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ii i PAGE FOUR m: .cinntorrrrovnt autnnmt

Morning Dilly [Folmdod 1881)

Prealdent. lJeuL-Col. W Chalk! 3- Nil-IN Vine President. J. B. Burnett. IJ-l - “usury. LleuL-Col D A hlaeKlnnau. 0.8-0- i ldltor and Managing Director J IL liar-nett- FJJ- Associate Editor. Frank Walker SUISSCRIPTION BATES $5,019 pe: year iln advance: delivered to tlty. _ $4.00 per year tin advauret mailed to P. IL llllud 5.00 per year tin advance] mailed to Canada and U-Ib Members Audit Bureau of Circulation

‘The Strongest Memory is LVeaket than the mlllealrestwglnlc.

ruonnav, APRIL l. i939

Again They Bungledl

On April 27th atrtctitioti was called in lhesc columns to the prtwi m1 1n The lzlcctton Act under which flirt-c ]ll'i\';llt' nit-tubers of the last Lcgislzttttrt- net": llilllli)‘ disqualified by having sat and voted in lhc llotisc \\‘1111C drwing $31‘ “he, h, ..,,,-_.,»,,.,\ 1.“ UfllCCS. lt nut.- pointed out . . . h -

they should lt1'.\': r ctl their scats when they accepted tho-r fill4sl lmslliolfi. 111111 111?" b)“ elections >llUlll1l lune been called to fill 111611‘ places.

'l'hc l,itt\‘t‘fllllll'llf urgnti denied that this was the law and protni-ctl to cttlightcn the public in the tnattcr licftirc the date oi the election. Since that time (‘\‘II‘_\’ 1Jpportutiit_v' has been givcn it to ct-tnc iorwurtl with cxplzttiatioti, but it has not done so. In the meantime the King's Prin- ter, who is a tncttihcr of the Patriot staff, has issued for gt-ticrztl use copies of The Election Act with antcurhttcttts to I933. A RICK)‘ l0 Section I3 of that .\ct as issued by the King's Printer will show it to be precisely in the words quoted by us on April 27.

We have been waiting in the expectation that the Govcrntncnt organ would come out with its alibi tinder Sec. 2o of an Act passed at the last legislative session, “respecting the var- ious departments of the Public Service." Evi- dently the Government press is saving this for an election-eve roorbnck. We shall therefore deal with it now so that the public may have full opportunity of studying both its purpose and provisions. Its purpose can be explained in a few words. It is an obvious attempt to white- wash the bungling amendments previously in- troduced to The Election Act, with regard to the appointments of Messrs. Trainer, Acorn and Gallant as Clerk of the Legislature and members of the Fisher-men's Loan Board re- lpectively_

In the mimcographed copy of the Public Service Act introduced last session, Soc 20 read: “Nothing in any statute of the Province shall render any member of the Assembly inelegible an a member thereof or disqualify him to sit or vote therein by reason of his being paid the sum mentioned in Sec. f9". (Soc, I9 states that each member of the Assembly shall be paid the cum of $400 for each session thereof attended by him and the Speaker shall get an additional $200.)

When this section came through committee we find it greatly changed and reading in these words: “Nothing fa the contrary contained in any statute of this Province shall render or shall have rendered any person inelegible as a member of the Assembly nor shall disqualify or shall have disqualified him to sit or vote therein by reason of his being paid the sum mentioned in Sec. 19 of this Act nor by reason

of hi: holding any of tha following office: that i: lo soy member of the Treasury Board, member of the Fishermen’: Loan Board, Law Clerk of the Legislative Assembly or Clerk of the Legislative Assembly."

This is the section as it finally emerged, with no questions being asked or explanation given

as to why the amendments were inserted.

In this we have the third attempt to patch up the bungling they made in the fall session of 1935 and again in 1937, when they rode rough- shod through the law safeguarding the indep- endence of Parliament. It confirms our inter- pretation of the Election Act, and reveals their own awareness of the fact that the Act had been violated. Otherwise, why this belated and furtive amendment in a statute not dealing with elections at all?

