The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-10
.D|SAFFECTION IN CANADA.
IGNORING RIGHTS OF PARLIAMENT
SAID TO BE MOVING CAUSE.
The Point In Made That Troops Have
Gone to Africa without Constitu-
tional Sanction, and That Gov
eminent Has Assumed Too Much.

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer.
OTTAWA, jan 9.--The battle for par
liamentary power and liberty In Canada
against monarchical influence was fought
and won many years ago, yet in the Do
minion at the present time there seems
to be q tendency to abridge the authority
of parliament and constitutional govern
ment by delegating certain Of Its most
important prerogatives to the executive.
1t Is against this tendency which leaders
OF public opinion among the French
Canadians in the Province of Quebec are
today so strongly contending In opposing
the action of the Dominion government
In sending troops to South Africa with
out the sanction of parliament.
It is well understood that It Is because
Of the growing desire for Canadian in
dependence and the severance from the
sovereignty Of the British crown that
the French of Quebec lay such stress on
the Importance of the Canadian parlia-
ment and declare that It is to that con-
stitutional body. and not to the British
government, that Canada, ought to look
for instruction as to what course she
should pursue in respect to England's
foreign wars. 1t is pointed out that even
the leading government organ in Ontario
comedies this point when 1t says: we
are free to admit that there was GER
tain straining OF the powers of the ex-
ecutive in dispatching not only the Sec
ond contingent but the first, and we say
that nothing but an emergency Of the
first class would justify such a departure
from wholesome constitutional usage.
ed as soon as the gravity Of the crisis had
been manifested"
The race and religious cry is being re-
yived in, the Dominion as an outcome OF
sentative organizer In the province of
New Brunswick recently declared at a
public meeting that the time may soon
come when they should have to shoulder
their muskets against the French-C Cana
dams in Quebec, while in that province
the Manitoba school question Is still
p. r., member Of the late Conserva-
tive government for Quebec. speaking at
big Conservative convention few
Of view, the school question was settled
by the pope's encyclical but from politi-
cal standpoint 1t was not settled. and that
the constitution Of the country was be-
"Why," Mr.. Nantel exclaimed, "the En-
glish are praised for attacking the Beers
because the latter wanted to oblige the
schools. But is that not what we see
in Manitoba. where, however, the Cath
olics have written rights, while the griev-
ances of the outlanders are purely senti-
mental and a terrible war is entered on
In the Transvaal to remedy those grfev-
ances that have not the fourth of the
strength OF ours. linen let us also make
war.
"At the present time we simply want
to follow our constitution, and we are
now told that we are disoyal because we
say: For heavens sake. don't persist in
having us governed by n stranger. Pitt
and Camden, who were at heart as great
statesmen as Chamberlain, said: Give
the colonies all possible liberty of action
Mr.. Chamberlain wants to lead the colo
MES by the nose. but he will not succeed,
even If he has succeeded in dragging after
his ear Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who consent
ed to take from the treasury of Canada
money to send troops to the Transvaal
without consulting the only dispensers
of the money OF the country, the mem
bers of parliament. For more than 100
years the colonies have not been taxed
for the troops in the service of England.
and the colonial tax act of 1878 declared
that no tax would be imposed, payable In
any colony, province or plantation of
North American or the West Indies.
What is this imperialism which they are
trying to fasten on us and which I in
tend to oppose? 1t is the obligation to
participate in the wars of the empire
without consulting our parliament.
I'VE want home rule for Canada, as
ireland asks home rule; and those who
prevented Ireland from obtaining It are
the same who refuse 1t to the little Afri-
can republics. If the empire is now to
to be dissolved II is they who will be
guilty. For us. we ask only our rights,
but all our rights. We want to obey our
parliament and. government, and not
Downing street"