New-York tribune., 1919-02-18
WilfridLaurier.
Long g Premier
OF Canada, Dies
Body Will Lie i'm State in
the House of Commons
Until Funeral Saturday
Cabinet Plans Details
Noted Liberal Leader Was
the Strongest Friend of
Reciprocity Will, Z. S.

OTTAWA, Feb. 17.-sir Wilfrid
Laurier, former Premier OF Canada.
died OF paralysis here this afternoon
The BODY will lie in state in the
House OF Commons from Thursday
until Saturday, according to tentative
plans for the funeral announced to-
night. On Saturday morning the caskct
will be taken to Sacred Heart Church,
where mass will be celebrated by Arch
bishop Mathic, Of Regina, an intimate
friend of the late Opposition leader.
Further details Of the state funeral
will be arranged at meeting Of the
Cabinet tomorrow
The Right Honorable Sir Wilfrid
Lauricr G. C.. ". G.. K. c., D. c. L..
LII d.. was for upward Of thirty
years one Of the most picturesque
figures in the political life Of Canada.
He was the only French Canadian who
ever became Premier Of the Dominion
He was the last of the old school of
"silver-tongues, and the chief of those
elder statesmen" upon whom rested
the task Of directing Canada's early
development. Sir Wilfrid was the
recognized head of the Liberal party.
which. prior to it's defeat in 1911, had
held sway in Canada for fifteen years
lie was the father of the proposed
treaty of trade reciprocity between
the United States and Canada, repudi-
ated in the general election of 1911.
In 1917 he became the standard bearer
Of the Quebec Nationalists and Of the
anti ptionists of Canada. With
the triumph OF Che opposition he ex-
pressed his determi mination to retire
from the party leadership but so great
was his popularity, despite the result
Of the election. that he was continued
as party leader despite his protests
Born in Quebec in 1S4i
Sir Wilfrid Larrier was born al St.
Lin, p O., November 20. 1871. He was
educated in his native parish and at
the College of the Assumption,
of law in Montreal, in the office of the
late Robert La1amme, Q. c., later
Canadian Minister of Justice. lie fol
lowed the law course at McGill Univer-
sty, receiving his degree in 1854 and
being called to the bar in the same
year. After practising law for three
years his health gave way and he WA
HuFlSeu W ISLlIc 70 tue COuNllS- II
wen to LAvenir, +. T.. where he as
sumed the editorship Of "Le Defrl-
cheur," reform journal His health
regained. he opened. in 1868, a law
Office at st. Christophc. now Artha-
baskayille, which had been made the
chief lieu Of the judicial district of
Drummond and Arthabaska.
He first entered politics in 1871 as
a member Of the Quebec Legislature.
I, 1874 bo o1octoE 70
Of Commons from his native province.
In 1877, for a few months, he was
membcr of the Liberal government at
Ottawa, which the Protcctionlst wave
Of the succeeding year threw out Of
Office Following this defeat he ac-
companicd his friends into opposition
and there. for eighteen years, calmly
awaited the change in political senti-
ment which was to restore the relns
Of power 10 the Liberal party.
Led Fight for liberalism
During the earliest of these years
and up to 1887 the Province Of Que
bee, with one exception was Con
servative in its local politics aud gov
ernment and, during the greater part
of the time, Conservative in its rep
resentation at Ottawa The Church
was powerful and Liberalism was
under suspicion as being too radical
in policy and as opposed to clerical
influence III politics Outside the
Province Of Quebec Liberalism, as it
existed there, was regarded as an en-
tirely anti Canadian doctrine.
Such was the situation when Will
frid Laurier, at the age Of thirty, en-
tered the Quebec Legislature. He at
tackled the popular conception of LIB
eralism with q rallying speech in the
Legislature on June 26, 1877, in which
he described his principles in their
relation to his province. He praised
the principles Of constitutional mon
archy as opposed to republicanism and
described the English as masters in
the art Of government
The following ten years was period
Of Laurisr's gradual rise to prom
inence. He soon became the leader of
the Federal Liberals, but years passed
before he escaped from the close com
bination of their interests. During
these years the Mercier regime and
the Riel question came to tho surface.
Northwest Rebellion
In 1885 the Northwest rebellion had
occurred and had been suppressed, it's
leader, Louis Rel, being executed.
Half French by birth and entirely so
F - N''"tetNtOi, iNIcl luu appeared TO the
feelings Of the French settlers in
Western Canada and to the French
Canadians Of Quebec. There had been
agitation to avert the execution of
Rlel on the ground that Federal neg
llect of the Western French half
breeds was responsible for the re-
volt and that Riel had been Justified
IN leading a rebellion 1t was held
! that he was being made the scapcroat
of the Federal government and a sac
rifice to placatc the Ontario Orange
men, who were said to desire his
death because of his French cxtrac-
ton and Catholicism.
Upon the Riel issue Honorc Merc;or
supported by Laurier, won his frht
for the Premier of Quebec. Protcc-
ton of the French race and revenora
upon those who had executed "na-
trlotic representative" of its rights
and liberties formed the basis of thc
'Nationalism" which was Incorporated
INTO the Liberalism of the time Mo-
clcr's administration fell in December
1871. when 1T was charged that cor
ruption had been permitted to 20 un-
checked. When Mercicr, after his dis
missal, fought vninly for return to
power Mr.. Laurier indorsed his an
peal, asking the voters to "vindicote
their constitutional privileges" bv rc-
| pudlatlnG the GOvpruor'c i;,c,;.,sl r