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

Again rumor is busy in the LoKismmre lobbies concerning an alliance between the broadening- out wing ot the U.F.0. and a ma- Jority of the present Liberal mem- bers. In the last two weeks indi- cations ot some friendly approaches have not been wanting, but no per- son cares to tro so tar as to state that even a tentative arrangement has been arrived at. Quite a num- ber ot speeches and utterances trom the Government benches have left the impression that the Ministers hesitate to say anything which would militate against an under- standing with the Liberals. Do Not Attack Liberals. For instance. the memorable three-hour attack of Hon. W. E. Raney. Attorney-General. last week was wholly directed at the Cotttser- vatives. Hon. Peter Smith, who has all the earmarks of a shrewd poli- tician, also hurled any criticism he had at Hon. Mr. Ferguson and the la-tter's followers. Hon. Manning Doherty, replying to the want of confidence resolution. moved by W. E. N. Sinclair, Liberal, left the Lib- eral party almost alone. and also carried his argument to the Con- servatives. Mr. Doherty, too, was formerly a Conservative. Mr. Sin- clair, however, is not believed to be very enthusiastic tor any alli- ance himself, and naturally spoke to his motion with all the power at his command. But after he had done it was mainly Conservatives who interrupted the Minister, and, so far as the general political effect Lwent, the motion might as well 'ave come from them. iFacing an Election. . Naturally, members who have knowledge ot any understanding or impending understanding will say nothing over their own names, but one ot them explains it in this manner: "You see, the Premier is none! too sure ot being returned a win- ner at the next election it he runs under the U.F.O. flag. He will meet with opposition from the Mor- risen wing. In some ridinxs there may be two Farmer candidates, one} pro-Drury and the other pro-Morri- son. He is sure to have 1i?,iriiii-) tive opposition, and possibly leo1 eral opposition as well. With thej Progressive vote split up like that' it would be a walk-over for the Conservatives. The Conservatives are fully aware of this, which ae- counts to some extent for their violent opposition to any sort of proportional representation. Now, it Mr. Drury could come to an "agreement with the Liberals he would have a good fighting chance, perhaps more than that. We know he favors the idea. He would be quite willing to call the party Pro- greasive Liberals. The Liberals would be opposed to any other party name, insisting on the word 'Liberttl' as a Patrottrrnie, feeling that the basis ot such a party would be essentially Liberal. There could be no such name as Liberal Progressives. Yes, the U.F.O. as a political entity would be dropped entirely. Gets Blessing at Ottawa. "There is no doubt that such an arrangement is received with favor at Ottawa. Premier King " none too strong in Ontario now, and he believes the Progressive influence in his favor would help him to a considerable extent. Mr. Drurv and moat of his Cabinet, it not all, are quite in favor ot anything along this line. So are tne majority 'tiie OB SERVE IN QUEEN'S PARIS; of the Liberal members. Natur- ally, Mr. Dewart will oppose it, but there are already reports that he may be given a united anti-Govern- ment nomination in Southwest Te ronto, or, at least, will not be op-: posed by a Conservative. Mr. Bin-, olair is not looking upon it wittr any degree ot favor, neither is Col.) Cooper, both of the latter preferring Liberalism without any tag attach- ed. We think the French-Canadian Liberals are favorable to it. Some ot the Liberal members state that, it the alliance is cemented, they may receive acclamations. or at least not have to worry over their elections. "The public might as well know that informal pourparlers have been.going on with that end in view. There is opposition from some Liberals, just as there is op- position from some ot the Govern- ment members. Conservatives Begin Cheering. "Another thing that is having the effect of forcing an alliance is the rejuvenation of the Conserva- tives. Mt. 1rertruaon's party is efficiently organized, and. somehow or other, word has been passed over the Province, in the towns particu- larly, that Howard Ferguson will be the next Premier. Tn other words, the Tories have already started the cheering. They think they will be able to keep it up, and it has its effect on the votes. The Liberal organization so tar is not what it should be, but, if linked with the Farmers' machine, the result would be real campaign efficiency. "Strange things have happened in this Legislature, but it is not out of the bounds of possibility to see a majority ot the present Liberal membership walk right over to the Government side, accept Drury as their leader, raise the Progressive- Liberal flag, and go out after Fer- guson and his men." P. Ite-popular Riddle. The Government members held a caucus yesterday. when propor- tional representation and the redis- tribution were discussed. No agree- ment was reached, and likely ad- ditional meetings on the same sub- jects will be held before the Pre- mier makes his speech in the Bud- get debate and announces the redis- tribution policy. Frankly, a ma- jority of the U.F.O. members are puzzled over proportional represen- tation. It is all right in a party platform, but it assumes a different form when elections are near. It was stated three main views were expressed. "Are there only three views in the party regarding redistribution and proportional representation?" one prominent U.F.0. was asked. "Three," he repeated; "why there are as many views as there are members. P. R. spells popular riddle." A Typical Friday. The House yesterday spent a typical Friday afternoon, a fair at- tendance at first and then dwin- dling down to a bare quorum to- ward 5 o'clock. Second readings to various private bills amending the Municipal Act or the Assess- ment Act formed the main diver- sion. Whenever a municipality or a municipality official strikes a snag in either act it is upto the local member to introduce an amendment in the Legislature. Fre. quently it is good practice for the local member, and by the time the bills reach the committee stage a general slaughter begins. No per- son expects to frame a Municipal Act or an Assessment, Act which will stretch enough to meet all con- tingencies over this Province.