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Bm?W»,«)iaWB50a«* '■■■'«*ir,': '•««' 
 
 »iiiii..l./.„-* : 
 

 LETTERS 
 
 ON THE 
 
 ANOMALOUS POSITION 
 
 OF 
 
 ]Vl^NI"^'OBA. 
 
 AS A 
 
 PROVINCE OF THE DOMINION. 
 
 lasi 
 
 /?^/ 
 
 ? 
 
m^mmmmm,*..^.^..^....^ 
 
I^^t^i^t^i 
 
 I 
 
 INTRODtTCTION. 
 
 Ill Hul)iiiitting to t\\v iKMtjde of Manitoba and of the other 
 Provinc«?.s of Canada th«' statements contained in the scries of 
 'Letters on the Anomalous Position of ^^anitoha as a Province 
 of the Dominion,' the author lias no other ami)ition than that 
 of servinp; Ids country and of enar>ling the public men of Ca- 
 nada, hy a careful perusal of the facts cited therein, to anive 
 at a Just and favorable solution (»f a ditficulty which can oidy 
 lead to o|-ave and serious complications if left louL'er in aliev- 
 ance. Appreciating- the many calls upon the time of public 
 men the author has at e(tnsiderabl(' s»'lf-saciitice collected the 
 facts as they a])]iear. and presents them to the piddic in as con- 
 densed a form as }>o.ssi)»l(', in the ho])e that they mav be m.vr- 
 fully perused and hn insti-inuental in drawing- that att«]ition 
 to Manitolia's situation which justice demands. The autlioi- 
 wouhl also draw attenlion to the unanimity with u'lich 
 the Press of the Province (Midorses the claim : That the rime 
 has now arrived when the balance of the pultllc lands within 
 the Province should be handed over to the Local ( lovemmeiit." 
 Should these letters lead to a careful (H»nsideration of oui- finan- 
 cial sta,tus and awaken an interest in oui condition a.s a com- 
 mnnity, and ultimately i-esult in dealin<( out evt^nhanded jus- 
 tice to us, none will be better pleased than 
 
 Your hund>le servant, 
 
 MANITnHA. 
 
 ,. 
 
LETTERS 
 
 ON THE 
 
 ANOMALOUS POSITION 
 
 or 
 
 MANITOBA AS A PROVINCE OF THE DOMINION, 
 
 I.KTTER 1. 
 
 The queBtion of providing for the 
 self government not only of Manitoba 
 but also of the Provinces still to be 
 created in the North West, is one which, 
 unfortunately for the future prosperity 
 of this country, does not appeaf to suf- 
 ficiently engage the attention of our 
 public men throughout the Docnioion. 
 The true position of affairs in ibis 
 respect is either not thoroughly under- 
 stood or else there must be an unwise 
 determination to put off the evil day ol 
 reckoning. That something will have 
 to b(5 dono ere long to place Manitoba 
 on a more independent footing than she is 
 at present must be apparent to every in- 
 telligent man who has ever given the 
 matter a thought. To delay the con- 
 sideration of this important question is 
 only to give an opportunity for fresh 
 ditid^culties to arise in the way of a satis- 
 factory solution. One of three courses 
 will have to be adopted, viz : either the 
 Province must obtain the means of 
 revenue from the resources within its 
 limits, such as Crown lands, timber limits, 
 minerals, &o., or the Dominion, out of 
 the public treasury, must supply the nec- 
 cessary funds to carry on the machinery 
 of local Government and improvements, 
 or lacking tliose two sources of reveinio, 
 
 the people of the Province will be 
 obliged to submit to direct taxation. 
 
 AheaWytnH formation and bustaining 
 of niunicipalitieH throughout the country 
 and a lar»:e proportion of the cost of 
 HU}»portin;i tho oonuuon Mihoolh ar«' stif- 
 ticient bnrdenri foi- the penpln to hear, 
 especially when if in considered that tli«^ 
 oxpcnrtes aiul diffii'U tien of a jtioiif'^r 
 life are in theui-<elv»-M trying enough 
 without the addition of fiirlhei t.ixat on. 
 
 Were we not in a prOi;re!-^ive ita'e of 
 existence, were our rtqj r menth not in- 
 creasing rapi«Uy day by <lay, or were our 
 institutions fully eHtablihhed and in 
 thorough working onler, the question of 
 revenue might not be consi(lered of so 
 much importance, for it would be said 
 with some degree of reason that as w-e 
 were able to manage in the past so we 
 could manage in the future. It must 
 not be lost sight of however that in 
 developing our present institutions we 
 have been obliged to draw heavily from 
 our capital account, until now it is re- 
 duced to a mere shadow of its former 
 oelf. For instance on a population of 
 17,0()0 souls at ^32.438 the original 
 amount at our credit was $)5I,447.(K), 
 on which we drew interest annually (S> 
 5 per cent. From this wc withdrew in 
 
6 
 
 1S72 {? 55,421.92 
 
 is:;; :;V""--*3 
 
 is;} 4o,oi(MH) 
 
 |,S75- The I'l'ovince be 
 ing char^eci with the ex- 
 penses of" the I lordon and 
 Lephio tiiulsjind back in- 
 terest 2.'!,lSi).7») 
 
 bSSO 1(X),00().(X) 
 
 $258,38«).ll 
 And ;i fiuthfM- sum of #50,0(H) having 
 be(Mi authorized for ISSI will reduce the 
 balance at our credit with the Dominion 
 to $24'{,()(>0.S'.>, on which pittance we are 
 entitled to interest annually at 5 per 
 c«nt. This makes our present subsidy 
 as follows : 
 5por cent on $24.i,060.M)...* 12,153.04 
 
 SpeciHc rJrant 30,(X)0.00 
 
 80 cents on 70,<KV.), the ratio 
 of population having been 
 increased from 17,000 to 
 that number under arrange- 
 ment with Hon. Mr. Nor- 
 (juay in 70 5<),000.00 
 
 ' $08,153.04 
 
 We are reduced therefore to less than 
 $10<),0(.HI of a subsidy from the Dominion, 
 and as our local revenue will not pro 
 bably exceed 12 or $515,000 it becomes 
 a serious problem to solve how the 
 machinery of (iovernment is to be car- 
 ried on with such a sum as $115,000 at 
 our disposal. The expenditure lasftyear 
 (ISSO), was §isi,;;29.42 and this year it 
 will probably be as much or more, so that 
 the (luestion naturally arises, where does 
 the money come from ? Tlie answer is 
 a plain one, viz : From the capital 
 account of the Province, thus reducing 
 our annual income slowly but surely 
 year by year. 
 
 It is true that were our institutions to 
 remain the same as before the enlarge 
 ment of our boundaries we might go on 
 for a year or two longer, as we have done 
 in the past, gradually reducing our capi- 
 tal and meeting our annual expendi- 
 ture in that way, but the end would be 
 
 complete bankruptcy. If the expendi- 
 ture of the Province for one year was 
 $161,320.42,bofore>Manitoba was enlarged, 
 is it not reasonable to expect that with 
 the enlargement it will be at least double 
 
 IS Vic money 
 
 that amount and if so how 
 to be raised ? 
 
 To-day we are scraping and scrimping 
 and paring down, leaving many thmgis 
 that ought to be done undone, living a» 
 it were from hand to mouth and not 
 knowing where the means for the future 
 are to come from, unless some unforo 
 seen circumstance should happen to 
 keep us from starving outright. This 
 to-day is the position of one of the finest 
 Provinces in the Dominion : A people 
 in a land of plenty living in poverty. 
 
 Yet the assurance was given by Sir 
 
 Geo. E. Cartier before Manitoba was 
 
 taken into the (Confederation : " That 
 
 'this province should hold the samb 
 
 " STATUS AS THB FOUR PROVlNCEji NOW COM- 
 
 " PRISING THB Dominion. " If this assur- 
 ance meant anything it was a guarantee 
 that in all respects the Province of 
 Manitoba would be treated in like man- 
 ner as other provinces of the Dominion. 
 
 Are we thus treated ? Do we enjoy the 
 same privileges as the other parts of the 
 Confederation ? The simple answer to 
 this is that each of the provinces except 
 Manitoba, enjoys the control cf the re- 
 sources within its hmits for its own par- 
 ticular benefit : each province except 
 Manitoba owns and administers its own 
 Crown lands, its timber, its minerals,<j^c., 
 but we, living m the richest jiortion of 
 Canada, control just sufficient land on 
 which to erect our public buildings, and 
 not one acre have we for sale for pur 
 poses of revenue, and not one stick or 
 rock have we to dispose of for the same 
 purpose. 
 
 It is a noticable fact that while the 
 other provinces were admitted into Con- 
 federation Manitoba wah created a pro- 
 vince of the Dominion. Her limits were 
 defined for her, her lands were retained 
 for general purposes, and while she was 
 saddled with an expensive form of local 
 
 
^.'overniuelit slu; was not allowed an a.lf- 
 <|uatc anioun'. i'or the cairvm^' on ol tli<- 
 same. Sho has hecMi .in<l slill is Iroatrd 
 un ail infant (half carod lor himI iiHglci'i- 
 ol at that;. Would it tlinn suij>nso ..1,1 
 mother I'ominioii il thi.> slaived child 
 shouM gome day walk fioni unucrlier nsa 
 ternal cuii* an<l like many another (•a>e 
 work out its own (h-stniy. 'lln- lan.L'iiaL'o 
 may ho deemed too stiou); but ht the 
 j)r*?sent state ofaflaiis routine a yrarov 
 two lonjier, lot the shoe ])inch a little 
 harder and the people who are now just 
 beginning to feel the pressure of povci-ty 
 and the want of many instituti.ons enjoy- 
 ed by their more Ibrtunate hietliern in 
 the older provinces, will not only make 
 their voices hoani, but\vill l>ack their de 
 niands by sueh unmistakable proofs of 
 their determination to obtain their just 
 rights that the Dominion will be forced 
 to give them what they a^k when per- 
 haps it will not be so easy a matter as 
 it is to-day to eftect a satisfactory settle- 
 ment of the (juestion. 
 
 To-day every question of importanc»i 
 relating to the lands of the North West 
 is settled, 'i'he railway grants are de- 
 fined, the half-breed lands have been al 
 lotted, the bounty warrants settle. 1 and 
 Indian reserves li)oated and still there is 
 a large balance of the finest land in the 
 world that could be handed over to the 
 Piovincial authorities for purf)nses oi lo- 
 cal revenue. It is hard to see why tli ^ 
 Dominion should retain these lands or 
 why they should be administered loi- the 
 general welfare. It will be shown later 
 on that the Dominion has been more than 
 recouped al.ieady for any expcMiditme ior 
 the acquiring and surveyingof theni.and 
 that in the future the North West v ill 
 be required to pay a very large propor- 
 tion of the debt of Canada for pul)lic 
 works already complete<l in the <ilder 
 provinces. It will at the same time be 
 shown that Canada can advance no rea- 
 son for the retention of the North- West 
 lands on the plea that they ought to be 
 held for pnrf>osPs of Federal revenue. 
 Without desiriui' t<) ca.-^L any undue 
 
 ndiccticn on the a<lniinistjaiien of lands 
 by J 'finiinion authoi-iti*'!', still it nujst be 
 adniiltt'd liem pa.-t cAperience thxt they 
 aic not the best land agents in the world, 
 it is rnoie than probable that tbey un- 
 der\alne the inipoitancc of these lan<is 
 not being (h^jiendent on them for the 
 su])] ortol their governn^.ent.fe I Ley n ay 
 rci-aid thesuj'j)ly so gicat that a t«n<l- 
 ency to waste may creep into tlieirman- 
 jigtMuent in sjiite of vheuiselves. They 
 may have so many political li lends de- 
 sirous of acquiring large landed estates 
 ni the North West that it Jmay be a 
 troublesome matter to administer the 
 lands altogethei- in tho interests of the 
 country. Already the Dominion (iovern- 
 ment have adniitte<l that it was im- 
 possible for them, owing to political in 
 trigue to manage the build iny ol the 
 Canadian Pacific Railway to the bfst ad 
 vantage. May not the same rule apply 
 in their case to the adminisiration ot the 
 lands of the North West ? 
 
 The peoi»le of Manitoba do not grudge 
 the lands granted to the C. P. H. : on tlie 
 contrary the wise policy ador ted by the 
 < ompany in their desire; to promote set 
 tlement and development has made 
 them very popular witli the people. Re- 
 sides we «lo not di.Npuie the gi<'Al value 
 the railway will bo to the country, but al 
 the same time it will be shown that Man- 
 itoba wlnle liable for her share of the 
 public works in the older jjrovineesis in 
 reality paying more than her proportion 
 in land and money tov aids the construc- 
 tion of the Canadian Pacific Railway, 
 which is to all intents and puri»oses a 
 ntitional undertaking. 
 
 While lliitish Columbia is paid an an- 
 nual sum of ^l(M»,(it)'j by the Donnnion 
 for the right of way of the C.P.Ii. and 
 while she will l»e paid for the lands uned 
 for railway puiposes, Manitoba is obliged 
 to give her millions of acres Jind her 
 money a.s well towards defraying the 
 cost of the road and receives in return 
 only the benefits of easy communication 
 and increased settlement which the rail- 
 way wilt necessarily ^nng, without any 
 
8 
 
 liiMgiblo reuonipenco in the way of dol- 
 lars and cents to the revenue of the Pro- 
 vince. 
 
 As matters now stand, it ia doubtful 
 whether increased Hettlenient is any ad- 
 vantage to the Province from a Provin- 
 cial standpoint. Each new settlor only 
 increases the burden of the whole with- 
 out adding anything to the Provincial 
 Exchequer. To be plainer — increaHcd 
 settlement retjuires incressed expendi- 
 ture by the Provincial <iovernment, a 
 proportionof which is sure to fall on the 
 older portions of the Province, (whould 
 taxation have to be resorted to) until 
 rtuch time as the population of the new 
 districts is large enough to pay the full 
 quota towards the general fund. 
 
 It IS clearly, therefore, to the interest 
 of the Provincial Government, as m.it- 
 ters now stand, to discourage immigra- 
 tion because each new settler is only in- 
 creasing their burden without adding 
 anything towards their relief. It is dif- 
 ferent with the Dominion Government, 
 for each settler is a consumer and as such 
 is adding to the general revenue from 
 customs and excise besides the purchase 
 money tor his land. 
 
 It is not altogether in the interests of 
 Manitoba and the Xorth->Vest that this 
 article is written ; it is in the interest of 
 the Dominion as well, in the lirst place 
 the people of this country will not stand 
 being subjected to taxation when it is so 
 plain that they are benig deprived of 
 their just rights, when they are refuso'J 
 the same privdeges as the other provin- 
 ces ; and it is to avoid trouble in the 
 future that we appeal now to the Do- 
 minion to take this question up at once 
 ore it is too late and settle it to the satis- 
 faction of this Province. Supposing that 
 the Dominion should assume the respon- 
 sibility of furnishing in the future the ne- 
 cessary means for carrying on our local 
 government ani supporting our local in- 
 stitutions, are our public men in a posi- 
 tion to fully estimate the responsibility 
 they would thus take upon themselves? 
 (.'an they tell what our expenditure 
 
 will necessarily be in a few years, and 
 will the people of the Dominion, as a 
 whole, agree to furnish annually from 
 the general purse a sum sufficient to pay 
 our expenses ? Will the people of Alan- 
 itoba and the North- West be content to 
 receive »r^h a contribution, when by 
 right they ought to be in a more indepen- 
 dent position ? Will it not be a cause cf 
 continual disagreement between the Do- 
 a:inion and the North- Western Provin- 
 ces to settle satisfactorily this subsidy 
 question ? Would it not be better, once 
 tor all, to say to Manitoba, hero are 
 your lands, go on and administer them to 
 the best advantage, hfucefoith you are 
 free and we will be responsible only for 
 such regular subsidy as is allowed to the 
 other provinces. 
 
