The Ontario Scrapbook Hansard

Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, 16 Apr 1904, p. 1

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looms. They were ihrhts, his iGdiiiti2iii,' to to apply a species of tt not to allow either. He explained that last year t inserted in a bill crimim - Mr. Whitney said that he had per- sonally received reliable information that in the township of Bertie,just out. side of Bridgeburg,", a poolroom was freely operated, and two or three trains of frequenters arrived daily from Buffalo. He realized the diiiieulties in the way, but it was unpleasant if peo- ple had to sit down powerless in face of such an evil. If neither the law nor the procedure would allow the place to be closed up, he would favor a form of mob law to deal with it. Hon. Mr. Gibson said that he had already expressed trhhorrence of a con- cern carrying on operations on. this side of the line which are forbidden on the other side. The laws in the two countries are not the same; spar- 2t for example, was not as free there as ere, but 'hough it is hard to draw the line between sparring and prize- thrhta, his instructions to officials were to apply a species of mob law, and not to allow either. He had alreadv Mr. Sutherland, when the orders of the day were called, drew the atten- tion of the Attorney-General to the action of the Police Magistrate of Woodstock in holding in private the re- cent trial of those engaged in a cock. tight, and to a similar occurrence in Ingersoll. Hon. Mr. Gibson replied that he had casually observed some reference to it, but had not had time to inquire. But under the code a Magistrate may clear the court if he thinks it in the interest of morals. The law also pro- vides that a search of records of con- viction may be made afterwards, and this was done, and the names were published. because there was not a quorum pre- tent, and the House adjourned. There were in their seats eight Liberals and nine Conservatives. A division will not be reached till Tuesday night at the earliest. Mr. MaeKay's speech yes- terday was a notable contribution to the discussion. By plain statements of feet and clear and incisive argument be cleared away much of the fog of mis- statement and misrepresentation that had gathered about the issue. Bridgeburg Pool-room. Would Get Steel Works if Sold Under the Hammer. Mimllilfl DAY ON "Ol" AID BILLION DOLLAR TRUST Legislature Adjourned For Want of Quorum. Able and Convincing Address by Mr. A. G. MacKay (North Grey)--Mestsrs Lucas and St. John Also Spoke - -Diviaion on Tuesday. The Legislature yesterday devoted an- other day to the discussion of the pro- posal to aid the completion of the Al- goma Central Railway by guaranteeing o loan of $2,000,000 for two years. Three members were heard, Mr. Lucas (Cen- tre Grey), Mr. MacKay (North Grey) and Mr. St. John (West York). At 10.30 Mr. St. John declined to proceed SATURDAY. d . 16, Mr. Lucas, in resuming the debate on the hill to aid the Algoma Central and associated industries, declared he was opposed to it because the Government was not in the loaning business, and it would constitute a dangerous prece- dent. Apparently the only o.onsidera.. tion in the view of the Government was whether the security was ample. Back of that, however, he urged, was the prin- ciple that the proposal was not within the functions of the Government. He argued that there was no traltic for the railway exettpt from the allied indus- tries, and that, therefore, the aid was solely for industrial enterprises. He did not want to depreciate the country. but the fact was a line was running from Sudbury to the "Son." and the coun~ try was not yet settled. Though $2,- 000,000 is a large sum, the Province could afford to pay it if necessary, hut what will the Government do three or four years hence if these industries are again in financial trouble? Having taken the first step there will be no re- treat, and the Province will have to make further advances to make the. "Soo" industries tt success. fro, con- demned the advance, on the .\ttnrnev- General's authority, of the wages of tho " Son " employees last fall as a disgrace to the history of the country. (('onser- vative applause.) No Irregularities Shown. trriarn Attorhey, and approved by himself and the Deputy Attorney-Gen- eral, but unfortunately these clauses of the bill were dropped in the Com. mom. He expected-itat, these clauses would be restored and be adopted at the present session. The House need not be tdruxid, but that the best at- tention of the Government would be given to these poolrooms. He had instructed the police to act peremptor- ily and the matter will be followed up thoroughly. Not in Loaning Business. Mr. A. G. MacKay (North Grey), who followed. directed his attention mainly to the speech by Mr. Hanna (West Lamhton), of which he said he had never in the Legislature heard so unfair a speech or one that dealt as much in fiction and imagination. Replying first to Mr. Lucas, Mr. MacKay showed ' that, in connection with the payment of wages and salaries at the "sro," the strictest investigation before the Public Accounts Committee could not reveal the slightest irregularity. Mr. Lucas had said the $2,000,000 was not a. serv ous matter; it was the precedent he feared. Mr. Whitney had said the pre- cedent was of no account ; if the secur- ity was right he would vote for it. Mr. MacKay agreed with Mr. Whitney in that view. Both Mr. Whitney and Mr. Lucas had said that the "Soo" proper- ties, industries, railway and all, should be allowed to work themselves out of 'their difficulty in the ordinary way. 