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He (Mr. Rowell) was afraid it was a case of Ephraim being joined to his idols, and they would have to leave him alone. But they did expect something more from the Prime Min-- ister of this Province, and a bill which might not give all they asked for, but would go a good distance to curtail the evils of this traffic. Mr. Rowell quoted interviews with Mr. Wright, President of the Toronto Hotelkeepers' Association, and -- Mr. Haverson, solicitor for the TIicensed Victuallers' Association, the latter of whom said: "I do not think any seri-- ous change has been made either in the way of restriction or in the na-- ture of temperance reform." '"I do not think," said Mr. Rowell, "there is a liquor seller in the Pro-- vince who does not congratulate him-- self on escaping much better than he expected," A Crisis for the Empire. had nothing to do with the bill. He spent more than half his time in dis-- cussing past political history of this Province. They had heard these ar-- guments advanced many a time in this House. Speaking for himself, Mr. Rowell was not surprised that the measure introduced by the Pro-- vincial Secretary was not more pro-- gressive. Ephraim and His IG4ols. The whole Empire was passing through a crisis which demanded that every portion of it should make its utmost . contribution to the strength and energy of its citizens. The cost of the war would impose a most serious burden upon all portions of the Em-- pire in the years to come. It was es-- sential not only to the success of the cause of the allies, but also for our own future progress and development, that we should conserve all our er-- ergy of men and money for the build-- ing up of the national life. of sniping and fusillade and raising dust in the air," exclaimed the Ofppo- sition leader amid loud applause from his colleagues, "in order to cover up a& humiliating surrender to the re-- actionary interests. And the people of the Province know it, and my hon. friend knows it, and that is the reason they have not discussed the issue, but have sought to divert at-- tention to other questions. '"Here is a matter where the Province controls the situation. Here is a case where we can prove our patriotism by our acts and make a contribution to the strengthening of our own Prov-- ince, to the defence of our Em-- pire, and to the workers of Can-- ada. The Provincial Secretary evidently did not think a great deal of his new bill, or he would not have spent as !mlch time in discussing matters that It was now -- established beyond controversy that the liquor trafic im-- paired the efficiency of both soldiers and citizens and involved a great ec-- onomic waste. We could not afford to make this loss at this time. Every impulse of patriotism demanded that we should war against tue traffic, which was an internal foe, in order that we might preserve and strength-- en our energies for the great task before us. ance in the "We --have Appeals to Mr. Hearst. "In order to increase the efficiency «f our men, the men who go to the front, as well as the men who stay at home, and in order to save our Province from the economic waste and wastage of the liquor traffic, it is Incumbent upon us to meet it in the same spirit and in as vigorous and drastic a way as in Russia, France and elsewhere. I hope even at this hour the Prime Minister will let his better and nobler impulses control and govern him, and withdraw the bill, and give us a bill that is worthy of his own past record and his own past public utterances in connection with the biy.'" Premier Hearst The hour was midnight when the Premier rose to conclude the debate. He said they had been listening for four hours to a discussion across the floor of the Hous¢ and there was not one attempt by the Opposition speak -- ers to answer the logical arguments of the Provincial Secretary. There n the face of a have had two Defends His Course "had hnot been one single attempt made to meet the splendid case made out by Mr. Hanna, Some had said that the proposal to appoint a Commission Mr. Studhoime entered into a lengthy speech in condemnation of the bill, and was still speaking at 2.30, when this edition of The Globe went to press. '"The bill is not worth the paper it is printed on," was one of his expressions. "You ask the Liberal leader why he does not propase to abolish the shops as welF as the bars and clubs," said Mr. Stud@holme (East Hamilton). who followed Premier Hearst, and turning to the few Government mem-- bers in their seats. asked: "Why don't you do it? You are the people in power." "I want to tell you that there will be no evasion of responsibility. The responsibility is on the shoulders of this Government. We will take that responsibility, we will not shirk it, but will discharge it aright. I will bring to the selection of the men for that Commission the best Judgment I have. T will select the best men I can find in the Province of Ontario, and until 1 prove false surely T1 am entitled to be taken at my word." Labor Member Opposes RBill. the proposal to appoint a Commission was a good measure provided the right men were appointed to it. Criticized Mr. Rowell. The Premier asked if conditions in Canada--in Ontario--were paral-- le!l to those in Russia, France and Britain. He real the British act, passed when the war broke out, which showed that more ample pow-- ers were being given to the Ontario (Commission than were enjoved by the BRoards of Judges. While the British Parliament had power -- to prohibit the manufacture and sale of liquor, an authority in excess of the Province, no move had been made in that direction. The Preomier -- de-- clared that the Liberal criticism was divided,. . He quoted from---- editorial opinions that the Government should not evade its _ responsibility _ and place it upon the Commission, while arguments from Opposition speakers were to the effect that the Govern-- ment was secking to control the Commission. More Talk of Responsibility, Mr. Hearst was severe in his de-- nunciation of Mr.. Rowell's speech, and said he was the last man in the Province who could be trusted to gauge public opinion and offer the Government any advice on the liquor question. He would not refer to the course of the Iiberal leader beyond saying that in 1911 when the call came to lead his party he declared he did not know where he stood on the liquor question. Later he came out with his abolish--the--bar policy, with the result all knew. Mr. Rowell had made some remarks about the Gov-- ernment's popular majority, bhut the fact was that the popular majority of the Government was greater than any party ever enjoyed in Ontario, and that of the Liberal leader the least. Recognize Their Roesponsibility. '"We recoghize our responsibility on this great question," said the Pre-- mier amid loud cheers from his sup-- porters. He thought the Liberal leader would have approached such a question at such a time without the passion that he had displayed, in a calm, judicial spirit, without dec-- lamation, and in a spirit anxious to find out "what our duty is and to do that duty with a singleness of pur-- pose." (Mear, hear.) Are Tiberals Divided?