 Itmustl-e remembered that this Pro- 
 vince is settling up fast an«l that with 
 the vigorous |>oIicy aiiopted by the C P. 
 U. for the development of the country 
 and from the great attention being paid 
 to the < 'anadian Xorth-\\'est, as a tie'd 
 for immigration, in Great Britain anu 
 Europe, there is every reason to expect 
 that the population will increase very 
 rapidly and the requirements of the 
 country in pi-oportion. 
 
 A limit is placed to the numbers on 
 which 80 cents per head of a subsidy is 
 to be paid by the Dominion and this 
 limit is -iOO,(J(X). The utmost subsidy 
 therefore we can expect to receive un 
 der this head is $320,(K)() per annum. Con 
 sequently, unless some arrangement can 
 be entered into concerning our capital 
 debt to increase the same, our revenue 
 from the Dominion can never exceed 
 somewhere about $400,000 per annum at 
 the outside; and this calculation is based 
 on our specific grant being increased 
 from $30,000 to $(U),000as an utmost 
 limit. 
 
 In order to deal with this matter 
 thorougly we must look into the probable 
 future of the country and discuss the 
 (juestion in a broad and libeial manner. 
 It is not sufficient to show the require- 
 ments of to-day or even a year hence: the 
 
uud 
 
 (|Uestion of providing tor tho liiture gov- 
 ernment of the country ought to fce iloalL 
 with now with a viowof settling it for all 
 time to come. To do this we must 
 suppose that Manitoba, which iu about as 
 large as < )ntario in extent of country, v.-iH 
 ere many years have a population eqnfiLin 
 point of numbers, to that province. Tlif 
 expenses of government would th«^n be 
 about the same in each. Now, taking 
 the estimates of Ontario for 1S81 we find 
 the expenditure of that province to be 
 as follows: 
 
 Civil fiovernment $ l7s,iiL'V.0(» 
 
 Legislation Ios.'mmmk) 
 
 Administration ot lustice ii>'V)()O.0<' 
 
 Education "tOo Ui.'5.^.'^ 
 
 Public institutioub main 
 
 tenancft "»;i4,4lL'. 
 
 immigration 4l,L*<KJ(>.i 
 
 Agriculture, arts, literary and 
 
 scientific institut-^ns 10 ,.X».00 
 
 ' lospitals and charities 78, 1 4 1 M^ 
 
 Jliscellaneous .>0,26''.7.. 
 
 Public buildings l4^M^^'^ 
 
 Public works ll,5()0.00 
 
 Charges on crown lands 75,(KX).(() 
 
 I'nforseen and unprovided .')ti,0OO.O<» 
 
 * 2,034,823.24 
 'i'o meet this expenditure (Ontario t;i<- 
 joys a subsidy from tho Dominion of .^1 . 
 1%,872.>'0 and from her crown lands.tiui- 
 ber sales, law stamps, and revenue from 
 public institutions, municipalities funu 
 and common school lands she has some- 
 where about $*iKX>,000, making in all 
 nearly $2,1 00,(J00. In addition to this, 
 however, Ontario has husbanded her re 
 turns from land and timber sales, etc.. 
 uniiil sJn'. has^now a large surplus of several 
 millions, on which she draws interest, 
 thus swelling her annual revenue to a 
 considerable amount. 
 
 Now the question arises, is Manitoba 
 likely in the near future to have a popu 
 lation equal to that enjoyed by Ontario 
 today, ^nd if so, where is the means of 
 revenue to come from to meet the ex- 
 penses of self government ? .Suppose 
 Manitoba to have a million inhabitants, 
 
 !l 
 
 is it not reasonable to expect that the 
 requisite expenditure of the Provincial 
 Government would amount to a couple 
 of million dollars annually? Where 
 then is that money to come from, if the 
 present arrangements are not altered? 
 No intelligent man will deny the cer- 
 tainty of our expenditure increasing 
 year by year as our population and 
 requirements become greater. Unless 
 then some means are adopted to piace 
 tho province on an independent foot'ng, 
 it is going to be a subject of continual 
 dispute and <ii.sagroemeiit to I'e-adjiist 
 th»' subsidy from time to time to meet 
 fho gro'ving wants of the country. As 
 certainly as the ^un rises each day will 
 Manitoba re(juire ere many years to 
 expend as much money annually, as 
 (Jntario does now, and ju i as certain is 
 it that "iiless some steps are taken at 
 thi" ..me to create a revenue ludepen 
 dent of Dominion aid, there will be a 
 vexe^i and expensive question to solve 
 in the future, namely : Provision for en- 
 abling the North-Western Provinces to 
 carry on their machinery of local govern- 
 ment. Is it likely that the people of 
 tho North-West will be content to re- 
 main deprived of institutions enjoyed by 
 Ontario, Quel>ec, and the other Pro- 
 vin;jes? No ! and neither is it probable 
 that these institutions can be developed 
 without the aid of money. 
 
 It will not redound to the credit of 
 our public men now at the helm if they 
 leave as a legacy to the people of Canada 
 the settlement of such an important 
 question in the future, when it can be 
 so easily arranged at this time v/ithout 
 any heavy expense or det*!unent to the 
 Dominion. 
 
 There is, however,another view to take 
 of the matter, and it is this ; — The fu- 
 ture welfare of Canada depends greatly 
 on the development and success of the 
 North-west. Now the contentment of 
 the people living here will pr ^e a great 
 inducement to others abroad to follow in 
 their footsteps ; but should there be an 
 outcry against tho unfair treatment of 
 
U) 
 
 the Dominion — should sounds of discon- 
 tent be heard from the peoi>le of ilie 
 North- West — should it be known that 
 in order to provide for our ordinary imb- 
 lie wants we are o*"ified to submit to 
 heavy local taxation, is it not probable 
 that the very fact of such a state of af- 
 fairs will prevent people fiom coiuirg 
 to this country to settle ? Instead of 
 obliging our Provincial authorities to 
 turn the cold shoulder on immigration 
 would it not be better to secure them as 
 powerful allies. With an agitation go- 
 
 in/r on in the country to procure the com 
 nion niH't'ssaries incident to good gov- 
 ernnx^nt, the Dominion woull iind it 
 hard work to peinuade people abroad 
 tliatthi.s iba prosperous and haj'py coun- 
 try to live in. Why not then,«'iiilo) the 
 remedy i.s within reacli, settle the matter 
 satisfactorily for all tin^e to come ere it 
 is too late — ere the lands of Manitoba aie 
 frittererl away for one i)urpose or anoth 
 er and nothing is leit to theDominion but 
 to put her hand in her pocket ibr the 
 support of her NorthWestern children. 
 
 LETTER IT. 
 
 It has often been contended, and is 
 believed still by many persons through- 
 out the Dominion, that the lands of the 
 Xorth-West were purchased by Canada 
 and that therefore Manitoba has no 
 right to administer them. This is a fal- 
 lacy altogether, as the Dominion ( iov- 
 ernment merely paid the $1 ,500,000 to 
 the Hudson's Bay Co., not as|value for 
 the lands, but as compensation for the 
 abandonment of any rights which they 
 may have had under their charter. 
 There are gi*ave doubts whether the 
 Hudsons Bay Company had really 
 any title to the lands, their charter 
 being more for trading purposes. But it 
 was held by the British authorities that 
 the H. B. C. had a claim to the country, 
 and in order to dispose of that stum- 
 bling-block to the acquisition of the 
 North- West, Canada agreed to purchase 
 their rights, whatever they might Ijo. 
 Had Canada not acquired the 
 privilege of extending confederation 
 Irom ocean to ocean the NorthWestern 
 Territory would have become a Crown 
 Colony for the simple reason that as it 
 was a part of the British possessions. 
 Great Britain would have resumed con- 
 trol over the country — a control which 
 had been only temporarily vested in a 
 trading company under a charter. As 
 the best legal opmion held that compen- 
 
 sation was due the Hudson's Bay Com- 
 pany, and as Canada desired to extend 
 her dominion, it was necessary to ar- 
 range this matter of compensation ere 
 England would allow her possession to 
 pass into other hands than her own. 
 Had a Crown ("olony been formed there 
 is no doubt the administration of the 
 lands would have been vested in the 
 Colonial <iovernment thus formed for 
 the support of such institutions as might 
 have been required by the eolonists. It 
 is folly then to suppose that $1,.J00,000 
 was ever meant as purchase money for 
 the lands ; it was expended for the jnu*- 
 pose of allowing Canada to extend her 
 jurisdiction outside of her then cncum- 
 scribed area. 
 
 Under the constitution of Confedera- 
 tion there is nothing to show in it that the 
 FederalGovernment would ever be expec- 
 ted to administer the lands, but there is 
 everything to indicate that the Pi-ovinces 
 forming Confederation ought to enjoy 
 the beneHts of their own resources lor 
 purposes of local improvement and as a 
 proof of this we find that in every case 
 except Manitoba, the crown lands tim- 
 ber, minerals, ttc, belong to the Pro 
 vince. In the case of Prince Edward Is- 
 land between 1700.000 and 8800.000 has 
 been advanced from theDominion Trea- 
 sury toenableher toaequire public lands, 
 
n 
 
 It! the corn 
 gOO(J ^ov- 
 il-'l liiid it 
 tie abro.'ul 
 a{'))y coun- 
 jWhilo the 
 tlie aiatter 
 :>nie ere it 
 cinitoba aie 
 o or anotli 
 minion but 
 et ibr the 
 \ children. 
 
 Bay Coni- 
 to extend 
 ary to ar- 
 iation ere 
 session to 
 her own. 
 med there 
 on of the 
 ed in the 
 ormed lor 
 s as might 
 onists. It 
 $1,. ^00,000 
 joney for 
 r the pur- 
 ctend her 
 ni cu'cum- 
 
 .'onfedera- 
 it that the 
 I'beexpeo- 
 ut there is 
 l*i'ovinces 
 
 to enjoy 
 )urce8 for 
 I and as a 
 very case 
 inds tim- 
 
 the Pio 
 Idward U- 
 1)0.000 has 
 lion Trea- 
 biie lands, 
 
 and British Columbia is being paid annu- 
 ally 1100,000 for the right of way to the 
 ( '. P. K. through her territory. The pay- 
 ment of $J,5(X),(XK) to the Uud^^ons 
 Bay (Company and the granting of one 
 twentieth of the lands were the first steps 
 towards Canada acquiring any jurisdic- 
 in the country. The next step was the 
 liquidation of the India i title. This was 
 accomplished by means of treaties with 
 the Indians, which stipulated the pay- 
 ment annually of certain sums of money 
 and provisions &c., to the several tribes 
 throughout the North- West. .To full v ac- 
 complish the extinguishment of the In- 
 dian title, however, it was deemed ne- 
 cessary to treat with the half-breed pop- 
 ulation and consequently it was agreed 
 to grant certain lands, (1,400,000 acres) 
 to these people, which was done as the 
 meaning of the Act explains, for the pur- 
 pose of fully extinguishing any title 
 which the children of the aborigines of 
 the country might possess. 
 
 In taking these two steps, however,the 
 Dominion was only paving the way for 
 an extension of her jurisdiction and al- 
 so of provincial government to the ter- 
 ritory thus to be acquired. It was like 
 a parent preparing the way for his or 
 her children but nothing m this goes to 
 show any just reason why the Dominion 
 should withold from the North-Westorn 
 provinces any rights, which under the 
 constitution of Confederation they have 
 reason to expect. There were other 
 expenses incurred in acquiring theNorth- 
 West which, however, will be dealt with 
 ere we close, when it will be shown that 
 there is no reason or precedent !br 
 making them chargeable to provin'-ial 
 account. 
 
 While advocating the claims of 
 Manitoba at this time, we are really 
 preparing the way for the full en- 
 joyment of their rights by the provinces 
 still to be created in this gr«^at land. 
 But while doing so, it must not be lo&t 
 sight of, that during the last ten or twelve 
 years there has been a sad inroad niide 
 into the lands of this Province, aiv! at 
 
 present instead of having something laid 
 a^ide for a rainy day, we find Manitoba 
 unpre{»are«l to meet the growing wants 
 of the country, and the property which 
 should be hers in all justice, dwindling 
 awav year by year, thus gradually reduc- 
 ing her chances of ever becoming finan- 
 cially strong. 
 
 On investigation we find that 3,749,07.5 
 acres have been disposed of in one way 
 or another by tlie Dominion. 1,31.5,840 
 acres of land within the present boundar- 
 ies of Manitoba have been allottee! to the 
 half-breed population. About 12,40(.),(JOO 
 lielong to the Hudson Bay Company, and 
 in the neighborhood of 2,G00,000 acres 
 have been set aside for school purposes, 
 the administration of which, however, is 
 withheld from the Provincial Govern- 
 ment, and in addition to this be- 
 tween two and three million acres 
 will be devoted to railway pur- 
 poses. With its enlarged area Manitoba 
 contain.s about 2,640 townships, or some- 
 thing over sixty million acres. P'rom 
 this say 25 millions must be deducted 
 for water and useless territory, leaving 
 a balance as follows : 
 Good land - • 3r),000,000 
 
 Disposed of, 
 Half-breed lands, 
 Hudson Bay Co.. 
 .School. 
 Railway, say 
 
 3,749,075 
 1,315,840 
 2,4(X),000 
 2,000,000 
 3,000,(KX) 
 
 1.3,064,91.5 
 Showing still to be administerd m round 
 number:', 22 million acres. It is esti- 
 tiated that there is at least 2(K) million 
 .'icres of good land in the North-West. If 
 then the Dominion paid only $1,5(KJ,(X)0 
 for this vast amount ot territory, it just 
 cost them ~\ mills per acre, /vnich it 
 must be admitted is not a very high 
 price tor land even where it is so plenti- 
 ful. 
 
 Now what would be the result of an 
 arrangement between the Dominion and 
 Provincial Governments by which the 
 latter would obtain contiol '^ver the 
 pulilic landH? It would make th(! Pm 
 
vincial Gov«rnmeut an active agent in 
 the settlement and development of the 
 country. It would assist to a great ex- 
 tent the Federal Government in their 
 task of peopling this great land, and it 
 would give the Province of Manitoba an 
 opportunity to place herself Hnancially 
 in a good position, without having to 
 constantly make begging pilgrimages to 
 the Dominion capital. Of course it is 
 impossible here to lay down all the de- 
 tails that would be necessary for the 
 handing over of the balance of the lands 
 to the Province, but sufficient has been 
 shown to demonstrate that it is not a 
 matter of impossibility, but rather that 
 there is everything to gain thereby, not 
 only from a Provincial but also from a 
 Dominion stand-point. 
 
 To return once more to the point 
 where this letter commenced, it has 
 been shown how the first step taken by 
 Canada to obtain a foothold in the coun- 
 try was to buy off the rights of the Hud- 
 son's Bay Company, the second was to 
 extinguish the Indian title by treaties 
 and grants to the half-breed population. 
 These two steps having been taken and 
 the right of governing the country hav- 
 ing been obtained, the Dominion was in 
 a position to extend the constitutional 
 privileges of Confederation to the peo- 
 ple living in the country and to those 
 who might thereafter make their homes 
 in it. It was deemed expedient to keep 
 a military force for some time in the 
 country and it was also thought advi» 
 able to organize a corps of Mounted 
 Police to secure law and order in the 
 new territory. But none of these ex- 
 penses are properly chargeable to Pro- 
 vincial account. As well might it be 
 said that in case of a Fenian or other 
 invasion taking place in Ontario thactho 
 cost of repelling it would be charged 
 against that Province. As well might it 
 be said that the cost of sustaining the 
 volunteer force of the country is charge- 
 able to each Province in proportion to 
 the number of men enrolled. If the 
 Dominion did and does e.xpend a good 
 
 round sum to t>ecnru law and order in 
 the North- West, is it not proving a good 
 investment ? 
 
