“THE CAMPAIGN! RECEPTION AND OVATION TO ne — ne ON. D. FEREUSON, P. L mt À Splendid Demonstration. — ne re + es ee PERFECT ARRANGEMENTS — VERY FINE TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION Al Paris of the Province Represented by Influential Men ADDRESSES OF WELCOME. The Ministers Able and Practical Speech, Wepxespay, May 6. We shall not attempt to describe in de- taii the Welcome Home to the Hon. Don- ald Ferguson. Notwichstanding the vernal rain and a late arrival, it is, today, uaiver-ally admitted to have been the largest and most exthusiastic political demoustration ever given in Prince Edward Islgud. The arrangements cf the committee were perfect and in the highest degree creditable to the gentiemen wuo composed it. Patrick Blake, E:q., President of the Liberal Conservative Association, met the Minister at Point du Chene. Arrived at Summersi le, they were met by Richard Huntand Edward Hackett, Esquires,and many other prominent gentle- men, who extended to the honorable gentleman a hearty welcome home. Mr. Fergusou was accompaaied by his two sons, William and Colis, fresh from their echolastic triumphs at McGill University. A considerable delsy took place at Sum- merside, and the train was half an hour late in leaving. At Emerald Junction there was another short delay, duriug which an address was read and presen- ted by Mr. P. J. Trainor. To this Mr. Ferguson responded appropriately in a few words. It is creditable 10 Oonduc- tor Gillis and driver Armocr that, notw tA- stand:nz the delays, the train made the Er to Charlottetown in exactly two ours. * It was anticipatel that the rain would “spoil the demonstration,” and the party accompanying. the Minister was agreeably surprised by ths report of torpedoes and the hearty cheers by which h18 arrival was greeted. The station was literally packed, and chser upon cheer went up wben the Minister appeared. After warm haudshakings, the Minister wac borue upon the arms of enthusiastic youug men present, tbrough the throng to the coach in waiting. The scene upon the street was briliiant with the lights of a hundred and twenty torches carried by young men and boys. Galbraith’s Land led the long procession of _ carriages and pedestrians to the Market Hall. The “ ol flag” was carried aloft in advance by -an oki soldier Mr. Thomas Wakeling. The decorations of the hall mere appro- priute and tasteful. Around the walls hung pictures of Canadian statesmen, past and present, and above these were suspend- ed mottoes in colored iettera,<kilfally paint- ed by Mr. Afred J. Quirk. These includ- ed such patriotie and appropriate, legends as “A United British Empire,” “Canada for Canadiaus,” “Branch Railways,” “Our Dairvy Industry,” “Esïcouragement to Butter and Cheese,” etc. and over the platform werethe werds ‘ Sir Cnan Es Turrer, Our LEADER.” The hall was deousely erowdel. The seats, the aisles, every inch of space was occupied by men and women standing and sitting. ; Upon the platform were the five Liberal- Conservative candidates-— Dr. Jeukins, for Queens Wesi; Mr. Martin, for Queens East; Mr. A. C. MacDonald, for + Mr. Hackeit for West Prince and Mr. Hunt for East Prince—Rev. Dr. Curren, Rector of St. Dunetans College; Rer.Ig- natus MacDonald, also of St. Dunstan:; Rev. Father Hogan, of Tracadie; Senator MacDonald, Dr. MeNeill. of Star ley; Hoo. William Campbell, Park Corner; Hcn. James Nicholson, of Eldon; M. MeUready, editor of the Guardian; Mr. Mclsaac, editor of the Herald; Mr. MecCourt, editor of the Watchman; Mr. W. L. Cotton, editor of Tue ExaAMIXER; Mr. J.T. Me:lish., Mr. J. B. Dawson and Mr. Alfred Quirk, President and Secretary of the Youag Liberal-Conservative Associat ion; Mr. R. B. Norton, of Norton Brothers, aud mauy others. Patrick Blake, Esq, presided. Amid hearty cheers be extended te Hon. _ Ferguson a cordial Welcome Home an read the following ADPRESS. The Honorable Mona Ferguson, P. Css Sen- ator of the Dominior of Canada : Srr,—The Liveral Conservatives of un Edward Island extend to you a hearty wel- come home, from the delicate and arduous duties devolving upon ns at the recent par- i session at Ottawa. À Pr that we have not failed to note.and appreciate the unremitting ogg and care which have characterized you as © : representative, Ver since you obtained a sea i janadian Senate. . ten constantly laboured to promote the best interests of the Province, and to z cure for it advantages which have been in © ; past utteriy overlooked by the Opposition _ resentatives sent from time to time to ne use of Commons. RE congratulate you on the succ which has at length crowned your efforts b-half of better railway facilities for the peop e of Belfast, Murray Harbor, and other sec- ions of our Province. Sa ; : We regret that the unpatriofic policy 4 Sage struction, pursued by the Opposition, : ne the last session of Parliament, has delaye , mm2diate construction of those most import- ant and necessuy public works, and es is jus rc laint on the part ©" Our just grourd for comp Ù Er people, that this fatuous policy nowhe _ more active and persistent champions 2 from tre Grit representatives of this PES We are glad, however, that, in the face + this policy of obstruction the pen o Canada has pledged itself to the .immed tate construction of branch railways in our ] vor ince, and that for the future our people have . guarantee that we will receive most libera treatment in the matter of public works. £ We also rejoice at the measure _of sucress whick has attended your efforts to increase the pay of the employes ofthe Island Railway. As our representative in the Cabinet, you have been most zealous and untiring In Pro- moting everything tending to forward our best ess in interests and we gladly bear testi- mony to the care and patience with which you have applied yourself to every call made upon yen by any of the electorate. We desire to thank the Government,through you, for the care and attention which it ha: given to the butter and cheese industry of this Province. This business has now attained a marked development among us, and we :r: sure that our people highly appre- ciate the efforts of the Government to better the condition of our farmers. We feel gratified to know that the cause of progress in Canada is not to receive a set-bacx, and that the wealth, prosperity and industries of Canada are not to be placed at the mercy of a party whose past and present render it an object of supreme suspicion. We have the utmost confidence in the pres- ent Government, and we shall do all in our power, to the end that, when on the 23rd of June next, the rest of Canada shall have sus tained it by a large majority, this Province shall no longer hol& the unenviable position of electing representatives to oppose and thwart the good intentions of the (sovernment to- wars it. . Evils present and future beset our Province, owing to a wasteful, extravagant, administration of our local afiairs. Financial ruin and embarrassment are speedily overtaking us. It will tax to the very utmost the energies of our people to recover from the great havoc which grit rule has brought upon our Island home, and we are cheered by the prospect that the general affairs of the Dominion are to continue to be administered by the present able amd progressive Govern- ment. P.. BLAKE, Pr silent West Queen’s Lib.