DEFEATED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18903, 19 January 1927, Page 15

DEFEATED.

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pox <"* <> w VAtICOUV£K, December U. ?1 Provincial election, winch K he triumphant return o Owner* at» 1 n% wa3 recog . **".££* Canada, and, uiculenW* out the Ontario Temper- *»"' T ' W : P th c. infused considerable be conduct of the elcc- &»*■ 1°„ In fact, the grca ftrtI c3BP f g "'n "Wets" and "Drys" M« leb f nrt, of superhuman effort 5# T in aW electoral battle. r**ffss. °" t °! d *■ pnH 1 was abandoned as iut.le iflf in a torfW> » ', /Inaien there thundered f iSSerrific indictments &***£S\» on the Ontario Tcmknown as the rt?»'Vcre was no form of arguW- 4 " /!. either side, no fact or »» tM f cnceled, no motive of **/*£, S mpued, until on the million people were XlStfJided »to enmity to «■** eeree that galling sei.trme.it l" 1 * •« fnr vears to come. ,'' liad a thousand clergy ?J3 in relentless combat. Great **' Strong personality, men qf a ti of « ro «/ We gucces3 c3 in the religious Wo M '/S were embroiled in the • J tbe / .lie Sir George Foster was f„r the Prye against his Conborn of lerflb" S on . He had with him io^ 5 "if "mong the notable men ••^"•AmFerguson and GovcrnJohn Aird, Pre»rtWftt Bank of Commerce, Sir Professor Baker, *W?oionto; Police MagisTlritß»r °; th . Bev . Father Burke, W Me %ev H J. Cody, Sir Jo*'%2 Sir Thomas White, Dr. Te *,i« mtion, the Archbishop of *fi SUp of Huron, and

, BBphatic Besultii' „„te<! were counted, both discover that P*» W Solhad obtained 80 of 112 seats •"""'i Ontario recorded a most l«*Wnr verdict against ProbW*!llt the wartime "dry" Ss»te been law for ten 'WW vcSTcr Govern-"PQ-fr™* the rural districts, £tftiot^.pectedthe £TSemonstration in the plebis-M&teO-briA Prohibitionistmm attributed to their insistence Jn maintaining on the Statute books I ilthottt. reasonable amendment a Prohibition Act designed to meet a wartime emergency, and supported in war days by many electors who, with *ne return of peace, regained,their customary objection to sumptuary laws. Despite the falling off in dry sentiment disclosed by .the plebiscite vote of 192 i. as compared with the vote of .1919, the Ferguson Government's atftjjipt to introduce in 1925 the mild opedient of 4.4 beer. as_ a. concession to the f ''Wets," was bitterly criticised. Bootleggers continued to multiply, and JO citSens were killed this year by one imported consignment of poison alcohol..

. Theiy when the Government proposed a method of Jegallsed sale/the Prohibition forces entered the election eunpaign with vigorous opposition to ft» Government, led bv the pulpit I Wen of the United Church of CanUi. They put op candidates sworn to battle liquor to the death, unknown JM with no other recommendation W pnblio support than zeal for temJMooe, backed by an untried organi(woii, and supported by church serJW and mass meetings, which had »Ml contact with the voting public »» whole. -,.. Begarded as Mandate.