 Is not the quiet possession of this coun- 
 try the means of increasing year by year 
 the revenue of the Dominion ? Is not 
 the rapid settlement of this great 
 country opening up an almost unlimited 
 market for the manufactures of Canada? 
 While our boundless prairies will be 
 yielding their millions of bushels of 
 grain which when exported will draw 
 the gold of foreign countries to Canada, 
 will not this gold be the medium of ob- 
 taining the raw material for Canadian 
 industries and will not the husbandmen 
 of the North-West be the consumers oi 
 Canadian products and the main sup- 
 porters of Canadian industries in the 
 East? It maKes one almost doubt the 
 ordinary intelligence of Canadians when 
 we hear men who ought to know better 
 grumble at the expense which Canada 
 has been at to obtain jurisdiction over 
 this fine country. Then another cause 
 of complaint against the North-West and 
 another reason given why the proceeds 
 fiom the lands of this country ought to 
 go into the federal treasury is,- the ex 
 pense of providing for the Indians. 
 Well,* this is one way of keeping law and 
 order and it might as well be said that 
 the expenditure for the support of the 
 Militia, $690,018.93, is properly charge- 
 able to the Eastern Provinces as to say 
 that the expense of k eping the Indi- 
 ans quiet is chargeable against the North- 
 West Territory. It is Ibolish in the ex- 
 treme for men to contend that because 
 the North-West, like all other portions 
 of the Dominion is a charge on the gen- 
 eral revenue of the country that there- 
 fore the lands belong to the Federal 
 Government to recoup that expenditure. 
 
 The fact is, that the principle of Con- 
 federation is to govern the country 
 through Provincial administration much 
 in the same way as .State government 
 prevails with our neighbors south of 
 the hmndary line and so it became neces- 
 sary to create a province in the newly ac 
 
 I 
 
 juirecl 
 . Frovit 
 f West. 
 I future 
 I counti 
 f tion V 
 I the m( 
 ?of th 
 
 for tun 
 
 ba it 
 ■] small 
 i been ( 
 I setgiv 
 I menti 
 
 The SI 
 I has be 
 I time, I 
 I with 
 i thus 
 I to pi 
 ■^part c 
 I the pi 
 ! Goveri 
 •^ inadeq 
 \ reason 
 jcountr 
 J year, is 
 rture, a 
 I Manit( 
 
 as 
 
 it 
 
 I placed 
 I tion? 
 I est int 
 I since t 
 I respon 
 ! to fore 
 I right a 
 I federa 
 own lo 
 
 No 
 arguec 
 canno 
 at pre 
 i even I 
 tures, 
 to dra 
 
la 
 
 iu«i order in 
 >vug a good 
 
 of this coun- 
 ear by year 
 n ? Is not 
 this great 
 it unlimited 
 B of Canada? 
 ies will be 
 bushels of 
 will dra<v 
 to Canada, 
 iium of ob- 
 )r Canadian 
 usbandmen 
 )nsumers ot 
 main sup- 
 ries in the 
 b doubt the 
 dians when 
 mow better 
 ich Canada 
 iction over 
 lOther cause 
 th-West and 
 le proceed8 
 try ought to 
 is,- the ex 
 le Indians. 
 )ing law and 
 e said that 
 port of the 
 3rly charge- 
 js as to say 
 g the Indi- 
 }t the North - 
 ih in the ex- 
 lat because 
 ler portions 
 on the gen- 
 that tht»ro- 
 the Federal 
 !xpenditure. 
 iple of Con- 
 he country 
 'ation much 
 government 
 s south of 
 !came neces- 
 lie newly ac 
 
 I quired territory as a sUirtiug point for 
 I Provincial Government in thR North- 
 " West. It will then be necessary in the 
 I future to create other provinces as the 
 I country becomes settled, and the ques - 
 I tion which presents itself is, how will 
 I the means to pay for the self government 
 ? of these provinces be raised ? I 'n- 
 fortunately in the case of Manito- 
 I ba it was at first limited to a very 
 I small area of c luntry which has since 
 I been enlarged, but it was at the out- 
 I set given a most expensive form of govern 
 I ment with very small means to carry it on. 
 i The subsidy of the province, it is true, 
 I has been slightly increased from time to 
 I time, but not auflSciently so to keep pace 
 fwith its requirements. The increase 
 \ thus granted, however, only goes 
 "> to prove an admission on the 
 I part of the federal authorities that 
 I the provision made by them for the 
 fiovernment of the Province was totally 
 inadequate, and now that there is every 
 * reason to expect that the wants of the 
 j country will increase rapidly year by 
 I year, is it going to be the case in the fu- 
 |ture, as it has been in the past, that 
 '.Manitoba will have to ask for aid 
 ios it is required or will she be 
 I placed above such a humiliating posi- 
 Ition? There never has been the slight- 
 f est indication on the part of the people, 
 1 since this Province has been vested with 
 t responsible government, that they meant 
 I to forego what is certainly their best 
 I right according to the principles of con- 
 I federation, the administration of their 
 I own local resources for their own benefit. 
 
 The idea, of some equivalent for the loss 
 of her lands has, it is true, been 
 discussed, but time and experience has 
 shown that no equivilent caft be arrived 
 at satisfactory to both the Federal and 
 Provincial authorities, which will meet 
 the inevitable future requirements of 
 the Province. There is only one course 
 for the Dominion, and that is to throw 
 the responsibility of providing for 
 the future on the shoulders of the Pro- 
 vince itself, and it is for the Province to 
 assume the responsibility if backed with 
 the only available means to do so, name- 
 ly, the balance of the resources left to 
 the country. 
 
 There is only one charge which the 
 Dominion can properly place against the 
 lands of this Province, and that is the 
 costof survey,which amounts to over $1,- 
 400,000. This sum, however, has been 
 more than recouped by the sale of lands 
 as will be shown by the following: Up 
 to the close of the year 1 880 there were 
 1 1 ,37 1 homestead 
 
 entries $ 113,716.00 
 
 J ,(K)7, 104 acres preemption 1,007,104.00 
 922,01 5 acres sold, and for 922,51 5.00 
 Forest tree culture, say 300,000.00 
 
 From which deduct cost 
 of survey 
 
 2,046,335.00 
 1,400,000.00 
 
 Leaving a balance of $ 646,335.00 
 
 in favor of Manitoba, so that this Pro 
 vince will have more than recouped the 
 Dominion for the outlay in sui-veying 
 these lands. 
 
 LETTEK Til. 
 
 No matter how the question may bo 
 argued vro and con, the facts of the case 
 cannot be denied, and these are, that 
 at present Manitoba has not suflicient 
 levenue to meet her ordinary expendi 
 tures, and consequently she is obliged 
 to draw on her capital account. More- 
 
 over each year our requirements are rap- 
 idly increasing and no provision under 
 present arrangements with the Domin- 
 ion is made for the inevitable increase 
 in the expenditure of the future. Does 
 any man doubt that ere many years 
 Manitoba will have a million inhabi- 
 
dam 
 
 14 
 
 tanth? When we soo the propaiatious 
 that are being made for a lai'ge immi- 
 gration next year ; when we note the at- 
 tention that is being paid abroad to the 
 North-West as a fieM ior intending set- 
 tlors, is it not plain *hat this oouniry is 
 going to till up rapidly, and taerefoie 
 would it not be wise to think tx^forohand 
 how this increasin^j; population is to be 
 provided for ? In the calculation made 
 for this Provinco there seems to have 
 been no adequate idea of the propor- 
 tions to whicli the po])ulation would bo 
 likely to grow. For instance, we are 
 limited to40(),00()a3 the number on which 
 we are to receive SO cents per head and 
 therefore when our population will be 
 equal to that of Ontario, she will be re- 
 ceiving $1,1 96,872.80, while we only get 
 $320,000. Is there any doubt in The 
 minds of mtelligent men that xNIanitoba's 
 population will equal that of < )ntarto ere 
 many years? When that is the case 
 what justice will there be in paying one 
 province nearly four times as much sub- 
 sidy as another equally as large and po- 
 pulous? 
 
 It may be woith while at this stage 
 to investigate how far Manitoba is a bur- 
 den on the Dominion, or whether she is 
 one at all, and it may be also advisable 
 to institute a comparison between her 
 and the other provinces of the Dominion 
 in this respect, even as she now stands, 
 because it has been stated that this Pro- 
 vince is a burdensome expenditure in- 
 stead of a benefit to Canada. Some of 
 our best statesmen have made this as- 
 sertion and now let us see how far they 
 were correct. To do this we will have 
 to make a synopsis of the expenditures 
 of the Dominion. In the first plase 
 there is expended according to the Pub- 
 lic Accounts !?7,270,0I4.()7 on what 
 may be termed purely federal accounts 
 such as Legislation cind civil (lovern- 
 ment Militia, Police, Immigration, In- 
 dians, etc. etc. Of this sum Ontario, 
 Quebec and the maritime provinces re- 
 ceive the principal benefit: or in 
 other words, that amount is collected 
 
 from the people and afterwards paid out :| 
 and circulated principally in the Eastern 
 province.'?, Manitoba getting a very ] 
 small share, indeed. 
 
 The next thing is the expenditure on 
 account public works as follows: 
 Haihvays in Eastern Canada including' 
 eastern portion of C.P.I?. $ 0,297,008. y.'i 
 
 C. P. H. in North- West 
 Canals in Eastern pro- 
 vinces 
 improvement of rivers 
 Telegraphs 
 I'liblic buildings 
 Harbors, piers, etc, etc 
 
 l,0(5?.,4G7.4:,j 
 
 2,.')05,570.'.t| 
 30,r)4:>.2'l 
 
 ;;7,.324.ni 
 
 754.149.0! 
 
 297,777.20 
 
 $1,52G,7.j8.;5', 
 1,422,118.81 
 r)90,43S.r)> 
 588,402.41 
 270,117.911 
 208,103.9^5 
 137,497.22 
 
 $11,655,074.4;; 
 (Jfwhich'.sumabout $16,000 wasexpendeil 
 on Manitoba, thus showing how little 
 outside of the C. P. P. is actually spent 
 in this Province for public works. Ini 
 addition to this the following sums an 
 spent on behalf of the several Provinces 
 For Penitentaries, (Observatories, Marine 
 Hospitals, Lighthouses, Fisheries, ttf., 
 and Subsidies : — 
 Ontario, 
 Quebec, 
 Nova Scotia, 
 Xew Brunswick, 
 British Columbia, 
 Pince Edward Island, 
 Manitoba, 
 
 Xow what do we deduce from these ? 
 figures? Over Twenty-three Million 
 Dollars are expended for difterent ser- 
 vices amongst the Provinces of the Do . 
 minion, of which Manitoba obtains a? 
 very slight share in the way of circu-^ 
 lation as most of the purchases even on, 
 Canadian Pacific account are made out 
 side our limits, and only $137,487.22 is; 
 spent by the Dominion on actual account^ 
 with this Provinco. Yet Manitoba in 
 hard cash paid last year into the Treas- 
 ury of Canada in 
 
 Customs, ■ • - $298,205.48 
 
 Excise, - . . 65,841.89! 
 
 $354,047.37 
 And in addition to this it must be re- 
 
 the 
 
 fnl 
 
1.-) 
 
 ids paid out 
 the Eastern 
 ig a very 
 
 enditure on 
 
 ws: 
 
 A including' 
 
 0,297,008.9:; 
 
 1 ,003,407.4: 
 
 2,.")05,570.V'I 
 
 30,54:).2'1 
 
 :;7,J24.01 
 
 754.149.01 
 
 297,777. 20i 
 
 [1,65,3,074.4;; 
 as expendeil 
 ; how little 
 itually speni 
 works. Ii. 
 ing sums ar<' 
 il Provinces. 
 »ries, Marines 
 lieries, k^.r 
 
 M ,520,758..;', 
 
 I,422,118.8( 
 
 59(),43S.5> 
 
 588,402.41^ 
 
 270,117.91 I 
 
 208,103.9^ 
 
 137,497.22 
 
 from these 
 
 roe Million 
 
 ift'erent ser- 
 
 s of the Do 
 
 a obtains a 
 
 ly of circu- 
 
 ises even on. 
 
 e made out 
 
 137,487.22 is 
 
 tual account 
 
 Manitoba in 
 
 ;o the Treas 
 
 $298,205.48^ 
 65,841.89; 
 
 $354,047.37" 
 must be re- 1 
 
 uiembered that wo oonsume n largo 
 .1 mount of goods on which duties are 
 paid at the ports in L'n*'>rio, Quebec, 
 and other Provinces, and tor u liich they 
 i:ot full credit, in their Customs returns 
 while we jjet none although we consume 
 the goods. 
 
 There were e.xactly *23,358,347.4;; col- 
 looted from the people of ( 'anada in the 
 way of Oustom>, l']xci>:(', Pontaire, and 
 other sources of revenue. There worn 
 over twenty-lhreo millinu dollars spont 
 nnd ci'ioulatod in < Mitario, (Quebec and 
 the Maritinii' Tiovinoes. What is the 
 inferenre from this? Why that the 
 boasted expenditure by Canada in the 
 Xorth-West i>^ after all no expenditure 
 .'it all out of the poci^cts of the r)oniinif)n, 
 (or we find that while they i^ay into the 
 Treasin-y 25 millions they get it back 
 again, and tlu; balance of the annual ex- 
 penditure by the Dominion of 5;; mil- 
 lions is made up from frosh loans. In oth- 
 her words the Dominion is borrowing each 
 year to pay \{p the old indeV>tedness, and 
 in the end tlio Xortli-West will be called 
 upon to pay its (|aotn ( a large one at 
 that ) to reduce the public debt of 
 < 'anada, und if it is ever to be reduced 
 it will be from ihf pockets of the mil- 
 lions who will yet inhabit this vast terri- 
 tory. Let us then not hear anything 
 more of the absurdity that <'anada is 
 paying out vast sums for this countr}'. 
 She is borrowing now that we may 
 pay in the future, and while we 
 are talking of borrowing it would be well 
 to ask the question, How comes it that 
 the credit of Canada has improved so 
 much of late in the money markets of 
 Curope ? 1^ it because money is plemi- 
 fnl ? Would that induce capitalists to 
 rtlace their gold where they had no cou- 
 tidence in the security of the investment? 
 No. The reason of ( 'anada'n improved 
 credit lies in the fact that she has the 
 Groat North-West as a back-bone, that 
 her future, through possessing so ricli 
 and extensive a territory, is an assured 
 one. Like the Ignited States before her 
 slie is bound to prosper, because witliin 
 
 her own limit.s ithc ha.<i an almost uiUim- 
 ited market to supply in the future with 
 her own industries, and therefore within 
 herself she possesses all the elements to 
 create wealth and prosperity, and no 
 outside influences can possibly affect her 
 manufacturing trade while there is 
 everything to show that when other 
 countries aaiv fail in the production of 
 grain, she, as the greatest of wheat-pro- 
 (Uicing countries, is destined to become 
 '' the (iranary of the World." 
 
 Yet with all these facts before us we 
 hear Canadians irrumbling that Manitoba 
 and the North- West is only a source of 
 expense to ( Canada, and our Canadian 
 statesmen grudgmg the people of this 
 country the wherewithal ( which is really 
 their birthright ) to enjoy the blessing 
 of a prosperous self government. 
 