-Con. Ass. «+ JAS. CLOW, President East Queen’s Lib.-Con. Ass. J..B. DAWSON, President Young Lib.-Con. Ass. In reply Mr. Ferguson spoke until half- past eleven o’clock holding a large pro- portion of the great audience untit the end. Hon. Mr. Ferguson in cominz forward received a great ovacion. He said: Mr. President, Ladies an 1 Gentlemen— This is truly one of the prou ‘est moments ef my life. The demoxsiratiou whieh 1 bave witnessed this evening is something which was totally unexpected. The re- ception you have given me to night over- whelms me. I appreciate highly this reception in s0 far a+ it relates to myself, but Ï must at the same time frankly and freely admit that I see in this demou-t'a- tion in a far higher degr-e a rgcognition on the part of the people of Charlottetown and its vicinity of the principles cf the Lib- eral Conservrtive party, of which I am *imply, to some exient, au exponent thi« evening. Irecognize in this demonstra- tion before me, and which I have witnessed since lentered the railway station this evening, a repetition @f that which is to be seen in almost every city of Canada to-day, from the fat- janticto the Pacific, (hear, hear) a great determination in the brea*ts of the people of this country to rally around the flag of our great party. (Cheer-) You are kind enougb, Sir, in the address which you have read to me, to make some very flatiering references to the part Î[ have tsker with regard to matters pertaining to the interests of our Province since I have had the honor of a seat in the Senate of Can- ada, and more particularly since I have bad the honor of holding a seat in the Cabinet of the Dominion. (Applause). WHAT P.E. ISLAND HAS RECEIVED. You will pardon me if I make some slight reference to, and explanation of these things because they are not alte- gether so freely admitted by our friends on the uther side, as they have been by the President of the Liberal Conservatire As sociation, and the gentlemen who bave been instrumental in getting upthis ad- drese. The véry day that I received an offer of a seat in the Government of Sir Mackeuzie Bowell, one ofthe very first things I did was to write a letter to my colleague, the Horn. Mr. Costigan, setting forth the position of the Island with regard to winter Re cation by the steamer “tauley. I had : fore that time re atedly pressed upon the Goverument of Canada, the neceseity of popularising, As it were, that winter ve vice. Away back in the Mackenzie Ad- ministration, wben that service was inaugurated, & stupid policy was acOpted of exacting heavy charges O1 freight and passengers. Î always felt that it was wrong, and the first thing I did ae a Minister of the Dominion was to pres« upon my colleagues the desirability of making the rates for both passengers and freight on that service the same as under the summer serv ce. Thatdemand was con- ec ded aniffrom that time to the present tie winter service las been put upon he same rates fur passengers and freight as we have had for summer Com- commuaication with the mainland (Hear.) Again, the two principal towns of the Province bad been deprived during the | was considered a very . = Sbich i season of the moruiog train wi: dl great inconvenience. I at once tried to remedy that grievance, ; and I succeeded with the assistance of Mr. | Hunt other aud gent'emen in restoring that in, which the public had emjoyed for mn years, upon the P. E. L. 7. We then applied ourselves 10 the question of closer commuication with the “el land during the summer months. In this matter we met with some sage pire some doubts as to the _advisability of at- tempting too much in that ee: But ladies and gentlemen, you know wai followed. We succeeded ne effecting such chauges 1n the time-ta re the Jatercolonial Railway, the Point Fe Chene and Sumwerside boat and > : E. I. Railway as brought Prince Edward Lomme) Island within practically one da of the great centre of the Domtèton 1h oity of Montreal — both going and coming. (Ap- plause). Away back in the early days wheu our Railway was startei, à most invidious and unfair ‘distinction was made against the men on that Railway in the matt:r of the wages paid them. É'or some reason not easily understood or explained, a dstinction was drawn between the com- nsation for the services of a P, E.I. tailway employe and the wages pus the men on the Inte-co'onial tailway. My colleagues, the Senators, our Members for King's County and my- self have vigorously applied ourselves to the work of remedying this state of affaire. We morked earnestly long years ago to remnedy this grievance, but we were not then in a position to do much, as we had no member in the Cabinet. During iast winter aud last summer, by one -te after another, we succeeded in remedy ng, to a large extent, that invidious and dis- honcring distinction made against the men un the P.E. I. Railway by the Mackenzie aiministratien, and which I am sorry to Say Our Party had not re- mov d., However, to a ‘arge extenut this grievance bas been taken away, and our Railway mn are being practically placed in the same position a» the employes on the Intercolonial. Aud it Will be my effrt as well as that of my colleagues and friends (0 remove ever: anomaly that yet remains 80 thet the P. E. Isisnder, «0 long as üe p rforms ‘be same work and does it a4 well #klall re- ceive the same pay as is siven to men in the othr Provinces. (ear, hear audi cheere). CLAÏiMS OF THE PROYIXCE. When I took my seat in the Senate of Canada I addressed myself very soon after being introduced to that honor- able body to a discussion of the claims of the Province with regard to public works and ateum communication with the Mainland. As my friends who were with me know very well, we assisted each other and consulted with each other, aad I made a very elaborate statement in the Senate, being careful that every word should be weighed, and every figure a cur ate, so that nothing in that statement could be successfully contradicted. Afier discussing that question en the floor of the Senate, as I did, for an hour or two, I had the pleasure of having Sir Mackenzie Bowell admit to me «a few hours after- waids ‘“Fergu on, I caunot say that I ever understood the case of P. E. Island until I heard your speech to-day.” (Applause.) And I had the honor of receiving only a short time afterwards a letter from the late lamented Sir John Thompson, in which he con- gatulated me on the fairness of the state- ment Ï made in the interests of the Pro- vince of P.E. Island. (Applause) Up to that time, we had pressed the question of a tunnel between the Island and the Mainland on the Dominion Gov- ernment. During that speech (to which I have just referred) I discussed it in the Ight of such information as had been e‘icited by the public men of the count y, wti rgri toit; and 1 admitted fank'y thatthe work was of very grave magnitude and cf such grea' aud fair to ak the Dominion Government to rush bliadly into it without very full formation, and until more light had been thrown on the feas,bility, practic- ability and cost oftle undertaking. And [ closed my address on that occasion by painting out to bon. members of the Sen - ae, and more particularly to members of the Government in that body, thut, as years murt intervene before the tunnel question could dealt