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l Some ot the oldtimers say there never was such a day in the Legis- lature of Ontario. Men who have followed politics closely for years admitted they had never heard or experienced such excitement as was crowded into three hours in the House yesterday afternoon. The very air seemed charged with elec- tricity. Naturally, there were some regrettable incidents, but after it was all over most members seemed to think they had had a most en- tertaining day's work. One man, however, was not being entertained, Mr. Speaker Parliament. It was his busy day, guiding debate through wrathy words, and he ac,- quitted himself so creditably amidst scenes almost without precedent that after it was all over men ot all parties offered him their con- gratulations. Up and At Them. Somehow or other the House seemed in an irritable mood right trom the start. but nothing very unusual occurred until Hon. Mr. Haney, Attorney-General, resumed tho debate on the Address. It had been whispered that he would lead an attack against the Conserve- tlves. and a real attack it proved to be. Mr. Haney is not a political fighter who likes trench warfare or petty raids. It's "Up and at them" with him, with the cold steel, if you will. He, took the fighting right over to the Conservatives, and then concentrated on Hon. G. H. Fergu- son, Dr. Forbes Godfrey and T. H. Lennox. three of the so-called gin- ger group. As he was only half way through his speech at 6 o'clock he may have others in mind as well, who will be drawn into action when he resumes. At the outset Mr. Haney read the House a niceelittlo lecture on debating manners. adding that two essentials were truthfulness and good temper. He referred to political leaders of the past as men ot honorable attainments. Sud- denly he switched to the present: "Ot late a different atmosphere has been created. Not only has there been a recklessness in dealing with facts, but there have been falsifi- cations of fact, and deliberate fal- sitications by men who had peculiar opportunities of knowing the truth." Then he got down to Mr. Ferguson's threat to lead an often- sive campaign. Mr. Ferguson might have meant offensive as the oppo- site of defensive, but Mr. Haney took the other meaning. "Nothing like it in oftensiveness has ever happened in this country," asserted the Attorney-General. This and a few more pointed references led the Conservative Leader to remark: "Surely you are not going to at- tack me," which drew a laugh, but made the attack more intense. Dr. Godfrey Gets Excited. Dr. Forbes Godfrey then took a hand, reminding the Attorney-Gen- eral that his references to himself (Dr. Godfrey) at a recent Massey Hall meeting were "ottensive to the most extreme degree." This refer- ence, repeated by Mr. Raney yester- day, was that the doctor had issued prescriptions to the extent of a bar- reLend a halt of liquor a month. Then Dr. Godfrey, tresticulating wildly, and amid cries ot "Order," told Mr. Raney he was "a liar." Mr. Speaker asked tor a with- drawal. and Dr. Godfrey withdrew, f'out of deference to you, Mr. Speaker. but the spoken word can never be recalled." Then Mr. Fer- guson had a question to ask. He noted to know if these liquor pre- (Tire O B SBRVEI IN QUEEN'S PAR.ris,.,j,", {scriptlons were open to the Attor- ney-General. or were they confiden- tial? Mr. Haney said he declined to answer. After some more inter- ruptions by the ginger group, Mr. Raney, who admitted hetpoko with heat, said he felt complimented on. criticism "coming from sewers and barrooms." Again Mr. Ferguson was up, demanding a withdrawal and adding: "I throw tho remark back into the teeth ot the man Wh( made it." The Attorney-Genera then withdrew the words, "beams: the member for Grenville is at honorable man." Wants No Interruptions. Mr. Rauey adjourned the debate) at 6 o'clock, just as he was ap-' preaching his analysis ot the issues of the day., Everybody thought the House had had.quite enough tor one afternoon, but then Premier Drury arose to ask if Mr. Dewart were correctly reported in a Globe despatch from St. Thomas to the effect that he had classed Peter G. Cameron, U.F.O. member tor West Elgin, "as a weak representative, a political pawn on the chessboard, a man who had no ideas ot his own, and who was not even a good rubber stamp, because he, left no