116
The Independent. The propaganda newspaper of the Responsible Government League.5 March 1948
117
The anti-confederates formed the Responsible Government League. They published a newspaper called The Independent to spread their message. Their campaign appealed to national pride. They warned of lost independence and high taxation. They had the support of the business community, and the Catholic Church. The city of St. John's was their main base of support.118
The Confederate. the propaganda newspaper of the Confederation Association.23 June 1948
119
The confederates, led by F. Gordon Bradley, found most of their support in outport Newfoundland. They published a newspaper called the Confederate. The campaign was not so much based on a love of Canada, as it was an attempt to break the power of the St. John's merchants. They promised prosperity in a union with Canada and warned of a return to poverty under Responsible Government.120
Vintage car and row housing1935
St. John's, Newfoundland
121
In the end the voting came down to regionalism, with the St. John's and the Avalon Peninsula part of the Island voting for Responsible Government .........122
A gathering on a beach in a Newfoundland outport.1943
Little Catalina, Newfoundland
123
........... and the rest of Newfoundland voting for Confederation.124
George Dalton in Loyal Orange Lodge regalia, at a ship yard1948
Port Union, Newfoundland
125
But what probably decided the outcome was sectarianism. George Dalton from Little Catalina learned from an acquaintance in Catalina that a Catholic priest had convinced some confederation supporters in his congregation to switch to supporting Responsible Government.126
Orangemen marching in Little Catalina.1948
Little Catalina, Newfoundland
127
On June 9th 1948, two weeks before the second referendum on Confederation, Mr. Dalton called a meeting of the Loyal Orange Lodge in Little Catalina.It had been noticed that the Roman Catholic lay orders (Nuns and Christian Brothers) had voted in the first referendum on June 3rd. This was the first time in Newfoundland's history that these orders had voted. The Catholic Church was openly opposed to Confederation. Several articles opposing confederation had been printed in the "Monitor" the official newsletter of the Catholic Church.
128
Meeting of the Grand Lodge of the Loyal Orange Association.1935
Newfoundland
129
The Lodge members sent a letter to the Grand Master asking for an emergency meeting of the Grand Lodge to face this "Catholic Threat". In response, a letter was circulated to all the Orange Lodges in Newfoundland. It called on its members to bring to naught all such attempts to influence the results of the referendum. Over night staunch anti confederates switched sides. |
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