Omaha daily bee., 1895-03-30
SITUATION FULL OF DANGER
Canadian Provinces All Indirectly Affected
by the Manitoba School Question.
WILL RESENT fEDERAL INTERFERENCE
Ontario Waking Up to the Importance oi
the Question to that Province-Up-
heava1 Possibly May Strain tho
Bonds of Confederation.

OTTAWA, Ont, March 29.-Although full
ernment of the Dominion regarding the Man
itoba school question have been before the
public for some days, it is now only learned
that this action is being fully understood.
The Dominion government has done two
things-it has ordered the provincial authori-
ties to re-establish the separate schools abol-
ished in 1890; and failing compliance by the
province the Dominion has stated in so many
words that a federal act will be passed for
the purpose of attaining this. And 1t is at
this point that the danger of the situation ap-
pears. The provinces have always been jeal-
Gus of their rights of elf-government and
an attempt to encroach on these rights by
the passage of federal law to accomplish a
provincial object will evoke vigorous pro-
test in every member Of the confederation
outside Of Quebec .
This outcry will be especially vigorous in
Manitoba and Ontario, because a federal law
once passed for the purpose of re-establishing
separate schools cannot be repealed by any
power short of that of the Imperial Parlia-
ment in England. Not only this, IL the sep
arate schools are re-established by federal
legislation in Manitoba, precedent will be es-
tablshed which will admit of the Dominion
interfering to prevent the Ontario legislature
from divesting the separate schools of the
province of privileges conferred by the latter
body. 1t Is because Of the far-reaching conse-
quences involved that there is such hostility
to the idea Of only entering the wedge of
federal interference. 1t is probable that re-
establishing separate schools will be done by
federal enactment, relieving Roman Catholic
| taxpayers in Manitoba from local taxation
for public schools, and giving Roman
Catholic school boards power to levy rates
on their own people for the maintenance of
their own schools. Further than this it is
likely that the Dominion government will re-
tain portion of the subsidy payable by the
Dominion to the province under the terms of
union and apply this as a supplement to the
funds raised by local taxation for separate
school purposes. Unless the present Domin-
ion government is defeated before remedial
legislation is passed and another party is
placed In power that will respect provincial
rights there will be an upheaval that will
strain the bonds Of confederation.
WINNIPEG, Man, March 29.-No amend
ment was offered by the opposition this
afternoon in the legislature on the school
question, and after Lieutenant Governor
Schultz had given royal assent to a number
OF bills passed the house adjourned till May
Q. when Premier Greenway will announce
the governments reply to the remedial order
from Ottawa Members of the opposition
have all agreed with the premier that an
adjournment was the wisest course to take
at this critical period.
OTTAWA, Ont, March 29.-The trouble be-
tween Sir Charles Tupper and his colleagues
his office in the Department of Justice. It is
understood that the conditions on which Sir
Charles withdrew his resignation are that
no government bill will be introduced next
session on the question of Manitoba schools
and that the matter be left an open question.