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

toria) sincerity on the pronipition ques-- | Lon, and for his attack on the Prohi-- t vition Union and the policies that union [ formulated. | '"No one," said Dr. Simpson with considerable fire, "can accuse Mr. New-- man of being insincere, He is one of the most sincere and most courageous -- men I have ever known. And sneers at the Prohib.tion Un'on, coming from | a temperance man, are things that I can scarcely conceive" Dr. Simpscn held up Ontario's an-- nual exponditure on liquor of approxi--| mately $55,000,000 as an excessive' amount . I'm not speaking as a | dried--up old temperance crank," said | be, "bus this Government cannot go on spending $55,000,000 a year in this way--as much, almost, as it takes to conduct the business of Ontario." ; Cut Down Qutlay. Temperance men, in his belief, should stait to work, not on old questions like the referendum, but on the Conserva-- tive members of the House. These membis were responsible for the Li-- quor Control Act under which such a huge annual expenditure was taking place. They shcould, more than any-- body else, endeavor to influence the Government to cut down the expendi-- ture by at least one--third, and thereby divers some $20,000,000 into other chan-- nels. "I think," said Dr. Simpson, "that the pesple of this Province would be satisfica with less liquor, and the pres-- ent rate of cxpenditure should be brought down. Expenditures are fall-- ing in every other line. Why not on booze?" Mr. Honeywell informed the House| that h> was perpared to accept the} sincerity of the views expressed by the| Opposition members of the House, but | that was more than he could do tor' certaiiu members of the Prohibition| Union, who, during the last two Pro-- vincial elections, played a part, he| charged, that was highly improper;, and. one tha: should be investigated by the Attorney--General. Mr. _ Honeywell threw out veiled suggestions of "mis-- representation," and of "moncy spent"! that was umot spent as it should be spent. | The Ottawa member ridiculed the principle of the plebiscite, and drew llc'] alarming picture of what had happenet \ at the last clection to Blake Miller | East Elgin,; P. W. Pearson, North York |and Chris Gardiner, East Kent, tw«i Liberals and a Progressive, who hai championed its cause cnthusia.stlcall;! Wl nan old "oubtitlididiudins lt n in it deoremierinaliient nds ts s Ay x agod C "surcly their fate," said Mr. Honey| well, "is sufficient indication to mi honorable friend from Brant (Mr Nixon) that the referendum has on since been relegated to the limbo of for gotten things." ! 110110. AAUNC 44 PC RECE AECE CE . d.6 c600.8 C PPRBRT OECIET Nixon) that the referendum has IOR{ Such devices, continued the Pre--, since been relegated to the limbo of {0r| mier, were products of republican forms l gotten things." lof government, having been tried in | Mr. Sinclair's remarks on the debat] France and Switzerland. "In some| wer. brici bue blunt. Conservativl States of the United States," he said, members persisted, he stated, ln'gettln1 "if a Judge gives an unpopular ude--| up in the House and flaying thi cision the voters may recall him. 'The/ refcrendum principle in the face Of i system of plebiscites does not belong to | clause in the Municipal Act at the preS British institutions. It has NCVC! been ent time that permitted referenda Of used in Great Britain, where represen-- certain things. | tative government has been carried to s orm." Atlacks Inconsistency. .lts'&!ghfit'\ffl_md not Mr. Baldwin "Let these members repeal tha clause," argied Mr. Ssinclair, "if the: want to be consistent in their point 0; view." Tae Opposition LCAGCT SLatCUu Jb WeW _ (". 0. 0 . plain to se? that the Governmen! Baldwin, however, made no promise ox' benches would never get over the de: a referendum while in & responsible | feat of Sir William Hearst in 1919 position. They were inclined to blame the tem-- Praise for Whitney. perunce people for the licking, but the In all history, he declared, there had | tempera:nce people were not to blami been no more real progress in temper=-- | at all. "When one hears them tall ance than auring the Premiership of | about the defeat of Hearst," said M the late Sir James Whitney. He traced ) Sinclair, "one would imagine the} the inception of the O.T.A. as wartime | actually thought that by the grace %mea,sure following the election of 1914 the Almighty when they came int! on the issue of abolishing the bar. "In\ power in 1905 they were to stay thert the stress of war we reversed the policy for all time." 10n which we had been returned, and! _ Mr. Sinclair jocularly turned Mr with the enactment of prohibition the | Honeywell's accusation regarding thé Government promised a referendum t \Prohlbltion Union into charges agains! the conclusion of the war." | \the Attorney--General, and the latter's Referring to the Drury Administra-- failure to clean up the situation which tion, he included Mr. Nixon in his casti-- C E~ widivie! CEHE mwls* +m (Aovernment for Honeywell's accusation regarding thé Govert Prohibition Union into charges agains! the co the Attorney--General, and the latter's Refe failure to clean up the situation whickh tion, h Mr. Honeywell alleged to have obtained gation o *4 RSdSCEEIUC 3. EV C > members repeal tha Mr. Nixon--Did not Mr. Paiuwi} ed Mr. Sinclair, "if the: promise a referendum recently? onsistent in their point o. . Premier Henry replied that he did 7 not know what ex--Premier Baldwin's ition Leader stated it was intentions were for the future. Mr. J that the Governmen{ Baldwin, however, made no promise of o e ols tha Aal s referendum while in 4 responsible | _ _He stated that he was not in the speaking on his stand on plebiscites in S€ | position of being pledged to any course 1924. In that plebiscite the people fihesof conduct to outside organizations. "I ~did not vote for Government