418 



MANITOBA. 



temperance, of education, and economy in the State 

 administration. 



The Democratic convention met in Banger, June 

 30, and declared unqualified approval of the prin- 

 ciples of the Chicago platform. The resolutions 

 declared opposition to the prohibitory law, and 

 recommended that the constitutional amendment 

 relating thereto be repealed, and the question be 

 resubmitted to the electors of the State. The plat- 

 form demanded a reduction of tariff rates upon all 

 railroads of Maine, as necessary for the business in- 

 terests of the State ; that all mileage books be good 

 to the bearer, and that the limit of baggage be in- 

 creased. They resolved that, " while we deprecate 

 the horrors of war, it is now the duty of all to give 

 their aid and support in order to bring to a success- 

 ful termination the present conflict." Their candi- 

 date for Governor was Samuel L. Lord, of Saco. 



< n t lie same day the Prohibitionists met in Water- 

 ville and nominated for the office of Governor the 

 Rev. Ainmi S. Lndd. 



On July 21 the gold Democrats convened in 

 Portland and made Erastus Lermond their nom- 

 inee for Governor. * 



At the election Llewellyn Powers, Republican, 

 was elected Governor. The returns, as reported to 

 the Legislature, were as follow : Powers, Republic- 

 an. 54,098; Lord, Democrat, 28,485; Ladd, Pro- 

 hibitionist, 2,326 ; Gerry, Populist, 641 ; Lermond, 

 Gold Democrat, 315 ; scattering, 47. 



All the representatives in Congress are Republic- 

 an, and on joint ballot the State Legislature will 

 have 157 Republicans and 25 Democrats. The vote 

 on the constitutional amendment, providing that 

 vacancies in the Senate shall be filled by an imme- 

 diate election in the unrepresented district, stood, 

 yeas, 15.080; nays, 1,856. 



MANITOBA, a western province of Canada; 

 area, about 80,000 square miles. Capital, Winnipeg. 



{Statistics. The following table, compiled from 

 the municipal statistical statement for 1897, gives 

 the figures regarding the province in every direc- 

 tion of its development: Population, 108,957; num- 

 ber of resident farmers, 28,372; total number of 

 acres in rural municipalities, 13,051,375 ; acres under 

 cultivation, 2,371,441 ; acres wooded, 840,385 ; num- 

 ber of horses, 92,762; number of cattle, 214,468; 

 number of sheep, 32,986 ; number of pigs, 70,885 ; 

 assessment, real and personal, $42,827,442; total 

 taxes imposed in 1897 for all purposes, $674,288.61 ; 

 average yield of wheat in 1897, 14.14 bushels per 

 acre; average yield of oats, 22.7 bushels per acre; 

 average yield o'f barley, 20.77 bushels per acre ; av- 

 erage yield of potatoes, 149 bushels per acre ; aver- 

 age yield of roots, 199 bushels per acre ; total yield 

 of wheat, 18,261,950 bushels; total yield of oats, 

 10,629,513 bushels ; total yield of barley, 3,183,602 

 bushels ; total yield of flax, 247,836 bushels ; total 

 yi.-ld of rye, 48,344 bushels; total yield of peas, 33,- 

 380 bushels; total grain crop, 32,404,625 bushels; 

 total yield of potatoes, 2,033,298 bushels; total 

 yield of roots, 1,220,070 bushels; total cattle ex- 

 ported, 31,500; total hogs exported, 12,500; total 

 nogs received by Winnipeg packers and butchers, 

 25,000; poultry disposed of by farmers turkeys 

 47,540, geese and (lucks, 20,000, chickens 184,055; 

 value of dairy products, $450,213.43 ; estimated ex- 

 penditure on farm buildings, etc., $0:55,310; num- 

 ber of rural school districts, 811 ; amount of Govern- 

 ment grant per school, $130. 



Politics and Government. The Greenway Gov- 

 ernment, which had been in power since 1888. had 

 to face during the year the aggressive hostility of a 

 new and popular leader of the Conservative Opposi- 

 tion, in the person of the Hon. Hugh J. Macdonald, 

 son of the late Sir John A. Macdonald. The Legis- 

 lature met for its third session on March 10, and 



was opened by the Hon. J. C. Patterson, Lieutenant 

 Governor, with the Hon. P. M. Young as Speaker. A 

 good deal of legislation was enacted, including the 

 following bills: 



To amend the overholding tenants' act. 



To amend the Manitoba evidence acts. 



To amend the special survey act. Under the sur- 

 vey act provision is made, in agreement with the 

 Dominion Government, to resurvey and fix the sur- 

 veys of towns and villages in the province. The 

 cost of these surveys is borne by the Federal Gov- 

 ernment. 



To amend the mutual fire insurance act. 



To amend the devolution of estates act. This 

 amendment gives the administrators power to mort- 

 gage real estate in certain specified cases. 



To amend the real property act. This amend- 

 ment is to reduce the cost of Torrens titles obtained 

 through tax sales. 



To amend the liquor license act. The changes 

 provide that during prohibited hours screens and 

 blinds are to be removed from barroom windows. 

 Provincial constables are also given power to search 

 premises and generally to supervise the sale of liquor. 



To amend the public schools act. 



To amend the agricultural societies act. 



To amend the executions act. Certain property 

 was exempted under this act. but in case of a fire 

 the insurance money might be garnisheed. This 

 amendment exempts the insurance money. 



To amend an act respecting life insurance. 



To incorporate the Winnipeg and St. Andrews 

 Railway. This act gives the promoters power to 

 build a steam or electric railway from Winnipeg to 

 St. Andrew's Rapids, on Red river ; also to operate 

 steamers and barges on Red river and Lake Winni- 

 peg. 



To incorporate the Mennonite Educational Insti- 

 tute at Gretna. 



For better protection of dependent and neglected 

 children. This provides that whenever a child is 

 habitually neglected by parents or guardians, or is 

 dependent upon the community, upon the applica- 

 tion to a judge or police magistrate, he may order 

 the child to be taken absolutely from its parents or 

 guardians and given to a children's aid society. 

 The society is thenceforth the guardian of the child 

 with full powers, and may place the child in a fos- 

 ter home, or may take it away from such home and 

 place it in another. Provision is made for the es- 

 tablishment of a central society, with an officer in 

 Winnipeg, and for the formation of branch societies 

 throughout the province. 



Reducing the wolf bounty from $2 to $1. The 

 bounty is paid by the municipalities. 



To provide for better observance of the Lord's 

 Day. This act, which occasioned more discussion 

 than almost any other of the session, was consid- 

 erably modified in the House. It prohibits all labor 

 except work of necessity or charity. It prohibits 

 all such amusements as are carried on in a building 

 or inclosure where an admission fee is charged or 

 where any gain is made by the players. 



Respecting the Winnipeg and Fort Alexander 

 Railway. This allows a company to build a rail- 

 way from some near point on the Canadian Pacific 

 Railroad to the navigable waters of Winnipeg 

 river. The distance is about 40 miles. 



To provide for the good sanitary condition of 

 bakeshops. 



To amend the charity aid act. The Government 

 pays 37i cents a day toward the keep of a patient 

 in hospitals in the province. Lately a large num- 

 ber of patients from Ontario, Dakota, and Minnesota 

 have been crowding the hospitals. This amendment 

 only permits payment of the 37^ cents for patients 

 domiciled in the province. 



