St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-29
PASSING THE DOMINION LAW
n - y 3 tS4
Which Deprived the Roman
Catholics Of Their Sepa77 l 40 70
So 80 rate Schools. oos 81
SCHOOL WAR In MANITOBA
Has Reached a Stage Of In
tense BitJernesS--Jenkin-
sons Views.

J. T. Jenkinson, from Brandon,
Man, took dinner with some friends
at the Merchants yesterday. He
was formerly a. resident of Houston
county, in this state, but moved to
the British province after the Riel
rebellion.
People on this side of the line
have no conception of the bitterness
that exists in certain sections of our
province over the school question:
said Mr.. Jenkinson, in reply to a
question. 81 am one of those who
do not believe in even the remotest
approach to a union of church and
state; therefore 1 am with the pro-
vincial government, in spirit, on
the question at issue. Yet / must con-
fess that at the outset of this deplor-
able business a grave mistake was
made. The Protestant majority was
guilty of very imprudent, if not
very" unjust, act when they passed
the law which summarily deprived
the Roman Catholics Of their sep,
arate, schools. In the opinion of
many, a more pacific and better
way might have been found, because
under the articles of confederation
the minority was guaranteed the en-
joyment Of certain privileges, among
these being separate schools.
Personally, I belong to no church
organization, and while 1 plead for
the fairest and most liberal treat
tot all sects, yet the conditions
are such in different parts of Can
ada that there is a practical union
of church and state. That's what I
detest. But there are two sides to
the matter. My Catholic asserts he
does not consider it fair to be taxed
for public schools unless he gets
thev benefit of them. isff.
= The Protestant, on the other hand,
vows he, will not allow any part 9of
his tax contribution to be spent lin
teaching the doctrines of Rome; and
further, he retorts that the public
schools are open to all children,
whether Catholic or Protestant So
youosee there are points of religious
difference cropping out everywhere,
and in Upper Canada, as in the lower
provinces, these are calculated to
breed a great deal of mischief" :rof5
will the provincial government
refuse to rescind it's action?"
II think the spirit now uppermost
will force such a course. You must
understand that Premier Greenway
and his supporters are irrevocably
committed
TO THE ABOLITION
of the separate schools. A strong ma
jority of the people is behind them;
and, while some of the leaders may be
fanatical, the masses of Protestants
are not. They are simply determined
that progressive methods of education
shall be available to every child who
desires to secure an education. These
methods, they maintain, are afforded
most fully by the public schools.
While, the Orangemen are, and were
the prime movers against the separate
schools, yet it was an Orangeman who
in his official capacity, advised the is
suing of the order to rescind, practi-
cally allowing and upholding the rights
of the Roman Catholics under the con-
federation act.''
Is there any danger of war or blood
shed in case of absolute refusal to obey
the order in council?''
ST.. Mr.. Jenkinson shrugged his shoulders
significantly before replying.
We'll, that's difficult question to
answer he said, finally. Loyalty to
the crown and obedience to the law
are fundamental principles of British
government. An order in council, pro
mulgated by the governor general, is,
to all intents and purposes, a royal
utterance. To fatty disobey it is to
be in rebellion by implication; and the
British authorities have never tolerated
anything Of that kind any longer than
it would take to put her majesty S
troops on the ground. I rather think
the sober judgment of the Protestant
leaders will interfere to prevent an
open conflict over this matter. but
still L feel firmly convinced that a
large portion of the people will favor
uncompromising resistance to the de-