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Joseph Martin was known in the west as 'Fightîng Joe' 'Time Capsules'are gems of information extractedfrom past issues of The Canadian Champion and other publications, to pro- vide a window into Milton s past. Explanatory comment is sometimes pro- vided to place the situation in context. June 1889 An American publication, The Western British-American published in Chicago and edited by a former Miltonian, refers to The Manitoba Leaders. Thomas Greenaway, formerly of Huron County, is Premier of Manitoba and the Hon. Joseph Martin, formerly of Milton, is the Attorney-General. In reference to Mr. Martin (son of Edward Martin and grand- son of Jasper Martin) the writer continues: "Possessed of an admirable physique, in the prime of life, with a trained intellect, full of resource and of so magnetic a man- ner that with only six years' residence in the province he has been called upon to take next to the highest public position. Mr. Martin's friends need not be prophets to predict for him the highest honors of the Dominion. We knew Mr. Martin as a bright boy of twelve or thirteen in the quiet little Canadian town of Milton in Halton County and after a lapse of a quarter of a century our first meeting was on Saturday last, when he entered our sanctum. His home is in Portage la Prairie where he is an exten- sive land owner and is a sort of uncrowned king. It gives us hope for the future rela- tons of Canada and the United States when we see two such liberal leaders as Greenaway and Martin firmly established in power in the very heart of the Dominion." (Joseph Martin went on to represent Milton Time Capsules Winnipeg in the House of Commons, moved to British Columbia and was elect- ed to the provincial house serving an inter- im period as Premier. He moved to England and was elected to the House of Commons there before retiring and retum- ing to British Columbia. He was regarded as the founder of the Liberal Party in the west and often referred to as "Fighting Joe" since he was not above the occasional fisticuffs if challenged.) June 27, 1889 Milton bids fair to be even more popular than ever this season for excursions. A great deal of work having been expended on the pleasure grounds, which are now in the best of order. On Tuesday a Guelph Sunday School and a number of relatives and friends of the children came here via C.P.R. and picnicked in the grounds. They put in a very pleasant aftemoon and were greatly pleased with the grounds and the arrangements connected with them. (Our Research Committee believes the grounds were the present Livingstone Park but would welcome any confirmation of the popular picnicking area.) This material was assembled on behalf of the Milton Historical Society by Jim Dills, chair of research, who can be reached by email atjdills@idirect.com. The Canadian Champion, Frday, June 1, 2001-7 + OUR R EADERS WRITE THE CANADIN CHAMPION Haight's and Bramwell's comments are both outrageous, says reader Dear Editor: Richard Bramwell is right. Peter Haight's comparison of Cuba and Canada is outrageous. But Mr. Bramwell's comments are also outrageous. They're sadly misinformed and individualistic. The most outrageous part of Mr. Haight's comparison is that he bas missed the point. Why does Cuba have a good medical and education system? And why did Canada also have one at one point in time? Because of those taxes that eat up your profit and come out of your own pocket. Why do we pity ourselves for the reduction in our personal profit when it has gone to fund our schools, our hospitals, our roads? And what is Mr. Haight trying to make us feel when he tells us about losing his $20,000 painting and not being properly reimbursed? He bas mixed up a private insur- ance company with our public gov- emment system. His troubles with them could be for the simple reason that the bot- tom line is what rules. Mr. Haight's letter confuses me. What is it that he wants? A joy- ous bunch, as he saw in Cuba, with general equality in quality of life, or maximization of profit? It's time for ail Canadians to ask ourselves this question. And where does Richard Bramwell obtain his information about international politics? Prison camps in Cuba? What is his primary source of international news? I think it's time that we begin to critically analyze our daily news sources and remember that our media is controlled primarily by the right wing. How often does Cuba's 98 per cent literacy rate and high life expectancy reach the headline? Also, when Mr. Bramwell men- tions lives destroyed due to radical political systems, he fails to remèmber that in most of the cases where lives were taken within a socialist or communist context, it was due to the heavy hand of capi- talism; more often than not U.S. capitalism, and done in the name of freedom - 30,000 people kid- napped, tortured and killed in Argentina, 200,000 in Guatemala, 5,000 in Chile. And today, an average of one union leader is killed per week in Colombia. In all of these cases, and many more, it was simply the desire for a more equitable society that made them the enemy, and in every case, the oppression was supported by free North American capitalism. Both letters emit an attitude that frightens me. Fear and hate of stifling taxation, and repeated and passionate defense of individual rights and personal profit are exactly the signs of a wounded and bleeding Canada. Marina Biasutti R.R. 3, Milton Pond geese, polliwogs ail alive and welI Dear Editor: Reading The Champion of Tuesday, May 22, we were puzzled over the the letter about the geese searching for their young. Mr. Vermaas and I enjoy a walk to the pond often and were so pleased that it looks so beautiful again, gazebo and all. This past Sunday (May 20) we aiso were happy to see two adult geese and five young gosling at first on the nest site and later swim- ming in a neat line - one parent up front and five youngsters fol- lowed by the other parent, stop- ping along the edge to feed. At one place we were not 10 feet from this beautiful family, and us without our camera! After reading the letter in the May 22 Champion I needed to see for myself. Today, May 23, I went for a look by the pond and there they were, two adult geese and young ones on the nest - a very welcome sight for me. At one other visit to the pond I heard the song of many frogs ail around the edges and today if you stand at the water's edge near the gazebo you will see hundreds or more tadpoles or polliwogs, as we called them when we were kids. The pond, the geese and the pol- liwogs are alive and well in Milton and we enjoy it very much. Many thanks to ail concemed for giving the Mill pond area a second chance. Linda Vermaas Kingsleigh Court Developer won 't be welcomed with open arms: citizen Dear Editor: Re: Vandals destroy H.D. Investments sign Such a to-do over a sign. Did you really think because you won the battle, that you would be welcomed into town with open arms? You live quite comfortably north of Milton in your "wooded park- land setting." Perhaps your rage at losing your sign gives you a bit of an idea of how we all feel about you destroy- ing our "wooded parkland setting." Do you call yourselves vandais? G. Taylor Harrison Road Letters welcome The Canadian Champion welcomes letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit, revise and reject letters. Letters must be signed and the address and the telephone number of the writer included. Mail letters to: The Canadian Champion, Box 248, Milton, Ont., L9T 4N9 or leave them at our office, 191 Main St. E., fax to 878-4943 or e-mail to miltoned@haltonsearch.com. DAILY LUNCH SPECLALS - FAST & FRESH - IN & OUT IN 20 MIN. FROM $8.00 plus tax L.LB.O. 377 MAIN STREET EAST, MILTON * RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED (905) 876-9998