The Irish standard., 1896-04-18
rlANlTOBA SCHOOLS.

The question ef separate schools in
Manitoba and their maintenance from the
public funds has been discussed from
time! to time in 1hese columns, but the
following from the Canadian freeman is
9orthy Of attention. 1t says:
The Cathelic educational rights are,
and ought to be, as sacred In Manitoba as
ia Ontario, admits Of no question. and
this, we. say regardless of the constitu-
tlonal aspect of the case, for we view
pGrentaf rights as supreme over all stat
utory law, and our hearts are with our
Wronged brethren Of the prairie province
IN seeking a legal remedy for as base an
act as was ever perpetrated on a confd-
ing people. But has the dominion gov
ernment been discreet or prudent in the
handling of the question? We do not
think so, but on the other hand they
have been as. awkward and biundering
in their conduct of the case as a set OF
noyices. This, to a great extent, was due
to conflicting opinions in the cabinet re-
sarding the policy of the government.
Foster has not any too much sym pathy
with Catholics, and until he returned
after the revolt was said to have been
prepared to make an onslaught on the
"Pope's brigade" The same spirit was
shared in by Montague, Haggart and
Ives, and other members OF the cabinet,
and their policy was undoubtedly based
on a commercial CT political calculation.
Of the voting strength OF the Catholic
electorate, and in no sense from any
love of the "Dogmas'' whom the Tories
instinctively hate. Notwithstanding this
we sincerely hope for the success of the
conference; at the same time it is
practical confession that Mr. Laurier's
policy of personal intercourse was the
only one to bring about a satisfactory
settlement, but we cannot too strongly
affirm that the government ought to
have Invited Mr.. Laurier and some other
member of his party to have formed part
NJ A1tC UC1CGot4OA1, d4&J IAlo WOAlu nave
been done had the government been
sincere in it's expressed desire to settle
this question outside the cockpits of par
ty warfare. We don't think that the
gentlemen who COM pose the Ottawa gov
ernment end Of the conference will have
any stone unturned to bring about sat
isfanfnryy nYt.a Yca,,, ant h1,f ~ doar cr,av,,
regrettable that the government should
nob have sought the cooperation Of Mr.
Laufier at this juncture as doubtless, it
would have done SO but for the desire to
keep the wound open until after the
elections, in which it hopes that the
school question will cause the people to
bring the government party to task for
the failure of its fiscal policy and the
many crimes it has perpetrated against
the best interest of the state and people
The remedial bill has reached the COM
mittee stage. The bill has one hundred
and ten clauses. and can hardly be got
through even should parliament SIT up to
the very last hour Of lis existence in an
earnest effort to put it through. 1t
would not do to railroad such an import |
ant measure through the house. If the
remedial bill had been taken up in par
lament at the proper time, the law would
have been passed weeks ago. We fear
there is some trickery on the part of the
government under the surface
The Montreal Gazette says in Que
bee Mr.. Laurisr's friends try to get sup
port FOR him by saying that he opposes
he remedial bill because it does not give
he Catholics adj the privileges they
should receive. If Mr.. Laurier attains
is object, and becomes premier, will It
be the Manitoba national school Protest
snts or the Quebec separate school Cath
,lics that will be disappointed?" Col
Prior. a member of the Ottawa cabinet. |
n his speech during the discussion Of I
he second reading of the remedial bill, |
answered the Gazette's questions. He1
;aid: Il defy any one to point to single |
speech of Mr.. Laurier in which that gem
leman had stated that he was opposed |
q separate schools. He had not yet seen
'uch statement, but would like to see it,
+ he could" Those people who are tell
ng stories about Mr. Laurier being op-
posed to separate schools will look with /
lispisasure On Mr.. Prior's remarks, which
$ q compIete refutation Of Mr.. Laurier's
,ourse i'll regard to Catholic education.
Separate schools anywhere will not suf-
er # the Liberal leader has the doing
with them.