1891-92]. FOURTEENTH MEETING. 23 
all improvements must be brought about by educating the voters to cast 
their ballots, not blindly in favour of the political party to which they 
may have become attached, but rather in favour of the best men, and 
the best measures. In other words intelligence and patriotism should 
be cultivated. Then as to the offer of “a friend of the Institute, to place 
at the disposal of the council the sum of $1,000, to be awarded by the 
Institute for the best workable measure to give equal representation in 
parliament to the whole Canadian people, and each elector due weight 
in the government through parliament,” I would say it seems to me that 
‘equal representation of the whole Canadian people in parliament” is 
not the most important thing to be attained. Equal representation 
means that the most ignorant, prejudiced, superstitious and vicious in the 
community would have the same voice and an equal right in choosing 
representatives that the most educated, intelligent, enlightened and 
moral person would possess. The object of government should be rather 
to prevent the ignorant, the superstitious, the vicious, the prejudiced and 
the immoral elements from having equal weight and equal influence. 
All classes, all persons, all societies, all beliefs and all interests should not 
be represented. The objects of government are to give the greatest 
power and influence to the most intelligent, the most progressive, the 
most industrious, the most enterprising and the best elements in the 
community. A good government is one which not only preserves order 
in the community but which develops, promotes and stimulates in- 
dustry, invention, progress, intelligence—in short, a higher civilization. 
What would or might call for useful essays and treatises would be a 
prize offered, say for the best essay or treatise on “improvements in 
representative parliamentary government,” or, suggesting “ practical im- 
provements in our present system of party government,” or, “treaties 
showing the defects and imperfections in our present systems of repre- 
sentative parliamentary party government,” and, “suggesting remedies 
for the evils pointed out, and such amendments and improvements as the 
system is capable of.” 
The following resolution was then adopted by the meeting :— 
“ That the best thanks of the Institute be tendered to the friend, who 
does not wish his name to be known for his generous offer, in con- 
tributing the sum of $1,000 to aid in obtaining a satisfactory solution of 
the problem referred to in Dr. Sandford Fleming’s paper; that the 
Institute accepts the offer and empowers the council to take the neces- 
sary steps to obtain essays or treatises, and award the premium to the 
best workable measure which, if made law, would give the whole Cana- 
dian people equal representation in the Government through Parliament, 
and each elector due weight in the Government through Parliament.” 
