The Ontario Scrapbook Hansard

Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, 5 Apr 1915, p. 1

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- MONDAY, APRILL 5,-1'"; 15 : r A DANIEL COME TO JUDGMENT., -- C ~_TIt was round about midnight. The Ontario Legislature was in for 'an. all--night session.| Speaker Jamieson was in the chair. Premier Héarst was in command, with his Government supporters ready for any emergency. The third reading of the Hanna liquor license amendments was up. On that night the last chance was of-- fered the Legislature to break the combine of the Government and the liquor traffic, by which all the special privileges of open bars and late selling were continued to all the barrooms of the Pro-- vince during war times. 'The fact that. Premier Hearst had surrendered to the liquor monopoly was no longer any secret, and the terms hadl been the talk of the corridors. Even though it might mean one more defeat, the members who\ would follow the example of King George and : hbeed the warning of Lord Kitchener took for themselves, and offered to their Conservative fel-l low--members, one more »chkance to close all bar-- rooms, all liquor stores, and all drinking clubs everywhere during the course of the war. Once more their efforts were defeated by the unani--| mous vote of the Government and their party' majority. Then Mr. Sam Carter of Guelph moved the closing of all liquor--drinking places at 7 o'clock in the evening. That, too, was voted down by the Government, with evident satisfac-- tion. Then bhe moved 8 o'clock closing. / The Government _ members laughed uproariously. Some of the Ministers threw mocking jibes across the House at the man from Guelph. Others cat-- called to him. The Prime Minister smiled blandly as one might at a minstrel show. One Government supporter asked Ifloékix}gly': "Why not move all the hours together?" At which ex-- quisite humor even the Minister of Education shook with laughter. But their noisy laughter was like the crack-- ling sound of burning thorns. While.they were yet pumping up their hilarity the burly radical from Guelph, with his unmistakable English accent, broke in upon their mirth with a prophet-- rebuke: : & '"You laugh to--night. You--mock at our amendments. Our concern for the boys of this country makes great sport for you. But I know, and you know, what is happening this very night in the barrooms of this city and of other cities: our men and boys are being ruined; their money is being wasted: their homes are being destroyed; their lives are being blasted. All our efforts to save our sons and to safeguard our soldiers of the King you greet with jeers and mocking. "I warn you and your Government that I will zo through this Province and I will tell the people, no matter what their party, that you . sneered when we tried to shut the bars; that when we moved to cut down the barroom! hbours you mocked as you mocked a moment) ago. Sir, this accursed liquor business has damned ons Government in Ontario, and I warn you it will damn yours too." ' The gayety died out of the Government faces. !ven the loudest of the liquor stani--bys forgot to laugh. It was as though a Daniel had come to judgment: as though an Amos had come back °from among the herdmen of Tekoa: as though a Nathan blazed again, '"Thou art the man." And when the people of Ontario next speak it' may be so. '

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