The sun., 1894-03-21
Governor Royal on the Future Of
Canada.

Governor Royal on the Future o
| Canada.
We have before US . French pamphlet
published also in English, which Il
attracting o great deal Of attention
throughout the Dominion Of Canada. II 1,
entitled lie Cunada. RtpubliTie on CoIorie
and is written by the Hon. JOSEPH ROYAL
formerly Governor Of the Northwest Ter
ritories. The author undertakes TO demon
strate that, for all the provinces OF BRITISH
| North America continuance OF the present
| dependence on Great Britain is intolerable
| and that the alternative methods OF escape
are annexation to the United States or the
creation Of an independent federal republic
He is evidently convinced that the former
alternative should be favored by the French.
speaking Catholics Of the province. OF Que
bee. but the reason put forward for this
preference Is founded. as we shall see, on a
misconception OF the powers OF self-control
which Canadian province would retain II
admitted as q State into the Union.
Governor ROYAL begins by asserting that
the present situation Of the Dominion is be-
set with perils. The economical and social
forces Of the population are. he maintains.
profoundly shaken; and 1t Is neither pro-
longation of the status quo. nor the dream Of
imperial federation. by which Canada can
be saved. Her rescue is to be found only In
the natural. salutary. and fruitful develop
ment OF national destiny. The author Of
this pamphlet proceeds to examine whether
the country is prepared for such q final
measure OF emancipation. and, having de-
fined the characteristic marks Of nationali-
ties. he points out that they exist In Canada.
1t is. lwever. q federative and not uni
fled State. the materials OF which are ready.
We are reminded that federal system pre-
supposes the existence OF separate natior-
alities and that this regime. which seems to
be the formulafor governments in the nine
teenth century. offcrs all the desired secu-
rity for the lawful and regular development
OF its constituent autonomous members.
A negative answer is returned to the further
question whether Canada. In the final stage
OF Its evolution from the status OF colony
to that OF an independent federal republic.
would run the risk Of q social and political
convulsion, and would have to seek COM
plete emancipation by means ora sangui-
nary revolution. He has no difficulty In
proving by the declarations OF British
statesmen. Conservative as well as Liberal.
that. should the provinces now embraced in
the Dominion express a desire for a COM
plete separation from Great Britain. the
desire could be peaceably attained.
Passing to an investigation OF the indus
trial and economical conditions Of the coun-
try. Governor ROYAL af1rms. without fear
OF contradiction. that the markets for Ca
madam products being determined not by
independent negotiations but by the diplo-
macy OF the mother country. no longer cor
respond to the expansion of the productive
power. 1t is England that hinders the Ca
madam provinces from deriving from the
American market all the natural adyan-
tages OF which they have urgent need. On
this point he does not hesitate to say that.
without the power OF making her own COM
mercial treaties. Canada cannot long con-
tinue her protectlonist system. which al
ready threatens her with ruin. nor. on the
other hand. enter on free trade. which
would simply be quicker mode OF suicide. |
Finally. how. under the present status, |
can Canada be delivered from the frightful !
evil OF religious dissensionsl Governor
ROYAL goes at length into this question,
and. after setting forth the breaches of |
faith and disabilities which the French |
speaking Catholics have suffered In Mani
Loba and in the Northwest Territories, he
declares that the matter at issue Is one OF
which admits Of no compromise
'r accommodation. His Catholic fellow
he says. consider elementary
as q thing Of vital moment 10
heir faith. and as a question OF social in
crest with regard to which a legislature
'hould interfere only within limits strictly
leflned by "a Constitution. He would, there
ore, set the school controversy forever at
est. by giving every citizen who is re-
Iuired to pay school tax the right to say
low the tax he pays shall be applied; and
10 would make this right the subject of an
rganic article In the new Constitution of
n independent federative Canada.
Governor ROYAL thinks that, II the school
uestion could be settled in this way, the
'rench-speaking Catholics of the province
I Quebec would prefer independence TO
to tho United States. The
round for this belief Is the assertion
hat "ali the United Stntes are funda-
lentally hostile to the Catholics on the
chool question" This Is an accident due
D the prepondeTanee OF Protestants I'm
very State. The Federal Constitution has
othing 10 do with the question OF public
ducation; that is matter which each
tate is left TO settle for itself. II the
lajoHty Of the voters OF any State wero
atholies. they could not only cause Catho-
c doctrines to be taught In all the public
,hools, but, so far as any bar In the Fed
raj Constitution is concerned. they could
ctually make Catholicism the established
hurch within their State. There would
ot be the slightest difficulty IN apportion-
g school money among the various re- '
giOus denominations according TO their
lmerical strength. provided. We repeat.
le Catholics should possess a majority at
le ballot box Now. q majority Of the in
ibitants -: the proyiRos Of Quebec are
reneh-speaking Catholics. Should they
'cide to enter the Union as State. they
ould do SO with a State Constitutions.
hich they would frame. and which might
gulate religious and educational matters
'eciBely as IheV should Eaa fk