The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-18
Correspondence of The journal.

i
Ottawa, Feb l5.-The cry of Sc
cession'' is once more being raised IN
the Canadian confederation. 1t IS
from the Pacific coast that the note OF
lrebellionEis sounded British Columbia
has become exasperated at the repeatedI
refusals of the federal government to
reconsider the terms on when that
province Joined the union. The province
wants a greater annual subsidy than II
now receives from the federal treasury.
The Dominion government STANDS
pat'' on the terms of union. 1t IS
not SO nominated in the bond is the
answer which Sir Wilfrid Laurier
makes to the pleas of the Legislature
sitting at Victoria. So, the Pacihc
legislators have ceased to be paclnc.
They want to tear up the bond ana dls-
solve partnership.
The spokesman selected by the pro
,,vincial government to second the repiS
to the speech from the throne at the
opening of the British Columbia legls-
lature the other day, urged that the
tproyince petition the British govern
fEEfnent to pass legislation allowing BRIT
fish Columbia to withdraw from the
canadian conf ederation, and his fellow
Legislators loudly appiauded his pro
slposal. ~ :,
lowed to withdraw from the union IS
mot likely. 1t would be futile for the
!aqgrieved province to attempt to &C
icomplish separation by armed rebel
lion, even If the British. Oolumbians
swere disposed to go SO far as hgnting.
iiThey probably hope that, as on q Tor
liner occasion, the petition TOR sepafa
5ltion will have the effect OF causing the
immortal government to use its good OF
fees with the Canadian government TO
Induce the latter to make oompro-
mise with the provincial government
Confederation Loosely Knit.
i The expression of this secessionist
sentiment in British Columbia is re-
s,minder that for young nation OF
lightweight years Of age, Canada has
had quite an extensive experience IN
secession movements and rebel,
lions. Tho there has been no concerted
movement such as was the rebellion OF
1.-The southern states, nor such quantl,
tiles of blood spilled as followed that re-
s;hellion. there have been sporadic out
!h,rsts of sedition in Canada which nave
sheen quite serious and which have IN
dictated that the British provinces OF
North America, tho joined together II
Confederation by an act OF the lmper1a
parliament, are not exactly bound 10
natber in the bonds Of brotherly love
No sooner was the Canadian coHIed
@eration formed, in 1867, than one OF IL
lSfour original MISUNDERSTANDING, Que
1bac New Brunswick and Nova ScoCl'
was seeking to withdraw from II
5Nova Scotia claimed that she had pee
*ooerced into joining the union, an
smade vigorous attempts to repua,ac
Abe compact which her government ha
made in her behalf. Some hnancls
concessions were made to the recalc
s4rant colony. This temporarily allaye
S+ha violence of the agitation. But tn
snrovince remained dissatisfied, an
Some twenty years later Nova Scott
Was again in the ,throes of a secession
5ist movement. w. S. Fielding, the pr
v;ncial premier, several times sWel
the proyince by overwhelming major
ties on the secession cry. Upon u
liberal party gaining control OF the re
5eral administration, in 1896, MI. flel
ZINC became member OF the ieoef
saoyernment, as minister OF hnane
This apparently modified his views
the subject Of secession, and the NO
Iscotia secession movement, deprived l,
Ats leader, again became qulescent.
snrovince. however, has still nump
saf Grievances against the Domino
and is still an applicant for '.pett
5sterms'' as member Of confederatl'
In the neighboring province OF NJ
brunswick question over the scho'
farose shortly after the consummatl
of the confederation which for til
xhreatened to disrupt the confede
Ition. It was found that the provisie
sop the confederation act were not +
asreaehing enough to secure the rig
Roman Catholics believed were guar'
steed them. The federal governmt
denied them the desired legal rel1
: but after years of quarreling the p
i vineia government allowed the Ron
Catholics certain privileges in practi
/ tho not by law, which to some ext
!. modified them. There is still, howe7
considerable disaffection> against c
! federation in New Brunswick beca
II is not receiving a desired subs
3 from the federal government for
4vincial purposes but it has not
cone so far as British Columbia
threatening secession if it's claims
Emo. satisfied.
Manitoba's Many Troubles.
IL. The Canadian confederation was {
{ two wears old when it had an ac
armed rebellion on it's hands on accc
1 of the dissatisfaction of the people
the new province Of Manitoba with
terms on which they had been bror
I into confederation. The native p
L lation under Riel seized Fort Ga
y ! formed a provisional government
y their own and refused to allow the
tenant governor sent from Ottaws
enter the province. Canadian authe
was restored by show OF force,
without bloodshed
Since that time, however, the T
ince of Manitoba has been one OF
most turbulent members of confet
ton, and has on several occasions
sisted with bitter struggles what it
sconsidered coercion on the part OF
federal power. It has protested
1t was forced into confederation al
point Of the bayonet, and that It's
pie were not consulted as to the
Of confederation which were inn
4 upon them.
In 1882 and 1883 dangerous
" bitter agitation was conducted in
itoba by organizations of the sci
81 & known as g farmers unions