LIQUOR IN ONTARIO

Shannon News, 11 January 1927, Page 3

LIQUOR IN ONTARIO

A DECISIVE “WET" VICTORY. SIDELIGHTS ON THE POLLING. NOTEWORTHY POLITICAL FEAT. TORONTO, Dec. 3. For 50 years Ontario has been in the forefront of the prohibition movement in Canada ,and with minor exceptions in the Maritime Provinces it is noAv the last territory in Canada to relinquish the restrictions that were put upon the liqupr traffic during the war. Canada now, from the Bay of Fundy to the Pacific Ocean, is -‘wet.” The decisiveness or yesterday’s “wet” victory was surprising. Even on the eve of polling day the Conservative organisation claimed only 64 seats out of 112. ’ Counting “wet” Liberals they actually secured 20 more than this number. Politicians everywhere, at - least where prohibition is an issue, will study the Ontario result with keen Interest. As a political feat, what the Premier, Mr Ferguson, accomplished was noteworthy. That he was wrecking his party by boldly espousing a “wet” < policy was the warning throAvn at him by friend and foe. In 1 a strongly Conservative province he was reasonably certain of re-election on any normal issue Avhenever he wanted to go to the country, and he Avas therefore advised that he w T as extremely foolish to get mixed up in an issue on which prejudices were deep and which was essentially not a party issue. Splits in the Two Parties.

The hazard Mr Ferguson was running seemed all the more acute when It was recalled that on every plebiscite on temperance held in Ontario over a period of 30 years the vote has been ‘Mry,” often decisively so. On one occasion it was in the ratioof two to one. Mr Ferguson Avas told that the Liberals would play politics and vote against him regardless of their convictions on the temperance question, and that the Con-serA-atives, of whom perhaps 40 per cent. Avere “dry,” Avould split from the party, and his end would be disaster.

What happened was precisely the opposite. The Liberal, Party split, “wet” Liberals in thousands voting for tlie abolition of prohibition. Even among the small group of Liberal members in the last legislature half a dozen announced that they Avould support Mr Ferguson’s Government coontrol policy. Five of them were re-elected. “Dry” Conservatives on the other hand in great numbers continued to vote for the Conservative Party. ’ There were notable exceptions to Conservative unanimity. Hundreds of “dry” Conservatives, headed by Hon. W. P. Nickle, who resigned his post as Attorney-General in the Fergiison Cabinet on the “wet” issue, and Sir George Foster, urged an activity campaign against the Government. As a result a number of constituencies which have been Conservative for a generation changed their allegiance this time. Such losses, however, were overcome by gains in other constituencies,, The Swing From “Dry” to “Wet." In many ridings which gave dry majorities as recently as tAvo years ago huge majorities were yesterday registered for the Conservative policy of Government control. The combination of a strong party machine with the anti-prohibitionists proved invincible. A great factor underlying the result Avas, of course, dissatisfaction with the operation of the Ontario Temperance Act. Illicit and often objectionable drinking has developed, particularly in the last two or three years, to a disquieting extent.

Under the Ontario Temperance Act liquor could only he legally purchased in the province .through a Government dispensary on a doctor’s prescription. While such sales amounted' to only some £1,00,000 a year it was estimated by Government campaigners that illicit sales through bootleggers amounted to £5,000,000 or £6,000,000 a year.' While this figure may be an exaggeration there is no doubt that an elaborate system of underground distribution had been built up. Even the liquor distilleries and breweries had established channels by which they were able to make a wide distribution to customers in the province. There was also a large import and export trade, often in adulterated brands, and, in addition, increasing manufacture by private stills. Objection was raised even to the business done on doctors’ prescriptions, which had, in many cases, little relation to physical illness. The Government said it was unable to control the' situation and therefore proposed to make sale legal and re-acquire control of the traffic. Views of Prohibitionists. Prohibitionists on their part charge Mr Ferguson with being the designer and builder of a great conspiracy. They charge him with having deliberately attempted to discredit the Ontario Temperance Act during the three years he has held office. They say that every move he has made has been with the object that has now been attained in view. They maintain that the Ontario Temperance Act was an enforceable Act and that, given sympathy and good judgment on the part of the Government, abuses could have been gradually reduced until the law would have been accepted as loyally as many other laws which are regarded as essential. It is predicted by the prohibitionists that even admitting large illicit sales under the Ontario Temperance Act .consumption of liquor will now increase enormously. On the basis of Quebec, which is spending £lO,000,000 a year on liquor, Ontario wiH likely Bpend £12,00,000 or £15,-

000,000 a year—money which will be diverted from other channels of trade. Following this argument it is maintained that Canada is placing herself under another severe handicap in competition with the United States.