 Manitoba Ijas paid into the Dominion 
 Treasury in the way of customs recipts 
 as follows : — 
 
 1S72 $ 47,839.90 
 
 iS7;; 48,074.46 
 
 1874 67,473.99 
 
 1875 171,420.80 
 1870 253,045.88 
 IS77 192,480.23 
 IS7S 223,530.18 
 I .S79 265,827.83 
 1«80 298,205.48 
 
 
 $1,570,899.78 
 
 and in Excise : 
 
 
 1874 
 
 $ 4,097.40 
 
 1*^75 
 
 8,363.36 
 
 1870 
 
 19.716.14 
 
 1S77 
 
 24.171.46 
 
 1878 
 
 39,225.97 
 
 1879 
 
 54,228.16 
 
 IS80 
 
 65,941.99 
 
 n> 16,244.34 
 In all $1,793,144.12. The figures show a 
 rapid increase in the revenue which the 
 Dominion is receiving year by year from 
 this province. In the same time Mani- 
 toba received from Canada in the way 
 of subsidy only $804,019.21, leaving a 
 balance in our favor of 1989,124.91, which 
 
in 
 
 has hern contributed to tho Dominion 
 Treasury over and above whai we have 
 received from that source. 
 
 To recapitulate then, the outlay which 
 Canada has expended on the North- 
 West, we find it to be as follows : Pur 
 chase of the rights of the Abo igines, 
 Military Force and Mounted Police to 
 preserve law and order. These three 
 items of expenditure were for the pur- 
 pose of securing to Canada a foothold in 
 the country. That being secured, the 
 next thing was to organize a form of 
 government and to survey the lands for 
 the purpose of settlement. The cost of 
 the latter work has been up to this time, 
 $1,469,246.37, but as an offset to this ex- 
 penditure, we find the following : If oni^> 
 steads,] ,8l9,456acres,representing in fees 
 fllo,6IG ; 1,007,104 acres pre-emption, 
 representing, say at $1 per acre, $1,007,- 
 104; sales in scrip and cash, 022,5 l.j 
 acres, representing with what is still due 
 $1,052,585.07 or a total of $2,173,405.07 
 against $1,479,240.37, beinc a balance of 
 $704,158.70 in favor of the Manitoba 
 Lands above cost of survey. We hold 
 that the only expenditure by the Do- 
 minion in this country which is properly 
 chargeable to the Province is the cost of 
 surveying the lands and this we have 
 shown by the above figures has been fully 
 recouped to the Federal (iovernment. 
 So far as this is concerned, therefore, the 
 way 18 clear for the transfer of the lands 
 to the Provincial authorities. 
 
 The next expenditure to be consider- 
 ed is the outlay on the Canadian Pacific 
 Railway, and as we Imve often heard 
 it stated that the burden of paying for 
 this undertaking will fall on the should- 
 
 ers of the people of Ontario, Quebec and 
 the maritime provinces,it may not be out 
 of place to consider whether this is like- 
 ly to be the case. Wo find from the 
 Statement of Receipts and Payments by 
 the Dominion, that exactly $23,357,347.- 
 43 was collected from the people in the 
 way of Customs,Excise and other sources 
 of revenue. We also note that for Ex- 
 penses of Government, ordinary expen- 
 diture and Public Works the sum oi' 
 $33,141,749.17 was expended. From this 
 deduct the outlav on account of the 
 the Canadian Pacific Kailway,$4,044.522.- 
 72,leavini.'$2'i,09r),226.45,a sura exceeding 
 still the receipts from ordinary revenue 
 by $5,730,879.02. \ow,allowing the lat- 
 ter sura to be an offset to the interest on 
 the public debt incurred on behalf of the 
 C. P. R. we find that not one cent is taken 
 out of the pockets of the people of Can- 
 ada to build the road, but that the 
 credit of the Dominion is used in bor 
 rowing money for that purpose We have 
 already shown how far the possession of 
 this great land enables Canada to enter 
 money markets with success, so it nar- 
 rows itself down to the fact that in re- 
 ality the credit of the North-West is 
 used by Canada to secure the means for 
 constructing the national undertaking, 
 and therefore this country is under no 
 obligations to the Dominion for the Rail- 
 way. Especially is this the case when it 
 is considered that in the future the peo- 
 ple of Manitoba and the North Western 
 provinces to be created, will be called 
 upon to pay both principal and interest 
 of the gi-eat public debt now being in- 
 curred bv Canada to build the road. 
 
 LETTER rv. 
 
 When the debate on the Canadian Pa- Dominion for her expenditure on the 
 
 cific Charter was taking place in the railway. This at the time served the 
 
 House of Commons it was customary to purpose of quieting a good deal of 
 
 hear speakers state that the lands of the opposition to the charter,or rather it was 
 
 North-West would i . tirat; recoup the throwing the people of! the scent. It 
 
17 
 
 Quebec and 
 not be out 
 
 this islike- 
 from the 
 kyments by 
 23,357.347.- 
 ople in the 
 her sources 
 hat for Ex- 
 ary expen- 
 le sum of 
 From this 
 unt of the 
 ,$4,044.52L'.- 
 1 exceeding . 
 iry revenue 
 'ing the lat- 
 interest on 
 ehalf of the 
 3nt is taken 
 )ple of Can- 
 t, that the 
 ■ed in bor 
 ,e We have 
 ossession ot 
 la to enter 
 !, so it nar- 
 that in re 
 th-West is 
 J means for 
 ndertaking, 
 under no 
 or the Rail- 
 ase when it 
 ire the peo- 
 th Western 
 be called 
 nd interest 
 being in 
 road. 
 
 ure on the 
 served the 
 xl deal of 
 ather it was 
 >! scent. It 
 
 wupk curious to note the variou.-j cakula 
 tiona that >K ere made concerning the 
 value of North- West lands, and the dif- 
 ferent amounts that would be realized 
 therefrom. 
 
 Now it in not to be thought for one 
 moment that our statesmen really be- 
 lieved anything of the sort. \V'e'givo 
 them credit for better sense and a deep- 
 er knowledge of public affairs, than to 
 think them capable of anv sucli absurdi- 
 ty. 
 
 The lands of the North- West, if ad- 
 ministered by the Dominion (Jovern- 
 ment, will never yield one cent of re- 
 venue to the treasury. We have only 
 to look at the case of the United States 
 to have a proof of this, tor it is well 
 known, and an acknowledged fact, that 
 the American Government have never 
 realized any nett revenue from the sale 
 of their public lands. The reason ot this 
 is the large grants given by the I'ederal 
 authorities for the maintanence of 
 state government. In like manner the 
 Dominion cannot avoid giving large 
 grants tor the maintenance of Provincial 
 (jiovernment. It hn^ been found, too, in 
 the United States that the country has 
 benefited more by giving free gi-ants to 
 the settlers than had the land been held 
 for high prices, because each immigrant 
 is worth so much annually to the State 
 in the way of revenue. 
 
 The people of Canada must expect to 
 see the public debt increased very large- 
 ly within the next few years in ordei- to 
 obtain the money to meet the engage- 
 ments caused by the building of the 
 Canadian Pacific Ilailway. But this in- 
 crease to our national indebtedness is 
 not going to be liquidated by the sale of 
 North- West lands. It is going to be met 
 from the largely increasd revenue to ho 
 derived from the millions of people who 
 will find homes in this gi-eat country. 
 The public debt of Canada now amounts 
 to over one hundred and fifty millions 
 and before we are through with the Ca- 
 nadian Pacific, it will likely reach two 
 hundred millions. This is the wav the 
 
 expense of constiuctiug the i'-anadiau 
 Pacific will be met— the money will be 
 borrowed and the increased interest will 
 bo paid by the people of the North- West, 
 while the Dominion must look to the 
 peopling of this vast country, and the 
 revenue to be derived therefrom, if it 
 ever expects to reduce the national in- 
 indebfcedness. It never seemed to enter 
 into the calculations of the men who, in 
 parliament, made such mndom sta*" 
 ments in regard to our lands, that there 
 would be provincial governments in the 
 North- West to support, and that if the 
 lands were to be used to build the rail- 
 way, tlie public purse would have to be 
 drawn on heavily for the piu-pose of sup- 
 porting those representative institutions 
 which the people would expect to en 
 oy. 
 
 It just amounts to this, if the Do- 
 minion will insist uix)n administering 
 the lands in this country, and deriving 
 any benelit fi-om their sale, then the fed- 
 eral treasury will have to accept the re- 
 sponsibility of providing means for our 
 self-government. If they choose, how- 
 ever, to enter into an arrangement by 
 which we will obtain means from the 
 sale of our lands to meet our expenses 
 they will be freed from such responsi- 
 bility, and it will then remain with us to 
 husband our resources to the best ad 
 vantage. That there is a way opened by 
 which the settlement of the country can 
 be encouraged, and at the same time 
 our wants supplied through the proper 
 administmtion of the lands, there cannot 
 be a doubt, and it is for our statet^men to 
 promulgate some good scheme for that 
 purpose. Une thing is certain, if we are 
 to resort to heavy local taxation to meet 
 our requirements, the Dominion may as 
 well cease at once to attempt to settle 
 the country, for [)eople will not come to 
 a new land wliere burdensome taxation 
 exists. 
 
 That something is due to Manitoba for 
 the heavy inroad already made upon her 
 lands there cannot, be a doubt in order 
 to place heron an C'lnal footing with the 
 
iMH 
 
 lit 
 
 IS 
 
 olliei' Provinces to bo cieatod in tlio 
 North- West. Does anyone doubt that 
 the Oanaclian Pacific Railway ia going to 
 be a great benefit to Eastern Canada in 
 connecting her industries with this great 
 market? If then Manitoba and the 
 North- West is to give 2.'» million acres ol" 
 land in addition to their regular share 
 towards the construction of an under- 
 taking which will be a national and there- 
 fore a general benefit, should not Canada 
 be prepared to give some eqiiivalent for 
 that extra contribution on our part ? 
 This can hanlly be denied and therefore 
 some new arrangement of our capital 
 account ought to take place on that 
 basis. It is a matter however to be de- 
 cided between the Federal and Provin- 
 cial Dovernments whether the arrange- 
 ment should be in the form of handing 
 over the residue of the lands to the Pro 
 vince with some equivalent for what has 
 been used alreai} by the Dominion, or 
 an equivalent out and out in the shape 
 of a percentage m lieu of the lands being 
 left under the charge of the Dominion. 
 Whatever agreement is come to ,however, 
 it must be with the view of providing for 
 the future as well as the present. ft 
 must not be forgotten that while at least 
 .> or $400,0(K) is required for the present 
 wants of the Province, only about $115,- 
 000 is available, and that in a few years 
 instead of $400,0<)() something over a 
 million dollars will be necessary. If our 
 present needs only are attended to, 
 it will in a short time be the old story 
 over again — " increased requirements 
 with renewed demands for help from the 
 Dominion" — and the sooner this state of 
 affairs is put an end to the better it 
 will be for the Dominion and also for the 
 Province. 
 
 fn the American Union the State Gov 
 ernments rely almost exclusively upon 
 direct taxation of real and personal pro- 
 perty, under annual assessments for 
 revenue, while the tariff is the chief 
 resource of the Federal Government. 
 Supposing that the North- Western Pro- 
 vinces were obliged to have recourse to 
 
 direct laxatiou in addition to their muni- 
 cipal and Hchool taxes in order to sup- 
 port the Provincial Government, how 
 unjust would be the comparison between 
 them and the other parts of the Domin 
 ion exempt as these^are fiom such a 
 heavy burden. Yet unless something in 
 done now to prevent it the people of the 
 North- West may as well make up their 
 minds to the inevitable. Such a state 
 of affairs however will not redound in the 
 future to the credit of the men who have 
 the responsibility now of shaping the 
 destines of our Dominion. We cannot 
 for one moment believe that they really 
 look forward to the reduction of the pub 
 lie debt ot Canada from the proceeds of 
 our North-Western land sales. Let them 
 therefore at this time take the matter 
 up and by a wise course of administrn 
 tion so arrange it that while a portion of 
 the lands shall be -set aside for the pur- 
 pose of free grants to settlers the residue 
 will be handed over or administered for 
 the benefit of Provincial Government. 
 Is it not better to do this than to bo 
 giving away large tracts to private com 
 panies ostensibly for the purpose of col 
 oni/ation but actually for speculation. 
 Lot the means at the disposal of the 
 Dominion be husbanded now to provide 
 for good Government m this country ere 
 those means are squandered. It is the 
 experience of the Federal Government 
 of the United States that from one 
 cause or another the Treasury derives 
 no nett revenue from the sale of the 
 public lands. It is the experience of the 
 Dominion that while 3,749,075 acres have 
 been disposed of in the North- West out- 
 side the grant to the C. P. R., the pub- 
 lie account of Canada only show as fol- 
 lows:— Receipts from Manitoba lands, 
 
 1873, 26,2.39.4.^ 
 
 1874, 28,980.80 
 
 1875, 27,641.15 
 
 1870, 8,545.0.=) 
 
 1877, 3,799,^0 
 
 1878, 19,424.a(i 
 
 1879, 33,828.09 
 
!!• 
 
 lieii- muin- 
 ler to sup- 
 iient, how 
 n between 
 he Domin 
 )m snch a 
 metliing \h 
 jple of the 
 io up then* 
 ich a state 
 und in the 
 1 who have 
 laping the 
 Ve cannot 
 they really 
 of the pub- 
 )roceeas of 
 
 Let them 
 
 the matter 
 
 idministrn 
 
 portion of 
 
 or the pur- 
 
 the residue 
 
 listered for 
 
 jvernment. 
 
 than to bo 
 
 rivate com 
 
 bose of col 
 
 peculation. 
 
 jsal of the 
 
 to provide 
 
 ountry ere 
 
 It is the 
 
 overnment 
 
 from one 
 iry derives 
 lalo of the 
 ence of the 
 
 acres have 
 I- West out- 
 ., the pub- 
 10 w as fol 
 ba lands, 
 26,239.4a 
 28,980.80 
 27,641.15 
 
 8,545.0^ 
 
 3,7M,^f. 
 
 19,424.aO 
 
 23,828.09 
 
 I 
 
 18S0, 
 
 l2M7,2ft3.1:; 
 
 Yet a report of the .Siuveyor-(ioner;il 
 in October, 188'J, shows as disposed of • 
 1,810,456 acres ITomesteadR. 
 I,(K)7,104 '' Pre-einr'tion. 
 
 022,614 '' Sales. 
 
 ;:.749,075 
 
 How comes it then th.itfor nearly four 
 million acres of land «lispo3ed of' tho 
 Dominion can only show less than ^^{00,- 
 000 in cash. Even allowmg for the Home- 
 9teads,scrip, ancl balance siill due, on 
 handsales ($35''.,761.23), tliere are stHl 
 a large number of acres to be accounted 
 for, plainly showing that great tracts of 
 country are held for speculation under 
 the guise of colonization. 1 low diflorent 
 would it be had these lands been admin 
 istered by the Province for provincial nc 
 count, where the people could have ko^jt 
 track of the land transactions. I.et us 
 see the very last statement, just to hand, 
 of the receipts of the Crown Lands De- 
 partment of(>ntario, where they have 
 only a limited area to dispose of as com- 
 pared to Manitoba. It is as follows : 
 Crown I^ands $ 38,867.00 
 
 Woods and Forests 101,442.17 
 
 Casual Fees 632.9{> 
 
 Inspection Fees 833.40 
 
 Settlers' Homestead Fund 104.20 
 
 Timber Limits Survey 
 Destitute Settlers 
 Surveyors' fee fund 
 
 !|i542,074.11 
 
 Now, if, in Ontario, they can realtze 
 
 more than half a million annually from 
 
 Crown lands while the Dominion cannot 
 
 show anything near that amount from a 
 
 147,XOii,!?S oouatry where the land is of the ri<:host 
 
 ch.ar.acter. where th*-' proppects for th<^ 
 
 settler are so goofl. then it clearly de- 
 monstrates that the sooner the I'ederal 
 authorities cet rid of the task of admin 
 istering the affairs of the land as they 
 did of tlie railway the better it will b<^ 
 for the country. 
 