But in this final attempt to patch things up they bungled again. For it is the receipt of sal- pries from the Government or Legislature that is the disqualifying factor in this case, not the holding of such positions. All that the: hurried amendment to the Public Service Act did was permit Messrs. Trainor, Acorn and Gallant to draw their scssional indemnities while serving as Legislative Clerk or Fishcrmen's Loan Board members. It did not eitfiflr Ilium to draw one cent over and above the $400 due lllem a: rep- reraitfofirtcr. They are still disqualified under the Election Act for the whole period during which they sat and voted while drawing tlieir ‘extra salaries!

cratic system," said the Globe, "has not been in opposing legislation, but in bringing out in debate any action: of the Government that might b: concealed.” It was a moot question in the Globe's opinion, whether "democracy has no! been destroyed became the Opposition ha: been lort." To that and other questions which the situation created, "Prince Edward Island will b: able to give definite answer tuhen if return: lo the poll: again."

“In the meantime," said the Globe, “the fact

the Assembly to represent a very sulmanfiol minority group. From an aggregate count of the voted taken after the first complete returns, the Liberals carried thirty seats with 46,461 ballots, while the Conservatives, without a seat, amass- ed 34,108 votes. As was indicated by the nar- row margin given to several successful Liberals, unfortunate circumstance that prevented a few more Conservative votes being concentrated in several districts was all that separated victory from defeat. By the figures thenu-elz/er the Lib- erals were IN NO lVISE ENTITLED TO ABSOLUTE RULE THEY OBTAIN- Consequently, said the Globe, the Liberal leader was shouldering "one of the greatest burdens of responsibility ever carried by a Pro- vincial Premier. It will therefore be his duty, if for no better reason than the future of his Party and the democratic system. to roe that

every arfion of hi: Government IS TAKEN 1.‘! FULL VIElV OF THE ELECTORATE, and that carry piece of Icgirlalion is clearly and reasonably in the interest: of the people a; a uthole."

There was no excuse, therefore, for the

Campbell Government in following the contrary

course of exploiting its unique position by keep-

ing the electors in the dark, and legislating, not

"clearly and reasonably in the interests of the

P601116 HS a \\'11018" b‘; in their own selfish in-

terests. They were warned of the consequences.

and many of their supporters must often have

regretted the manner in which that wartiing

ivas ignored.

Law Unto Themselves

Highly characteristic of the Campbell Gov- ernment is its organs comment, “bunkum," on the Conservative pledge to restore to our citi- zens their right of appeal to the Courts of Jus- ttce_

Premier Campbell, in dealing with this issue in a recent speech, argued that if our farmers were allowed access to the Courts in land ex- propriation cases, they and their witnesses would give false evidence with regard to land values. In other words, they would perjure themselves on a wholesale scale; and for that reason they should not be permitted the right of every com- mon criminal in the dock, of giving evidence on their own behalf!

The Courts, too, in the opinion of the Camp- bell Government, are incompetent to decide in such matters. They too, by inference, are in league with our farmers in subverting the ends of justice, and must be shorn of their jurisdic- tion.

In the humble opinion of Premier Campbell, Mr. McIntyre, Mr. LePage and their cabinet colleagues, they themselves are the only persons in this Province who are competent to assess land values, and render fair and impartial judgment thereon!

A striking instance of their competency and impartiality was given by Dr. MacMillan when he referred to the statement of another Mr. LePage, who boasted on a public platform that he had obtained an extra $200 for a dissatisfied landowner by appealing personally to his brother, the President of the Executive Council. Either the initial award by the Campbell Governmentin this case was uniust, or gross favoritism was shown by Hon. Mr. LePagc to his brother's friend. In any case, it throws a revealing light on the manner in which land values are decided and the taxpayers’ money spent under the pre- sent regime.

1 Editorial Notes 1

Charles II proclaimed King this date, 1660. a a n: a

Liberal ex-membcrs evidently afraid to face . the music.

