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--WOULD WIPE OUT BARS WITHOET REFERENDUM Mr. Sam Clarke, the Liberal mem-- ber for West Northumberland, in the Legislaturo yesterday suggested that, instead of a prohibition referendum during war--time, from May 1 no license bo granted, that licenscholders be given to July to sell out their stock. and that not one cent of license be charged.. He claimed that by this method the retail salse would stop Lwo or three months ecarlier than by a referendum, the result of which he regarded as a foregone conclusion-- a vote in favor of prohibition. Mr. Clarke's speech was made on the Budget, and he claimed that thoere Mr. Huzgh Munro of Glengarry Makes YVigorous Plea in Legislature for a More Progressiveo Agricnltural Policy and Aid to Farmers, ATTITUDE OF SAM. CLARKE Mr. Hugh Munro (Glengarry) put in a plea for a more progressive ag-- ricultural policy, while Mr. J. W. Johnson (West Hastings) and Mr. A. 11. Musgrove (North Huron) thought the Province, financially, had been well managed. was room for ten to fifteen per cent, of economy. He condemned the ex-- pense on Government House, "that blooming ghost up there in the hol-- low," and made play of the 'fact that the Government was obtaining revenue ag the result of legislation passed by the old Government. Plea for Progressive Agriculture. Mr. J. W. Johnson (West Hast-- ings}. continuing the debate on the Budget, touched on the tem-- perance demonstration the day before, and asked them not to blame the sol-- diers for all the trouble. He declar-- ed young fellows were gibing at the soldiers on the sidewalk, and the lat-- ter, being men "with fine spirit and with red blood," naturally resented what these other men were saying. Result Foregone Conclusion-- Vote Unnecessary A man wearing the King's uniform was justified in taking his own part. Not a Dollar for Graft:! Mr. Sam Clarke, who followed Mr. Johnston, said the member for West Hastings had travelled from Dan to Beersheba. Mr. -- Clarke then branched out in humor-- ous fashion, saying: "1 have always had great faith in the honesty of the member for Woest Hastings and love his simplicity, which passeth all understanding. Ilmagine the Parlia-- mentary experience he has had and hear him say that during the year not one solitary dollar goes for graft! (Laughter.} Not one solitary dollar out of $12,000,000 goes ~in sgraft! Of course, 1 do not know what it means. But I think we could givo a bountiful grant to the Red Cross or other charitable institutions out of $12,000,000 spent last year from every dollar expended and not earned." After alluding to the love feast and brotherly love spirit which prevailed, "so much so that we cannot get worked up to a fight," Mr. Clarke came on to the temperance question, and was surprised the the member for West Hastings did not mention it in his speech. He twitted Mr. SJohnson regarding his remarks last Hard to Start a Fight I 10, 1916. session when he criticized "the Min-- isters for supporting the Liiberals in their abolish--the--bar campaign. "I was afraid he would lose his church connection,"' declared Mr. Clarke, "but now hbe is right in line.'"' Re-- Terring to the Committee of One Hundred and the attitude of the Gov-- ernment, the member for West North-- umberland created much mirth when addressing himself to the Cabinct Ministers in the House. He exclaim-- ad:-- "You ducked before they came. Yyou have accepted it holus--bolus, and you promised them a majority vote, and I agreo with you----one man as szsood as another." Tribute to Liconse Board. Mr. Clarke paid a tribute to the On-- tario License Board, saying it well satisfied the people of the Province. But he pointed out that if the Govern-- ment had accepted the advice of the Opposition a year ago on the temper-- ance question they would not have had a Commission to dismiss like that now. -- There was another -- mistake---- why this referendum? Every hotel-- keeper, brewer and distiller knew this referendum was going to carry hands down, He suggested that from May 1 no license be granted, but ho would give these licenscholders till July to seolt out thoir stock, and he would not charge them one cent of license. It was onlyv right, it was only justice. If the Government brought on their referendum he presumsd that would not go into forcoe until Junse or July, and then they would have to give two or three months' notics to sell out. In oather words, there would be three months more of retail sale than under his proposal. Affairs in Satisfactory State. Mr. A. H. Musgrove (North Hur-- on)} -- complimented -- the-- Provincial Treasurer on his "excellont Budget," and said that the increasing wealth of the Province was due to good gev-- etnment. He agreed with Opposition speakers that economy should be practised. While it was quite pos-- sible that an occasional dollar went astray when so many millions of dol-- lars were being expended every year, he felt quite sure that the oublic moneys were handled as carefully as could be. The public institutions of the Province under the supervision of the Provincial Secretary's Depart-- ment were "conducted in an admir-- able manner." and the inmates were well looked after. He did not see how the cost of operating these places could very well be reduced without impairing the efficiency of the insti-- tutions. By reference to Government _ re-- turns, Mr. Munro showed that the acreage under cultivation in Ontario. had increased by less than four per. cent. in ten years, while in the Pro-- vinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan the acreage had been increased in the: corresponding period by 500 and 647. per cent. respectively. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were the only Provinces in the Dominion which showed a smaller acreage increase than Ontario, Mr. Munro had tra--. velled extensively and some of the finest farms he had seen in Canada. were in New Ontario. If the Govern-- ment were anxious to extend the set-- tlement of the farm lands of the Pro-- vince they should do more than they were doing to assist the farmers. For instance, they migh; set a gang of workers under a man of the type of Mr. Whitson, the Superintendent of Colonization Roads, at the task of. clearing ten or fifteen acres of tim-- A vigorous appeal for a more pro-- gressive agricultural policy was made by Mr. Hugh Munro of Glengarry, who contended that Ontario was not de-- veloping her resources in a manner that would make for steady progress. The Government ought to take steps to increasse the population of the rural sections of the Province. The farmers should be given more en-- couragement in the shape of hbetter facilities. Farm life should be made more attractive to the young ypeople and to farm laborers, so that they would not flock to the cities as they had been doing in the past. North-- ern Ontario should be advertised more than it had been advertised in other countries in order that a good class of settlers might be attracted to that part of the Province. Where Ontario Lags Behind. More Assistance For Farmers.