 We cannot be far wrong in taking the 
 Inited States as an example in this 
 land question. The vast experience en- 
 joyed by them in settling the great west 
 is surely worth something, and therefor(» 
 let us see how tiiey losnage — 
 
 One fifth of the proceeds of the sales of 
 lands by the federal government of the 
 American Union in lieu of local taxation 
 on lands remaining unsold is paid into 
 the treasury of the State. In addition 
 to this the federal government is liberal 
 in making specific grants to the states, 
 as an instance of which we may «]UOte 
 the State of Minnesota, which be- 
 sides two sections in each town- 
 ship or one sixteenth of the vvhol<' 
 area for school purposes received grants 
 amounting in all to 14,724,501 .icres for 
 a<lminstration in the interest of the 
 State. Now were the Dominion even as 
 liberal as this to Manitoba we would nor 
 complain, but it must be remembered 
 that the States of the l^nion resort in a 
 large degree to direct taxation for rev- 
 enue in addition to what is received from 
 the lands and as we will show in the .suc- 
 ceeding letter, Manitoba is to a large ex- 
 tent prevented by the action of the Do 
 minion from deriving any great benefit 
 from direct taxation unless it is directed 
 against the real and personal property of 
 the settlers, a hardship which the pio- 
 neers of this country are not in a posi- 
 tion to quietly submit to. 
 
 ,M0.52 
 
 12.15 
 
 161.70 
 
 LKTTKIi v. 
 
 When, some time ago, the I'rovnicial owned by the Hudson'.^ Bay (.'onipany 
 riovemment endeavored to impose a tax were exempted under an arrangement 
 on wild lands it was foimd that tho'se made with the dominion. At least the 
 
20 
 
 Locui (JoveruiUtiDl wore uimblo locoUuct 
 any revenue from this and in conse- 
 quence the wild land tax of 
 the Province became a dead let- 
 ter. Under the contract between the 
 Dominion and the Canadian Pivcific Kail 
 way Company the property of the latter 
 in exempt from taxation. While wo do 
 not object to the railway property being 
 exempted in this manner, because being 
 aware of the great risk assumed by the 
 men who undertook the construction of 
 the road when they acceptefl that re 
 Hponsibility, wo quite agree with the pol- 
 icy of aiding and encouraging them in 
 every possible way. At the same time, 
 the inability to collect taxes on so much 
 property within the province will cause 
 (should local taxation be resorted to) a 
 much heavier load to fall on the shoul- 
 ders of the people than there would be, 
 were there no exemptions. For this 
 state of affairs the Dominion is respon- 
 sible, so that not content with depriving 
 this Province of any share in her public 
 lands, she also limits the power of the 
 local authorities to roiso revenue by tax- 
 ation. 
 
 In the United States it is not usual 
 for the federal government to interfere 
 with the state governments in this way 
 without, at least, giving some equivalent. 
 If the State chooses to exempt railways 
 from taxes they have a right to do so, but 
 as a general thing a large amount of 
 revenue is raised from milway corpora- 
 tions throughout the United States. The 
 State of Illinois is an instance of this, the 
 cost of government there being largely 
 met by the taxes collected on rail- 
 way property. 
 
 The very fact of so much land being 
 held by the railway, the Hudson's Bay 
 Company, and for school purposes, 
 therefore out of roach of the local au- 
 thorities for purposes of revenue, curtails 
 their power to a very considerable ex- 
 tant. Moreover when the people see so 
 muoh land exempt it is a difficult matter 
 to get them to willingly submit to aland 
 tax at all. 
 
 This htatc of allaus pUces the Provm- 
 cial Government in a still more unsatisfac- 
 tory position, and makes it more difficult 
 tor them to provide means for raising 
 revenue. It is also a serious drawback 
 to our municipal system, and when look- 
 ed at from one point does not appear 
 quilo fair. I'or instance, why should the 
 railway con*pany enjoy the privilege of 
 protection from the Provincial (iovern- 
 ment without contributing anything to 
 wards the support thereof. 
 
 If the Dominion Government saw fit 
 to grant the company exeaiption it is 
 certainly but right that the Province 
 should get some equivalent. And on 
 this basis a still further arrangement of 
 our capital account ought to take place. 
 We do not pretend to find fault with the 
 Dominion for having been obliged under 
 the circumstances to deed away the 
 rights of this Province as they certainly 
 did in the case of the C. P. R. We are 
 aware that it was necessary in order to 
 carry out the developement of the coun 
 try that certain concessions should be 
 given to the railway company, but at the 
 same time we consider that,'a8 the work 
 is more national than Provincial in 
 character, some compensation is due 
 this Province, especially when it is con- 
 sidered as we have already shown that 
 the people of Manitoba and the North- 
 west will be required to pay their full 
 share in other respects towards the cost 
 of constructing the road. 
 
 It would be different if <Janada was 
 really drawing from its revenue the 
 money necessary for building the rail- 
 way, but as she simply is borrowing it 
 with the expectation of its being repaid 
 at some future time by the North- West- 
 ern people, it reminds one of a mer- 
 chant with a splendid store and magni- 
 ficent stock of goods doing business in 
 his own name, getting all the glory 
 therefrom, while in realit}' his creditors 
 are the true owners of the store and 
 goods. It is so with Canada, she is get- 
 ting all the glory at present of develop- 
 ing this country but she is doing it on 
 
le Provin 
 msatisfac- 
 re difficult 
 3r raiBing 
 drawback 
 ;hen look- 
 )t appear 
 jhoula tlu- 
 ivilogc of 
 il Govern- 
 ything to 
 
 )nt saw fit 
 ption it is 
 
 Province 
 And on 
 genient of 
 ake place, 
 It with the 
 ged under 
 away the 
 |r certainly 
 We are 
 in order to 
 [ the coun- 
 should be 
 but at the 
 3 the work 
 vincial in 
 on is due 
 
 it is con- 
 ihown that 
 the North- 
 
 their full 
 [Is the cost 
 
 uiada was 
 
 /enuo the 
 
 g the rail- 
 
 orrowing it 
 
 ing repaid 
 
 orth-West- 
 
 of a mer- 
 
 md magni- 
 
 Dusiness in 
 
 the glory 
 
 s creditors 
 
 store and 
 
 she is get- 
 
 if develop- 
 
 Joing it on 
 
 
 borrowed capital and tlie people of the 
 Norlh-W-3.st will pay the piper in iljc 
 end. 
 
 Sir Alexander <ialt stated lately tliat 
 during his visit to Manitoba ho did not 
 meet a discontented man. What he 
 said is correct. The people of this Pro- 
 vince are happy, prosperous and con 
 tented now because they have not begun 
 to feel the pressure of taxation, owing to 
 the local Government liavmg met the 
 requirements of the country by with- 
 drawing the necessary funds from cap- 
 ital account, but should there be no 
 change in our financial arrangements 
 the shoe will pinch ere long. Uur capi- 
 tal consumed, our revenue re- 
 duced to less than ^'lOiVW, with our 
 expenditure* four times that auxount, the 
 dif!erencc must come out of the pockets 
 of the settlers in the country : then let 
 •Sir Alexander Gait visit the country 
 and he will with difHculty find a con- 
 tented man in it. 
 
 There is one more (question to which 
 we wish to allude ere we close this let- 
 ter, and that is the action of the Do 
 minion in retaining control of our school 
 lands. 
 
 In the United States the school 
 lands are administered by the state, 
 .Surely the people of Manitoba are not 
 altogether children that they should be 
 considered incapable of managing what 
 is really their own affair. The disposi- 
 tion of these lands and the man- 
 agement of the proceeds are cer- 
 tainly matters that cannot affect 
 the welfare of the Dominion in the 
 slightest. The lands are laid aside 
 for the purpose of educating the children 
 of Manitoba. The representatives then of 
 the people of this province ore the best 
 judges ii< to liow thc^e land> ought to bo 
 
 admini&tci'oil. It is an insult to the in- 
 telligence of the people of .Manitoba 
 that the control of these school lan<ls is 
 witheld from them. Suppose we should 
 say that wu wish them held for higher 
 prices or were w(,' lode-^ire them sold at 
 once, our wishes would go for naught if 
 the Dominion felt so inchnetl. We are 
 told in so many words that wo cannot 
 bo trusted with the control of 01 u' school 
 lands. The department at Ottawa is 
 supposed to know mor about our wants 
 than we do ourselves. It is (|uite pos- 
 sible the school lands will be administer- 
 ed to the very best at! vantage for our 
 benefit. Wo do not oven wish to cjvst 
 any doubt upon that. But suppose the 
 • iovernmnnt at ottawu shoukl by some 
 means squander or mismanage these 
 lands, who would Ito the sufferers ? Not 
 the people of f'anada but thos<* of Man 
 itoba. Surely we would protect our own 
 interests in administering this property. 
 At least if any mismanagement did take 
 ])lace, we would be the only sufferers. 
 Why not then give us control of what to 
 us IS a most important matter? We 
 do not say this from a feeling of mere 
 sentiment, but from a fear that political 
 intrigue may influence the administra- 
 tion of these lands so long as they are 
 held by the Federal government, where 
 as if placed in th<i hands of our local au- 
 thorities, the people are so deeply in- 
 terested in their careful administration 
 that the Provincial government dare not 
 squander them. Already the people are 
 heavily taxed for school purposes and now 
 that the requirements of education are 
 rapidly on the increase some steps ought 
 to be taken at once to lighten the bur- 
 don and increase the revenue for this 
 purpose. 
 
?i 
 
 LKTTKIJ III 
 
 The diilil ol" the I'lovincos of niitatio 
 and Quebec on ontering Confederation 
 was estimated at i^G'J, ■")( x.),00() but as in 
 reaUty it amounted to {?7;!,(M),()S.S.84 the 
 dillerence >*10,.'»Ut),O.SS.S4 was assumed 
 and by Vic. ;50, Caj). JO, proportionate 
 amounts were placed to the credit of the 
 other Provinces as an ollset. The Do- 
 iijinion irj paying interest to this day on 
 that debt, it being nearly half the sum 
 lor which Canada is at present liable. 
 And in addition to the relief thus atlorded 
 these two Provinces they are paid 
 each an annual subsidy as follows ; 
 Ontario, ai,19»>,872.80 
 
 (iuebec, 959,252.80 
 
 Besides this they are allowed the con- 
 trol of their own resources and have 
 therefore on that account been able to 
 establish a credit for themselves abroad 
 and procure many advantages at home 
 which so far have been aenied the 
 younger Provinces of the Dominion. 
 
 T'hen looking at the other Provinces 
 we find that the following amounts have 
 been paid them on Subsidy account since 
 they entered Confederation : 
 Xova Scotia, 1869 to 1880, 
 
 12 yearjj, 
 New Brunswick, 1809 to 
 
 1880—12 years, 
 British Columbia, 1873 to 
 
 1880—8 years 
 Prince Edw'd Island, 1 874 
 
 to 1880—7 years 
 Manitoba, 1871 to 188()_ 
 
 10 years, 804,019.21 
 
 Manitoba's subsidv in 1871 amounted 
 to ^67,204.40 : in 1875 it was reduced to 
 363,253.04 through withdrawal from capi- 
 tal account, and in that year it was 
 raised to §90,000 under an arrangement 
 with the Dominion Government. In 
 1879 a further increase took place 
 through the exertions of the Xorquay 
 administration, and the subsidy was 
 placed at 8105,G.")3.04, biitthe necessities 
 of tire rioviiico jo'/Tniod u ftuthor '^^^♦h 
 
 >!5,597,220.7I 
 4,983,048.64 
 1,724,873.70 
 1,385,134.20 
 
 drawal from capital account, and as wo 
 have already shown, it is again reduced 
 until at present it amounts to $598,153.04 
 
 Xow what inference is to be drawn 
 hom these fluctuations in our subsidy if 
 it is not,that in the first place, the annual 
 grant to the Province was fjuite inade- 
 quate to meet the growing requirements 
 of the Province. The very fact of the 
 Dominion having twice increased our 
 subsidy is an acknowledgment of this. 
 Our population was at tlie outset esti- 
 mated at 1 7,00( ►, whereas to-day it is over 
 7U,000. British T'olumbia's population 
 was estimated at <')0,000, whereas to-day it 
 does not number probably 15,0(X) whites. 
 The comparison does not refiect much 
 credit on the judgment of our public 
 men so far as their impartiality is con- 
 cerned. It is also noteworthy the small 
 amount drawn as subsidy by Manitoba 
 when compared with the other Provinces 
 of the Dominion. The subsidy when 
 placed in 1871 at ^67,204.50 was intend- 
 ed to remain at that figure for the next 
 ten years. No provision was made for 
 the, rapid settlement of the country and 
 its increasing requirements. 
 
 Now the danger exists that in a new 
 arrangement of our financial relations 
 with the Dominion the future ra- 
 pid growth of our population will 
 not be sufficiently considered, and that 
 in a year or two later wo will find our- 
 selves once more obliged to ask an in- 
 crease of our subsidy. Such a result 
 ought to be avoided, and the only way 
 this can bo done, so far as we can see, 
 is to have our subsidy readjusted every 
 three years on the basis of a triennial 
 census. For instance, suppose our pop- 
 ulation to-day is 70,000, it is not unhkely 
 that before three years it will be double 
 that number and in ten years it may 
 reach half a million or more. What 
 justice would there be, then, in paying a 
 subsidy based on 70,0(MJ to a population 
 uiimbpi'ing "(OO/KX). In the oWipr pro- 
 
 I 
 
:::{ 
 
 d an wo 
 reduced 
 8,153.04 
 e drawn 
 bsidy if 
 annual 
 :,e inade- 
 remonts 
 :t of the 
 sed our 
 of this, 
 tset esti- 
 it is over 
 tpulation 
 today it 
 
 whites, 
 ct much 
 ir public 
 ;y is con- 
 the small 
 {Manitoba 
 ?rovinces 
 iy when 
 6 intend- 
 the next 
 oiade for 
 intry and 
 
 in a new 
 relations 
 
 iture ra- 
 ion will 
 and that 
 find our- 
 
 jk an in- 
 a result 
 
 only way 
 can see, 
 
 ted every 
 
 1 triennial 
 » our pop- 
 t unlikely 
 )e double 
 ,rs it mav 
 e. What 
 I paying a 
 copulation 
 [jMFr yro- 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 vinccs the catic is diHorcnt, I-fcutisf i»oi' 
 ulalion does not and id not likely lo in- 
 crease so rapidly una a decennial irnsus 
 unswoj-s the purpose well onou;j;h. 
 
 Then again tlio limit of 4U(>,<J0o whicli 
 was placed on our popuialiou in regard 
 to the grant of SO cents per head was not 
 so rau» '" out of the way when the area ^1 
 the Province was a hundred miles sfjuare, 
 but now that Manitoba is enlarged 
 and is capable of holding as great a pop- 
 ulation as Ontario, the limit ought to bo 
 enlarged in proportion. 
 
 The census returns of the other pro 
 vinces in 1 ss l was as follows: 
 Ontario l,;iy6,0'JI 
 
 (.Quebec !.lll,.')«ltl 
 
 Nova Scoii ' .')87,H()<) 
 
 New Brunswick -S,'),.V.t4 
 
 Prince Edward Island '.>4,0l'1 
 
 'Iritish Columbia, proi>e I 
 
 number l(i,000 
 
 and although we have not the returns 
 of 188 J, it is not likely thai all the pro- 
 vinces above named, put together, have 
 added much more than Jfio.OfX* to their 
 numbers in ten years. 
 