#101101!

Their Maiesties have now their “home on the rolling deep." a u n- v May we remind Premier Campbell that “those who live in glass houses should not throw stones"—even in political speeches. a a a a i

Premier Campbell is completely stumped on the road contracts and unpaid accounts-how to rc- " concile the I938 rate with the I939 rate for the

53ml COIIIIQCH. i 1k l1

' His Honour Lieutenant Governor Patcnaude

of Quebec will be the first to officially welcome the King and Queen on landing on Canadian soil. They are not strangers, for like our own Lleut. Governor, they, met at the Coronation.

Iifii

The Empire Press Union, of which Lord Astor, proprietor of the London Times, is the President, will visit ‘Charlottetown in 1940, and have already tentatively engaged accom- mflflation for over roo guests at the Charlotte- town Hotel here for the week end of July 27.

e a o a

Plenty organization will be gnecersary to handle the crowds in Charlottetown on June lk-for there will be 50,000, or 60,000 people here from all over the Province a» wcll an from , _ _ the rue/Inland to wclconfe Their Majesties.

yflfflflll-forltlél” l0 lfiliildrciiawill be in the forefront, and will _re- brought beforefihe Al- quire to be temporarily Mum! and, fed "not

y. ‘t t.“ ‘ “ V‘ in provided with lultably safe position: to lee - WNW“! i

r4:

The Globe's Warning

“It is timely on this occasion to recall the i‘ emn warning which that great Liberal paper, £§Toronio Globe, sounded in connection with ' fliiadvent to power in this Province of the ernmcnt now facing the electors.

_. "The Globe editorial appeared immediately ‘iffir the last elegtino. It asked, in amazement, ‘Fwhat has‘ Prince Edward Island done?" One 01,311‘: greatest tprgumcnta of defenders of the

ocratie system, it said, has been the conten- that the minority u ; well u the majority t i131. volce ln Parliament-Prince Edward Island ’ - swept asidefthafpiargumerit, liuttheGlobe ell that lfvvould VBQWIQG for the Liberal " ht-"atf Opposition, or ‘I ito. select one or

l

‘i. 1 l, l?

..v 0V

r1115 cnatztorrcroww cuaaomu

NOTES BY TllE WAY

Al another proof of the Ameri- an talent. for organization comes

c Nathaniel Leverone, president o

the AnthSupersiitlou Society of that all the business about black cats and spill- ing salt 1s the bunk, and the Am; 1 prove ‘it and indict superstition on.

say, l3 counts We are glad to see

Chicago. It. seems

l lisuperstltion Society 1s out

such important work move for ward. Pooh! Pooh! We

Just as easy to walk lthem). And so nobody else ought. 1 to have the thrill of beating a jinx. , We have got along splendidly duly- -ing superstition; but, Just in case

we are bragging too much, maybe we had better knock on wood_ — Kansas City Sta-r.

The greatest. reproach to civill- zation today is the things we are doing to the children. If the world is full of fear, hatred, insecurity and want, grown-up people have no one to blame but. themselves The children are innocent. It Ls not their fault that thev dle under bombs 1n China, that, they starve in Spain, or that, they are clapped into uniform and taught the goose- step in a dozen countries while they are yet babies. Britain, which had a feeling of security until last. September, 1s now providing gas- masks for children Officials ure advising people that every effort must. be made to accustom babies to the helmets. They suggest that. mothers play peek-a-boo with their babies through the mica windows. A thousands years of vaunted nu- man progress-so that mothers may play peek-a-boo with their babies through the mica windows of a 211:3 mask! - Winnipeg Tribune,

