The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

0 ¥9 V jhe Ahag T. Nih% C3 o# In the course of his speech, _ Mr. Rowell said the member for Park-- dale stated in his address to the House that he believed the situation created by the war and the present state of public sentiment in the Pro-- vince demanded more radical liquor legislation than was now on the Sla-- tute books. With that sentiment on the part of the memper for Park-- dale he found himself in entire agree-- ment. The leader of the Opposition referred to the strong public opinion on the subject as evidenced in the petition which has recently been sign-- ed in the Province. "I want to say this to my honorable friend the _ Primse Minister, and I want to say it to the members of this House, that while T may have my own vig.w as I under;tand the Government's present proposals, I spoke in the fol-- lowing terms: One Way to Do It. \ " 'Something was said awbout taking this matter out of politics, It has been in politics ever since there was a Province, ever since we have had temperance legislation put upon the statute books. It will be in politics so long as there is an organized liquor traffic in the Province; but it may not necessarily be in party controversy or party politics. There are only two ways to remove it from party con-- troversy and party politiecs--cither to leave the liquor trafic alone in un-- disputed possession of the field, or for both parties to unite on some great advance, avoid party contro-- versy, and remove the open bars from our -- Province. I say, Mr. Speaker, that when we first introduced our policy into this Legislature we asked the Government to co--operate with us on this policy and forever wipe out the bars, not because we proposed the policy, but because the policy was the policy of those who have Lbeen fighting the evils of the traimc for years----the policy of the organized forces working for the improvement of the conditions in our Province, and was a policy which the publics in-- terests demanded and public apinion would support. And we said: "Let both parties agree; let us unite and forever wipe out the open bar.'" Lake it Out of Politics. . 9 _ "'Our suggestion to.take this matter out of pgmics by both parties agree-- ing to wipe out the bar was not ac-- cepted by the Government, nor was any advance made towards securing a united policy. I say to my honorable friend that if he thinks the propusal presented to him by the young Con-- servatives of the Province is a better proposal than ours; if he thinks it is more in the public interest than ours, then, if my honorable friend will if-- troduce legislation to carry it out. we, on this side of the House will unite with him ard his friends to lift tae Fane Auoure on on ns Phton of and together wins 'out this eve from our Province. 1om "'I shall go further, and i e orable friends will accept t}gi:'y;;(:?cx;. proposed to him by his own friends and embody it in legislation, I shall be glad to join my honorable friend. the Provincial Secretary, and any oth member of the Governn c s ieg s 1overnment in going as to the method of dealing with this matter, 1 have already plac-- ed myself on record as to what 1 would do in case the Govern-- ment would introduce proposals of this character. By the state-- ments I have already made in this House and which T have made elsewhere, I am prepared | to stand, and I will give my cor-- dial support to the Government | in carrying out the proposals they submit if the proposals are, | as I understand they are to be, as outlined in the Speech from the Throne. ol "Speaking in the House some two years ago and referring to the petition which had been presented by the Ontario Young Manhood Aszocia-- tion,. calling for action substantially this he did after a short retom:: to the gallantry of the Can tr 8. 5. \'08,? the suggestion of Mr.b 1A.san8 Donovan, M.P.P., the Assen'(llreyss as the National Anthem, the Ad rourned then carried and the Hous?' a'clock. till Monday afternoon at 3 0 Opposition Leader -- Offers His Support , ~"I stand where I stood two -- years ago,'" exclaimed Mr. Rowell, "and I now say to my honorable friend that on this issue I hope we can present a united front on both sides, I should go a step farther in this important matter and say that, so far as J am personally concerned, I shall not be captious or critical about details if we have the essential principles of a clear, straight, early vote dealing with this matter on a fair and just basis; because I believe in a matter of so great importance as this and at a time like this it is very desirable that, if possib.e, we should present a united front, and that the legislation, when it goes into effect, should be by the unanimous or practically unanimous consent of the Legislature. T think it would mean a good deal in the en-- forcement of the law and in the gen-- eral acceptance of the bill by the peo-- ple of the Province if it goes forth from a united or practically united Legislature. Willing to Go Before People. ceptance of "I am not particularly concerned over the fact that it emanates from the Governinent side," proceeded the Liberal leader, and the manner in which the statement was made cam mjed sincerity. "I notice that one of the papers was good enough .to sug-- gest that the Government might steal some of my powder and introduce this bill. T am not concerned to--day with giving credit or attempting to take credit for the proposals. The thing, I submit, which supremely concerns us is the result, which I hope may be accomplished at an }:arly date and to the good of the whole people of the Province. While that is the position which I take in reference to the proposal of the Gov-- ernment as I understand it, I would venture to suggest to my honorable friend, in framing the legislation, an alternative method. I venture to sug-- gest that the extent to which the peti-- tions have been signed, plus the gen-- eral situation created by the war, justifies the Government in enacting, as a piece of legislation to go into effect at the earliest practicable date, a bill which would completely wipe out all hotel, shop, and club licenses, and that it should continue in force during the period of the war and for a reasonable period thereafter, dur-- ing the period of reconstruction, and that it should not te repealed except by a vote of the people to be taken at a later date. That would enable us to deal with the subject immedi-- ately and effectively. Personally, I think that would be the preferable method of dealing with it, but, as I have already stated, 1 would co--oper-- ate with the Government if the pro-- posal in the Speech from the Throne is as I understand it." at \PQOII(I of the Soldier. '"Two years ago," continued _ Mr. Rowell, "I went a step fAther, and said if the Government would accept this policy and embody it in legisla-- tion I should be glad to join my hon-- orable friend the Provincial Becre-- tary and'any other member of the Government in going before the peo-- ple and urging their acceptance of such a measure. Where I stood two years ago wn this matter I stand to-- day, and if we have a bill pass through this House which carries the judgment of the House and which is to be submitted to the people I shall be very glad to join my honorable friend the Prime Minister and every member of the Government in going before the people of this Province and asking their endorsement and ratification -- of the _ measure. I desire here to extend my congratula-- tions to the Premi¢er and the mem-- bers of the Government in proposing this legislation, which I believe has in it great possibilities for the pub-- lic good of the people of the Pro-- vince of Ontario. Good of Province Mr. Rowell then touched on the war, and said that anyone who viewed the march--past of the soldiers the pre-- vious day could not but have pardon-- awble pride in the character of the men who are voluntarily offering their lives to achieve victory in the great cause, '"This is a time when, of all times," said the speaker, '"we should mitigate the matters that divide us oL suCch a& measure.' a United: Front. is First Concerh