 There is, how(;ver,^e^ eiy indication at 
 [•resent, that Manitoba in l*^'*! will con- 
 tain a population over half a million, or 
 more than all the provinces put together 
 will have increased dming the same 
 time, 'i'hero is every argument, there 
 fore, in favor of gi\ ing us a triennial 
 census for subsidy purposes, and the 
 limit of-lOO.liKX"* ought to be increased to 
 at least double that number. If some- 
 thing of this sort is not done, any ar- 
 rangement now made for the re-adjust- 
 ment of our financial arrangements with 
 the Dominion will, in a few years he 
 found totally inadc'|Uato and fresli 
 charges will have to take place. 
 
 We have now endeavored to point out 
 what wo may almost term the deplorable 
 state of our rinaucial position. We have 
 not done so in any parti/an spirit, l>ut 
 merely to r.how the injustice which is be- 
 
 ii.g done to this I'jovince \>y tiie i^omini 
 ion. It i> trui; we are in a r-.nl minority 
 in the House of Common.-. Itis ditfitMdt 
 to make our \ oicos hoard in that august 
 Itody, hut the day is jiot lar <iistant when 
 " rep. hy l>oi»." will give the N'orth-WoMi 
 the upper hand in the councils 
 ol the nation ami v'vhon that time 
 comes unler-s justice i- done now when 
 we requiio it most it is probable the 
 North-West will not forget the treat- 
 ment it received when it was at the 
 mercy of the eastern portions of Canada. 
 When the West rules let the East look 
 out, unless the latter does the fair thing 
 by us at this lime. ( »ur present provin- 
 ci.'d government liavo not failed in their 
 duty, all must admit, in laying the griev- 
 ances or the province hefore the jtroper 
 authorities, but the. work is only com- 
 menced and it is for our premier and his 
 colleagues to push on the good work un- 
 til complete success crowns their eflPorts. 
 The matter is too important to be ul 
 lowed to rest. The consequences unless 
 something is done to relievo us from our 
 unfortunate j'Osilion are too serious to be 
 ])as-)ed over Hghtly. No side issues ought 
 to be i)ermitte<l to interfere with a de- 
 termined juotest against the injustice 
 that is being done to Manitoba. Lotus 
 imite, therefore, to prosecute, the goo<l 
 w oik. r.et the press and the j)eople come 
 Ibrwanl unitedly to advocate their just 
 claims, hot there be no division in the muks 
 but with a solid front and having a good 
 cause we will make ourselves heard. The 
 welfare ol' our province is at stake. Let 
 us secure that first and afterwards when 
 we can look with i)ride on our financial 
 position — when our institutions are on a 
 secure basisjOurProvince safe from bank- 
 ruptcy and <iui people from the burden of 
 undue taxation, difJerences of opinion on 
 politic.d rjuestions.local and Kederal,ma3 
 be indulged in, hut until then let us re- 
 member tluit 
 
 UVIOX r J-^TPKNiiTH." 
 
■^•'"''^"''^■"■"•■'-"- i 
 
 iiii III tuiliiiiiiiiii 
 
COMMENTS 
 
 
 in 
 
 rn 
 
 FHE MANITOBA PRESS. 
 
 A DEMAxND FuK .)r,s'm;i:. 
 
 /' 
 
 Fi'i'iii (he Miinitobii Frc /';'t's»-. 
 
 In the series of letters ou'-TIic Auomal 
 oiH Position of Manitoba iis a Province 
 of the Douiinion," whicli \vc publish in 
 this issue of the Free Press, certain ques- 
 tions of vital importance to the futiu'e 
 welfare of Manitoba and the North- West 
 are ably and temperately discussed. We 
 are of opinion that no just-minded man 
 can read and stndy the facts and ligures 
 contained in these letters without being 
 led to the decided conviction that Manito- 
 ba, as a member of the Canadian Confeder- 
 ation, is deprived of rights which should 
 be hers, and of privileges which should be 
 inalienable. It is certain, also, that the 
 tinio lias arrived when decisive and con 
 certed action is necessary on the part of 
 our people and our « Government. The 
 unjust and degrading conditions which 
 harass our Local Administration and im- 
 pede our Provincial progress must b*- 
 reiaONGd. rho interests of the whol- 
 Dominion at. well as of Manitoba demand 
 it. In placing the true .state of tiic case 
 boi'iro the people an<l public men of 
 Canada at this juncUne, the author of 
 these letters a])pears to have acted \ery 
 wJRoly aiid most opj>ortimely. 
 
 It Ib clearly imposnible Ibi jM.iiulob.i 
 to continue any longer the adinistratiou 
 of her local atfairs on the Huaucial basis 
 to which she has lutherto P-een compelled 
 ,to .submit. b3. t \t.ir, the e.^pf'iidituu 
 
 of the 1 'rovince, tliougli rapidly reduced 
 to its narrowest necessities, amounted to 
 ^181,.'>2'.»: the income was a little more 
 than §1 ] 5,00'). The diilerence was drawn 
 from the capital account of the Province 
 with the l>omnuon. In other words, we 
 were absolutely forced by the uncon- 
 trollable exigencies of our position to 
 draw upon our capital tor more than one 
 tliird of the year in order to meet the 
 necessary cost of government : and the 
 .":^G6,(X)<> thus e^xpended in one year repre- 
 sented about one-fourth of our whole 
 capital account then available. Kven if 
 no greater discrepancy between income 
 and necessary expenditure should occur 
 during IS81 and the three succeedinrr 
 years, it is clear that to meet our liabili- 
 ties we shall be obliged to exhaust our 
 capital. But, when we consider the 
 largely increased area of the Province, 
 the many new expenses necessarily ari 
 sing therefrom, and the tact that no ad- 
 ditional rtjvenue will accrue from the en 
 largemi;nt, it is e^ idoutly more than 
 i lively that a couple of years at the most, 
 under present curumstances, will see 
 our oriirinal capital account entirely 
 wijied out, and our ammrJ income made 
 -till less by the loss of the five per cent. 
 iuteresl which wo now vnoo'wo on <l>o 
 amount r;tan<ling 10 our credit uith the 
 Dominion Gnvernjnent. With our capital 
 gone, our revenue <lecrea.ie<P and our 
 expenses yearly increasing, how can this 
 V\o\ uicc bo txpcctofl to «jbmit much 
 
•:<; 
 
 longer to an arbitrai-y and unjust aiiiin^'f 
 nient which necessarily ent'Jled those 
 unfortunate results. It is not the fault 
 of Manitoba that her financial resources 
 are so inadequate to meet her wants. 
 The Dominion authorities are alone to 
 blame, and in their action the remedy 
 must be found. The cure for the trouble 
 is simple. Let Manitoba even now bo 
 treated as all the other Provinces were 
 on their entrance into the Confederation, 
 and her Knancial future is assured. Let 
 her "anomalous position" be exchanged 
 for one of e<]uality with her sister i'ro- 
 vince>, and her just progress will no 
 longer be imjieded by pecuniary em- 
 barrassment. The Dominion Govern- 
 ment has the power to efteot tliis transi- 
 tion without serious trouble or delay. 
 And plainly it is it.i bounden duty to use 
 that power and speedily accomplish a 
 satisfactory settlement of the whole diffi- 
 culty, by transferring to this Province 
 full control over all lands, yet unsold, 
 or imappropriated, within lici- bound- 
 aries. 
 
 In the letters to which wc are re- 
 ferring, we find an able discussion of the 
 point as to whether the payment of 
 ^l,r)(K),0«Mi to the Hudson Ray T'ompany 
 by the Dominion gave the latter the right 
 to retain control of oui lands after our 
 Province was established. We shall not 
 enter upon that question just now. But 
 even sui^posmg the correctness of the 
 proposition put forward in the Eastern 
 Provinces that the Dominion did buy the 
 Xorth-\Vest out and out, who will ven- 
 ture to deny that the legal title should, 
 if the interests of the Dominion would 
 thereby be served, be waived in favor 
 of the higher claims of fair play and ju;s 
 tice V Was the Ii<iuidation of the llvul- 
 sou Buy Company's claiuj, a speculation 
 on the part of the J dominion Covoin- 
 ment, entered upon in the hope of 
 making money for the other Provinces ? 
 I hat would be a poo* motive for the ac- 
 quisition of an expanse of territory 
 whose richness is destined to raise Cana- 
 'U ui(o the ranU'j ol pTaiu'ilr-m • ' It i • r, ■ 
 
 a niattei' of right and equity that wo de- 
 mand for Manitoba the same privilege.^ 
 and powers in controling her own land, 
 timber and minerals that are enjoyed by 
 the other Provinces. Unless this be 
 done at once, there are perhaps only two 
 courses open to our Local T'overnment. 
 They must resort to direct taxation, or 
 they must continue in the humiliatintt 
 necessity of annually petitioning the 
 Dommion Government for additional 
 help, which has never been, and 
 never will be, bestowed otherwis'^ 
 than grudgingly. We are positive 
 that the rapidly increasing population 
 of Manitoba will not long submit to either 
 of these alternatives. That our new settle- 
 ments should be dependent upon the 
 whim of any Ottawa Government for the 
 execution of needed local improvements 
 is a situation that cannot long be tolerat- 
 ed : and that the burdens of municipal 
 taxation should be heavily increased by 
 the addition of direct Pr-ovincial taxation 
 is something only to bo thought of as a 
 \cry fast resource. This Province is quite 
 willing to assume all the responsibility of 
 providing for her own future wants, if, 
 along with a subsidy reasonably propor- 
 tionate to those received by the other 
 Provinces, the power of dealing with her 
 own land isgiven, on rather, restored, to 
 the Local Ciovernment. The figures show 
 that theDominion Government. wh'!e 
 amply rec-ouped for all their expen- 
 diture in this Province by customs 
 and excise receiptsand the sale of 
 lands, are in reality not obtaining 
 any appreciable yearly return from 
 the land. That is the natural result 
 of a land administration whose principle 
 foaturcs arc dictated by an authority a 
 cou[)le of thousand miles away from the 
 Pi'ovince. i mtario realizes more then 
 halt a million annually from her Crown 
 lauds, which are not comparable either 
 in extent or vuluc to the millions of .icres 
 of rich l.ind still remaining in this Pro 
 vince,. unsold and]unappropriated. But 
 (Ontario manages her own land atfairt^. 
 vr\ni\. }i'\\)\ioh:\' i prnir't'L- ;tvo .'rovovnci 
 
 I 
 
 from 
 Mani 
 gone 
 withi 
 onta 
 be SI 
 that 
 be al 
 
 e^^y 
 
 f 
 
idMIA 
 
 I 
 
 ::< 
 
 that, we de- 
 e privileges 
 r own land, 
 I enjoyed by 
 Bss this be 
 ipsonly two 
 overnment. 
 taxation, or 
 humiliating 
 tioning the 
 
 additional 
 
 been, and 
 
 otherwise 
 
 t'e positive 
 
 population 
 iiit to either 
 p new settle- 
 it upon the 
 lent for the 
 pi-ovements 
 !? l>e tolerat- 
 
 municipal 
 icreased b}' 
 ial taxation 
 ght of as a 
 nee is quite 
 jnsibiiity of 
 
 wants, il", 
 jly proper 
 
 the other 
 m with her 
 estored, to 
 gures show 
 ent. wh''!e 
 leir expen- 
 customs 
 10. sale of 
 
 obtaining 
 turn from 
 iral result 
 e principle 
 Authority .1 
 y from the 
 iiore then 
 her Crown 
 ble either 
 ns of acres 
 
 1 this Pro 
 iated. But 
 nd aflairH. 
 
 rovcrnc'i 
 
 from Ottawa. It 0'\. <<ovt)iumenL of 
 Manitoba had pc*ver to dispose of unci 
 gonerallytodL.il with the Crown lando 
 within the boundaries of the Province, 
 
 < Ontario's annual half million would soon 
 be surpassed. But it is an assured faci 
 that no Ottawa administration will ever 
 be able to deal with the same lauds to 
 any such advantage. It would pay the 
 Dominion to make the transfer and let 
 our Government administer the hauls 
 rather than to bo obliged by force of cir- 
 cumstances to aid this Province in carry- 
 ing on its local afiairis by special grants 
 only obtained by continuous solicitation. 
 The author of these letters puis the case 
 very neatly when he says: "It just 
 amounts to this, if the Dominion will 
 insist upon administering the lands in 
 this country, and deriving any benefit 
 from their sale, then the federal treasury 
 vrill have to accept the responsibility of 
 providing means for our self government. 
 If they choose, however, to enter into an 
 arrangement by which we will obtain 
 means from the sale of our lands to meet 
 our expenses, they will be freed from 
 such responsibility, and it will then re- 
 main with us to husband our resources 
 to the best advantage."' With the swift 
 giowth of our pojjulation will necessarily 
 come the growth of our expenditure. 1 f 
 the Dominion fiovernment accept the 
 responsibility of providing us a Provincial 
 revenue, they must expect it to increase 
 everyyoar. What bickering would ensue, 
 what blunders would be made, what 
 irritations between the I-'ederal and 
 T^ocal authorities would certainly arise, 
 need not be described. They are patent, 
 jmd the certainty is the :Urongest ai 
 gument for the aitoi<iiou of ihc alterna- 
 tive -the trautfer of the iidmiuistralion 
 of the landa of thi.-i Province into thv 
 hands of our Local <.io\ernment, Tliu-> 
 alone can grave diHieultie? and ;-^eiious 
 embarrassments in the near future b.. 
 avoided. The Dominion Covornmont i.^ 
 therefore called upon to face this (i\ir-- 
 tion at once, and to solve it upon the one 
 
 < .^tMijI'le j.ijin' (^'1<' (Tf^fvip;? to Nfttnifobit 
 
 the other Pro- 
 
 tlid powers exorcisoil by 
 vinces of the Deminion. 
 
 There is another phase of the land 
 (juestion to which attention may Htting- 
 Iv l)e directed. The lands set apart for 
 the school i^urposes of Manitoba are still 
 retained under the control of the Domi- 
 nion (fovernment. 'fhis is another anom- 
 aly which ought to be, and must be, 
 erailicated. We have had one specimen 
 of how much the *)ttawa authorities 
 know about certain peculiar circumstan- 
 ces connected \'hh school lands in this 
 Province. Had the chosen representa- 
 tives of our people in our Local Legisla- 
 ture possessed the power of administering 
 tliese lands, does anybody suppose that 
 such trouble and tuin.oil would ever have 
 tMisued as followed a lately threatened 
 niovenietit of the Dominion (Government? 
 Beside;-, it is exclusively for the purpose 
 of aiding in the education of children 
 born or resident in Manitoba that these 
 lands have been set apart. Can that 
 purpose be better advanced by absentee 
 landlordism at ('ttawa than by resident 
 }n'oprietorship in Manitoba '.' And when 
 a definite ol jcet is to be accomplished, 
 why should the Dominion hesitate to 
 place the means of its consummation in 
 the possession ofthose who are not only 
 best fitted to achieve the most desirable 
 results, but are also deeply interested in 
 the advancement of the cause for whoso 
 benefit these lands were destine^l '! There 
 is no reason why ^lanitoba should not 
 (control her own school lands, as well as 
 the unsold and unappropriated lands 
 within laer limits -. and we can scarcely 
 believe thai the Dominion authorities 
 will \ enturo much longer to withohl from 
 lilts Provinci.: rights which should never 
 liave been denied. The 'juestion- present 
 ed in the.se K'.tters deniand immecHate 
 ;ittention and speedy solution. There is 
 no time to l>e lost either by thi< Province 
 m pressing then imporlnnit- upon (h<' 
 Dominion (-overnment, or bv the iattei 
 in devi.=ing and offering a proper settle- 
 ment. 
 
MIM 
 
 ygHg 
 
 1 
 
 MAM'lUiiA.S jaiiHTS. 
 
 fmiii flu: U'iimipKj T/jxr-. 
 