Good will is the very essenc¢ of trade. That 1s why Premier "Mitch" Hepburn of Ontario 1s doing the industries of his province such a dis-service. Every time he rises up on his hind legs to brav about the West. milking the arouses the rtsibllities of Western buyers of the products of Eastern factories Though they may not admit it, these Western buyers are thinking up ways and means to pay Mr. Hepburn and his prov- inoe beck. we have heard many Westerners express the ooinion that, if Ontario can get, along with- out us we can get. along without Ontario. Sectlcnalsm? Yes. But. Mtr Hepburn must accept a large share of the blame for IDSIBHDR 1t to the point where people of the West would prefer ta use Western sugar, Western caruied floods, Western textiles and cloth- ing and the like to the products imported from the factories 1n Mr. Hepburrfs province, - lethbridge Herald

Ontario's forest peril is shown in the fact that an average of 1.700 forest fires are let loose each year. This appears to be a gross indictment to human care- lessness but the figures prove also that, those who use the woods for recreation or for labor are be- coml steadily more cautious and carafu. Campers and smokers start less than two-fifths of the conf1agrat1ons_ Llizhtniniz is charg- ed pith another fifth. In 1937, in- cendiarimi ran up a serious total and accounted for 43 percent. of the whofe area burned by fires of known origin other than lightning. While the legitimate seeker after recreation, or the workman bent on his daily labor, are more and more disposed to protect Ontarlcrs forest, resources from waste by fire, the problem of the Forest. Service 1s complicated ov the haz- ards of the human fire-bug and by lightning. The latter is beyond perdiction, but incendlarism has now become e. major menace to lite and pro erty — Canadian Forestry Assocla on. A German convinced of en- cllclen-ient might, be a more dan- gerous neighbor than a Germany intent on expansion-because, as German leaders have remarked 1n the past, when expansionist stews were delayed, it 1s possible to be patient while obstacles are re- moved. But. ff a process of en- cuclement is under way, a nation obviously may feel it necessarv to strike in time to prevent its com- pletlon-Chrlstion Science Moni- tor, Boston.

Third party leaders always speak derisively of the "old line part es"- they love to dwell on the words an 1f there were opprobrium attach- ed to them. The truth is that Canada has been wisely floverneo under the two-party system, be- cause you cannot have resptmsih government without efficient, lead- ership on both the government and opposition sides of federal or pra- vnclal parllameng - Coleman Journal.

Englhh, politically, has little nl’ our hyprocisy. Thus we have Mr; Chamberlain, taking time out. from the international situation to de- mand "more subscribers" and "large funds" for his party's war chest. This in preparation for an election If Prime Minister K1118 or Dr. Manlon were to write such. an appeal, some of our good peo- ple would swoon Whether they mink that elections are fought or won with prayers. we don't know. but. many of them talk as if they dlu think it. More than that, and worse, they talk as though there was something of the gravest, mor-

Ashgrove, Greengates, Bradford, England, has a chicken run over- looked by the clock 1n the parish

Digits)’: paper solemnly

was respondent reports

aren't that must be faced is that no Opposition is in ‘fgrfsldfll “a” “r lauds" (“lglllgggg

East. he T

i5‘

church bower. Toe other day. an

lulnly visible the 1mm of the c oak face, The hands theeoor- at“ “I t“

l I FBI! ELECTION BIDEK

Ska-Now that the Campbell Government is offer free elec- ltion rides on the lottetown Rock Point ferry for Mr. Le- Page‘: benefit until after the Con- servative landslide on May the eighteenth. we wonder if Mr. Hor- ace Wright will get his P901110 free election rider on the time honored Bedeque Ferry which he allowed the Campbell Government spend- thrift gxgegation to take away to help bunt. a sixty thousand dollar golf course on those d‘ messed

farms over on the North Side. I am. Sir. etc. BEDEQUE LIBERAL.

DIFFERENCE 1N HIGHWAY COSTS

Slrz-In an editorial note u ask “taxpayers to bear in mind at

according to Premier Campbell, the mid-surfaced roads that oust: ,- 1821 per mile last ear are to cost; $8.966, per mile th Election-Areal‘ And, the same ccntractors."

Giving them credit for all the tschemes of deception and electoral corruption, which they hope will save their necks from the hanimun, we must not: overlook the Public Works Engineer's reports. which ex- poses their hands and acCounts for the difference.