with, as more information was wanted, and as the peuple of Prince Edward Islard had suffered for many years by not having their he of the public works of tLe country, the matter of some very much needed BRANCH RAILWAYS IX P, E. ISLAXD could be taken up in the meantimë# (Ap- piause.) year later [ became a mem- ber of 1h@" Government, and then [ pressed the matter on the Government as strongly as possible. My hon. friend, Mr. Mac donald, one of the worthy representatives of King’s County, addreesed the House of Commons on the question in 1895 in a very well prepared and careful speech, in which he presented-the claims of the Island in a forcible manner that attracted the ear of the (Government, and the members of the House. And as the result of chis advocacy où the part of my- self and collengues, we had a delaratior made on the floor of the House by the on. Mr. Haggart, in which bhe outlined the diff:rent branch railways asked for by the representa.ives cf the Province. I say here in this con- nection, and it would be verv wroug were Î to omit the mention of this fact, that my friends Mesars. Hunt, Martin, Hackett and Dr. Jenkins, (hear, hear) feeling the great importance of this work, visited Ottawa themnselres in person at that time, and interviewed the members of the Govern- ment, and presented etrong and well reasoned meinorials to the Government, urging that they should take up this work of branch railways in P. E. I:land. (Applause.) As a resuit of these eflo:t:, the Minister of Railways, the Hon. Mr. Haggart, started ir the House that he be- lieved these branches asked for iy the people of the Island were no morethan the Province was entitled to, and he pledged himself and for the (Government that whenever the Government would nunder- take the voting of any money for aïd to Railways in auy of the other Provinces, they would deal fairly and justiy with P. E. Islnud. (Applause.) Sir Mackenzie Bowell in his speech in the Senate, when Senators Prowse and Macdovald had pre- sented the case of P. E. Island with regard to these branch railways, also stated that the Government would deal justly with P. E. Island, and would carry out the promise that Mr. Haggart made in the House of Commons. I remember that some time before this, we ha pressed this matter of Railways in this Province. My friend, Mr. Martin, hal been very strenuous in his advocacy of the Belfast Railway in particular, and I recollect very well that when we did s0, we were greeted with a storm of derision on the part of our opponents who said it was a mere ele tion dodge, that :t was wrong and immoral to advocate railway branches 80 near an elec- tion as we were thoughtto be. Jt was ail right tbey said, to advocate Rail- wars on ihe floor of Parliament, but it was not right to advocate them throughout the country. The election was not quite so near as these gentlemen thought it was. But in counection with that matter, I may say that in 1899, my friend, Mr. Davies made a speech in the House of Commons, in which he advocated the buildiog of a branch railway from Peake’s station to Wood Islands Break- water. This was in the session of 1890, the last session before the last general election, and the last opportunity that he had in Parliament of advocating a public sork for this Province. A little before the campaign of 1891, a meeting was call- ed in Caledonia, which I was invited to attend, together with Mr. Davies. We were both present, and at that meeting the people criticized Mr. Davies’ plan for a brauch railway. They said we want a branch railway, but a line from Peake’s station to Wood Island Breakwater would be of no use 10 tbe great scuthern country. It was too distant from Charlottetown, would not run lengthwise through the coun- try and would be useless. Mr. Davies frank- lv admitted that the road the people desired namely, from Southport to Murray Har- bor tapping the P. E. I Railway near Feake’s or Uardigan station would be a preferable route. He almitted that, and pledged himself at that meeting that, if re- turned, he would advocate the construc'ion of that railway as the people then des'red it. À was then, or likely to b, a candi- date for Queen’s County; and I was asked to pledge myself in the same way, and 1 did so, I did not forget that pledge, and 1 importance that it would not be reasonable took tho very fret opportunity when 1] entered the Senate that presented itself of fulfilling the pledge I ‘had made to the people of Caledonia and Belfast, that 1f 1 were elected to Parliament I would en- deavor as far as I was able to support the construction Of that brauch railway to that part of the country. (applause.) My friend, Mr. Davies, was successful, and I was defeated. I did not reach the Senate until about three years later; but he spert four years in the House of Commons without ever saying a word, good, bad or indifferent about the Belfast railway. (applause.) And th's same gentleman who criticized my friend Mr. Martin and Senator Prowse and others becau-e during the autumn cf 1894 and the winter of 1895 they advocaied a branch railway to Belfast had advocated a road-—not the same exactly but nevertheles: a road from Peake’s station to Wood Islands Breakwater,—and bad solemnly promised the p-ople of Cale- donia that if elected to Parliament it would have his eupport. But this pi: dge, I believe, he forgot to carry out. It was not gotten up before an election. If it was, it was Mr. Davies who brought it up in 1890. -T was pledged in 1891 to advocate it, an+ Î embraced the first opportunity 1 had cf doing ro. Last year the Govern- ment were pledged at the very fir:t time they underto:k to vote aid to Railways to leal fairly and justly with P, E. I<lard. They were pr pared to do that at this last se«sion, and would have done so hal they noi been prevented by the «btructive tactics of the Opposition in Parliament. L don't intend, at this stag», to discuss this questioa of cb:truction, but à little later ] way have something more to say about it. But I want to draw your attention, Sir, to à *tatemeut made on this platform, and which Ir ad in the Patriot newspaper to- day—2 statement made by my friend, Mr. Davies, to the effect that these branch rail- ways are only ELECTION DODGES and that there is ro sincerity inthem. That the motion which was submitted to Parliament by the Hon. Mr Haggart. (1 am not sure that I am giving his exact words as Ï had but a hasty glance at the paper) was not a bodafile motion from the fact that it had not obtained the sanction of the Governor General before it was sub- mitted to the House. Now I Lave seen the letter written by Mr. Davies in which be explains this. He says that Mr. Haggart did not make any reference to the Governer General’s assent, and that ‘* Hansard” does contain this statement by Mr. Haggart. Well, Hansard may not contain it, aad Mr. Haggart may not have used the exact formula in all respecte. 