 The gravity of the linaiicial j»osition ol 
 our Province as shown in the buppkuient 
 of yesterday should arrest the attention 
 of every resident of Manitoba. Nobody 
 who wishes the continued prosperity of 
 our Trovince will be inditleront to our 
 prospects, and a tlose analysis of our 
 present condition aided by a retrospect 
 of the past will be the best guide to our 
 duty in the future, J'he theory that 
 provinces as well as individuals work out 
 their own weal or woe can in no wise ap- 
 ply to Manitoba — however applicable it 
 may be to the Dominion . I n the crea- 
 tion of Manitoba as a province of Canada, 
 the same jurisdiction that was accorded 
 the other members of the Confodoration 
 was not conceded to her, and the dispo- 
 sition of the liublic domain was left in 
 the hands of the Federal Ciovernmcnt 
 for administration Whatever may 
 have been the motives that induced our 
 rulers at that time in the action then 
 adopted by them for the settlement and 
 government of the North- West, we claim 
 that the time has now arrived when the 
 rights so long enjoyed by the other pro- 
 vinces should also be accorded us, and 
 that having outgrown our babyhood, we 
 are better qualified to administer our 
 lands than the authorities at Ottawa,who 
 cannot be supposed to possess the means 
 of acquiring an accurate knowledge of 
 our condition that we do. When con- 
 foderationwas consummated in 1 ^OT.thoro 
 was a distinct understanding with the 
 provinces then entering thu union that 
 in order to abolish the nocossity ofve 
 sorting to direct taxation for the support 
 of local institutions, the ditlerent pro- 
 vinces should control such revenues as 
 were desirable from lands, mines, mine 
 ral;; and royaltier; whi.ii at tliat time 
 belonged to the aevei.il nrovinces, and 
 wore by the British North American Act 
 confirmed in the possession thereof. (Seo 
 < -l.T-use CIX . ol B. *N , A \/- 1> : 
 
 All lani . ui)n*'«, lulur'rals au'l loxiiUie- 
 
 Ixjluugiuy to tliu bevcrulproviuctifi (iiCauuda, 
 iVovH Scotia and New Brunswick at the tiuion 
 uud all suui.s thou due aud payable for sucli 
 Jundf5,iuine8,mlneral.s or royalty shall belonir 
 to the Hevoral Proviuces Ol Outario, i^ucboc, 
 Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, lu which 
 the same are wituate or arise subject to any 
 trusts existing in respect thereof and to any 
 Interest other than that of the Proviucc in 
 tht; same." 
 
 The experience of the last fourteen 
 years has fully demonstrated the wisdom 
 of allowing the provinces at that time 
 confederated the administration of their 
 lands aiul all revenues derivable there- 
 from, m the shape of royalties, timber 
 liinlcs. etc., for we find that when these 
 resources were carefully husbanded a 
 yearly revenue derived from interest in 
 profitable investments now accrues to 
 the province and is the means of a per- 
 petual income which, in the case of Ont- 
 ario, together with the capitation allow- 
 ance of 8(>c yields to the province an an- 
 nual income of $2,000,(X)0. With the 
 means available for such a source of 
 revenue, appropriated by the Dominion 
 and applied in the carrying out of a 
 National scheoie without regard to the 
 local wants and exigencies of Manitoba, 
 with us the case is entirely different and 
 remedial measures should be adopted 
 very shortly, otherwise there is a proba- 
 bility that the contentment and prosper- 
 ity which now reign in Manitoba will 
 shortly be turned to discontent and 
 misery, and the settlers who, "under 
 present circumstances when wants are 
 as yet few" compared to what they will 
 be in a fevv years, ' come to settle in our 
 midst, mil find themselves burdened with 
 undue taxation if thoj' ^vish to enjoy the 
 institutions they have been accustomed 
 to in the older provinces, where these 
 were furnished from the provincial ex- 
 chequer and did not weigh heavily on 
 the people, as the resources of the pro- 
 vinces were in all cases ado«iuate to meet 
 ;ill oxigoncicH coniequcnf in thn growth 
 and vievelopment of provincial institu- 
 tions. Wo feel it our duty to urge upon 
 tlie federal authorities a careful consid- 
 eration of onv ]^osition and to adopt the 
 niepns a\ai]nMo ao yd, lo placo thiw 
 
tLlttk 
 
 !8 olOaUiiUu, 
 atthouulon 
 iblo for Muc]) 
 shall belonir 
 rio, tiucboc, 
 3k, lu whlcli 
 ibject to any 
 f and to any 
 Proviuoe la 
 
 it fourteen 
 
 the wisdom 
 
 that time 
 
 ion of their 
 
 able there - 
 
 ;ies. timber 
 
 when these 
 
 jsbanded a 
 
 interest in 
 
 accrues to 
 
 IS of a per- 
 
 ase of Ont- 
 
 .tion allow - 
 
 ince an an- 
 
 With the 
 
 source of 
 
 ) Dominion 
 
 ng out of a 
 
 gard to the 
 
 Manitoba, 
 
 fferent and 
 
 e adopted 
 
 is a proba- 
 
 id prosper- 
 
 litoba will 
 
 ntent and 
 
 lO, "under 
 
 wants are 
 
 they will 
 
 ettle in our 
 
 dened with 
 
 3 enjoy the 
 
 ccustomed 
 
 here these 
 
 )vincial ex- 
 
 heavily on 
 
 of the pro- 
 
 itft to meet 
 
 tlin growth 
 
 ial institu 
 
 urge upon 
 
 ful consid- 
 
 adopt thf 
 1 !;u:e Ibif.. 
 
 I 
 
 'IVi 
 
 proviuco ia uu iudependont position, uinl 
 with all the rights and privileges op lo3-o<1 
 by tho othor merabpv^ oi' the OonfodrM 
 tion . 
 
 Wiiii this •^suo wo publish a .>iip[^l.' 
 iiieut containing .'I sen o.s of lot tors on a 
 subject that has long occupied the atten 
 lion of thinkin*- men in tliis Province, 
 namely, the necessity of obtaining means 
 tor carrying on the affairs of this country 
 consistent with its rapid growth and in 
 creased responsibilities. 11. is a well- 
 known fact that the moiety granted this 
 I'rovince at i's formation, even before 
 its resources were at all understood, was 
 known to be far less than either its re- 
 (|uirements would necessitate, or justice 
 should have granted : and the press of 
 the country have at fre(|uent intervals 
 raised its voice in <he matter. But the 
 distance was greac, the voice of the young 
 country was not powerful, and the ears 
 of the Ministry were not inclined to the 
 cry for justice and assistance ; and 
 consequently we have now approached a 
 state that has long been foreseen by all 
 who have devoted any attention to the 
 matter — that of having nearly exhausted 
 our patrimony, and being compelled to 
 seek other means of subsistence. Xor 
 can wo be accused of having spent that 
 patrimony in riotous living or waste. 
 Xotwithstanding the utmost economy on 
 the part of the Local Government, the 
 small amount granted for the use of the 
 country precluded the possibility of 
 making such improvements as the rapid 
 growth of the country demands, and even 
 toimdertake what has been accomplished 
 has necessitated the performance of an- 
 nual pilgrimages to Ottawa, which in 
 some cases have been futile, and in every 
 case expensive and humiliating. Canada. 
 or at least the representatives of the 
 older Provinces of Canada in the Domin- 
 ion Parliament have from the outset 
 unfortunately looked upon this vast ter- 
 ritory more m the light of a troublesome 
 
 luluntthauas a younger member that 
 year Ity year would increase in stature 
 and strength, until in a short time it 
 would become the ilosoph of the family ; 
 but even while viewing it in that light, 
 have refused to grant it that fostering 
 care and kiudne^a so necessary to its full 
 de\elopeinei)l : y<l, spite of coldness 
 and absolute ncglecl, the infant is fast 
 arriving ut that stale of stalwart man- 
 hood when its voice must be heard, and 
 its rights granted, and wise will be the 
 !*tatesman who will accord it these just 
 demands, and thus hind this young Pro- 
 vince to Canada by bonds of gratefulness, 
 rather than engender feelings of bitter- 
 ness born of neglect and injustice. It is 
 time therefore, that the situation was 
 calady considered by the authorities at 
 < >ttawa : and ihere is little doubt that 
 tiiey will then recognise the fact that in 
 ceding the public lands of this Province 
 to tho Local (iovernment they are but 
 doing an act of justice to not only the 
 present population, but to the millions 
 \vho are yet to make it their home. The 
 outlook under tho present circumstances 
 is (-ertainly not a brilliant one. There 
 is no evading the fact that without help, 
 and help quickly rendered, we will soon 
 hav(! to face actual bankruptcy. Our 
 heritage has been denied us from the 
 outset, and has been given here and 
 there, and distributed amongst strangers 
 and speculators in the most lavish manner. 
 We have been sent out into the world, 
 young, helpless, and with just sufficient 
 alms to prevent stirvation, while others 
 have been rioting upon our substance. 
 Vet notwithstanding this, the country 
 has prospered, and spite of obstacles, of 
 detractions, and unwise statesmanship, 
 has grown strong, healthy and vigorous, 
 and has proved itself ca])able not only 
 of offering su[)erior inducements for the 
 overcrowded population of the older 
 Provinces and countries, but of becoming 
 at no distant date the base of supply 
 from which will be drawn the grain to 
 feed them. Still, the very rapidity with 
 which the country has developed, has 
 
'M) 
 
 ab.sorbo(l the small pittaiioe that was in- 
 tended to support it ; and we are now 
 almost without the wherewithal of exist- 
 ence. As stated by the writer of these 
 letters, therefore, '-One of three oonrsos 
 " will have to bo adopted, vi/. : either 
 " the Provinee must obtain the means of 
 " revenue from the resources within its 
 '' limits, such as ( 'rown lands, tihibor 
 " limits, minerals, etc., or the Dominion, 
 '* out of the public treasury, must supply 
 •' the necessary funds to carry on the 
 *' machinery o^ local government and 
 *' improvoments, or lacking these two 
 '• sources oi^ revenue, the people of the 
 '* Province will be obliged to submit to 
 '• direct taxation," As to the last re 
 source, the alternative is too obnoxious 
 to be toler.ated. The taxes necessary 
 for munici]\al and school pui'i»o?e- in a 
 new cotmtry like Manitoba are of them- 
 selves sutHciently high — not to mention 
 the great amount we have to pay on all 
 imports. Direct taxation would impose 
 a biu'den upon the jieople that would 
 materially counteract the natural advan 
 tages offered. The seconci proposition 
 appears to us to be a little better -. for, 
 after all. it would be but the binding the 
 Pro\'ince down to the position ot n de 
 pendant rather than permitting it to 
 rank as an equal, which is contrary to all 
 ideas of freedom. There appears but 
 one remedy, anti that is that the 
 lands of the Province — or at least 
 what remains of them — sliould be handed 
 over to the Province, to be disposed of 
 in the most advaatageous manner, and 
 applied to its necessary uses. If there 
 was ever a doubt as to thea'lvisability of 
 this, the late sale of lands in Winnipeg, 
 undertaken by the Dominion Govern- 
 ment, should be proof sulHcient that 
 they are incapable of obtaining their 
 value. Had these lands been handled 
 by men who understood their worth, and 
 pmperlv advertise:!, they would have 
 realize"! their true value, but such can- 
 not be said of the last abortive attempt, 
 lor so badly was the whole affair arranged 
 that scarcelv !\nv bidders were to be 
 
 found, and the few parcels tliat were 
 disposed of were sold at prices far beiow 
 their value. We hope, therefore, to see 
 this matter taken in hand by the Local 
 Legislature at the next meeting of Par- 
 liament, and the question made the one 
 of fust importance m the election of th<' 
 new members now about to take place. 
 
 THE PCBLIC DOMAIN. 
 
 Froiii I\'(ipiil Citij Stnttihird. 
 
 With this issue of the Sr.vxDAni) we 
 liublish a siipplement containing a series 
 of letters on the present imsatisfictory 
 financial i>osition of the Province. The 
 writer has gone deeply into the subject 
 and his clever dissertation will cloubtles> 
 do much towards impressing the mind-' 
 of the public men of the Dominion with 
 the nrgent necessity for prompt action 
 That the re^'^nue now at the di3i:»o?.al of 
 the <iovernniont of Manitoba — some 
 ??115,(tuO— is utterly inadequate to meet 
 their requirements, no one can for a 
 moment dispute. I.ast year the expen- 
 diture in the old Province was ^1S1,32*.', 
 and this year, with the extension of the 
 boundaries, a very large increase may be 
 expected and must be provided for. At 
 present there is no source fit>m which 
 this extra revenue can be obtained, an<l 
 unless the Dominion (Jovernment is pre 
 pared to place us at once in a position of 
 equality with the other Provinces, bank- 
 ruptcy in a few years is almost inevi- 
 table. There is now every prospect of 
 an era of remarkable development for 
 this Province and the Xorth-West Ter- 
 ritories, ami the Interests of the whole 
 Dominion demand that nothing should 
 be allow.^d tn '^laiul in the way of their 
 progress, should the present unsound 
 financial position of the Province be al 
 lowed to continue, there is no telling 
 where the injury moy terminate. Those 
 who ar? doing their utmost to divert the 
 tide of emicration into other channel- 
 could have no better argument to use 
 airainst us than the predicament of the 
 
1 
 
 i tliat were 
 es far beiow 
 efore, to see 
 by the T^ocal 
 ^ting of Par- 
 lade the one 
 action of th»' 
 take place. 
 
 :ArN. 
 
 TAX HARD WO 
 
 ining a series 
 
 31 
 
 nsatisfictory i 
 (vince. The ; 
 the subject ■ 
 rill doubtles? ;, 
 g the niind-^ • 
 aminion with ? 
 ompt action 
 > disposal o! 
 litoba — some \ 
 L-.ate to meet 
 c can for a \ 
 ir the expen- 'i 
 vas»]>^!,^52*». i 
 usion of tho ^' 
 ease may be | 
 ded for. At | 
 fi'bm which i 
 btained, and I 
 nient is pro ; 
 a positioner | 
 inces, bank- I 
 Imost inevi- f 
 prospect of f 
 lopment for 
 hWest Ter-^^ 
 )f the whole ] 
 hing should | 
 way of their ' 
 nt unsouud 
 3vince be al J 
 ; no telling 4 
 late. Thosf | 
 o divert the i 
 V channel 
 lent to use 
 nent of tlu 
 
 :h 
 
 premier Province of the Noith-West 
 without means to provide for the uilmin 
 istration of its Government, and with 
 the bugbear of direct taxation staring it 
 in the face. P.ut we have too much con- 
 lidenco in the statesmanship of those at 
 the helm in < tttawa, to believe that the}- 
 will allow the considertaion and settle- 
 ment of this most vital question to stand 
 until we are forced into such a disastrous 
 state of affairs. They know too well how 
 much the future of the Dominion de 
 pends upon tho success of tho Western 
 I'rovinces, whose fertile plains, — the 
 best authorities admit, are destined to 
 become, ere long, the grain fields of the 
 world, and whose people will bo the best 
 supporters of the manufacturing indus- 
 tries of the East. < Uher scheme are sug- 
 gested for increasing the revenue of tho 
 I'rovinco, but at present we see no way 
 that would prove as satisfactory as the 
 transfer to local control of the pitltlic 
 lands remaining at the disposal of the 
 Dominion, together with tho timber and 
 mineral rights. Notwithstanding the 
 large inroads already made by freo 
 grants, sales, and the grant to the rail- 
 road, there is enough land undisposed 
 of to enable the local Government t<> 
 adopt a very liberal homestead policy, 
 jind still have a reserve, tho ultiraatf 
 sale of whicli wouUl provide ample funds 
 to cover any loan that might be eflected 
 now and leave a handsome surplus to 
 pass to capital account. Xo reasonable 
 argument can now be advanced in sup 
 port of tho further retention of the 
 lands of the Province by the Dominion, 
 and unless our rights are respected and 
 we receive equal justice with the sister 
 Provinces, the best interests, not only of 
 Manitoba, bnt the whole North West, 
 will be seriousely jeopardized. How- 
 ever, while wo fully realize the danger 
 that threatens us, and believe it to be 
 our duty to point it out, we repeat that 
 we have to much JJconfidenco in the 
 present rulers of tho Dominion to be 
 lieve that they will allow another session 
 of Parliament to pass without grapplincr 
 
 with this dillicMiliy an<l bringing it to a 
 .satisfaction conclusion. The lion. Mr. 
 Norquay and his colleagues are leaving 
 nothing undone that will assist them in 
 obtaining the active interest of the pub 
 lie men ot tho country, and wo confident- 
 ly look forward to their next mission to 
 the capital being crowned with complete 
 stjccess. 
 
