8 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



this organization, it is often necessary to meet the expenses of speakers, 

 writers and printing. All this is regarded as legitimate; but it is 

 bringing us nearer to the sources of danger. The introduction of funds 

 and of paid workers may easily be perverted as we shall see presently. 

 But thus far the fundamental purpose of the organization, the formation 

 of intelligent public opinion is unquestionably both legitimate and use- 

 ful. Another object of the organization of the party, the selection of 

 the candidates who shall represent the party in the election contest, is a 

 necessary function under a representative system. 



But when we turn to the next purpose for which party organization 

 exists and for which it has of late years been greatly extended we have 

 reached our most doubtful and dangerous ground. Is the personal can- 

 vass either by the candidate or the party agents legitimate or in the best 

 interests of a pure and free representative government? Every school- 

 boy knows how ancient this practice is and how our very words "candi- 

 date'^ and " ambition " have been derived from it. But even in Eome 

 did it not belong to the age of decline when the man sought the ofRce and 

 not the office the man ? 



Looking at it in our own day is the personal influence or solicitation 

 of the candidate or of his agents at all a proper influence by which to 

 secure votes ? If T vote for a man because he is my friend or has made 

 himself agreeable, or has taken the trouble to ask me, and not because I 

 have a clear conviction that he represents a right policy, am I not as 

 unfaithful to my duty, as if I had voted because he slipped five dollars 

 into my hand ? It may be said that only by such a personal canvass and 

 by great effort on election day can the full vote be polled. Granted, but 

 is the vote polled by such methods of any real service to the country? 

 Does it express any political responsibility or any intelligent or honest 

 conviction? Should not all such persons be left to disfranchise them- 

 selves? But we will return to this point when we come to consider the 

 degeneration of party in politics. 



The battle of party haying been fought out at the polls, next pre- 

 sents itself on the floor of the legislative assembly; and there also the 

 political party has its course of development. 



Several important particulars differentiate this development from 

 that of the party in the country, or among the electors. The result of 

 the election contest has placed one party in possession of the offices of 

 executive government, and has given them a certain priority in the pre- 

 paration and presentation of legislation. The work of the governing 

 party becomes thus constructive, that of the other critical. The work 

 of criticism by no means excludes a positive policy directly opposed to 

 that of the government, but the opposition are for the time being with- 



