Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1901 — MAYOR OF OTTAWA OUSTED. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MAYOR OF OTTAWA OUSTED.

No incident for many years has created such excitement throughout the Dominion of Canada as the disqualification from office for two years of W. D. Morris, mayor of Ottawa, for the comparatively trivial offense of purchasing a glass of liquor after the legal hour of closing. The law was considered a dead letter and is openly violated by all ranks and conditions of society. There have been many feuds between the mayor and Chief of Police W. F. Powell over police appointments, which resulted in an investigation by the police commissioners. While the investigation was in

progress It seems that the mayor asked the chief why he did not carry out the law, whereupon Mr. Powell retorted: “How can I carry out the law when you are breaking it every day?” In reply the mayor called the chief a liar. As revenge the chief caused the mayor’s arrest for transgressing the dead letter law. Section 71 of the Ontario license act says: “If a member of any municipal council is convicted of having knowingly committed any offense under this act, he in addition to any other penalty to which he may be liable under this act, thereby forfeit and vacate his seat and shall be ineligible to or to sit or vote in any municipal council for two years thereafter; and if such person, after the forfeiture aforesaid, sits or votes at any municipal council he shall incur a penalty of S4O for every day he so sits or votes.” Public sympathy goes so far that it is likely a numerously signed petition will be sent to the lieutenant governor of Ontario, in council, asking for a free pardon for the rriyor. Should this come before the last Monday in November Mr. Morris would be eligible to run for the mayoralty in January, but it is extremely doubtful whether the disqualification will be lifted in time.

W. D. MORRIS.