240 



DOMINION OF CANADA. 



members petitioned against, those petitions were 

 by a like authority dismissed, and the members 

 were declared duly elected. 



Financial. The Minister of Finance, in the 

 course of his budget speech, said : " In making 

 my financial statement last year I estimated that 

 the revenue for 1890-'91 would amount to $38,- 

 858,701. The revenue which actually accrued fell 

 short of that by $279,391, and was distributed as 

 follows: Customs, $23,399,300; excise, $6,914,- 

 850; miscellaneous, $8,265,160; total, $38,579,- 

 310. Comparing these items and total revenue 

 with the result of 1889-'90, we find a customs de- 

 crease of $589,653, an excise decrease of $703,- 

 26S, and a decrease in miscellaneous of $27,694. 

 The total decrease amounted to $1,320.625. The 

 issuing of the following table, showing the per 

 capita consumption of liquors and tobacco, has 

 become an annual habit : 



When we come to the expenditures of 1890-'91, 

 which were estimated at $36,000,000, we find that 

 the actual expenditure exceeded that amount by 

 $343,562, making a total actual expenditure of 

 $36,343.562. Although the expenditure last year 

 shows an increase of that amount over the esti- 

 mate, the expenditure itself is less than the ex- 

 penditure in 1888-'89. The chief items in which 

 there was an increase of expenditure, as compared 

 with the preceding year, are as follow : Premi- 

 um, discount, and exchange, $33,285 ; sinking 

 fund, $50,841 ; civil government, $25,366 ; ad- 

 ministration of justice, $16,808. A large increase 

 took place, owing to the census, for which there 

 was an item of $252,154. The next largest item 

 is in the collection of revenue railways and ca- 

 nals which shows an increase of $143,316. The 

 increase in expenditure, therefore, as compared 

 with the preceding year, is almost entirely due 

 to the abnormal and large expenditure incurred 

 in taking the census. Decreases took place, prin- 

 cipally on the interest on the public debt, care of 

 the Indians, legislation, mounted police, public 

 works, railways and canals, and Dominion lands. 

 Summing up, then, we have as a revenue for the 

 past year $38,579,310, and an expenditure of $36,- 

 343,567, which leaves us with a surplus on con- 

 solidated-fund account of $2,235,742. If it were 

 not for the item of capital expenditure, the sur- 

 plus would remain in hand for a decrease of the 

 debt. As the net result of the operation of the 

 year, we have provided for the ordinary expenses 

 and services of the country out of the consoli- 

 dated fund ; we have laid up in the sinking fund, 

 which is, of course, practically a reduction of the 

 debt, $1,938,078 ; we have provided for capital 

 expenditures, including railway subsidies, $4,- 

 381.564 ; and we have been able to do that with 

 only a new addition to the debt of $275,817." 

 The minister estimated the revenue for the 

 " current year " 1891-'92 at " $36,655,000, di- 

 vided, probably, as follows : Customs, $20,500,000 ; 

 excise, $7,900,000; miscellaneous, $8,265,000. 

 ... I estimate a total expenditure for the cur- 

 rent year 1891-92 of $36,650,000, which is just 



about the same as my estimate of revenue, leav- 

 ing $5,000 to the good." In another part of 

 his speech Mr. Foster stated, in reference to 

 railroads, that " in 1875 we had 4.826 miles in 

 operation; in 1891 we had 14,007 miles in opera- 

 tion. The train mileage in the same time rose 

 from 16,680,168 miles to 43,334,891 miles, an in- 

 crease of 150 per cent. The passengers increased 

 from 5,190,416 to 13,164,420, an increase of 160 

 per cent. The freight increased from 5,670,836 

 tons to 21,727,025 tons, or 300 per cent.; and the 

 earnings increased from $19,470,539 to $48,139,- 

 980, an increase of 150 per cent. Taking also the 

 shipping, which is another branch of our carry- 

 ing trade, we find that the tonnage of vessels in 

 and out, seagoing and inland, exclusive of coast- 

 ing vessels, rose from 11,646,812 tons in 1879 to 

 18,803,648 tons in 1891, an increase of 60 per cent. 

 The tonnage of coasting vessels in and out rose 

 from 12,066,683 tons in 1879 to 24,986,130 tons 

 in 1891, an increase of 100 per cent. Looking at 

 these indications of the increase of both our for- 

 eign and interprovincial trade, the conclusion is 

 forced upon us that there has been a great and 

 progressive increase in the general trade and com- 

 merce of Canada." After a protracted debate 

 upon this budget, during which the ministerial 

 " national policy " was fiercely but vainly as- 

 sailed by the Opposition, the House entered into 

 Committee of Supply. The alterations subse- 

 quently made in the previous year's tariff were 

 not material. 



General Legislation. Among the more im- 

 portant measures passed was the act respecting 

 criminal law. This was, in fact, a carefully re- 

 vised and complete criminal code for the Domin- 

 ion. The act for the redistribution of seats in 

 the House of Commons consequent upon the cen- 

 sus returns led to another fierce contest on strict- 

 ly party lines. The Opposition protested against 

 nearly every item in this redistribution bill, 

 which they characterized as a gerrymandering 

 measure. The second reading of the bill was 

 moved on May 31, but a division was not reached 

 until June 14, when, after a fortnight's exhaust- 

 ing debate, the ministers carried their measure 

 by a large majority. As a sequel to the virtual 

 impeachment last session of Sir Hector Lange- 

 vin, and the suspension of subordinate officials, 

 on the charge of having " an itching palm " for 

 public money, this session produced a like in- 

 stance in the case of Sir Adolphe Caron, Post- 

 master General, who was charged with misappro- 

 priating for electioneering purposes money that 

 had been voted by Parliament for railway subsi- 

 dies. The Opposition urged that the whole mat- 

 ter should be referred to a committee of the 

 House ; but the ministers carried their point, 

 which was, to appoint two commissioners merely 

 to take evidence, during the recess. 



The Census. Compilation for the Dominion 

 had not been completed at the date of issue of 

 the last " Annual Cyclopedia," nor, indeed, is it 

 so even yet. The outcry against the reliability 

 of that census is so loud and so general as to be 

 in itself a historical fact, calling for special no- 

 tice. The complaint is not restricted to any one 

 subdivision of the subject, but is general. It is 

 not alleged that the fault was intentional ; it is 

 believed to have been owing to the incapacity of 

 those managers who had charge of the whole 



