72 TRANSACTIONS. 1906-7. 



Government had done anything else, it would have met w th 

 the same misrepresentation and villification. Machiavelli said: — 



''It is convenient that his mind be at his command, and 

 flexible to all the puffs, and variations of fortune. " 



But I was wrong in saying that our oppositions oppose every- 

 thing. No, there is one noteworthy exception, and that is the 

 trivial matter of hundreds of thousands of dolla^rs of railway 

 bonuses. Now what is the reason for this extraordinary exception. 

 Perhaps we can find the explanation in the language of Mr. E. B. 

 Osier, one of the Directors of the Canadian Pacific Railway 

 who in 1898, from his place in the House of Commons said: — 



"I contend that these subsidies are the main source of cor- 

 ruption in elections such as we are having exposed. It is from 

 such subsidies that the money is supplied to pay the men who 

 have been engaged in the ballot box stuffing, and the election 

 frauds which we hear so much about. These men are not com- 

 mitting these crimes for nothing. They are paid with the money 

 of the people. What else can you expect when a Government 

 stands with open hands and says to every section of the country — 

 apply to us and we will give you any possible government aid. 

 That has been the position the present Government has taken in 

 regard to these railway subsidies. That was the condition that 

 existed before they came into power. These lavish votes of public 

 money from whatever government they come, must tend to 

 corrupt the morals of the people. " 



It is my humble opinion that Mr. Osier was perfectly correct; 

 and that the reason that oppositions do not oppose railway- 

 bonuses is that they expect to get portions of them at the next 

 elections . Their only excuse is that they will need the money a s much 

 as the Government, and will apply it to the support of a better 

 cause. They might quote from Machiavelli:— 



"Were men all good, this doctrine was not to be taught, but 

 because they are wicked and not likely to be punctual with you, 

 you are not obliged to any such strictures with'them. " 



Governments: — Opposing everything while out of power 

 produces frequently some inconvenient embarrassment upon the 

 assumption of office; and not seldom is the new Government 

 censured for leaving unrepealed all the '^ iniquitous " measures 

 of their predecessors. Under such circumstances (and we seldom 

 have to go further back than the last change of administration 

 for an example) Machiavelli offers much consolation when he 

 says : — 