S. & Ferguson Government does not «tie present victory as a triumph J» 'Krt element so much as a ■MMe to give Ontario such adminis«««of the liquor laws as will meet waemand for liquor, as a beverage m risking a turn to the pre-war "WWi of the open bar. Globe" fears that «w tho new permit system of sale ".Sewages to adults Government BW « hquor will mean liquor con««or Government, and the partnerwith the "trade" will "« a bedevilment of politics, with l& lnju J ry , to the hom « fa* of Z £ p ! e Bnd the industrial life of ZSn- But the loss of one P. adds the "Globe," "is not m *» determine the result of the SKJ. ? bloh must 1» waged upon jMnJio strong drink. It is th, 2*5 J. he astlmttle who wins the the last battle is not yet." ift i*F dB the retu ™ "of "■« legalised liquor selling as the *J *" ous moral and econornio men*L Jj * m . con dition of well--3 m prosperity, of the province." La- «b Dto M&l] and Empire" «rder 4r A i! ln ? I . rec « lv «d the people's K£i M ? h «* bootleggeVT the S2' sllould - with the « tm °st C eVW T™ in the s °il ° f tlH^lJ 10puar , acceptance, and authonty, has now been re- [£«*» the.polls, and it 8 place is to »McirZ r fnii a J - temp ? rance p <Slic y> 1 Hussion, the people «U n « existin £ 0-T.A. h tH tUa ! ,y , and ™rsally ••nSaSL* 0 * f the efforts of the "«ce in t^ e r- Geilera l «ho held WoW™' ast i! te . n y ears could comGnlSrt W* 10 "-. Ferguson NwS Cpt , 0n the "WsftenL account, NmTa«§ 1 J a 1 !or - Ce of P° lie e. »nS'y, ? oro and moro SSL W the business of the bootKgjWwmt on increasing, and [■.**** growing more numerous. ■g- Rightful Conditions. P>S5, T &° f f , ontario ha ™ decreed **Wmf epeat ' the Government to? '" brin ging it to an R&W^^„2 Vlnn . I Plg "Free Press" wh lc h produced the beeU ,°P erat - M t&*nL« •:• Flrst Wi »s the fact P^of P & tlon ,. Government R wt «l S r t 56l i n 8 mad o « very ICS',?* Public. That Wtox* Ti,' e S du, ? s , ,n the Western Bating « St -i ol 'n "Telegraph," : wL£ i the e'ection result, S*. A «t, ana fjn* 0 1 utano Temoer- , s . tern Provinces in EK iLt P v ,Cy of Government feWoat.bntf' 110 ? is still t0 be ES l^ ActtiL*..Produce » more G3n?*M»ntt, ..? \ he , one abandoned the change fflWresfe of temperance.

. . . The Ontario Temperance .Act had manifestly broken clown or the verdict would not have own .so pronounced. All Canada, except the Maritime Provinces, now have Government control of liquor. What will ho the effect of the Ontario verdict here?" The Montreal "Star' did not believe the election was a renunciation of temperance sentiment, but rather a registering of disappointment with the old law. under which had developed an alnm-t uriprevcntablo distribution ol poisonous beverages. The people had welcomed Government control as an experiment, and the profits of the bootleggers in the future would be turned into the public Treasury, thereby .strengthening the financial condition of the province.

Plea for Tolerance. The Vancouver ■'Sun - ' said: ''Ontario's verdict in favour of Premier Ferguson is a political gesture to-.'.aru a freer sale of liquor. The fundamental issue, however, is not liquor, ->ut tolerance. It is not Prohibition, : ->'Jl the spirit that lies behind Prohibition. Prohibition is only one manifestation of the moral autocracy that grew out of the necessities of the war. It luts inflicted a serfdom upon men in almost every phase of their activities. It has directed their moral evolution into artificial channels. It is renderin': mans will flabby and impotent. The Kingdom of Heaven cannot he brought about by Prohibitory legislation. And sane people are finding it out.

"Ontario's_ switch to the wet column is not an evidence of any growing anpetite for liquor. It is simply a popular protest against autocratic domination of morals and behaviour. Premier Ferguson, alluding to the result, said: "The creat thingfor which Ontario should be congratulated is that wc have maintained the sound British system of Government. Tlio will of thj people shall govern. As a result of tLj voting the Government will feel that it has the emphatic indorsation of the people of the province, and that it lias prepared a programme that, when carried out, will mean progress and prosperity for Ontario for many years to come."

Thousands of congratulatory telegrams reached Premier Ferguson from all parts of Canada, and especially from the United States, where the most intense interest was risplayed in the outcome of the election.

The Prime Minister, when in Toronto, explained that, under the control legislation to be enacted, territory that was nominally in favour of the sale of liquor in local option days, could appeal to the Commisßon to authorise a vote to determine whether a Government store should be operated within its confines or not. A three-fifths majority would be necessary to secure a store. Effect on U.S.A. A report from Washington stated additional border forces of the United States would be required, and it was expected that Prohibition units and American coastguard cutters would have to be posted at points on the international border and on the Lakes. Commenting on the Ontario situation, the Washington "Post" said: "The lesson that both 'wets' and 'drys' in the United States may learn is that when the' people are convinced Prohibition has outlived its usefulness, they may arise here, as in Canada, and, in the exercise of their right, overthrow it. That time, of course, may be in the distant future, but if it conies, present-day organisations, self-constituted arbitors of public conduct and morals will be as ruthlessly trampled down as in Canada. "The change of policy on this subject in the' Canadian province will have an effect upon the United State's that shjuld not be underestimated. It is bound to make enforcement of Prohibition laws of this country along the international border more difficult. . . .

Buffalo and Detroit give promise of becoming the picnic grounds of thousands of thirsty Americans."