622 



OLD CATHOLIC CHURCH. 



ONTARIO. 



blood be permitted to sell or dispose of their lands 

 without interference by law.'' 



At the second Democratic convention in Septem- 

 ber the nominee of the People's party for Delegate 

 in Congress, Rev. J. Y. Callahan, was accepted, and 

 a plan of fusion was made for State legislative can- 

 didates. 



The convention of the People's party met in 

 Guthrie, Aug. 4 and 5. A platform was adopted 

 declaring for free coinage of silver: for liberal pen- 

 sions, with no discrimination in favor of officers : 

 for free homes for a free people; for reform in the 

 school land department; for revision of revenue 

 and school laws of the Territory; the fixing of offi- 

 cial salaries in keeping with the prices of labor, and 

 for immediate Statehood, with the addition of the 

 lands of Indian Territory as soon as allotted. It 

 denounced the Territorial Legislatures for the re- 

 peal of the usury laws, the infamous gerrymander 

 of the Territory, and the passage of nefarious elec- 

 tion laws, and condemned the national administra- 

 tion for its treatment of homestead settlers and 

 leasers of Indian lands. 



The Rev. J. Y. Callahan was made the candidate 

 for Delegate in Congress. J. J. Merick and Harris 

 B. llainer were also candidates for Delegate in Con- 

 gress. By the official canvass in November, Calla- 

 han was 'declared elected by a majority of 1,168. 

 The Territorial Legislature will stand : Council 

 Fusion 10, Democrats 3 ; House Fusion 20, Demo- 

 crats 3, Republicans 3. 



OLD CATHOLIC CHURCH. A summary of 

 the progress of the Old Catholic movement on the 

 European Continent published in the " Keport of 

 the Anglo-Continental Society," shows that in Aus- 

 tria, while the Church is still without a bishop and, 

 the assent of the Government being still wanting, 

 no meeting of the synod has yei been called for 

 the purpose of electing one. its adherents continue 

 to increase in numbers, and are as steadfast and 

 hopeful as ever. In Germany the Church has 

 passed through a great crisis in connection with 

 the death of Bishop Reinkens, which involves im- 

 portant questions as to the future relations of his 

 successor to the state. Bishop Weber, who had been 

 consecrated coadjutor bishop in August, 1895, was 

 elected bishop March 4, 1896. and afterward re- 

 ceived the congratulations of the German Emperor. 

 The fact that 128 electors took part in this election 

 43 clergy and 85 lay representatives is quoted in 

 evidence of the great progress made by the German 

 Old Catholic Church during the episcopate of 

 Bishop Reinkens, who had been elected in 1873 by 

 21 clergy and 56 lay representatives in all, 77 elect- 

 ors. In Switzerland, the Old Catholics are mak- 

 ing great progress. Many signs of activity are 

 noted among the Dutch Old Catholics, and the 

 French Congregation in Paris, which is under the 

 jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Utrecht, is slowly 

 and steadily gaining. In Italy the work is carried 

 on in seven places, and a new congregation has 

 been formed at San Vito, while an organization is 

 asked for at a ninth place, but no great progress 

 has been made in the collection of funds for an 

 Italian bishop. In Spain Bishop Cabrera has held 

 one visitation, and purposes to make his visitations 

 annual, while two new centers of work have been 

 opened. The community in Portugal comprises 

 5 clergy, 1 lay reader, 1 licensed preacher. 7 con- 

 gregations, 12 schools, 4 schoolmasters, 10 school- 

 mistresses, and 700 school children. 



ONTARIO, a province of the Dominion of Can- 

 ada ; area, about 222,000 square miles ; population 

 in 1891, 2,214,321. 



Government. After twenty-four years of serv- 

 ice as Prime Minister, Sir Oliver Mowat retired in 

 July, 1896, and accepted the office of Minister of 



Justice in the Canadian Liberal Cabinet at Ottawa. 

 His successor at Toronto was the Hon. A. S. Hardy, 

 for many years Commissioner of Crown Lands in 

 the province. On July 14 the new ministry was 

 announced as follows: Premier and Attorney-Gen- 

 eral. A. S. Hardy ; Commissioner of Crown Lands, 

 J. M. Gibson; Provincial Secretary, W. D. Balfour; 

 Provincial Treasurer. R. Harcourt: Minister of 

 Agriculture, John Dryden ; Minister of Education, 

 G.'W. Ross: Minister of Public Works, W. Harty; 

 minister without office, E. II. Bronson. 



Mr. Balfour has since died and been succeeded 

 by Hon. E. J. Davis. Meanwhile a change had 

 taken place in the leadership of the Conservative 

 Opposition. Mr. G. F. Marter who about a year 

 before had replaced the present Chief Justice, Sir 

 W. R. Meredith as leader resigned and was suc- 

 ceeded by J. P. Whitney. 



Finances. Mr. Harcourt presented his budget 

 on Feb. 19, 1896. lie slated that from Crown 

 lands the revenue had been $123,000 larger than 

 was expected, or a total of $947,947; that the suc- 

 cession duties had brought in $298,825, compared 

 with $758 in 1S92, when first imposed; that $272.- 

 883 had been received from liquor licenses ; that 

 $171,520 had been obtained from the sale of an- 

 nuities: and that the total receipts for 1895 would 

 be $3,364,955, compared with an estimate of $3,149,- 

 372. In dealing with expenditures, he pointed 

 out that $418.471) had been spent upon the admin- 

 istration of justice, an increase of $35,000, while 

 more than usual had been expended upon agricul- 

 ture, education, and mining. Public institutions 

 cost within a trifle of $800,000. He said the total 

 expenditure had, however, decreased. In 1891 it 

 was $4.158.459; in 1893, $3,907,145; in 1895, $3,- 

 758,595. 



The Opposition complaint against the Govern- 

 ment in this connection is, and has been, that the 

 revenue and expenditure do not meet. There was 

 an apparent deficit, even in 1895, of $400,000, and 

 the charge is made that through manipulation of 

 $5,000,000 held since confederation as the assets of 

 the province largely in trust by the Dominion 

 Government the people are made to believe that 

 there is a continual surplus, while in reality the 

 capital of the province is being drawn upon to meet 

 current payments. Immense timber limits are be- 

 ing sold for the same purpose, and money is being 

 borrowed yearly upon annuities, and the provincial 

 credit consequently pledged for years ahead. 



Legislative Session. The Legislative Assem- 

 bly was opened by Lieut.-Gov. G. A. Kirkpatrick, 

 on Feb. 11, 1896, with a "speech from the throne," 

 of which the following were the significant pas- 

 sages : 



" I am glad to notice that the action of the Gov- 

 ernment of the United States with respect to the 

 territorial rights of Great Britain in South Amer- 

 ica which caused so much anxiety a few months 

 ago is not likely to lead to a rupture of the peace- 

 ful relations which have so long existed between 

 the two nations, and with so much advantage in 

 every way to both. It is gratifying to know that 

 in case of any trouble affecting the interests of the 

 mother country, no sacrifice which the circum- 

 stances might demand would be considered too 

 great by the people of Ontario should they be 

 called upon to repel invasion or to defend the in- 

 tegrity of the British Empire. 



" I am pleased to observe that, notwithstanding 

 the depression from which the farmers of Ontario 

 are suffering, they exhibit a growing interest and 

 enthusiasm in every department of agriculture. 

 The number attending meetings during the past 

 year for the discussion of agricultural matters has 

 greatly increased, and all the associations aided by 



