The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-06-18
MANITOBA SCHOOLS.
PERPLExING QUESTION DISCUSSED
IN THE LEGISLATURE.
1t is Admitted That National Schools
Are All Right, But That Separate
Schools Are Also a Necessity.

Winnipeg, June lin the legisla-
ture this afternoon, the motion deal
ing with the separate school order as
given out in the house on Thursday,
was the first matter taken up.
Premier Greenway, in moving the
adoption of the resolution, which was
to be Manitoba's answer to the Do
minion government regarding separ-
ate schools, spoke for three-quarters
of an hour, and was listened to with
close attention by members and also
by a large audience in the galleries
Premier Greenway said he merely
proposed to introduce the matter to
the legislature, leaving the full dis
cussion of the subject to members
who might follow him. There has
been no desire on the part of the
Manitoba government, or so far as he
knew, on the part of their followers,
to rush hurriedly into the discussion
of the important subject. All through
from March till June II, the most
moderation had been pursued in reply
ing to the Dominion government. He
fancied his motion would be no eX-
ception to that course. Some of the
separate school advocates had been
very much afraid of the government
pursuing a course that governments
sometimes pursue in such cases, that
was to take advantage of the very
strong feeling that existed in the pro-
vince, when the remedial order from
Ottawa was made public, and ask the
views of the people on the subject.
But the government did not adopt
such a course as he was of the opin-
ion that such a question as this
could be discussed outside of a poll
teal campaign. He understood the
Dominion to say to Manitoba: You
must restore the old state of things"
This Manitoba could not do. Many
leading Catholics have said to him
that they had no desire to return to
the school law existing prior to 1890.
Mr. Armstrong, who represents
French Catholic constituency in the
legislature, was the first member of
the opposition to reply. His attack on
the government was a very mild one,
chiefly confined to the point that it
was a case of exigencies with the
Greenway government, not that they
were in favor of national schools, but
that it was their only salvation at
present to pursue that policy. The
broad stand taken by politicians of
the older provinces should be followed
in this matter. National schools We're
good. but separate schools were also
a necessity.
Acknowledgement Sifton arose at
4:30 to second the premier'S motion.
His address was continued until late
this evening. The constitutional side
of the question was dealt with in all
it's phases. The encouragement took
the position that the last Judgment of
the imperial privy council was not
mandatory on the Dominion govern
ment; it did not demand to act or not
to act. He quoted at length from the
Judgment given and opinions eX-
pressed by the imperial privy coun-
cilors in confederation. Manitoba, he
asserted, could not comply with the
terms of the remedial order and main
tain an efficient school system. such
as a young and growing province de-
manded.
At this evenings session, the at
torney-general concluded his speech
and referred to the alleged illiteracy
existing under the schools as con-
trolled by Catholics and the schools
as they exist today. He hoped that
before long, with one language and
one school system, the different ma
tionalities would unite as one people.
In concluding, he hoped that the re-
suits of the reply of the Manitoba
government to the Ottawa govern
ment will be that the present school
system would not be disturbed
Mr.. Martin will speak tomorrow.