control, M€! have been asked by temporance forces as the Government expected. _ Had ;"" | to sign on the dotted line. I have been they voted for Goevernment control there l:ll; | asked to pledge myself to a certain would be no right--about--face on the | course in return for support. But my question of plebiscites by the Govern-- rg; conception of the duty of a man in ment." V dl public life is to have a view of his own.. An exchange occurr.ed between Mr. the] I do not expect those who elect me Nixon and Mr. Sinclair. The former, velli to ask for pledges. They should elect amid laughter, said: "I am --over-- Ms--] to public office those in whom they whelmed by the support of my friend nt"! have confidence." from C{:\tarlig iSoutl';m He t;taws that \ "Newfangled" Systems. my motion n su nce the same as it Premie'r Henry described reforenda, his Fort William speech, The people the plebiscites and recalls as "newfangled, Of Ontario were trying for days to in-- ar| un--British" systems. He quoted from| terpret that speech. But it wasn't in-- ned a recent book by Professor Munro of| terpreted until he went down to 'The ller Harvard University, who attributed| Globe office and gave an interview to ork these systems to "declining public con-- the editor. j f tw( fidence in the efficiency and integrity| ; MY Sinclair--You are making aA hai". of legislators, and & readiness on the su;;rm?":x:; fl.c:"e pest it ally! part of representatives to place on the e w * o ne)' | ls)}'loulders pof voters _ responsibilities Mr. Sinclair--I have no recollection m} which ought properly to remain on' '------------------------__"'. j Mr| their own." es -- _ ~Jidf giving _§11ch an interview. Wha in union ranks at the last two elec-- public measures, having them intro-- tions. duced by private members, The atu-' If, by terms of the Municipal Act, the tude expressed by the Conservative referendum was a good thing for the Party, then in Opposition, as expteued. municipalities, it was then a good thing in an @inendment, was the attitude of for the whole Province, and the Legis-- the Government now. This amendment' lature should say so, suomitted Mr. had affirmed belief in the principle of | Sinclair. "This Government seems to' Ministerial responsibility as the bulwark | take it into its head," said he, "that it of British institutions. Referring to Dr\ comprises the brains and judgment of McQuibban's plea that the question the people of Ontario, and that the should be taken out of politics, Premier people should have no right to think Henry observed: "I thought the Liberal for themselves." convention had removed the question Mr. Sinclair maintained that he had from politics last December." always played fair with the people ocf What About 1924? ea on the principle of the reicrenguim, "The vote in 1924," said Premier he W?Uld- he stated, suppoit Mr. Henry, "was just an incident in the Nixon's motion. change back to responsible govern-- Claims Indefiniteness. ment from the unusual conditions In opening his address Premier Henry Which followed the adoption of pro-- complained of the indefiniteness of the hibition as a wartime measure, with motion's provision that a plebiscite Subsequent referenda. The people be-- should be held "when a sufficient pub-- lieve this Government is sincere in lic demand for such action is ap-- promoting real temperance. It is sin-- parent." cere, and not juggling with motions "I think," said the Premier, referring Such as this, which mean nothing ex-- to the supporters of the motion, "that cept to the boys back of the lines, who they are not expecting to advance this Will say 'Hurrah for Harry Nixon; he's motion very far in the House. I do not keeping our flag flying." f s wish to impute motives, but I think they "I'm prepared to accept the issue as simply wish to fan the air and give the it has been defined," said Mr, Nixon, public the impression that they are the following the Premier. "The charac-- only prohibition party and that tem-- ter of this debate has been ample jus-- perance legislation cannot be expected tification for bringing the question up,. from a Conservative Administration." The Prime Minister failed to avoid Mr. Sinclair maintained that he had always played fair with the people of his riding. The votes he had received from time to time indicated, in his mind, they were prepared to trust him to carry out the pledges he had made trem. Inasmuch as he had been eleci-- ed on the principle of the referenduim, he would, he stated, support Mr. Nixon's motion. Claims Indefiniteness. In opening his address Premier Henry complained of the indefiniteness of the motion's provision that a plebiscite should be held "when a sufficient pub-- lic demand for such action is ap-- parent." gation of the declining to arch 12 ) the Drury Administra-- ed Mr. Nixon in his casti-- V.F.O. Government for gecept responsibility for own.. An exchange occurred between Mr. ; me Nixon and Mr. Sinclair. The former, elect amid laughter, said: "I am over-- they whelmed by the support of my friend from Ontario South. He states that my motion is in substance the same as mnda, his Fort William speech,. The people gleq, Of Ontario were trying for days to in« from| terpret that speech. But it wasn't in-- 'p of| terpreted until he went down to The uteq| Globe office and gave an interview to anw.! the editor," Mr. Nixon--You're not going to stop without tellinz us about 1924? Premier Henry--What about 19242 Mr. Nixon--Why, you supported the plebiscite then. Mr. Sinclair--You are making aA statement of fact. Mr. Nixon~--I repeat it. Mr. Sinclair--I have no recollection date was it? fir.mf';ix-c;fi----l don't recall the date. It will be on the files. Mr. Sinclair--I go there so seldom, I romember every occasion. In conclusion Mr. Nixon referred to the Liboral Leader voting with the Premier on Tuesday as reminding him of "Damon and Pythias embracing at the execution block." Leade