhappily—owing to the Legis- lation of last Session-- pervades the body politic. ; :

The proper basis upon which electoral qualification should be established is a dithi cult and delieate question. a property qualification : We think property should undoubtedly have its due influence in the representative body of the Province. But we strongly incline to the opmion— expressed by Mr. McMillan— that property holders indirectly obtain that influence by the exercise of the influence they necessar- ily and legitimately possess over persons with whom they are connected. Any man of property, who is reasonable and active, and has a show of right on his side, can, without either bribery or intimidation or doing anything unlawful — influence the votes of one or two poorer persons in favor of the candidate he supports. If he is not a man of sense and has not right on his side, then there is no reason why he

should possess greater weight in the com-|

munity than his poorer neighbor who is en- dowed with sense, and has right on his side. On this point the celebrated Lord Broughara remarks :—

‘If the possession of certain pecuniary means t any one time showed him to be of that class

ae i

means degrade him to an inferior class, and make hin who was trustworthy last year not to be trusted this? Are his industry, sobriety, information, judgment, all gone with his money? At least, let us be consistent with ourselves, and admit that, having once been proved to be a fit person, he should be recog- nized as such ever after. The rule, to have

any color of consistency with itself, should be |

_*Onee a voter always a voter.’

‘‘But it seems, if possible, more absurd to |

adopt such a test, or any test at all, unless there is an absolute impossibility of obtaining the quality itself directly, or at least by much easier wehods. If the possession of wealth is allowed to be a criterion of sense and informa. tion, all must admit it to be liable to error, as the most silly and ignorant of men may have it. So, if it be taken as an evidence of indus- trious and sober habits, or of general respecta- bility, the same uncertainty must be allowed to attend it.”

On the whole we must condemn the policy of the Government in this matter.

If they think *‘ manhood suffrage” is a failure in this Province of ours; if they think there should be a change of base on the matter of electors’ qualifications, it might be well, perhaps, for them to con- sider whether they could not profitably adopt Mr. Hacketi’s suggestion and make the possession of education and character the qualification of voters, They rejoice in the name of the ‘‘Free School Govern- ment,” and they might, we think —with a little ingerfuity—invent a plan by which their Free School system would be ma- terially strengthened and improved, while the qualification of electors would be placed upon a basis as enduring as manhood, and as high as the best interests of the Province demand — without the invidious distinc- tions and the uncertainty incident to the proposed ‘‘Plural Vote.”

-———- 2980 eo —— —

How They DolIt!

‘

Tue Local Government calls for tenders to manage the Ferry Steamers ; and

With regard to |

QUTELTTING

| CUSTOM 50 OUEEN

sein deminastatiarernl

WAREHOUSE

—

TATE. Ce. 1 —. TT

:0:———

W GOOD.

“NEW GOODS.

Under Captain Finalyson’s Skillfal Command the “Northen Light,’

well spoken of by bummers, has landed us

’

12 Gases Men’s Wear,

TELIC

LATEST

3 4a ft mo rgté.! dvakatéa Co 2 . egagh b ; SLRS oe 24 & vv nav tt Ge FU sti's Uk Po }

April 6—-3m

CC m tow al,

~TIN- ¥ Men’s Hard and HATS, CAPS,.&c.

C. ROBERTSON. .

LATEST OUT.

WORSTED COATINGS — SUPERIOR FINISH.!

Spring ‘weed — Newest Designs!

STY L

RE

Ride we eer BPE BT Se

23%

RESERVE your

5 : LOWER THAN EY

Ch’town, March 23—sw pat s jour 2i

0:---

and get our Low Quotations —

BRO’S, acents.

reeset antigen

GIN

en a ae eee

A GRAD ID

SAGRED CONCERT !

WILL BE GIVEN IN TH2

Y. M. C. A. HALL,

—-ON -—-

Monday fivening next,

the 22nd insr.,

In aid of the funds of tha Association THE PROGRAMME

will consist of some of the best Anthem Choruses ever sung before a Char- lottetown Audience, such as

“THE HEAVENS ARE TELLING,”

from ‘* Haypn’s CREATION.”

ERT.

A Choir of nearly one hundred voices, com- prising the best musical talent to be found in the several Churches of the City, accompanied by Piano, Organ, Violin, Flute and two Cor- nets, are to take part on this occasion.

The friends of the Association and lovers of

H. sends in a tender for $2,900 H. gets B. to tender for him for 2,300 H. gets C. do do 1,450 A. sends in a tender for 1,800 E. do do 1,490 D do do 1,500

‘When “ E’s” tender is opened—B. who opens the tender calls out, ‘* H, has it at) $1,489 ; send for H.” When “ H.” comes | he is told that his tender is the lowest ; but | with a littl-————--—he contrives to get! the contract at the amount ef ‘* D’s” ten- der, viz . $1,500.

And so they illustrate ‘* Reform,” nomy,” and ‘‘ Fairplay.” -?7a>Pr~ Corrections.

