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The Manitoba school question was an echo of the racial and religious strife which followed the execution of Riel and in which the Jesuits' Estates controversy was an episode。 In the early days of the province； when it was still uncertain which religion would be dominant among the settlers； a system of state…aided denominational schools had been established。 In 1890 the Manitoba Government swept this system away and replaced it by a single system of non…sectarian and state…supported schools which were practically the same as the old Protestant schools。 Any Roman Catholic who did not wish to send his children to such a school was thus compelled to pay for the maintenance of a parochial school as well as to pay taxes for the public schools。 A provision of the Confederation Act； inserted at the wish of the Protestant minority in Quebec； safeguarded the educational privileges of religious minorities。 A somewhat similar clause had been inserted in the Manitoba Act of 1870。 To this protection the Manitoba minority now appealed。 The courts held that the province had the right to pass the law but also that the Dominion Government had the constitutional right to pass remedial legislation restoring in some measure the privileges taken away。 The issue was thus forced into federal politics。
A curious situation then developed。 The leader of the Government； Sir Mackenzie Bowell； was a prominent Orangeman。 The leader of the Opposition； Wilfrid Laurier； was a Roman Catholic。 The Government； after a vain attempt to induce the province to amend its measure； decided to pass a remedial act compelling it to restore to the Roman Catholics their rights。 The policy of the Opposition leader was awaited with keen expectancy。 Strong pressure was brought upon Laurier by the Roman Catholic hierarchy of Quebec。 Most men expected a temporizing compromise。 Yet the leader of the Opposition came out strongly and flatly against the Government's measure。 He agreed that a wrong had been done but insisted that compulsion could not right it and promised that； if in power； he would follow the path of conciliation。 At once all the wrath of the hierarchy was unloosed upon him； and all its influence was thrown to the support of the Government。 Yet when the Liberals blocked the Remedial Bill by obstructing debate until the term of Parliament expired； and forced an election on this issue in the summer of 1896； Quebec gave a big majority to Laurier； while Manitoba stood behind the party which had tried to coerce it。 The country over； the Liberals had gained a decisive majority。 The day of new leaders and anew policy had dawned at last。
CHAPTER V。 THE YEARS OF FULFILMENT
Wilfrid Laurier was summoned to form his first Cabinet in July； 1896。 For eighteen years previous to that time the Liberals had sat in what one of their number used to call 〃the cold shades of Opposition。〃 For half of that term Laurier had been leader of the party； confined to the negative task of watching and criticizing the administration of his great predecessor and of the four premiers who followed in almost as many years。 Now he was called to constructive tasks。 Fortune favored him by bringing him to power at the very turn of the tide； but he justified fortune's favor by so steering the ship of state as to take full advantage of wind and current。 Through four Parliaments； through fifteen years of office； through the time of fruition of so many long…deferred hopes； he was to guide the destinies of the nation。
Laurier began his work by calling to his Cabinet not merely the party leaders in the federal arena but four of the outstanding provincial LiberalsOliver Mowat； Premier of Ontario； William S。 Fielding； Premier of Nova Scotia； Andrew G。 Blair； Premier of New Brunswick； and； a few months later； Clifford Sifton of Manitoba。 The Ministry was the strongest in individual capacity that the Dominion had yet possessed。 The prestige of the provincial leaders； all men of long experience and tested shrewdness； strengthened the Administration in quarters where it otherwise would have been weak； for there had been many who doubted whether the untried Liberal party could provide capable administrators。 There had also been many who doubted the expediency of making Prime Minister a French…Canadian Catholic。 Such doubters were reassured by the presence of Mowat and Fielding； until the Prime Minister himself had proved the wisdom of the choice。 There were others who admitted Laurier's personal charm and grace but doubted whether he had the political strength to control a party of conflicting elements and to govern a country where different race and diverging religious and sectional interests set men at odds。 Here again time proved such fears to be groundless。 Long before Laurier's long term of office had ended； any distrust was transformed into the charge of his opponents that he played the dictator。 His courtly manners were found not to hide weakness but to cover strength。
The first task of the new Government was to settle the Manitoba school question。 Negotiations which were at once begun with the provincial Government were doubtless made easier by the fact that the same party was in power at Ottawa and at Winnipeg； but it was not this fact alone which brought agreement。 The Laurier Government； unlike its predecessor； did not insist on the restoration of separate schools。 It accepted a compromise which retained the single system of public schools； but which provided religious teaching in the last half hour of school and； where numbers warranted； a teacher of the same faith as the pupils。 The compromise was violently denounced by the Roman Catholic hierarchy but； except in two cities； where parochial schools were set up； it was accepted by the laity。
With this thorny question out of the way； the Government turned to what it recognized as its greatest task； the promotion of the country's material prosperity。 For years industry had been at a standstill。 Exports and imports had ceased to expand； railway building had halted； emigrants outnumbered immigrants。 The West； the center of so many hopes； the object of so many sacrifices； had not proved the El Dorado so eagerly sought by fortune hunters and home builders。 There were little over two hundred thousand white men west of the Great Lakes。 Homesteads had been offered freely； but in 1896 only eighteen hundred were taken up； and less than a third of these by Canadians from the East。 The stock of the Canadian Pacific was selling at fifty。 All but a few had begun to lose faith in the promise of the West。
Then suddenly a change came。 The failure of the West to lure pioneers was not due to poverty of soil or lack of natural riches： its resources were greater than the most reckless orator had dreamed。 It was merely that its time had not come and that the men in charge of the country's affairs had not thrown enough energy into the task of speeding the coming of that time。 Now fortune worked with Canada； not against it。 The long and steady fall of prices； and particularly of the prices of farm products； ended； and a rapid rise began to make farming pay once more。 The good free lands of the United States had nearly all been taken up。 Canada's West was now the last great reserve of free and fertile land。 Improvements in farming methods made it possible to cope with the peculiar problems of prairie husbandry。 British capital； moreover； no longer found so ready an outlet in the United States； which was now financing its own development； and it had suffered severe losses in Argentine smashes and Australian droughts。 Capital； therefore； was free to turn to Canada。
But it was not enough merely to have the resources； it was essential to display them and to disclose their value。 Canada needed millions of men of the right stock； and fortunately there were millions who needed Canada。 The work of the Government was to put the facts before these potential settlers。 The new Minister of the Interior； Clifford Sifton； himself a western man； at once began an immigration campaign which has never been equaled in any country for vigor and practical efficiency。 Canada had hitherto received few settlers direct from the Continent。 Western Europe was now prosperous； and emigrants were few。 But eastern Europe was in a ferment； and thousands were ready to swarm to new homes overseas。
The activities of a subsidized immigration agency； the North Atlantic Trading Company； brought great numbers of these peoples。 Foremost in numbers were the Ruthenians from Galicia。 Most distinctive were the Doukhobors or Spirit Wrestlers of Southern Russia； about ten thousand of whom were brought to Canada at the instance of Tolstoy and some English Quakers to escape persecution for their refusal to undertake military service。 The religious fanaticism of the Doukhobors； particularly when it took the form of midwinter pilgrimages in nature's garb； and the clannishness of the Ruthenians； who settled in solid blocks； gave rise to many problems of government and assimilation which taught Canadians the unwisdom of inviting immigration from eastern or southern Europe。 Ruthenians and Poles； however； continued to come down to the eve of the Great War； and nearly all settled on western lands。 Jewish Poland sent i