impression." Mr. Dewart, with customary cleverness, started out by expressing the hope that the "inarticulate voice ot the member for West Elgin would be raised in his own detenso." He asserted that the member tor West Elgin had made no impression, either by his public utterances or by his legislative career: Mr. Dewa'rt went a step farther by saying he was only surprised at the number ot members on the Government side to whom the same could apply. "I have no apology to make," conclud- ed Mr. Dewart. u Mr. Drury was indignant, "I am not ashamed ot one of them," he said. sweeping his hand over the U.F.O. benches. The member for West Elgin was a man of sterling character. He was not loquacious, and "would to Heaven some others were the same." And then, as a final slap at Mr. Dewart: "In this House, as elsewhere, character tells. The member for West Elgin is worth a ten-acre field full ot mem- hers like the one from Southwest Toronto." When the, Government applause had subsided R. M. War- ren, U.F.O., North' Renfrew, said that such remarks as Mr. Dewart'ts, applying to farmers and farmers' wives, were "an insult and a slam- Aer." Mr. Warren was forced io T One would think incidents inch as the foregoing would be lffl-' 'cient for a Legislature for atlayn (but not so. Before the Govern-é 'ment orders were called the "use had its daily spat, this time "er the St. Lawrence water peers. JI. R. Hall, Liberal, Parry S nd, iread a Globe editorial note out the St. Lawrence water-power es- Stion being under considerati at; =0ttawa, and he wanted assur (res? lthat Ontario's rights were prim- !ed. Premier Drury and Mr. 'erw iguson both agreed that Unttm's lposition that all the waters mi re- (iwired for navigation helongd to (the Province Was unassailable; He 3assured the House Ontario's tghts lwere being fully guarded. All looked harmonious until Mr. Nel- lington Hay wanted to know what protest Mr. Ferguson had ever made tor Provincial rights then Conservatives were in power a' Ot- tawa. The Conservative Leder made quite an explanation, suing that he, when a Minister, gan the action. J. A. Currie, SoutTeast Toronto, reminded the House " an American attempt to control the Lachine Rapids when he was " the Commons in 1908. a remark which lcaused J. Walter Curry, also South- 'east Toronto, to tell Col. Currie lthat he was reminding the Legis- lature ot his Ottawa experiences too gotten. Leonid Not stop It. withdraw, and Mr. Speaker tum time warned the House he was go- ing to exert his authority to the limit. Mr. Warren, however. claim. ed that Mr. Dewart's remarks were characteristic of the city attitude toward farmers and farmers' win a remark which was greeted by a chorus of "No." an "inarticulate voice," and p wed and said that he was quite a e to look after himself. Modest! he added he possessed sane judg ant, and was able to use it. l The Daily Spat. Next Mr. Cameron of West Elgin raised what Mr. Dewart had alled Last night the Speaker gave a dinner to many ot the members. Up to a late hour nothing untoward had been reported from this din- ner, though more political heat had been. generated in the afternoon than ever before in so brief a period. _ Playing Politics. The approach ot a general elec- tion is mainly responsible. We may have group government in Queen's Park, but when a question like Pro- vincial rights is shoved forward each and every group tries to grab a share of credit, just as the two old parties have done for gener- ations. Hon. Mr. Raney's attack on the Conservatives also has a calcu- lated political effect, tending, as it does, to Mitten any wobbling U.F.0. who may previously have been a Conservative. So far, it. looks as it the political game is being played with just as much vigor and as- tuteness in Queen's Park as, ever. It was impossible to stop the de- bate, Messrs. Casselman. Hill, Lewis, MacBride. Nickle and Hal- crow all speaking. Premier Drury said a telegram of inquiry had been Bent to Ottawa, and the Govern- ment seemed to look with favor on a suggestion that a resolution re- affirming Ontario's stand be passed. l It seems hard to believe that yes- terday was St. Valentine's Ihu; in Queen's Park. as it was "trrlWhere There is now no saying when the debate will end. No person can tell, not even Hon. Peter Smith, when the Budget will be presented. Not a Government plan appear! "to trom dislocation'.