1] think he did not; for I have only to look at the motion made before it in Hansard— a motion with regard to railway subsidies —and in this as well as in the other there does not appear the statement that Mr. Haggart submitted the motion with the sanction and concur- rance Of the Governer General. Bat the fact remains that the official proceed- ings of the House, the document that is realiy binding, that forms the record, and determines the conatitutionality of it, in this record the very words are used (ap- plause). I am surprised that my friend Mr. Davies should have made so rach à statement on euch very imperfect evidence when the records of the proceedings ot Parliament were available, and when he could easily have corrected his mistake. And I'am al-o surprised that in thi- microscopie examinstion which he gave to every proceeding with regard to tie P. E. Itland branch railways, he did not cast his eye a little further up on the page ot Hansard aud discover that the same for mula was missing in another motion tha! Mr. Haggart made as wellas in this ] am aleo great|y astouished that Mr. Davie- should be #0 entire'y deficient (as he seems to be) in constitutional knowledge as to imag'ue for a moment thst any swore minister under the Earl of Aberdeen would venture to go to Parliament with auy proposition Of this nature without the proper sanction. We know very well that British statesmen stand upon the constitu- tion, ani Mr. Haggart wouid Lever dare to go to Parliament with any proposition for which be had not the sanction of 1he Governor-General as weil as that of his colleagues. Think Mr. Davies also made the statement that this motion was neglected and the Government passed it over. Why, gentiemen,—the Government pass it over! He might as well tell us the Government did not want to pass the main, estimates of 1896-97, They were placed on the order paper on the 21th of January and one item was passed on the 31st:of January; and from that day uptothe prorogation of Parliament tbe Government were rever able ts go into committee on the estimates. They were passed ov.r, not once, but a score of tiines, for the plain reason, which everyore here knows, that the Opposition cau-ed such obstruction that it was jim- possible to give that consideration to the business of the country which it deserved andths interests of the Dominion demand- el. I notice the siatement îs mad: th:t this proposition to build branch railways iu P. E. I-land should be received and treaied as a bribe tothe people. It is s'range that Mr. Davies, did not l'ok atit in that light in 1899 when he made that speech * in favor of branch railways, in the House of Com- mone. Jtis singularly strange that it did uôt dawu on, any of his friends that that was an immoral kind of business for pub lic men to be undertaking and carrying on. But, Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentle- men, you remember that history repeats itself. In the vear 1836, my worthy col- league, the then Premier, now the Chief Justice of this Province, and myself, were sent to England to present the claims of the Province with regard to winter com- munication; and as a result of the discus- sous which we had with Sir Charles Tup- per andthe Eul of Granville on this matter, in the summer of that year (186) we secured for this Province $20,000 a year fer all time, equivalent to half a mil- lion of dollars. (Applause) Of course parliamentary sauction could not be got. The arrangement was made between Mr. Sullivan and myself, acting fur the Gov- ernment of P. E. I-land, aud the Govern- ment of Sir John Macdonall. The ar- rangement had ben made. An order in council was pa:sed. Bat it couli not be carr.ed into law until the sanction of the Parliament of Canada bad been obtained for that purpose. During that time an election unfortunate:y came on, and from one end of P.E. Island to the cther we fouud our Liberal friends denouncing us fur offering a bribe to the people, for rais- iag an election dodge, au election ery. The truth is we thought we were two clear years away from an election when we took that matter up. We took it up in 1895, In 1886 we advanced it to aconclusion so far as our dealings with the Government were concerned. The elections, as you know, iadies and gent'emen, were sprung upou the country that vear, at the end of the fourth vear, and x year earlier than we expected. Our opponents declared, and they got the people from one end of the country to the other to believe, that they were being imposed on, and that we were only raising this matter as an elec- tion dodge. I believe the stand Mr. Sul- livan and mvself took in 1886—-epresent- ing our colleagues in the government, representing the Conservative Party in the Province—the stand we took in going to England to advocate the claims of the Province—had no small effect, ou account ofthe way it was viewed by our oppo- neuts, in causing the Province to go for the Liberal Partv at the <election of 1#87. [ believe our act on that occz-ivn, al- though we acted inthe truest :nd best interests of the Proviuce, owia x; to the manver in which our opponents tr :ated us owing 10 the use they made of ji he advo- cacy we had presented in Englano and to the half million dollar arrangenient we made, actually resulted in a very large number of people believing we were fool iog th-m and not acting fairly with the people, and ended by the Province record- ing a vot: against us in 1887. You rc- member, after the elections were over, that arrangement was CARRIER OUT YO THE LEYYER, _ and twenty thousand dollars a year has been paid to P. KE, lIejand ever since on account of the arrange- ment made then. (Applause.) The Hon- orable Mr. Peters, fiads that but as a drop in the bucket of his extravagance, He has uot even got the common gratitude to say On any (CCasion that he is indebted to Sullivan and Ferguson for that twenty thousand dollars a year, which he knows so well how to spend. (laughter and ckeers) As a result of our efforts in 1836 the steamer Stanley was built. It was due to the vigorous protest which we made at that time. It was due tothe earnest efforts which we had put forth that the Domniniou Goverament addressed itself so manfully to this question, and it is a credit to the Domiuion Government which has done s0 much to remove the grievances of which the people of this province have so loug and jastly complaired. (applause.) A FEW WORDS ON THE TUNNEL. Now, gentlemen, I want to say a few words on the subject of the tunnel beforeI undertake to discuss some questions of great concern and importance which may be in your minds on the present occasion. [understand that my friend Mr. Davies stated the other evening that the lJiberal Conservative party had gone to the coun- try in 1891 pledging that, if they were successful, they would build the tunnel . between the Island and the mainland. My friend must bave a very short memory. Îf he merely recalled what took place during the elrction of 1891 he would find that a mao, for whom he has a high respect and veneration, the Honorable Wilfred Laur- ier, and Mr. Davies himself made very much -stronger promises than Sir John McDonald or his supporter:, In à meeting held in this hall on the ]1th of February, 1891, Mr.'Davies made a speech, and owiug to the limited time at his disposal he said: [I am just going to take up two planks in the plat form of the Liberal party—the constrnc- tion of the tunnel and unrestricted recip- rocity with the United States.” These were two plaike in the Lioeral policy on that occasion— the construction of the tunnel and unrestricted reciprocity with the Un- ited States. I would ask you, gentlemen, where are these two great planks in the plat- form