Chapter 10

ON THEIR TRIAL.

“GENERAL DISTRESS.”

Hon. Dr. Tupper’s suggestion for a cartoon representing the Finance Minister as General Distress giving the people the word of command “Starve!” was of course adopted byGrip’sobliged artist. Certain liberties were, however, taken in interpreting the word “people” which may not exactly have met the honorable gentleman’s idea. It was nevertheless true that the class of our population which at the moment exhibited most signs of starvation was the professional politicians of the Opposition.

Grip, June8th, 1878.

GENERAL DISTRESS.“WERE I BENGOUGH, I WOULD REPRESENT MR. CARTWRIGHT ASGENERAL DISTRESS, GIVING THE PEOPLE THE WORD OF COMMAND—‘STARVE!’”Dr. Tupper, as quoted by Hon. D. Mills in a recent speech.

THE PEERLESS PEER

Lord Dufferin had attained to a popularity unequalled by any of our Governors-General since the days of Lord Elgin, and his departure from Canada called forth expressions of sincere regret from all classes. It was difficult to convince the Canadian people that the Home authorities would find it possible to secure a successor in all respects equal to Dufferin.

Grip, June22nd, 1878.

THE PEERLESS PEER;OR, JOHN BULL DIOGENES LOOKING FOR ANOTHER DUFFERIN.

ANCIENT TROY TACTICS

This was still another repetition of the opinion that the Tory Party, in adopting the National Policy, had in view the one grand object of “getting in” to office. The allusion is of course to the familiar classic story of the method adopted by the Greeks to gain admission to Troy.

Grip, July6th, 1878.

ANCIENTTROYTORYTACTICS.

THE TRULY LOYAL BOY ALARMING THE MASTER

A great outcry was made by theGlobeon the alleged anti-British tendency of the National Policy as announced by the Conservative leaders during the campaign. To the alarming statement that it would inevitably weaken British connection, the leading organ of the Opposition responded—“so much the worse for British connection.”

Grip, July27th, 1878.

THE TRULY LOYAL BOY ALARMING THE MASTER.

THE POLITICAL CONJURER

An amusing feature of the campaign was the contradictory nature of the Protectionist utterances. In Ontario Sir John Macdonald declared that if returned to power, he would vigorously protect native industries by shutting out foreign imports. This deliverance created alarm in the Lower Provinces, and in reply to an anxious enquiry from Senator Boyd, of St. John, N. B., upon the subject, the astute leader promptly declared that he had no intention of doing more than readjusting the duties. Mr. W. H. Frazer, who figures in this and some subsequent cartoons, was at the time an active official of the Ontario Manufacturers’ Association, and an ardent Protectionist.

Grip, August3rd, 1878.

THE GREAT POLITICAL CONJURER.“ALL SORTS OF WINE POURED OUT OF ONE AND THE SAME BOTTLE.”

ALL AT SEA

Another allusion to the ludicrous contradictions and inconsistencies of the principal advocates of the National Policy in their public speeches, when, in response to the popular demand, they undertook to “come down to particulars” as to what that Policy was to be.

Grip, August17th, 1878.

“ALL AT SEA!”CAPTAIN JOHN A.—“FOR GRACIOUS’ SAKE, LADS, GET INTO SOME SHAPE! IF THAT SQUALL STRIKES US IN THIS CONDITION WE’LL NEVER GET IN!!”

THE NATIONAL POLICY MINSTRELS

The point as to how a revenue was to be obtained under an exclusive tariff without a resort to direct taxation was of course raised by the opponents of the Protective theory, and no satisfactory answer had been given to the “conundrum” up to the date of this cartoon.

Grip, August31st, 1878.

THE NATIONAL POLICY MINSTRELS.BRUDDER TAMBO’S ASTOUNDING FINANCIAL CONUNDRUM.

WILL HE CAPTURE IT?

A promise of a seat in the prospective Tory Cabinet was made to Mr. John O’Donohue on condition that he would manage the “Catholic vote” in the Conservative interest in the forthcoming election. This reward Mr. O’Donohue did his best to win, but by the intervention of the Orange leaders, the “bargain” as made was not allowed to take effect. Mr. O’Donohue never got the portfolio, but had to content himself with a Senatorship instead.

Grip, September7th, 1878.

WILL HE “CAPTURE” IT?

RENEWING THE LEASE

This bold prophecy was made on the assumption that the people of Canada clearly saw through the game of the newly-made Protectionists, and that the circumstances under which Sir John and his colleagues had demitted office in 1873 would preclude the possibility of their success on this occasion.

Grip, September14th, 1878.

RENEWING THE LEASE.

