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^*wVVWVVWWVVWW'«/VWVVWVVWVV,VN^V«A'VVW¥VWVvVVW*S*A*A^VN*^^The Rossland “Miner” on John HoustonThe Conservative party is too firmly and too clo|ely wedded to the cause of good government not to require the ablest and most conscientious tiojnitiees at the forthcoming elections. The time has passed when men of the stamp of Prior and Martin and Molnnes and Houston shall represent .the people in the Provincial Legislature. There must bp no mincing of matters in this important crisis through which British Columbia is now passing. The province has declared for party lines, and urgently demands a more responsible and capable representation in the administration of its affairs. There are in both the Conservative and the Liberal :party men available to meet the ideals and ideas of the electors of evp’'i constituency, We are not bothering about the I.iberals, particularly, because they- cannot hope to' .arry the country next October. I We are, however, greatly concerned as to the character of every Conservative that is to be nominated on or after next Au gust 15—the day set for nominations by the executive of the Provincial Conservative Association.In practically every riding, excepting NeIsoay.be Conservative party may be safely relied upon to uominnte men who are able and willing to do their whole duty to the people. In Nelson, however,i • 'there is a far from satisfactory, not to say healthy, state of affairs. John Houston—a questionable Conservative at best, albeit he has been accepted, even honored, in the councils of the party—is making an unseemly and mendacious blufffor the Conservative nomination. Houston’s political record stinks in the nostrils of ever}' good Conservative and every man, irrespective of party, w;ho has the cause of geed gcverr.mcntat heart.. His party fealty ardhis general political principles are open to serious question. He is know.11 far and wide as a “practical” politician— a type that Las been the curse and damnation of British Columbia for the last fifteen years. He has used and abused liis friends solely for his personal advancement in politics. He has succeeded in shocking* the. political morality of not onl}1-Nelson tut the entire province. - His adherence to the Prior-Dunsmuir regime was simply monstrous. His connection with the jC. P. R. has scandalized the district. He has never, to cur knowledge, displayed any principle that slocd’for the genuine welfare of the masses or for constructive statesmanship: For thesake of vo^es he has psvdeied to the passiens of the illiterateand to the intemperate notions of the unthinking. He leng ago outlived his political usefulness, and the Kcotenays outgrew long ago any desire to act with him or for him in all matters-of a public na_' tC thre. _ Nelson has passed its.Houstonesque s.ta‘gei?r;f^hn.HQJislcn .was. a* very considerable Joad in Nelson’s political puddle before it justly earned the, title of Queen City of tie Koo.tenays. At a period when Nelson was a scattered hamlet like. Kuskoncc-k and Cascade City are to-day, Houston might have been seme pumpkins politically’-. Now, however, his environment has completely outgrown him, and in doing so is heartily sick of him in' any political role that bis chameleon-like nature may place him.Houston may yet' get the Conservative nomination in Nelson because of his bluffing and hood-wan king propensities ; but the parly should see to it that he is not. so. honored and that it is not so disgraced. Tlio Miner is giving a conscientious support to the. Conservative party and its leader, Hon. Richard McBride. It will continue to do so just as long as both are worth}'of public confidence ; but it strongly protests against the nomination or election of any man of Houston’s stamp,and will contiiiue-in that course until the thirty-first day of-next October.-^ -----------We could, in this connection, give at this writing dozens of additional reasons why the Conservatives and the country do not need Houston’s assistance in politics and statesmanship. .We could refer to the parade that Houston has made of Dunsrouir’s support through the editorial columns of the Colonist. We could show how Houston’s attiLude at the last session of the Legislature, when he might have done justice to the local smelting industry and scores of East Kootenay coal prospectors by forcing ex-ITemier Prior to open the East Kootenay reserves in a statesmanlike manner, did the very opposite. We feel, however, that it is unnecessar}' to go to such lengths now, because we cannot imagine that Nelson Conservatives will be so indiscreet and so hopelessly lost to the welfare of the party and the country as to recognize Houston’s political ambitions when the day of nomination \ arrives.HOUSTON DISCARDED.Under the above caption last week reference was made to the fact that a largely attended meeting of Conservatives cpposecd-to John Houston had been held in their committee rooms, and that it Lad been determined by unanimous resolution to oppose the selection of Mr. Houston as the candidate of the Conservative party in this ccnstituenc3r, and further pledging tliemseLves to oppose his election if he is a candidate. Since that time, lists emphasizing the spirit of the resolution have been circulated and signed b}r a very large number cf Conservatives. Many more expressed sympathy with the sentiment of the resolution, but for obvious reasons were not asked to sign a list. Eight of Lbesc are being circulated by as many Conservatives and each one of them is numerously signed. Further action will be taken in a fvw'days, but in the meantime it might be said that the lists signed indicateIHostility towards Mr. Houston by Conservatives in every walk in life. There is a wonderful unanimity of feeling that he is dead to the political world, and cannot possibly save his deposit ithe runs. If Mr. Houston and bisTriends are not alread}-convinced of this fact they certainly will be or. the evening of October 31st. One of his strongest supporters now makes 1:0 secret of his belief that his champion’s cause is irretrievably lost.
Newspaper Details
Nelson Economist
Nelson, British Columbia, CA
Sat, Aug 08, 1903
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
CA 04 Oct 2023
Other Publications Near Nelson, British Columbia
Nelson Weekly Miner
Nelson Daily Miner
Nelson Kootenay Liberal
Nelson Economist
Nelson Canadian
