The Elgin Mercury probably overstated the
matter when it said that the Grits were dead sick of the
preference they would never get; but Horace Williams was
quite within the mark when he advised Lorne to stick to
old Reform principles--clean administration, generous
railway policy, sympathetic labour legislation, and freeze
himself a little on imperial love and attachment.
"They're not so sweet on it in Ottawa as they were, by
a long chalk," he said. "Look at the Premier's speech to
the Chambers of Commerce in Montreal. Pretty plain
statement that, of a few things the British Government
needn't expect."
"Oh, I don't know," said Lorne. "He was talking to
manufacturers, you know, a pretty skittish lot anywhere.
It sounded independent, but if you look into it you won't
find it gave the cause away any."
"The old man's got to think of Quebec, where his fat
little majority lives," remarked Bingham, chairman of
the most difficult subdivision in the town. "The Premier
of this country drives a team, you know."
"Yes," said Lorne, "but he drives it tandem, and Johnny
Francois is the second horse."
"Maybe so," returned Mr Williams, "but the organ's singing
pretty small, too. Look at this." He picked up the Dominion
from the office table and read aloud: "'If Great Britain
wishes to do a deal with the colonies she will find them
willing to meet her in a spirit of fairness and enthusiasm.
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