Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-01-10


| dispatch of business" but thinly yelled
| by this time-worn phrase are the words
| Coercion of Manitoba; death to her au-
tonomy." For the sole business" that
| parliament Is called upon to deal with
| was outlined in the house of commons
| by Cabinet Minister Foster, as far back
| as last July, when he declared that the
| government was determined to intro
| duce and press to conclusion such leg
| islation as would once for all settle the
vexed school question in Manitoba, and
which has kept that province and the
| government at loggerheads for nearly
| two years.
During the past six months, strenu-
| Gus efforts have been made to bring
about compromise through which the
Roman Catholics of the province might
| have restored to them their parochial
schools, but Premier Greenway of that
province. backed by his associates and
apparently by the large majority of the
people of the province, have remained
firm in the stand they have taken, and
little more than week ago final def
ance was hurled at the dominion au-
thorities by the dissolution of the Man
itoba legislature. and the issue of writs
for new election to take place during
the present month. The subject-matter
of consideration will make the present
session of parliament a memorable one,
| and one which may be fraught with
grave consequences to the future of the
dominion. The Manitobans contend
that 1t Is not so much the question of
their right to preserve their present sys-
tenn of schools as 1t Is the autonomy of
their province that is threatened, and
upon this issue they are making their
fight.
THE GOVERNMENT BILL.
Printed copies Of the government bill
relating to the Manitoba school ques-
ton were distributed this morning to
all members of the house of commons
and the senate. The measure is based
upon the lines of the judgment of the
privy council, and the remedial order
issued on the 21st day of March last,
which commanded the legislature of
Manitoba to restore the separate school
system as it existed prior to 1890, and
to which the legislature of that prov
ince declined to assent. Provision is
made for the restoration OF Roman
Catholic schools in Manitoba. and al
lowing free latitude for religious exer-
cises in such schools. The use of the
history of England as written by Ro-
man Catholic authors is prescribed. but
1t is explicitly provided that the schools
must be up to the required standard
of efficiency before they shall be paid
any money out of the public funds; thus
laying down the principle that grants
of public money for the support of a
separate school system must be meas
oil
ficiency of such schools.
There is unusual excitement in the
city today. Reports are current that
the government will be unable to obtain
majority in favor of it's proposition.
in which event a ministerial crisis will
be inevitable. There are also rumors
of division in the cabinet. The re-
ports from Winnipeg that feeling is
growing rapidly In favor of secession
from the dominion. and the setting up
of crown colony entirely Independent
of Ottawa authority, adds to the COM
plications. and may tend to further
embarrass the government.
MANITOBA REPLIES.
The final reply of Premier Greenway
and his cabinet, and which was for
warded to Ottawa Immediately before
the dissolution of the provincial legisla-
ture has been printed and distributed
Us supplement to the government BILL
II sets forth that the proposal to estab-
fish system of separate schools in
any form Is absolutely and unqualified
ly rejected, so far as the government
of Manitoba Is concerned, and says in
plain language that the principle of
uniform and non-sectarian public
school system will be adhered to. 1t
also calls attention to the fact that the
catholic minority Is not willing to ac-
cept any modified form of the present
public schools. The righteousness and
business. under the British constitution,
OF any attempt by the dominion govern
ment to override the school act of the
province is also questioned, and at
tention Is called to the fact that the
dominion government has failed to
make public Its reasons for insisting
upon the re-establishment of separate |
schools.
The ground is taken that 1t would |
not be to the best interests of the Ro- |
man Catholic minority to attempt to |
establish sysem of parochial schools |
by course of legislation. because this
very legislation would not only dis
credit but cripple the educational meth
DDS 1t is sought to re-establish. The
conclusion Of the lengthy reply init
mates that the government of Manitoba
Is resolute In its determination to re-
sist the establishment of Roman
Catholic schools. and gives fair warning
that any attempt will be resisted to the
bitter end and at any cost.
SITUATION is STRAINED.
The Hon. Clark Wallace, controller of
sovereign grand master of the
)rangemen order. recently resigned
rom the cabinet on that fsstfa Those |