Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-11-01
@zAu 11ZHD16
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itics. Theirs was a fight against the
primal and the Wild and they thought
OF the government only as help &c
them In their mighty efforts.
The men in whose hands rested
the responsibility Of welding civic
power abused their trust They gave
valuable lands to political friends and
spent money corruptly that was in
tended for the settlers who needed
aid. These abuses brought about dis.
satisfaction and distrust and tine pi
oneers began fight for better and
more competent form of government.
cght which ended years later in
b'oodshed and rebellion but which
finally obtained for the Canadian peo
pie the almost perfect constitution of
which they boast today
For years the prejudice existing be
tween the French and English was an
obstacle &c the areat struggle against
privilege and injustice.
Canada in those days was divided
into two provinces, known as Upper
and Lower Canada. and while Mac.
kenzie was fighting for justice in
Upper Canada. NJ Papineau was
struggling with the corrupt powers of
Lower Canada The latter was de-
feated In his peaceful fight and. fred
by all the passions that liberty in
spires. he resorted 10 rebellion Thus
by means OF bloodshed he succeeded
In obtaining the suspension of the
constitution of Lower Canada The
rebellion spread to Upper Canada.
where Mackenzie took up the fight.
He'd the principles for which be
fought won out In the end and the
act of Union of 1870 gave Canada
its first united and responsible gov
eminent. The provisions of the act
Of union were by no means COM
plete and factions and dissatisfactions
were the result until 1867 when the
North American act gave to the land
Of the maple leaf a government I'M
der which 1t has grown and pros
pered.
Provisional Legislatures.
The provisional legislatures of the
Dominion of Canada correspond In
great many ways with the state
governments OF the United States.
In every way they resemble the Do
minion parliament. having. with the
exception of Ontario. a house OF
commons and a senate The lieu
tenant governor of the province
stands in the same relation to the
provisional legislature as the govern
or general Of the Dominion to the Do
minion parliament The premier OF
the province Is supreme in the pro.
vincial parliament. just as the pre-
mier OF the Dominion Is all over.
The power of the provinces regard
ing legislation is restricted, however,
to education. the regulation of the
liquor traffic, the railways, the estab-
lishment of asylums, the manage
ment of prisons. timber lands. mining
regulations and the regulating of mu-
Ricipal laws.
Many of Canada's most noted par
liamentarians came up from the legis-
latiye bodies of the provinces TO the
house of commons in ottawa. In the
main they are men VINO work with
one idea ever to the fore-the ex-
panslon of their qountry's wealth. the
development of their country's re-
sources and the betterment of the so
ciai and economic conditions Of their
countrymen.
independent and supreme in It's
own Dominion the Canadian parlia-
nent, always loyal TO the British
crown. stands a separate and distinct
body. In no way subservient to the
imperial parliament of England II
has the power of making its own
treaties with foreign countries and
since the establishment Of the Su.
preme Court of Appeal. in 1875. the
Canadian parliament has been prac-
ticaIly independent oil the British
Privy council. Legislative acts re-
garding Canada are never passed by
the imperial parliament unless they
are stamped with the approval of the
house of commons at Ottawa A
freer government than Canada's new
er existed and II is even the boast of
some Canadians that they enjoy more
freedom than the citizens of Eng
land. The Canadians are the most
loyal. happy and contented subjects
of the British crown AMI In times OF
war they have proved themselves
strong supporters of the throne
From the days Of the northwest
rebellion TO the recent clash over the
reciprocity treaty the Canadian shin
OF state has weathered some rough
seas Among the many events that
stirred parlia -nent to It's depths the
Manitoba school question stands out
prominently The credit OF its settle
ment rests with Canada's foremos,
citizen. Sir wilfrid Laurler Lint
tations OF space prevent the men
ton of all the storms that rough
ened the waters Of Canada's political
sea. but most important among the
many we're the Rering sea fishery dis
,pute. the Alaskan boundary ques-
tion. the Atlantic fisheries question
and most prominent among recent
storms. tie Canadian naval bill
For tie last Is years the canadi
az Eariiamsnt has been remarkabie
because OF its wonderful chief Sir
Wflfrid LaurieF He has grown Cd
Ia the battle OF Canadian betternens
and the great deeds ~ true life have
touched his iossss vita whrensss