ofthe Liberal party to-day? Mr. Davies said: * * * “[ will show you that the Government are not in sympathy with the tunuel project, They will not go one doliar over $1,650.00. We havethe promise of the Government that they will incur an expense of $1650,00 and that they wiil not go one cent over that. That is all the Government are willingt pay. I believe the Liberal party are coming into power ou the 5th of March next, and I wrote Mr. Laurier and told him I was in full ac- cord with thg project and asked him if he was ready to approve it, and received this reply : “<[ am in favor of the tunnel providing the surveyors show the scheme is reason- able and practicable. SW. Laurier. ” He was not sa'isfed with this; but at the same time he wrote a letter to the editor of the Guardian, who had written asking for an expression of his opinion. [n it he says : “1 have your favor of 2nd of Febcuary, inst, I hardy would save thought that an expression of opiu- ion a3 to the construction of a tunnel be ween the [sland of Prince Edward and the mainland should be required of me. Every man who has given any attention to the condition of things and the neces- sities involved by the entering of the I:land into confederation must admit that such 8 tunnel must be con<tructed if the thing is reasonably practicable. The first requisite is to have an accurate survey and rel:ab'e estimater. 1 am oniv sorry that these were nut obtained long ago.” W. Laurier. Mr. Davies forgot to teil the people of this speech of his in 1891 on the tunnel question. He forgot to tell the people of thiStelegram. He entirely forgot that Mr. Laurier bad written that letter tothe edit. or Of the Guardian pledging himself to the censtruction of the tunnel, if at all reason- able and practicable. What were the expressions of opinion on the question on that occasion ? The Patriot newspaper AY : “We-have the Honorable Mr. Laurier’s the telegram sigaed by himself. It is clear and without equivocation. It is stronger than auything from Sir John. Again on the 17h of February the Patriot says: ‘If the Conservative party are in earues on the question, and Sir John McDonald” Government are in sympathy with them, as they allege, let us have a statement to thar cffcct over Sir John’s signature, at least equally binding &s that of the Houor- able Mr. Laurier.” Sir John McDonald also wrote a let er- [ will read the letter, s0 that I may not be charged with keeping anything back. 1 daresay it has been presented to you be: fore : My Dear HowLax,— In response to your pressing request with respect to the tunnel across the Straits, Î desire to repeat that under the preseut circumstances the Cabinet are not in a position to deal with that question. If, as [ believe, the country will continue to give us their confidence, the ministry will, under my guidance, take the matter up without delay. I understand that Sir Douglas Fox is of opinion that the scheme is a f-asible one. The chief thing still unknown is the cost of construction. 1 fully appreciate the nature and extent of the obligation incurred by the Dominivn to maintain continuous connection between the Island and the main laud. We have tried to carry this out by the Stanley, but of course she cannot fizht againet the elemeut:; so if the cost comes within a reasonable amount, such as Par- liament feels itself justified in iucurriug, I shall be prepared 10 submit the question for their favorable consideration. I am, Sincerely yours, Joux A. McDoxazp. Here we find that Sir John McDonald ani Mr. Laurier had placed themselves on record in, to some extent, the same way in 1891. But we wire told, and told on every platform in Queen’s County, that Sir John's letter was s0 vaguely written that it amounted to nothing at all, while Mr. Laurier’s was a square and definite promise mn tunnel would Le con- structed. NOW, you would at least expect that the Liberal Party, through their re- presentatives from this Province, and through their Leader in the House of Com- imons, would have taken at least some in- terest in that question from that time for- ward. They were pledged more strongly than we were, to take up that question. Bat =e find, instead of doing that, that Mr. Davies especially commenced to throw difisulties in the way from the very time he gained his election. In order to prove the statement [am making to you I will read some extracts from a speech made by him in the House of Commons in the vears 1892 and 1894. You may remember that, immedi- ately afcer the last election, the Guvern- ment of Sir Joha McDonald uudertook to have borings of the Strait made under tne direction of Sir Douglas Fox. The con- tract was let to a Mr. Palmer, who made a considerable number of boriugs, but who failed to fulfil his contract. He got into a number of difficultiss, financial and otherwise, which preveuted him from carrying on the work. The Government, in the following vear, made a contract with the gentlemen who owned the diamond drill used by Mr. Palmer; but these men, though they labored hard and spent a large amount of money, were n"t successful in bori:g ay noles. The next year they were still allowed to go on. They were to be paid for the work actuaily done, and were not to receive any money unless they made a certain number of borings. They com- pletely failed in boring one hole. They spent $4,000. They never earned a cent, and never received a cent, The Govern- ment felt those nie hed male such strenu- ous efforts that they were entitled to fair consideration, but, having failed, they re- ceived nothing. The next year they made a contract with another company, after baving called tenders from nine companies owniog diamond drills: They made a contract with a company who engaged to work a certain period of time for $6,000, for, after the experience already acqnired by the others, no company could be found to enter into a contract on the same basis. After, working eighty-two days, they received $6,009. They worked all this time and sunk four holes very successfully. A few still remain to be sunk in the very exposed and deepest part of the strait, where the difficulcies to be contended with in making the borings would be very great. While the Govern- ment was doing this they were contiuu- ously accused by the Opposition of doing ‘nothing in the metter. I find no fault with that. It is the work ofan Opposition te pick flaws. But I do find fault with the representatives from this Province who showed their unfaithfulness to this tunnel question altogether. Sir Douglas Fox made a very elaborate report. He reported that a small tunnei which would admit cars such as would be possible to use on the railway, not such cars as are used now, but cars suitable for connection with the tunnel could be con- structed for five and a quarter millions, that a tunnel which would accommodate cars such as are used on the Intercolonial would cost nine millions, and a still larger one would cost eleven millions. Mr. President, Lad'es and Gentlemen, whenever I saw that report I made up my mind at onc: that it was a question of having a small tunnel or none at all. I knew that these engineers’ estimates al- ways have to have a marg n allowed for contingencies, and I felt that we might talk about a five million tunnel, but when it came to a nine, ten or eleven