Document Information
Date: 1900-11-07
By: Medicine Hat Liberal Association, The Regina Leader
Citation: ,The Regina Leader (6 December,1900), 7 November 1900
Other formats: TBA
WESTERN LIBERALS
Celebrate The Victories Won In west Assiniboia
….
PROVINCIAL ESTABLISHMENT
Mr. Ross said he thought that the greatest question affecting the Territories which Parliament would deal with in this term would be that of the impending change in our political status, the question of provincial establishment. It was well that the North-West had given Mr. Sifton strong support, because it would assist and enable him to make a strong fight for us. It had to be remembered that Mr. Sifton was only one man in the Government, and it was fortunate at this critical time for the Territories that we had strengthened his hand. Mr. Ross trusted that the strength and endorsement given Mr. Sifton by the North-West would redound to the everlasting benefit of the Territories. Then Mr. Ross said he had been accused of working hard for the election of Mr. Scott. The accusation was the one true thing said about him by his opponents. He had three strong reasons for working. First, he felt that Mr. Scott would make a good representative. Secondly, he felt that the Laurier Government deserved to be sustained; and he worked for the candidate who stood in their support. But his third and strongest reason was that he believed it most important in the interest of the Territories, from the provincial or local point of view, that the North-West should send men to Parliament who had sympathy and acquaintance with the principles upon which the North-West Legislative Assembly would stand in their approach towards provincial status. (Applause.) In Mr. Scott they had such a man. Although a member of the local Government Mr. Ross claimed the right, as a citizen of the North-West, to exercise his private influence and franchise in Dominion affairs. But in the recent contest he was free to say that both as a citizen and as a member of the local Government, he viewed Mr. Scott’s candidature with favor and the North-West Government looked with satisfaction upon Mr. Scott’s election because they knew that in Mr. Scott they would have a valuable ally when the political change in our status came for settlement. (Applause.)
Mr. Ross made allusion to the treatment a Member should receive from constituents. They should be aware and not expect everything to be done at once. Mr. Scott had not sought high position. It was with difficulty he had been prevailed upon to accept nomination. They had heard his modest expressions that night. Mr. Scott recognised that it was no child’s work he had undertaken and fully appreciated the heavy responsibilities of the position. It was from just such a man that the best work might be expected. (Applause.) Mr. Ross congratulated the Liberals and all who worked with them in the recent contest upon their good organisation, their good machine. It was a purely homemade machine, and if the West Assiniboia organisation was the sort of machine that had been so much talk about, then he thought that no good, honest, upright citizen need be ashamed to follow Preston’s advice and “hug the machine.” (Laughter and cheers.)