Chief Engineer Macdonald says —(page 14) "the sections were con- solldated. brought to grade, ba e tcourse applied. BUT ARD SU - FAOEED." Again “This sealed the base course and left a. smooth hflrd base true to urade_on which to lay THE BITUMINUS MIXED MATER- IAL” Then a in. (P. 15) “The De- partment dec ed to let 118119518111‘ stand as laid until such time as need for a seal coat. became apparent. .The Department feels Ilia 1-1181? {may be some sections that; will need . ta seal coat. in 1939. but. on the Whfilc IT Y BE OSSIBLE TO LET

‘UNTIL 1940 "

Thus it. is plum that. the Whole trick has been to palm off um lslicd ‘mostly not half finished. roads I»! finished and i0 get a ohm» name. ‘they publish costs of those hull ; baked half built roads in compaflilln lwlth the wholly finished Highways of honel. MacMlllan Governmcnl.

Another expedient, to give a "cheap" appearance. they keep the costs of surfacing and grading, 1X1 some instances greater than that 1f- the hard surfacln , on a separate account, while Conservative Highways both were included 1n the cost. per mile. Clmer investigation will show how much more Liberal Highways cost than those of Con- servatives, and a short. tune perhaps this summer. will show the r flim- sv character.

In 1939. they propose to ay the full cost of Hard-surfacing, or vote oatchlnfl. hence the $4.100 extra cost per mile.

I um Sir, etc., XNVESTIGATOB. DR. T. V. GRANT THE BUGABOO

Sin-In mid-winter. when the |vi~.»1onary Dr. Grant, ascribed the tnumerous Liberal changes of party ‘names and policies to Conservatives I accorded him Htihe deiwrved title of party "Jester." s buf oonery was no goulatd the laughing stock of all

an a.

And now. according to the Patriot, he is runnin amuck again. and. $11- lier still, t e Campbell Govern- ment organ publishes his escapfif-les to further load dOWn the smpldllI-ES o! the doomed "Thirty."

Commencing he sa .:— "I do not like speaking to smal audiences. but tbs Hon. member who pxuceeded no (Mr. Marshall) must lake $119 blame." 'I‘h.1s Ls typical Liberalism. blame _one else for their olunderlng, and even mOre t ical to the people who are to tire and ed u with Liberal hurnbuaglng hat. hey take no further in rest n them. and so the empty house and "small audiences." Our Cam - bell Liberals are in the same p11 t at home, with small audiences. have sense enoulh left t0 T011181!!! their dilemma, but rather o nify their co raPs guards in o overflow enthus asts.

counary Government, as a tic-nothing overn- ment." Then another tru . no doubt lnadvertrdly. s1 d out,- “Bad as the Tories are ey Ire al- ways defenders of democracy." It was rather u, blow to the dictators of his party. if any of them took any o! his statements seriously.

It. ls when he talks prices that he shines in clownlsh vaudeville. Like Premier Campbell, he figures on the imaginary ignorance of the people. upon matters with which they are t most familiar. | The Cam bell statement. 1n ex- cuse for l2 .000 to siioflwmprodlgal waste per year at Faleonwo claim- ed that farmers knew the rices of foodstuffs were 30 per cent 40 per cent higher than under Conserv lives. But. Dr. Grant 1n his night | mare goes further declaring that “In _ Prince Edward Island, prices today , are five times 111 her than they |were during the ive years Tory

. rule.

i Farmers pnd all other: are buy- ing foodstu fs almost daily. This Ls one thing u n which they have ab- solute unfaling knowledge. Premier ~

‘Cam bell says 40 per cent higher. Dr. rant says 80 per cent. hlgner. Is there a farmer or householder who does not. know that those ro- manoers are either ignorant of t the affirm or that. they e deli - plimeg ‘falpigyinn 101p e decep-

on oo e peop e. householder in the

al turpltude 1n a man glvln torl L‘ m!" 5

- 1»=--=> “mp-m “w raster if:.*"as.::.:t