FAMERS IN POLITICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17361, 7 January 1920, Page 9

FAMERS IN POLITICS.

SENSATION JN CANADA.

RESULT OP ONTARIO ELECTION,

UNTRIED PARTY SECURES OFFICE'.

[FKOM ora OWN CORSE -PDKDENT.]

VANCOUVER Nov. 28. A political situation unprecedented in the history of Canada resulted from the provincial election in Ontario, where the newly-formed Farmers' Party completely " smothered" the old Conservative and Liberal Parties, dissolving a big Conservative majority into a feeble minority, and causing the greatest political perturbation ever known in the country. Sir William Hearst, the Premier of Ontario, did no't consider it necessary to. "go on tho siumo" in his own riding. He felt confident, that his national reputation would be sufficient to carry him at the head of the polls. Yet he was defeated by a Labour candidate, Mr. J. R. Cunningham, with a majority of 1500 votes. Defeat was also suffered by four other members of the Government—Messrs. I. B. Lucas, Attorney-General; T. W. MoTarry, Provincial Treasurer; Finlay McDiarmid, Minister for Public Works; and W. H. McPherson, Provincial Secretary* (tne of the surprises was the defeat in London of Sir Adam Beck, formerly a Member of the Conservative Government, ] and since 1906 the chairman of the Hydroelectric Power Commission. Sir Adam's successful opponent was* Dr. Stevenson, who ran as a Labour candidate, but who was disavowed by the London Trades and Labour Council. In fact, the party led by Sir William Hearst, which had been in office since 1905, forms only one-fourth, of tho new House. The only crumb of comfort for the did parties was that the leader of the Provincial Liberal Party, Mr. Hartley Dew art, had held his seat, but only by a narrow margin.

Ripid Organisation. The striking feature of this contest was the rapid and successful organisation ot agriculturalists into a new party. That the Farmers should have placed candidates in the field in 64 constituencies so soon after the serious commencement of their Organisation was not more surprising than that they should have succeeded in electing two-thirds of them, or mora men in tha country districts than the two recognised old-time parties together. In addition,) the Labour Party, which had close campaign relations with tie Farmers, won eleven seats. The political upheaval of Ontario has started a lot of serious thinking in Ottawa political circles. Neither side drew much comfort out ot the result, bit in commenting on the results Mr. Mackenzie King. Leader of tho Opposition in the Federal Hoise, said: "It looks like the handwriting on the wall. It is a victory tor the progressive forces arraved against tho reactionary fere of Toryism in Ontario. results reveal a deteimina-

tion on the part, of the elector? to replace a self constituted and. eelf-perpetuated executive by a Parliament that will represent the will of tijo people." Explaining the Defeat. The defeat of the Premier end Sir Adam Beck was attributed by the Ottawa Citizen to the victimisation of an obsolete system of electing members in single-mem* ber constituencies instead of in. grouped

constituencies on the principle o! proportional representation. " Neither Ontario nor any other province has ever had such a creditable administration as that of Sir William Hearst, and of his great predecessor, Sir James Whitney,'' said tie Ottawa journal. " That the people of Ontario should turn euch a Government out of office seemed the last possibility ol the fortune of politics. There must be few among those who sincerely care for honest, conscientious, progressive govern, ment, who do not regret that the Hearst, Government is gone. Even the United Farmers, who have secured predominance in the new legislature, did not avow a desire to defeat the Government. The most reasonable explanation of the result- seems to be that it was due to general unrest and discontent. The people of Ontario did not vote for something better, but for something different." At the outset it- was thought the Farmers' Party would prefer to bide their time and -dictate to a Liberal Government until they were ready to take office.' They were strongly pledged not to form an alliance with either o/ the other parties. Only three or four of the farmer members have even besu in the House, and none has been in a Ministry. Proposals for an alliance from Liberal and Conservative groups wore, however, rejected in a statement issued after a meeting of the party"The memberselect of the Unite.! farmers of Ontario, after discussing the matter, have decided that it would be unwise for them to enter into «tllic,nce with either of the old parties, They are prepared to assume tha fullest share of responsibility and form a Government in co-operation with such members rl other parties as are in sympathy with their platform and principles, and are free to giva support thereto. In tho formation of a Cabinet full consideration will bl given to the various interests of the province." "The decision to stand free from political affiliation and foim a Government on its j own responsibilities came only upon the conclusion that ire have better Cabinet material within the party than we can j find outside of it," stated Colonel Frazor, j president of the Farmers' Political Committee. "There will be no calling of Liberals and Conservatives to the Government. But we will not conduct matters in the interest of any particular class in the community. On the contrary, we hope j greatly to widen the interest* to be served by legislative enactments. Labour will be represented in the Cabinet if it so agrees. Of course we wfl! have to wait until we are asked before we form a Government. Bat sooner or later we will be asked."