million dollar tunnel, with such reasonable addi- tions as have to be made for contingen- cles, we would be advocating a work which would not be reasonable for the people of P. E. Island to expect from the Government, and I had partly made up my mind that it was worth our while to press for the small tunnel because if we gotitwe would have a very reasonable system of communication. What did we find Mr. Davies doing in tlre House of Commons. In 1892, almost as soon as this report came out, he said: “I believe nothing short of the largest tunnel will b2 of any particular benefit to the p-ople. I do not think the sma!l tun- uel would be worth considering. If the cost of the tunnel istoo much,” he said, ‘in Heaven’s name let us know it. 1 don’t want to urge, year after year, a scheme which is impracticable. Will not the Government say it 18 impracticable and drop tbe matter forever.” Again in 1894 Mr. Davies discussed it in this way : “ I think two or three things are pretty well established. A tunne to be of any service at all would require an expenditure of fifieen or tweuty millions at least” (Here he was doubling the lar- gest estimates of Sir Douglas Fox.) I do not think that any practical person outside of a few who seem to be tunnel mad, are prepared 10 advi-e the Government to go into the construction of a small toy tun- nel which several men contend could be constructed atthe cost of one half the sum Îhave mentioued, but when con- structed would be of very little use. This attitude of Mr. Davies was an ir- dication of his hoëtility to the tunnel scheme. His view was hostile to the smaller tunnel, whose cost would be reasonable, and it was asking for an ex- penditure which the people of P. &. Island would not feel justified in pressing on the Dominion Governiment, at all events with the information we had at this time in regard to the question. I have made this statement somewhat fully, because we will bear a good many statements on this question during the coming campaiga that will be calculated to misleai the people with regard to the tunnel scheme.$ Before leaving this question qf public works for tne province, Î wish to say that { do not deem thatthe people of P. E. Æsland are going to be deprived, or have any right to be debarred from presenting, either during the p2ndency of an election or atany other time, their claims for public improvements such as the people of other parts are not slow in pressing on the attention of the Government. I do not see any reacon why we should be, and [ feel that the Dominion of Canada bave a right, where public works are needed in a province, to take them up and consider them either before, during or afer an election just as at any other time. I be- lieve, for my part, that a number of USEFUL BRANCHES added to our railway system wou d do a good deal to remedy that com- plaint which we hear so much of from the other provinces, that our railway is not paying. Atthe present time our railway runs through the centre of the Island. We bave goud harbors on our eoasts and good facilities for shipping, and the rail- wav is not in a position to compete with sa'ling craft, as it wouli be if there were feeders running out to the coast. An- other addition of 100 or 120 miles ef rail- way to the railway mileage of. our pro- vince could be made without at all increasing the working ex- penses of our road in anything like the proportion required for the miles already in existence. Some o! these branches conld be operated without any additional hands and without an ai- ditional engine. Take, for instance, the Stanley branch. The engine that runs to Cape Traverse liez idle at En2rali for th greater part of almost every day ia th: year. This engine couli be run on the proposed branch without entailing the ex pense of a simple additional hand on an additional engine; and ther. would only need to be considered the cost of the few tons of cual per year t> run that engine. It is the same with some of the other branches. A train to Rustico could be run out from Charlottetown without very much increase of expendi- ture, and the same with the Klmira branch and some others. But I feel that while these all are important that great section of the country south of the Hills- borough is still more to be considered, for for when our Railway was built it tapped every political district in the Island ex- cept Belfast ani Murray Harbor, and while these people have contributed their share to the buildmg of the P. E. Is!and Railway, together with ali the uther great railways, they have not participated in the benefits in any way. Thus their claim is particularly strong in this matter of rail- way construction. (Cheers). My friend, Mr. Davies, in speaking from this platform made a strong point because there were a large number of branches proposed, and said this reduced it tu an absurdity. Has he forgotten that he declared on the floor of the House of Com- mons that the Island was entitled to two millions on public works; and yet all these branches are only estimated to coit a little over one million. If he believes his own figures to be true how then can he con- sider the matter to be a farce ? (applause) To show the weakness of the argument of the hon. gentleman, I have only to mention the fact that the very first thing he did was to saldle the Government with the expense of building a bridge across the Hillsburough River; and the men,who, in the advocacy of this question put this forward, are not trying to help the railway and are not working in tlie interests of the people. He is reported as *saying that if the bri {g2 was pledged he would give his support, end not withont it, or something to that effect. Well, gentlemen, all I haxe to say in regard to that is that I do not think there is a rational or sensible man in the east riding of Queen’s, or anywhere else, who will say that the chances of a bridge are going to be lessened by building a branch railway to Murray Harbor. 1 believe and believe strongly that if the railway is constructed it will be an impor- tant faetor fin Épushiog forward the con- struction of the bridge at an early date to a successful conclusion. Nor do I believe or agree with the man who wiil say that the Railway 10 Belfast and Murray Harbor is going to ba-no benefit at all without the bridge. (Cheers). Tnere are gentlemen in this meeting who know very well that the railway came 10 the city of St. John from the American side for twenty or thirty years before a bridge was built. Did the prople besitate about going on with the railway, and saÿ “we will not build the railway until we get a bridge ?” (Cheers.) No, they got :heir railway, and the railway and other things forced the construction of the bridge on the government and it was built. So it would be in the present case. (Applause.) We have a DISTINCT ISSUE IN THIS ELECTION. The Premier of this Province, the Hon. Mr. Peter, in deliveriag his budget speech, a week or two ago, having an- uounced his usual deficit, and a pretty big eve, too notwithstanding his ol story. It is not +0 bad after allasitis not #0 big as the deficit he incurred in the year 1893, in which he was running his election, when he had a deficit of $119,000. Not- withstandiug the taxes, he still annonnces a deficit of over $30,000 for the past year. But he wound