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Attack on Hepburn Termed Cowardly By Dr. L. J. Simpson Full Support Pledged to Leader in Course of Fighting Speech SWING TO LEFT ADVISED Declaring that he stood foursquare bohind the leadership of Mitchell F. HMHopburn, M.P., and his co--operation with the Progressive Party, Dr. L. J. Simpson (Liberal, Simcoe Centre) yes-- terday in the Legislature launched ons of the most vigorous onslaughts on the Henry Government to which that Administration has ever been subjected. Comservative attacks on Mr. Hepburn were "cowardly, con-- temptible and unsportsmanlike," he declared. s In his fighting address, he asserted that the Government had been an abject failure as far as giving leadel:- ship was concerned. Governments must have courage to give this lead-- ership and to "swing hard to the left," he said. He termed Premier Henry's reply to Hon. H. C. Nixon's remarks on the Toronto Mortgage Company as a "foolish exhibition of temper," and regretted that the Government's re-- lief policy was merely one of secing that no one starved. He finally be-- came involved in an altercation with Hon. William Finlayson over a state-- mont the latter made. Calls for Election. Calling for an election as soon AS ' the session is completed, Dr. Simpson | stated that Hon. G. Howard Ferguson . had given the assurance that the legis-- | lation to lengthen the tenure of office. was not to apply to the present Legis-- lature. In referring to the Govern-- ment having refused assistance to the Barrie packing plant, he pointedly asked if the "big interests" had con-- trol of the Administration. Other participants in the Speech from the Throne debate were: Hon. G. H. Challiss, Provincial Secretary, ard F. J. McArthur _ (Conservative, Northumberland). The latter de-- manded that the Federal Government should order an inquiry into the abattoirs and packing plants, declar-- ing that the farmers were not getting fair profits and that these would be found in the packing--house coffers. Defends Abitibi Deal. Mr. Challies upheld the Abitibi deal, which Dr. Simpson had said was a shock to the peopic of Ontario; lauded the Ottawa Government for the St. Lawrence waterways plan; and said that drunkenness and drunken driv-- inz had docreased. Hon. H. C. Nixon interposed that people had not enough money to buy liquor. _ _ _ 7 "I was rather surprised to hear the member from Cobourg (Mr. McAr-- thur) say that reciprocity was not a good thing in 1911, but because Mr. Bennett has been recently making moves in that direction he believes that it is now in order," commented br. Simpson. | _ P 5 "HMe also said that relief has been well carried out, and quoted Premier Henry as saying that not a man, woman or child would starve. Surely that is not the ideal of the Govern-- ment? "And then they talk about not dealing with Russia, calling it a na-- tion of atheists. If the Christian religion means anything, surely it means that we are not afraid to test it against any other religion in the world." Tory "Pep" Mjss!ng. He Says. "We have had a rather unique situation in this House during the last couple of weeks. The Govern-- ment, with the largest majority, I te-- lieve, in the history of the Province, is apparently seeking co--operation so that it might prolong its life from four to five years, in spite of the fact that it was elected for only four }.eaIS" 4 ® us ~ "I have noticed a marked change in the Tory members this session. Usually they are the greatest desk-- pounders in the world. But this year thoy seem to have lost their old pep, their old enthusiasm, and their old kick is missing. Even when Premier Henry was speaking, I noticed that about 90 per cent. of the Tory mem-- bers were reading newspapers, writ-- ing letters, or talking with their neighbors. | __ yap 6f "Premier Henry referred to the West York by--clection. I would have thought that he would have left that out. For, in spite of the huge ma-- jorities it generally gives to the Conservatives, the Tory candidate won with difficulty," the speaker pointed out. Premier Is Rebuked. "We had a rather foolish exhibition of temper on the part of the Prime Minister," he continued. "No one for a moment was questioning his per-- sonal integrity or honesty as the Prime Minister of this Province. But the member from Brant read certain excerpts from the annual statement of the Toronto Mortgage Company. That was the cause of the tempest in the teapot. . o 5 f "I noticed in the Mail and Empire, Toronto's Tory newspaper, the next day that it said the same thing: that the Prime Minister would be well ad-- vised to consider whether he should hold the office in the mortgage com-- pany and be Prime Minister at the same time. The Prime Minister, I think, has missed his calling. He would have made a splendid old--time evangelist. He has the booming voice and the arm and leg action. Bad temper is mighty bad for any of us, and as a physician I would advise that tempers should be kept in check. "The Prime Minister suggested that t' & member from Brant had his speech prepared downtown. I do not know whether it was or not," remark-- ed Dr. Simpson. j s & _ "I'll soon