The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-04-10
Special Ab1egate Of the Pope td
Settle the School
Question.
WORK TO Be SOON DONE.
Comprehensive History Of the
Vexed Affair Here
Given.
TEE DELEGATE IS YOUNG.

Says lie Is Here For Feace,
But Otherwise Will
Not Talk.
Among the passengers on the Umbria,
which arrived in New York Sunday
morning, was Mgr. Merry Del Val, Alb
legate of the pope, who is on his way to
Canada to endeavor to settle the conflict
that exists over the public school uues-
tion in Manitoba. He has been sent by
the pope at the request of Premier Lau-
rier of Canada, which request was Sec
onded by Lord Russell of Killowen and
Cardinal Vaughn. Mgr. Del Val went
Immediately to the archepiscopal resi- .
dence, where he was the guest of Arch !
bishop Corrigan. He left for Montreal
on Monday, says the Irish World Of the
3rd inst.
The questions that Mgr. Del Val will
be called on to decide are of the most
intricate kind, involving, as they do,
the relations of church and state. In !
fact, it was but short time ago that :
threats of secession were indulged in by
the province Of Manitoba on account Of
them. Mgr. Del Val is said, however, to-
be especially we'll fitted for the work..
He is young man, being only IS years
old. His father is at present the Span
ish ambassador to Italy. His mother
was an English woman, and he himself
was educated by the English Jesuits, and
resided in England while his father was
ambassador to that country. He was q !
member of the recent papal commission ;
which declared the invalidity of English
church ordinations, and he will be the
pope's' personal representative at tho
coming diamond jubilee of Queen Vic
toria.
The state of affairs that exists In
Manitoba at present can hardly be ap-
preciated in this country, although there
have been similar controversies in vari-
GUS sections here, but on very small
scale. The Dominion of Canada is com.
posed Of several provinces, which corr !
respond to the states in this country.
The central or federal government is at
Ottawa, and is called parliament. Each
of the provinces has it's own legislature.
The present fight has arisen over the re-
fusal of the Manitoba legislature to pro-
vide separate schools for the Catholics
of the province. When the provinces
united and formed the dominion 80 years I
ago certain rights and concessions wer1
guaranteed to each. Manitoba came in 4.
in 1870. Her population at that time
was almost wholly composed of FrencN
Canadians, who were Catholics, and thu 4
concession was made that the separate
schools then existing in the province i
should continue to receive government
assistance. ~
The opening Of railroads has made thu J.
province easy Of access to settlers, and
the condition Of affairs there soon un. !,
derwent radical change. W
AS a result, the premier Of the prov-s,
ince, Thomas Greenway, offered bill In
1890 abolishing separate schools and es.ss
tablishing in their stead adequate public
schools. At that time tho Catholiea
numbered but one-seventh of the entire
population Of the province. The bill;
became a law and trouble began at oncess53
The Catholic clergy of the province OF
Quebec became especially active in the
agitation against the law. The interest
of the Quebec Catholics was due to two
causes. In the first place, the province
Of Quebec in the Catholic stronghold OF
the dominion, and to It at confederation
were guaranteed certain concessions ofa
which its people are very Jealous, and
which the growing influence Of the nons3
Catholic provinces seems to threatcnsa
Secondly, Manitoba was colonized sby4
people from Quebec, and it was only toss
be expected that tho people Of tho oldors
province would fly to the defense Of theft
co-religionists In the Northwest. Sssssss
The legality Of the Gfeenway laNsMH9]
tested by a Catholic citizen Of Winnir n
who refused to pay the public scho
taxes. The test case was carried thfon
all tho dominion courts and to the p1191s3
council in London, which deci6S
against the citizen. fs.s@sgsa
The federal government at Oa19
was then asked to override the act
Manitoba legislature. After q lon9
bitter fight as to the right Of the
Ion government TO interfere witl
provincial Legislature, decislo1
reached to tho effect that tho ldA
Catholics hada grieyance fnd
federal parliamont had fdll
right tie erlayanc 49, RI