'What did that mean, and what would ~be the result if that course were lol- lowed? What also would be the re- isult if the bill before the House was carried? If the properties were dis- posed of to satisfy the Speyer claim they would either be taken over by the Speyers or sold under the,hammer. All knew the sacrifice of a forced sale. The properties would go practically as scrap iron. The House had heard of the et. forts of the billion dollar steel trust to prevent the development of the steel in- dustry, and if the properties were sold under the hammer the chances were a hundred to one that the steel plant would be sold for a song to an agent of the United States Steel Corporation, to be kept in idleness. Misstatements Corrected. Mr. Hanna had stated that if the bill passed the old shareholders would be squeezed out. The proposed agree' ment stated very clearly, and the re- presentative for West Lambton must have seen it if he had read the informa. tion furnished him, the terms upon which the old stockholders might come into the reorganization, and they were ap- peeled to to do so. On the other hand, if the properties were sold under the hammer' to satisfy the Speyer loan, not only would the stockholders, but all the other creditors, representing liabilities fi',',',"? mifh'oiTuiiriirtuit,'souhi be shut out. Mr. Hanna. hadcharged Mr. Shields and his subordinates with dishonesty in buying provisions prior to suspension. The horses and men had to be fed, and Mr. Shields' hopeful telegrams justified the expectation that f1naneial arrange- ments would be successful. The House had heard why they wetnot. There was another consideration. Both parties had united in authorizing the payment of the wages, and as a result the Government was now under a 8260,- 000 guarantee, which would have to be paid if the bill did not pass. ' ' Mr. Whitney-The Province would hay? tlt hand grants._ Mr. Hanna had said the Government had defaulted in the banks; for the 8260,- 000. It was not creditable to that gen- tleman that he should so slander the fin, nncial reputation of the Province. There were in the banks $3,000,000 to the credit of the Province. Value of the Plants. Mr. MacKay -said of course the Pro- vince would have the land grants. Not, an. acre had been handed over, but the banks would have to be paid $260,000 just the Same. Mr. MacKay discussed Mr. Hanna's statements regarding Mr. Shields' re- ports of May 5 and July 10 upon the al. lied industries. The inference Mr. Hanna had suggested was that Mr. Shields was either incompetent or crooked. Mr. shields reported that certain of the mills were being operated at a. profit. A little later, upon the demand for pay- nwnt of the Speyer loan, the collapse came. Mr. Mackay pointed out that mills under construction might be rum ning at a profit, but be entirely unable to pay 8ii,000,000. He discussed Mr. N. W. 1towell's affidavit in connection with Conmee and Bowman's suit, which Mr. Hanna had used to prove the mull value of the Algoma Central Railway. Mr. Maekay showed very clearly that the issue between the parties was whother the lien held by the contractors or the Speyer mortgage had priority of claim. Had the properties been sold in an un- finished state under the hammer it was not unlikely the proceeds would more than discharge the mortgage. 0f the ten ships which Mr. Hanna had said were not of very much value. one. was built at Collingwood at a cost of 8"200,000, and four of the others were Clyde-built ocean-going vessels. Opposition by the Trust. 1f the directors of the billion-dollar steel trust could have heard Mr. Hanna impeaching Mr. Shields, decrying the Milne of the Soo industries, the Algoma Central Railway and its usefulness. they would remark, "What an able repre- sentative we have in the Ontario Legis- lature." Mr. Rockefeller himself could not have made a speech more in line with his interests. The Opoosition had asked for proof of the interWenee of the United States Steel Corporation with the attempts to finance the Soo indus- tries. They asked for proof in black and white. Was Mr. Rockefeller. when he used his inthtenee in the money mar- kets of the world to baulk the efforts of the Consolidated Lake Superior Co. to get money, likely to ask Manager Shields or Premier Ross about it? It was nonsense to ask for such proof. Regarding the statement of the. Oppo- sition that help for the 500 industries should come from Ottawa in the shape of a duty on steel rails, Mr. Mackay said the Legislature should not stand still if they at Ottawa never moved. But under the present law a duty of $7 a ton could be imposed on steel rails. But until steel rails were produced here in quantity it would be foolish to impose the duty. A Business Proposition. What, then, in a plain, practical business way was proposed to be done? The Province was to guarantee two millions for two years for the comple- tion of the Algoma Central Railway. How did that work out? The 8260,- 000 already by consent of both sides oi the House guaranteed for wages must be aid first. That, then, prac- tically recruced the present guarantee to $1,740,000. Then there were 8341.440 of Dominion subsidy not only earned Aitypproved. The first condition of

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