MISS CANADA (to John A.)—“YOU WANT THE FARM AGAIN! YOU LEFT IT IN A SHOCKING CONDITION FIVE YEARS AGO, AND THE PRESENT TENANT HAS ALMOST RESTORED IT BY HIS INDUSTRY. YOUR ‘PLAN’ LOOKS BOGUS. I WILL RENEW MACKENZIE’S LEASE.”

O, OUR PROPHETIC SOUL!

The general election which came off on the 17th resulted in a sweeping victory for Sir John and the National Policy, and Mr.Grip’sartist humbly took his place amongst the false prophets.

Grip, September21st, 1878.

O, OUR PROPHETIC SOUL!(See last week’s Cartoon.)JOHN A.—“I DON’T KNOW, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THIS PICTURE OF YOURS, MY PROPHETIC FRIEND, NEEDS A LITTLE ‘RE-ADJUSTMENT,’ DON’T IT, HEY?”

RIDING INTO POWER

In anticipation of the difficulty the new Ministry would meet in reconciling the various conflicting trade interests in the promised tariff changes, the N. P. was referred to as a White Elephant—a beast proverbially awkward to have on hand. That the Policy had proved a particularly “happy thought” on the part of the Conservative leader was now manifest, for it is doubtful if anything excepting this adroit appeal to the people’s pockets could possibly have restored the Conservatives to power at this time.

Grip, September28th, 1878.

RIDING INTO POWER.

CAREFUL HANDLING REQUIRED

Amongst the most able—and one of the few sincere—advocates of the National Policy, was Mr. R. W. Phipps, a well-known journalist and pamphleteer of Toronto. Sir John had during the campaign publicly accorded high praise to this gentleman for his writings in support of Protection; and indeed so great was the indebtedness expressed that Mr. Phipps came to believe that he would certainly be offered the portfolio of Finance in the New Government. Mr. Phipps, on the other hand, made no secret of his own conviction that neither Sir John nor any of his colleagues really understood the principles of political economy.

Grip, October12th, 1878.

CAREFUL HANDLING REQUIRED!

JOHN A.’S NEW MARIONETTES

The names of the Members of the new Cabinet were duly announced as given in the cartoon. Mr. Phipps was disappointed in the matter of a portfolio, and still further in the absence from the list of Ministers of the name of any person known to be a sincere Protectionist. It was alleged that Hon. William Macdougall had also entertained hopes of a seat in the Cabinet. The Manufacturers’ Association began to exhibit great activity in view of the forthcoming Tariff changes.

Grip, October26th, 1878.

JOHN A.’S NEW MARIONETTES.

THE BEST OF FRIENDS MUST PART

To the hard times Sir John and his Party were primarily indebted for their present good fortune, but (contrary to the hopes of the innocents who had implicitly accepted the anti-election promises of the N. P. advocates) prosperity did not immediately return. The persistency with which the depression continued to “hang on” was a source of much annoyance to the Government, as it was the constant theme of ridicule in the Reform press.

Grip, November2nd, 1878.

“THE BEST OF FRIENDS MUST PART!”

JOHN A.—“WELL, GOOD-BY, OLD FELLOW; THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP DURING THE CAMPAIGN; BUT DON’T LET ME DETAIN YOU NOW. GOOD-BY,AU REVOIR, ADIEU, FAREWELL, TRA-LA-LA, TA-TA.”

HARD TIMES.—“CERTINGLY; BUT I AIN’T GONE YET, ME HEARTY!”

RICHARD’S HIMSELF AGAIN

Sir Richard Cartwright, who had been defeated in the general election, was now returned for the constituency of Centre Huron. As the keenest financial critic in the ranks of the Reform Opposition, his presence in the House was considered a Party necessity in view of the prospective introduction of the new fiscal regulations.

Grip, November9th, 1878.

RICHARD’S HIMSELF AGAIN!

HURRYING UP THE ELEPHANT

Curiosity was on tiptoe throughout the country during the interim between the election and the introduction of the National Policy. The Reform press aggravated the popular impatience by constant—and not very reasonable—protests against the delay. Indeed, some of the precipitous journalists went so far as to assert that the Government had no intention of inaugurating a new fiscal policy at all.

Grip, November30th, 1878.

HURRYING UP THE ELEPHANT!

CLAMORING FOR THE FANCY DOLL

This cartoon is perhaps so obvious as to need no comment. The general feeling in the Reform Party in favor of the retirement of Mr. Mackenzie from the leadership, in favor of Mr. Blake, was not warmly shared by theGlobe. When ultimately the change was effected a degree of dissatisfaction was expressed in some quarters where the impression obtained that Mr. Mackenzie had not been generously treated in the matter.

Grip, December7th, 1878.

CLAMORING FOR THE FANCY DOLL.

Transcriber’s Notes:Some captions were reformatted to fit HTML restrictions.Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected.Typographical errors were silently corrected.Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only when a predominant form was found in this book.

Back to Index Next