; ’

We have no desire to do any supporter ot the Local Government—or any other Gov ernment—tie slightest injustice; and it seems that we did ‘‘Mr. Speaker” an in- justice in attributing to him the proposal to reduce Mr. W. C. DesBrisay’s salary. ‘‘Mr. Speaker” lost his opportunity to do the peo- ple of the [sland a great service; but he did not—we are informed—discriminate in- Vidiously against the efficient and popnlar Clerk of the Executive Cauncil,

A report—clipped from one of our ex: changes—which appeared in the Examrver of March 28th, to the effect that ‘‘ Messrs. Cooper, Fairman & Co., of Montreal, had put their estate intp insolvency” was incor- rect. We regret that the false report ap- peared in our columns.

The statement of one of our correspond- ents that Galbraith’s Band reecived from the Government $100 an hour hardly needs correction. Mr. Galbraith informs us that} the $100 were granted to assist the Band in | obtaining new instruments.-

—ai > ae }

Navreatron oF THe GULF. — We understand that the Straits of Northumberland ere} open from Cape Termentine to the mouth | of the St. Lawrence river, and that in ai week or ten days the harbors along she | North Shore wili be free of ice and open for | navigation. So far the only shipper from | that quarter, which we heer of asking far | tonnage from our shipbrokers, is George | McLeod, Esq., 3, P., who is preparing to’ ship a large quantity of deals from Richi-} bucto and Buctouehe, this coming season. | He also ships frou Miramichi, but in a | smaller scale than thé above ports.—NSt. | '

a

Fane J PRINTING Neatly and Promptly

y Executed at the EXAMINER Print| UY THE DAILY EX? B for the latest newa-local sad eae )

fords no protection to property holders be af ing Kooms, Water Street, Charlottetown, April 13—dy pat 2i

“\

‘*Reo- i

music may confidently expect the best musical treat of the season. Tickets 25 cents ; reserved seats 50 cents. By order, D, M. FRASER, a é' Mas‘cal Director. Ch’town, April 1b

PP. -. Starch Manufacturing (a,

CAPITAL . . $25,000,

In Shares of $25.00 each

FENHIS COMPANY has been Incorporated _by Act of Parliament duiing the present session, and one-third of the Shares have been taken up by the leading men of Charlottetown. Farmers holding-Stock in this Company will have the benefit of the preference in the large purchase of produce which the working of the Company entails.

Applications for Shares tc be rade to Messrs. Hyndman Sros., untill the Di- rectors and Officers of the Corapany are ap- poynted,

April 16, 1878-

MOLASSES

—AND—

SOLE LEATHER!

() PUNCHEONS Porto Fico and Cuba MOLASSES. ” AC } SIDES New York SOLE LEATHER. es Yor sale cheap, at

aa ARCHD KENNEDY’S. Lower Water Street, Ch’town, March 29—6in

COAL! COAL!

FOR SALE,

BOUT 300 Tons Gowrie Mines Fine COAL, a superior article for House

use and Steam purposes. Wil! be sold cheap for Cash.

April 4—1i WM. XOUGHAN.

AUCTION!

our Salesroom, on

‘Thursday, 18th April, inst.,

AT Ll o’cLock, A. M.,

100 Bbis. Superior Extra) yp ay

,~00 “ Extra : FLOUR

(100 * ~- Superfine ' 5 “ tha 5 A

5) HAL - CHESTS TEA To Close Consignment,

mes

Ci’town, April 13—pat t sale © 5 Fd i HARPER'S HISTORY: OF: THE MARITIME” PROVINCES, COLLINS’ GEOGR Chemistry Of Common: and other School Books just received at

THE SCHOOL BOOK, DEPOT,

HARVIE’S BOOK-STORE; Ch’town, April 8—eod

_ JUST RECEIVED,” nother Supply of the Celebrated WALTHAM WANCHES

Warranted, as usual, at

, “ s ' a) 6 2. Bek Ars. |

_. _— North Side Ee Square, hed April 12—dy pat 3aw for 4w

CITY HOTEL

—+- = si TO LET, Ti .t Eligibly Situated Prop. ety

‘S3HIS HOTEL contains 28 Rooms, and, i

' location for Hotel purposes cannot be passed, being centrally situated, within a stone’s throw of the Post Office and Public Buildings, and but three minutes’ walk from the Railway Station and Wharves. Possession given Ist May. Apply to nS HASZA Ss. Ch’'town, April 8—eod t may i Saari

ernment

BLANK - BILL HEADS

“BLANK STATEMENTS, —

—aND—

BUSINESS CARDS,

Furnished promptly and cheaply, te

order, at

EXAMINER OFFICE, _INGS’ BUILDING, = > Corner Great George and Water Streets,

FOR CHARTER,

-

SCHOONER of about A Apply to = oe ro ‘ : WM. McGIEly .

Main BH

Seft Pelt and fer & +

—

WEE.E.A WILLA.

| We will sell at AUCTION, in front of