A LIBERAL GOVERNMENT’S DEFEAT.

Evening Star, Issue 19019, 14 August 1925, Page 6

A LIBERAL GOVERNMENT’S DEFEAT.

“ All over tho world Liberalism is declining,” said Sir James Parr in tho House of Representatives a few nights ago. Ho supported his contention by saying that Nova Scotia had ended forty years of Liberal regime by returning at tho elections forty Conservatives to three Liberals, while in tho British House of Commons the Liberals had been reduced to forty in a House of 680. Sir James to-day will no doubt consider his argument reinforced by tho result of the New Brunswick provincial elections, which ended in the decisive defeat of the Liberal Government, tho Conservatives securing thirty-six scats in a House of forty-eight. Tho rise of tho Labor Party in New Zealand has undoubtedly placed the Liberals in a difficult position, for La hoi' has included in its platform tho most radical of the Lihorai ideas, while the i'telonners, marching with the limes, have in later years liberalised their programme.

Sir James Pan' was evidently making tho most of a golden opportunity, but the issue is hardly so simple as he would suggest, and his inferences in regard to Nova Scotia arc not quito sound. In tho first place, Labor did not win a. single seat at that election, so that the third party complication is not involved; Further, tho Liberal Party had boon in office for forty years, causing a change of Government, irrespective of party complexions, to bo overdue. The root of the matter is to he found in tho general unrest and dissatisfaction that prevail throughout tho province. There was a strong feeling against tho Government because of its inability to cope with tho industrial situation at Cape Breton, where a succession of strikes lias paralysed the iron and steel industry, on which the well-being of the province is largely based. How serious tho position became may be judged from tho fact that 28,000 people were dependent on relief funds, and a largo force of soldiers and armed police were drafted into Nova Scotia to prevent the strikers from rioting and looting. In the past some able men had guided tho destinies of tho province, but the feeling had gained ground that the Ministers who have been turned out of office had not sufficient ability and force of character to grapple with a difficult situation. Added to this, the Maritime Provinces, including Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, have strong grievances against the dominion Government. As partners in tho confederation, they complain of unjust treatment, emphasising that while the representation of tlio West in the dominion House of Commons has increased their own representation lias steadily dwindled. Though it is pointed out that the representation of the Western Provinces has been enlarged in accord with tho great increase of population, this docs not satisfy the people of the older settlements in the east. The dominion Government in recent years has pursued a vigorous policy of immigration, seeking by every means to attract people of tho best type to Canada. In lire west there wore great areas of fertile lands available for settlement, and it is to these that the great stream of new settlors has been chiefly directed. This is a cause of grievance to tho Maritime Provinces, and the people complain that while they have had to pay their share for this costly policy they have had little, if any, direct benefit from its operation. Another source of irritation is in what is claimed to be an expensive and inadequate system of marketing tho produce of these provinces and in the tendency of the railway system controlled by the Canadian Government to make a terminal port of Portland, in Maine, in United States territory, instead of developing tlio important Canadian harbor at Halifax. It is quito apparent that for some time there has been a feeling of bitterness and exasperation among all classes in Eastern Canada, and the reaction has resulted in the downfall of two Governments. Tho fundamental issues, it seems clear, wore not tho party lines between Liberals and Conservatives. They rested on a desire to give expression to the discontent that prevails. Allowing for this, Jliberalism has received a severe check, and it is not an encouraging outlook for tlio dominion Liberal Government in Canada, which will soon have to face the tost of a Genera! Flection.