up with hope. Mr. Laurier, he says, is likly to get into power, and when he does there will be an imcrease ia th2 Provincial subaidies, and when when Mr. Laurier came in there would be plenty o! money to keep his machine running, I would say t2 the people of P. E‘Is'and who are interested in the public welfare, make your choice? whether yon will seeure useful publie work:, or whether you will support a party whose every olhjrct is to get a large amount of money distributed among the provinces for increased Pro- vincial subsidies, and which, as I said be- fore, some of them know so well how to epend. As I said before, the people of this Island are giving great attention 10 this watter, and the people who are crying out against branch railways take just the other side of the question as Mr. Peters presented it. The one party says we go for the building of useful branch railways. The other party says we waut to increase Provincial subsidies for all the provinces; and [I want you to remember that when P. E. Islaud gets one dollar, forty-five dollars go somewhere else. But, when you get the claims of the Island to public works considered and entertained, it is 80 much to P. E. Island, without necessarily one dollar going anywhere else. (applause) My friend, Mr. Davies, did not forget to te!l you that during the last hours of the las: session of Parliament four and oue-half million dollars was proposed to be voted for railway subsidies, and that this was submitted with tue sanction of the Governor-General. Although the formula was missing in this case, as well as in the other, he did not have the slighte-t doubt about this—did not doubt it for one moment—and its enormity he tried to impress upon your minds. The fact is that not one dollar of that money is a new vote at all. It was only a pro- position to ratify something that had al- ready been voted—amounts that had been previously voted and had lapsed, or were about to lapse, and which it was necessary for Parliament to retain. There was not submiited during the last session one dol- lar of an expenditure for new railways, except for the Province of P. E. Island. I have seen some discussion over an- other feature of this matter; that is the appropriation which it was proposed to make of $250,000 for the purpose of con- structing two of these branches during the present summer, In that connection I am in à position to read a leiter from the the Honorable Mr. Hagygart in answer to a letter of mine : My Dear FErGusoN, — In reply to your letter respecting the branch railways in P.E. Island I Leg to remind veu that on Saturday last I n.oved that on Tuesday then following theHouse should go into committee of the whole upon the resolution regarding these, rail- ways, which under the instructions @f the Government I had previously placeg on the orüer paper. As vou are aware the deliberate and svstewatic obstruction of the Opposition reudered it out of the ques- tiou to proceed further with this resolu tion, and made it entirely useless to bring down,as had been determined, a sum of $250,000 towards the constructing during this year, ot the Belfast and Elmira branches. The Opposition, therefore, have by their unwarrantable conduct been ab'e to thwart for the moment the policy of the Gove-ninent a3 to those branches, The Government, however, will be prepared to tak2 the matter up at the uext session and submit the whole pro- position above referred to for the sanction of Parliament. I am, Yours faithfa lly, Joux HacGarr. (Applause.) To authorize the construc- tion of these short branches one quarter of the amount necessary for their construc- tion was to be voted in the first fiscal year and to go on year after year paying about an equal amount until these branches were constructed. As a member of the Government I come before you exp'aining its views and policies, and without any de- sire or without being fairly open to the charge in any way of bringing in this mat- ter as an election cry. It was brought up years and years ago, and worked up when there was not an election imminent. I distinctly repeat this assertion that these branches are not raised or advocated as an election cry. They were pressed by our representatives year after year until the Government finally adopted them as its policy. Speakiog for that Government, 1 pledge to you it is the policy of the Gov- ernment to builithese branches. (Ap- plause.) MANITOBA SCHOOL QUESTION. We have, in this contest, a question un- fortunately forced upon us which is cal- culated to disturb the public mind to a considerable degree all over this Dominion. Itis most regrettable that this question should bave been forced on the people of Canada. I have no heaitation in saying, aod I think I am not speaking too strongly when I say that a crime has been commit- tel against the people of Canada by forcing this question of Manitoba schools into Dominion politics. The people of the Red River district entered the confederation in 1370 with a solemn treaty and compact by which their rights in the matter of edu- cation were to be preserved to them. The solemn compact entered into in 1870 be- tweeu the Parliament of Canada and the Red River settlers was intended, as the Bon. Mr. McDougall said, to be on the same lines, ut more comprehensive, than the compact made in 1865, concerning Ontario and Quebc. The very men who bad arranged these terms of union with Canada were, in many cases, the men who met in the Legislatare of Manitoba and passing che first Manitoba School Act. That Act provided that there should be Catholic and Protestant schools, speci- fically carrying out the conditions of the union. In «ll the years which intervened from 1870 to 1890 the compact was faith- fuliy preserved. The school laws of the province were maintained up to the year 1890, a short time after the Liberal party of Mauitoba got hold of the reins of power. Mr. Norquay, the Conservative L:ader, resigned in 1888, and the admin- istration that followed him was not a strong one. Greenway and Martin were vigorously fighting to drive them from power, Taie Provincial Secretary, tue Hen. Mr. Burke, went back for elec - tion, and was opposed by Dr. Francis, a gentleman in the interests of the Liberal party. The French people were getting disaffected to the Harrison adiministra- tion, but feared that if the Liberais ob- tained power their schools and language would be taken from them. On this account, Mr. Martin and Mr. Greenwav were not receiving favor in the constituency aud stood a poor chance of electing their Candidate. It was on that occasion that the Hon. Mr. Fisher, now a member of the Manitoba Legislature, and at that time the President of the Liberal party in Man- itoba, Mr, Joseph Mariin, and some other gentlemen went down#® to this St. Francis Xavier district, and speaking on the platfsrm in the pre- sence of Mr. Burke the Conservative can- didate, Mr. Martin, sclemnly pledged Mr. Greenway and the Liberal Pariy to retain for the peopletheir schools if they would but support the Liberal candidate. It was on these pledges that the people gave Dr. Francis their support, and his election led to the {all of the Harriso5 administration. This is proved by the affidavits of Mr. Burke, the Conservative candidate, it is roved by the affidavit of Dr. Francis. the Liberal