tell you," interjected Mr. Nixon. Premior's Speech Recalled. Dr. Simpson: "He is not the kind of man who has to have his speech prepared. But last year when Pre-- mier Henry was speaking on the Hydro, and was reading a list of fig-- ures, he got lost in the maze, and finally admitted that it was prepared by some one else. He did not even read it particularly well or intelli-- gently. "And I understand that a member of the Cabinet was appointed because of a speech he made, and I also un-- derstand that that speech was pre-- pared for him. And it is further re-- ported that his appointment was ex-- tremely unpopular with private mem-- bers on the Government side. . c "Last weeék we had a deplorable event in this House. Four Conserva-- tive members got up--and they were lawyers--and attacked Mr. Hepburn. It looked as if it were prearranged. I want to characterize that attack, in strong language,'as a cowardly, con-- temptible, unsportsmanlike attack. _ "Personally I am absolutely loyal to Mitchell Hepburn. And I am also proud of whatever association this party has with the honorable men-- ber -- from Brant, the Progressive Leader," said Dr. Simpson. Patronage Methods Assailed. Dr. Simpson then referred to pat-- ronage. It did seem, he said, that when Conservative candidates lost in an election they really won, As they were fitted up with "soft jobs." "And I did hear that a member on the opposite side had said that the Gove nment simply had to make him Sheriff, because he simply could not win his seat." March ¢. "I believe the Minister of Health is disappointed with the Cemetery Commission," the speaker continued, after declaring that the Government was run by Commissions. "But he should have patience with it, because it will soon have to find a nice large cemetery to bury the Tory dead." _ 'I remember that the member from Ontario South (Mr. Sinclair) got up and said: 'Of course, it will not apply | to this Parliament.'* And I am cer-- tain that Mr. Ferguson replied: 'Oh, "If it was a personal matter I would unhesitatingly say that I am not in favor of an election. They take time and money, and most of us have neither the time nor money. We are busy trying to make a living. But I recollect very well when the bill was brought into this House. Hon. G. Howard Ferguson was speaking, and Must Swing to Left. "But the main reason why the term should not be prolonged is that it is not constitutional to do so. It was elected for only four years. And, in spite of the cost, the people of On-- tario would be well advised to spend a million dollars to get rid of this most extravagant Government. 'This Government has not given leadership. It has not got the courage to get rid of the hangers--on in order to cut down expenditures. "We are certainly on the brink of a crisis, and it is a terrible thing for the Government to stand still. We have got to swing to the left, and swing hard. We have got to try new methods, and the party or Govern-- ment which does that has got to have | courage." \ Dr. Simpson then attacked the \'"smiling complacency of the Cabinet," and declared that it might have made an honest effort to work out some--= thing of use to the people instead of using the dole. "I am absolutely against the dole. People do not want | hand--outs, they want work, and I | accuse this Government of failing to give leadership at the present time. I call ocmphatically upon it to resign at the end of the present session and igo to the country." 'The Redistribution Question. ) 2memore An O enA tenenercs | ing half so much as the Toronto 'members. If they keep on worrying, | the Government might change its \mind overnight, and the city would have the same number of seats after _ But, in spite of the Conservative members objecting, when the vote came they would vote with the Gov-- 'ernment, just as they voted with it |\last session on the question of allow-- | ing dogs to be used for hunting deer, 'he predicted. "I remember the mem-- 'ber from Bollwocds (Mr. Bell) saying last year: 'I am in favor of dogs, but I am not going to let dogs stand between me and my party.'" Mr. Bell rose to object that the quo-- tation was not correct, and Dr. Simp-- son replied: "These are his exact words last year: 'I am not going to let dogs stand between me and my Government.'" Cl es us In reference to redistribution, Dr.; Simpson said that he was not worry--. inz, although it might leave him without a seat. "We are not worry-- all." The speaker then declared that the Education. Dapartment was "fossil-- ized," the Minister was a figurehead. ard the department was domingtf'd by the officials. He quoted Hon. Wii-- liam Finlayson as saying that, as a result of there being no separate Minister of Education, the department was "wildly extravagant." This pre-- cipitated an interchange between Mr. Finlayson and Dr. Simpson, both of whom represent Simcoe ridings. Sharp Tilt Develops. "Let me state the facts," remarked the Minister. "Then you will have to deny what was in the press, and fall back on the old excuse that the press had mis-- interpreted the statements," said Dr. | Simpson. \__"Give me a chance to state the | facts," asked the Minister.