The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-28
MANIToBA's GRIEVANCES.
Declaration of Principles by the Rights
League.

LeAEues
/ WINNIPEG, Man, Nov. 27.-The following
| propositions have been adopted as declaratory
| OF the principles of the Manitoba Rights
League. These are submitted to the people of
Manitoba and the Northwest Territory, solely
with the view of securing united action in re-
dressing their grievances and maintaining
their rights:
First, the British North American act,
which is the charter of our Const tuition SOL
emmy guarantees to the people of the Province
Az exclusive'right of legislation in respect to
tne most Important class of subjects, and the
untrammeled exercise of this right is condi.
Iion essential to the welfare of the people. The
exerc1sef OF the veto by the Federal Govern
ment, in disallowing the acts of the local legis-
ature dealing with such subjects is arbitrary,
unconstitutional and menacing to the future
OF the confederation.
second, the interests of settlers in the Pre-
vince peremptorily demand that the right,
Wnlcn under said act they possess in common
Win every other province OF the Dominion, to
| cnartsr companies, to build lines of railway
WITHIN It's own bounds. should be exercised to
ITS fullest extent. While recognizing the
cessity OF observing all obligations under the
canadian Pacific railway contracts, we dis
tlnctly affirm that nothing in the contract ex-
pressed or implied, can check the old province
or Manitoba in cbartering competing lines of
railway within its bounds or to its boundaries.
The baneful effects of railway monopoly call
loudly for the active and persistent exercise of
all the power of the people to maintain their
rights and resist to the utmost every act of ar
| Ditragy interference ith them.
Ihird, the present customs tariff, especially
the duties on agricultural implements, is OK
tremeiy unjust and oppressive to the settlers
OF the Northwest, and its imposition has
aroused an intense feeling of dissatisfaction
with our relations to the confederation. It
paralyzes what is to us the all impor ant indus
- A ,re<. H.
foster or assist any others. The tariff was
adopted entirely in the interests of the manu-
facturers and producers of the East, without
any reference to the needs of this country. 1t
olscrIminafes against ms in favor Of Dakota
and Minnesota, and Justice to our wants Inn
peratively demand its immediate modification,
so far, at least, as it affects Manitoba and the
Northwest
Fourth, that the public lands, the sacred
heritage OF the people, should be administered
in their interest. While cbeerfully asserting
to system of liberal grants to promote the
construction of works of a national or provin-
cIai character, we maintain that, subject to
such grants, the possession and management OF
the lands, timber ana mines, should pc placed
in the hands OF the provincial authorities in
trust for the people. The policy of withhold
ing from settlement and granting to land COM
papies and private Individuals large tracts of
public domain threatens to introduce amongst
us the evils that oppress the people of older
countries, and merits unmeasured condemna-
tion.
Fifth, the natural outlet OF the products of
Manitoba and the Northwest is through Hud-
sons Bay and the great rivers and lakes tribu-
tary to it, the feasibility of this route having
been proven by 200 years's constant navigation
by ships of the Hudson Bay Company, and by
voyage of New England whalers for the last
thirty years. The interests of the Northwest
demand the construction at an early date of
line of railway connecting the present railway
system with port on Hudson's Bay. To OBJ
tain this object it is the duty of the Dominion
Government to grant the most loeral assls-
tance. To secure united action affecting the
redress OF grievances by the people of Manito-
ba and the Northwest, it is desirable that an
association should be formed untrammeled by
ties to existing political parties, with the OBJ
ject and determination to carry out the above
declarations and OF obtaining redress of griev-
ances felt to be so unjust and oppressive.