candidate, and by the affilavit of Mr. Alpkonse Martin, all of whom have left the Liberal Party on this question. But they bave made their affidavits that Mr. Joseph Martin made this pledge, and it was on the strength of this pledge that the people supported his candidate. TI am going into these details because it is im- portant that you should understahd them, that you should understand that it was the Liberal Party in Manitoba that introduced this question, and that they did it by a GROSS BREACH OF FAITH, by the violation of a solemn promise that these men made binding the L Lberal Party, but which they afwerward: 1reacherousiy broke, deceivingthe people. [In speaking in the House of Commons last year Mr. Weldon, 1he repre-entaiise of Albert County, N. B,— nd yon know he has not been in sympathy with the Govern- ment on this queetion—said he was bound vo say (hat at the bar of lustory these men who had made these promises and violated ‘hem wouid be held guiliy of a gross brexch of faith and honor. He said thet & The Manithba acts of 1890 was bôrn in perfidy, and in breach of faith and honor.” (Applause). ; : My friend, Mr. Davies, speaking the other evening from this platform, made a very strong reference t0 the publication in the official blue bocks ef those aff- davits to which I have referred, and with regard 10 this [I want to say tnat Mr. Davies 18 very incorrect in some of these statements. It is quite true, I believe, these affidavits were submitted before the Privy Council, that they were submitted and afterwards withdrawn and were sub- sequently published in the biue books. I believe that their publication in the blue books was not exactly regular, and it would have been better if they bad not appeared in that form at ail; but as far as their appearance is conserned, ne far as the publication of any statements in these affilavits is concerned, there is really no room for complaint st all. Years before similar aflidavits were usede before the Supreme Court of Manitoba an they were never contradict- ed or proved to be untrue. They have been referred to from time to time on the floor of the House of Commons, and the men whose honor has been affected by the al- legations contained in these aflidavits have uever said anything about them with the exception of Mr. Martin. 1 believe he did deny them. He did on one occasien say they were not true, but he did net go into any statement or give auy substantiai rea- son for his declaration. Mr. Fisher, #&ho made the most important of these aflidav- its, is a man standing as high as any man in Manitoba. He is a Presbyterian and a Liberal. He is not a believer in separate schools, but he believes that this is a question whether ‘the people of Canada, the people of Manitoba, shall preserve faith among the nations of the earth. Mr. Davies’memory was singularly at fault in discussing this question the other evening. He said that when attention was called 10 these a‘t- davits which had been published in the blue books, Mr. Dickey got up and ex- plained that he had been the canse of it and that he was sorry for it. His memory is at fault. Mr. Dickey hui nothing to do with this blue book, He was not a Minister of Justice at the time, He becagge 80 after- wards. But he could have had nothing to do with it then. If there was any state- ment made it would be Sir Charks H. Tupper, and uot Mr. Dickey, who made it. Mr. Davies goes on and save, notwith- standing this a second edition was pub- lished with these same affidavis, and ten thousand copies were scattere® broaucast all over the country. Now, gentiemen, I know better than that. I had applica- cations from some friends on P, E. Island who wanted these papers. I found they were out of print. There were only à few hundred copies printed in the first place for the judges and the members, &ri were now out Of print. 1 brought this question before the Council, and urged that another edition be made, and the order was made for the publication of five hundred cop'es--not ten thousaud. (Cheers.} L'mention this to show you how much #:y friend draws on his imagination for facts. At the time I asked for the publication of another lot these afliiayits were entirely forgo ten and slipped the memory of the whole of us, and the work went to the Queen’s Printer, and that 18 the matter Mr. Davies makes so much handle of when discussing this question. He went further and said that if these affidavits were true they hai certainly established the fact thatthese people had claims which should not be ignored. These aff - davits only touched the question of faith, they only touched the honor of the men who passed the Manitoba Schoo! Act, Dr, Weldori said the School Act ’was born in perfidy and cradled in dishonor. COXSERVATIVES NOT IN 1T, Now I lay the charge against 1he Liber- al Party in the Province of Manitoba of baving violated their faith, and haviog deceived these people, and baving in this way thrust this vexed question on the Dominion of Can- ada, But the statement has heen made, I bave heard it made from platforms and in the Senate and House of Commons, that the Conservatives of Manitoba were à party to the violation of this faith a: well* as the Liberals. L[ deny it, I will submic evidence to this meeting which will be uc- cepted by every man in it. The Conser-- vative party in the Province of Manitoba were 80 far from having anything to do with the breach of 1aith that they fought againet it. The statement which I will submit to you is the evidence of Arch- bishop Tache, the venerable Archbishop Tache, who lived and died atongst his people there, and who took such a great interest in everything that pertained 10 the welfare not only of the half-Lreeds and French people, bat of every man and child in the country. In a pamphlet published by him in 1894 speaking on the discussion which took place in the Parligment of Manitoba, on the question of the Mawitoba schools he said : “Mr. Pendergast placed himself in the foremost position, being endowed with a superior order of litrrary, historical, political and social knowledge. The five Protestant members of the Opposition (Conservatives) joined them in the very heat of the battle, but numbers, that ulti- mate resource of constitutional regime, crushed every eftort.” Therefore, the facts stand out that it wasthe Liberal party in Manitoba that thrust this question into the arena cf politics and the Conservatives had nothing to do with it, My friend, Mr. Davies, speaking on this question said he was amused at the view put forward by THE EXAMINER NEWSPAPER to the effect that the decision ” of the Privy Councii of Eug- land on the last appeal had established a duty on the Government of Canada to deal in a special way with regard to this question, He deciared that the Privy Council decided that the minonty bal à right to appeal, assuming that certain facts were true as a!leged, aud at that point the effect of the Privy Council decision ended. In regard to thr: position I want to point out to you the views of tbree men. For the firet of thx three Mr. Dav- ies entertains à greal respect, and I think he has a very considerab!e opinion of the other two gentlemen. The first is that of Mr. Laurier, whu, spcakiag in the Parlia- en of Cavads in 1893, made use ofthese words : L affirm Æhis at the outset, as I