Gains la federal Contests. The new Premier, Mr. Drury, baa been bombarded with correspondence asking him all manner of qtestions relative to his policies. He is fart'cularly bitter against racetrack betting He if opposed to pricefixinj:, as be considers it a "vicious principle." Asked whether it were the intention of the Faxm'Ts' Government to prosecute combines, ie replied: "At present we do not want to talk much about what we intend to do. We would rather that the people see us in action." After Canada had recovered from surprise at the trcmondous victorv scored try the newly formed Farmers' "Party in the Ontario provincial election?, speculation wa« rife a® to the outcome of five byejections in the Canadian Federal Parliament, the new arrarian faction being well to the fore with formidable candidates. When the votes ware counted it was discovered that the Farmers Party had captared no fewer than three of the five seats. Commenting on the success of the T'nited Fanner? in carrying the three bv-'-iections which they contested, lip Winm* I <3g Free Press (Unionist) said editorially: "There are no surprises in the Federal I elect ions unless it be the size of the majorities which tlie farmer candidates -oiled up in the three seats which they roc tasted. After the results of Ontario, however, there was ground for expecting i hat their triumph* would be emphatic. if now .-juite evident to even the blindest adherent of the old political M litern that the revolutionary force which ;round into powder the traditional poll•real svftera of Ontario is in free plav throughout the whole of Canada, and j •«*«]» ojIly an opportunity to repeat its Aov-mp'ishmenls there on a wider scale. The Toronto Globe, t*ie leading Liberal t:j:i ta iH : "The by elections should end irnptv hearting at Ottawa. Threats by thf- i"r. V prnment and challenges, bv the o|.|v«iti >n to appeal to the people are m 11 1 ■ ar,( insincere. Both parties must l>ii'- now the temper of the electors. I'.wh mii'-t realise that it is hopelessly out. of touch an.l out of accord with the fntinxnt of the country The 'ins and '"'its' mav continue t'» play their old game m Parliament, but the folk outside arc looking for something better —and they

■ will- lock till they find • it. ; ( Bio verdict> of it the by-elections " 'leaves •no : room for doubt. ' ' From ; the Eastern l.rovirice ,<bf New Brunswick comes the tidings ' that in .. Carleton, Victoria,. the Majority of the candidate of : the United Farmers was close to 4000. The significance of this overwhelming verdict is intensified by the fact that three Cabinet Ministers, _ Messrs. Meighen, Robertson, and Blondin, personally visited the riding and directed their influence and efforts in the campaign for some' days in the canes of the Unionist standard-bearer." deader of the Heir Party. The " brains" of the new movement is Mr, T. A. Crerar, who was Minister for Agriculture in the Dominion Government, and resigned shortly after the war. He is the president of the Grain-growers' Association of Canada, the largest-farmer*' organisation in the world, and . following the success of the policy expounded in Ontario, and written, it is believed, by Mr. Crerar himself, ho is already being acclaimed as the next Prime Minister of Canada. In ii recent speech, he declared that the farmers' platform " contains the bet.t set of political principles before the Canadian people to-day. The policy of protection is the greatest curse and draw-' back we could have in Canada. In On-' tario, the finest Agricultural province in Canada, it has driven people off the land into cities. The protected industries in Canada have been one of the greatest sources for the corruption of government this country baa had, because it paid them to have protection and they paid the price." The farmers' movement, as it is developing in the prairie provinces, has some curious angles. The recent by-election in Cochrane, Alberta, is a case in point. If the desire of the farmers is merely to secure legislatures amenable to suggestions from rural constituents, their opponents aro inquiring why the farmers should attack the existing Administrations in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In each of these provinces the Legislature is so constituted as to give the agricultural element of the population a full share of power. Ultra-Badical Programme. Commenting 011 the prospects of a Farmers' Federal Party, to be built up in the first instance upon the foundations laid by the farmers of Alberta, _ Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, the Toronto Globe remarked editorially " The list of reforms to be placed upon the Federal statute books, if the farmers have the power to do so, indicates that the radicalism of the platform is not confined to tariff issues. In almost every direction — perhaps, in the matter , of public operation of railways—the farmers ; are so far ahead of the old parties as to I be almost out of sight. Ana the most upsetting thing from the old party standpoint is that the members of the farmers' party actually do accept the party platform as a condition of membership. Their j speakers with startling unanimity, in On-1 tario as in the West, have declared that the resolutions adopted by the Council of Agriculture constitute not only a platform on which appeal will be made to the people, but a programme to be carried out to the letter should the farmers be placed in a position to form a Federal Govern-, ment. That is why the forces of reaction look upon the farmers' party as the deadliest enemy privilege has ever had to face in Canada." Moreover, the returned soldiers, disgusted with the Ottawa Government's refusal' of the demands for a 2000 dollar* i gratuity to ex-service men, have definitely resolved to plunge into politics, and when-. ever the next general election eventuates' the coalition must face a combination of 1 fanners, soldiers, and Labour. |

The Premier and all his colleagues resigned on November 1, Sir William Hearst announcing his withdrawal from public life. The Lieutenant-Governor thereupon Invited Mr. E-. C. Drury, leader of the Farmers' Party, to form a Government. At a meeting of the Conservatives Mr. G. H. Ferguson, who was Minister for Lands, Forests, and Mines iu the Conservative Cabinet, was appointed temporary leader.