 MAX1T<J?.AS PO.^lTKt.N AS 
 PRnVlNrR. 
 
 A 
 
 Froiii till. i.ii.it{i'v.[i E.i-firi.<s. 
 
 A perusal of the letters distributed as 
 a supplement to the last issue of tho 
 E\PRi:ss, upon tho '-Anomalous Position 
 of Manitoba as a Province oi the Do- 
 minion," will doubtless lead to the more 
 serious consideration of the very impor- 
 tant ([uestion of the rights and privileges 
 enjoyed by this Province as compared 
 with the responsibilities imposed upon 
 us. I'nfortunatoly this is a question too 
 little thought of by our representative 
 men, and one never approached by the 
 Provincial press. The contents of the 
 letters referrinl to are therefore calcula- 
 ted to soinewhat startle us, as we are 
 brought face to faco with tho fact that 
 we are ^awlually drifting towards Pro- 
 vincial bankruptcy. Nevertheless this 
 is the fact. Figures are 'itubborn things 
 and in these letters we have dou})tless 
 the most accurate figures in support of 
 the deplorable fact that while we are 
 nominally a Province of the Dominion, 
 we are in reality a species of stock or 
 fund laid by, by the Dominion, on which, 
 as occasion demands, drafts may be made 
 for purposes political or otherwise, and 
 upon which sutiicient will l>e expended 
 to barely keep uc from entirely passing 
 out of existence. We feel with the writ 
 er of these letters that it is high time we 
 caused our voice to be hoard. We have 
 a magnificent country which is being 
 gradually frittered away for one purpose 
 and another, and unless we soon obtain 
 possession and the right to administer 
 
:}i^ 
 
 our owu lObOUices none will be left to 
 Ufl. < Ku' oansoa foi' exponditure will 
 increase while our means of meeting 
 those outlays will decrease . Is there 
 any reason why the other Provinces 
 should have the entire control of their 
 ])ublic lands, school landsi, minerals, etc., 
 while this Province should ho utterly 
 debarred from having the slightest voice 
 in the management of those public mat- 
 ters hero. J f there is a good and vali<i 
 reason why this should be so we will by 
 moving in this matter discover it. Now 
 that the matter has been clearly and 
 forcibly brought to our notice it be- 
 hooves us to unite in an agitation for our 
 rights as a Province which will bring 
 about such a result as will relieve us 
 from an impending calamity. By an 
 united effort the Dominion (rovernment 
 must be forced to face this matter, and 
 by an equitable settlement of it relieve 
 this Province from its present degrading 
 position, and enable it to take the place 
 amongst the Provinces of U-e Dominion 
 to which its wealth and increasing im- 
 nortance entitles it. 
 
 OVR AUTOXOMY. 
 
 From the IJ'i'st Lijnm Tiixcs. 
 
 We have given a carefu' perusal to the 
 six letters on the Anomalous Position of 
 Manitoba as a Province of The Dominion" 
 recently issued as v supplement to the 
 Winnipeg Times. We advise all those 
 who have an interest in the welfare of 
 the Province to read these letters atten- 
 tively. The writer of the letters is evi- 
 dently full master of his subject, and pre- 
 sents the case in language concise with 
 figures that are indisputable and in a 
 style within the comprehension of the 
 ordinary reader. The lirst letter deals 
 with the question of providing for the 
 better self government of Manitoba and 
 other Provinces in future. In orilor to 
 do this the writer suggests that one of 
 three courses must be adopted, viz : 1st. 
 The Province must obtain the means of 
 
 revenue fro .? the robources within its 
 limits, such as crown lands, timber limits, 
 minerals, etc., or the Dominion out of 
 the public treasury must supply the 
 necessarj' funds to carry on the machin- 
 ery of Local (jovernment and improve - 
 ment, or lacking these two sources of 
 revenue the people of the Province must 
 submit to direct taxation. " It is a 
 noticeable fact,'* says this writer, that 
 while other Provinces were admitted into 
 confederation, Manitoba was created a 
 Province of the Dominion. Her limits 
 were defined for her, her lands were 
 retained for general purposes, and while 
 she was saddled with an expensive form 
 of ic.!nl government sue was not allowed 
 an adequate amount for the carrying 
 on of the same. " This is true. Instead 
 of being a Province, Manitoba was made 
 in fact the colony of a colony. This 
 writer further shows that as matters now 
 stand it is doubttul if increased settle- 
 ments is any advantage from a local 
 standpoint, inasmuch as increased settle- 
 ment ie:juires increased expenditure. 
 The utmost subsidy the Province can 
 receive at any future time is $40(J,(W)<i 
 upon the 80 cents basis. On investiga- 
 tion says the same writer ^{,749,075 acres 
 have been disposed of; 1,315,840 alloted 
 as half-breed lands; 2,400,000 to the 
 Hudson's Bay Co; 2,600,000 to schools, 
 and to railways 3,000,000 ; in all 13,004,- 
 01.3, against a total area of 35,000,000; 
 good lands within the Province, leaving 
 22,000,000 acres to be administered. 
 There are, he ,e3timate3 200 millions of 
 good land in the Dominion for which we 
 have had to pay $1,500,000 or 7 A mills 
 per acre. If th'3 Province and the others 
 to bo created hafl possession of and con- 
 trolled their own lands it would make the 
 Provincial (lovernments more active 
 immigration agents than they are, the 
 same as in other Provinces. In the 
 short space alloted to an editorial, it is 
 impossible for us to do justice to these 
 letters in one issue. When it is con- 
 sidered that Manitoba since she became 
 a " province " from 1872 to IHROhas paid 
 
 1 
 
 P 
 
 ai 
 
m 
 
 fithiu its 
 ter limits, 
 la out of 
 pply tho 
 I machin- 
 improve - 
 sources ol 
 incfi must 
 " It is a 
 iter, tlint 
 itted into 
 created a 
 [er limits 
 nds were 
 and whilo 
 isive form 
 ot allowed 
 carrying 
 Instead 
 was made 
 my. This 
 ittera now 
 ied settle- 
 m a local 
 Lsed settle- 
 penditure. 
 ivince can 
 8 $400,(K)0 
 investiga- 
 1,075 acres 
 ,40 alloted 
 to the 
 schools, 
 11 13,004,- 
 |5,000,000 ; 
 le, leaving 
 inistered. 
 millions of 
 which we 
 |r 7A mills 
 he others 
 and con- 
 make the 
 ■e active 
 are, the 
 In the 
 trial, it is 
 to these 
 It is con- 
 became 
 I) has paid 
 
 iuto the general treasury for custonin, 
 *l,570,OV>'.>.08, and oxciae since lxs4 to 
 J880, §2ir.,244.;U, her right and impor- 
 tance must be conceded by all impartial 
 people. J t is evident that for some time 
 past an opinion has been gaining ground 
 and is rapidly acquiring force that Mani 
 toba is too much go\erned I >y < >ntario. 
 and it will be the duty of Manitobans to 
 insist upon their autonomy bemg freely 
 and fairly established as people of a 
 Canadian Province, and not as colonisis. 
 
 IM'BLIC LASD^. 
 
 With this issue of tho Moiuitaineer \vc 
 mail a folio containing a scries of letters 
 bearing on the present relation of Mani 
 toba to the Dominion. The pai)ers were 
 sent to us, with a request that we would 
 distribute them, and having hastily read 
 the letters and found them on the whole 
 free from party bias, and evidently 
 written in the interest of this L'rovince. 
 we willingly comply with that re<(ue,st. 
 and present them to oiu- readers to-day. 
 Very evidently the writer of these let- 
 ters has been at considerable pains to in- 
 form himself upon the several points dis- 
 cussed, and that he has handled the sub- 
 ject in a very able manner, no one, per 
 haps will deny, in our necessarily hasty 
 reading we detected a few weaknesses, 
 and in one case — at the beginning oi the 
 lifth letter, referring to the wild land 
 tax — positive, and we arc afraid willul, 
 mistatomeut ; but on the whole the 
 argument is very fairly and forciblyjput, 
 and in the conclusions arrived at we most 
 heartily concur. It is simply outrageous 
 that all the other Provinces of ithe Do- 
 minion shoidd hold public lands and 
 Manitoba none. The obvious injustice of 
 the arrangement is apparent at a glance. 
 Ijritish Coliunbia, with a fourth part 
 of our population and in receipt oi more 
 than double our revenue, receives a sum 
 equal to tho whole of our subsidy merely 
 for the right of way oi' the C. I', f.'. 
 
 throiigli ijer public lands, ami we of 
 Manitoba are compelled to bear a i>ortion 
 of this burden. Jjy what right, we would 
 like to ask. docs the Dominion take all 
 the land from one I'l-ovince and grant to 
 another an annual rent, eijual to more 
 than lull value, for a strip of land on 
 which to construct a public institution 
 from which the I'rovince receiving that 
 rent secures the greatest benetit — in fact, 
 almost the sole benelit ? Again, Prince 
 Kdwaril Island at the outset had no pub 
 lie lands. A certain sum was taken out 
 of the Dominion exche(|uer and handed 
 over to the authorities of that Province 
 with which to attain public lands. Ui" 
 that money so handed over, we of Mani- 
 toba have to pay our share, for it was 
 borrowed money. Dy what right does 
 the I'omiuion thus compel a Province, 
 which it has deprived of public lands, to 
 aid in securing public lands for another 
 J'rovinco nearly two thousand miles 
 away ' 'J'o change the quotation a little, 
 "taxation without benefit is tyi-anny," 
 and what Ijeuoiit is it inteixded Manitobu. 
 having no lands of her own, shall receive 
 iVom being taxed, to provide lands for 
 L'rince i:]dwaid Island? ^'ot again, by 
 what right does ( anada appropriate wild 
 lands in this Province, where tho trea 
 sLuy is emi^ty; to aid in defraying the 
 cost of building a national highwiay 
 through < tntario, wluu-e the treasury is 
 overilowing, while the Avild lands m that 
 Province are left untouched? Half oi" 
 our available lands havmg been thuij ap- 
 propriated, by \vhat shadow of a right 
 does the Dominion claim to hold tho ba- 
 lance, all charges on tho land having 
 been long ago paid ? 
 
 Those are weighty problems, but they 
 are not difficult to solve. The answer to 
 each is : i'he right of might. When the 
 Dominion authorities decided to carve 
 out the Province of Manitoba, the terri- 
 tory embraced contained but few in- 
 habitants, and these few were not 
 elcomed worthy oi being consulted in 
 the matter. To be sure they rebelled, 
 l>ut the potent argument of lorcc , was 
 
:u 
 
 brought to bear, and at onoe Manitoba 
 accepted the terms imposed. There was 
 no bargaining as with British Columbia. 
 Whatever excuse may be oftered, the 
 Fact is un(|uestionable that while British 
 (Columbia was enticed Manitoba was 
 forced into the Canadian Confederation, 
 and it would almost seem that Canada 
 has not yet learned that Manitoba, like 
 all the other Provinces, has rights which 
 should be respected. This state ol af- 
 fairs, however, cannot long last. We are 
 !i loyal people, and a long-suffering peo- 
 I)le, and we feel much stronger than the 
 l^eople ol" the Eastern Provinces feel that 
 there is a possible glorious future for 
 Cjanada : but we also feel that we are 
 not treated justly, and we sometimes 
 fear there is a crisis approaching. The 
 Provinces of this Dominion must be 
 placed on an equal footing, or there 
 cannot be harmony ; without harmony 
 continued prosperity cannot be looked 
 for. In this matter of public lands, each 
 member of the confederation must con- 
 trol its own public lands, or the Domin- 
 ion must control all. A confederation of 
 six to rob and tyranize over a seventh is 
 too scandalous an arrangement to be 
 long tolerated by a free people. 
 
 <)UK SUPPLEMENT. 
 
 Lrom the Morris IlernhL 
 
 We this week publish a supplement, 
 containing a series of letters, written by 
 a well known Manitoban, on the anoma- 
 lous position of Manitoba as a Province 
 of the Dominion. It is a question that 
 interests every settler of the Province, 
 and one that all should be conversant 
 with. It is our duty to demand the same 
 recognition from the Dominion Govern- 
 ment as is accorded the other Provinces 
 within the Dominion. We should de- 
 mand that railway companies receiving 
 acts of incorporation from the Local 
 Legislature, other than to cross navi- 
 gable streams, be allowed to go on with 
 tlie;r work of construotion without fear 
 
 oi the Governor General in Council dis- 
 allowing its charter : we should demand 
 that all public lands bo placed in the 
 handd of the Local Government as in 
 Ontario and (Quebec ; we should most 
 emphatically protest against being 
 treated, as in the past, as a mere child. 
 ^Ve have grown to the full vigor of man- 
 hood, and present the most prosperous 
 future of any of the other members of 
 the confederation family ; our business 
 tact and perseverance; that has raised 
 us from the bottom to the top of the 
 ladder, should be a sufHcient guarantee 
 that our Province is fully as capable of 
 conducting its own affairs, as the others 
 are, and therefore the Dominion Govern- 
 ment should recognize our rights and 
 give us them. We are glad to know 
 these letters are soon to be published in 
 pamphlet form, and distributed through- 
 out the Dominion, and by this means it 
 is hoped the members of Parliament will 
 be brought to face the injustice done to 
 Manitoba. 
 
 MAX ITOBA'S XOXAUTONOMY. 
 
 From the Rat Portaqe Profjress. 
 
 This weeks issue of the Progress con- 
 tains a supple.iient in which will be 
 found a series of letters on the anoma- 
 lous position of Manitoba as a province 
 of the Dominion. These letters have 
 also been published by the other papers 
 in the province, and the arguments and 
 facts adduced therein have been gener- 
 ally endorsed by them. This is not the 
 first time the Progress has referred to 
 the subject which involves the just rights 
 of Manitoba as a province. We have 
 frequently contended that she should 
 become possessed of her birthright which 
 has been retained in the hands of the 
 Dominion Government. At the last 
 session of the House of Commons when 
 the boundaries of Manitoba were ex- 
 tended from exceedingly narrow limits 
 to something like a respectably sized 
 province, the full i-ights of administru- 
 
:i:. 
 
 ncil iUh- 
 leraand 
 
 in the 
 Qt OS in 
 i most 
 being 
 :e child, 
 of man- 
 isperons 
 ibera of 
 business 
 i raised 
 
 of the 
 laranteo 
 pable of 
 e others 
 Govern- 
 i^hts and 
 ;o know 
 lished in 
 through - 
 means it 
 oent will 
 
 done to 
 
 OMY. 
 
 ress con- 
 will be 
 anoma- 
 rovince 
 frs have 
 r papers 
 lents and 
 1 gener- 
 not the 
 [erred to 
 jst rights 
 '^e have 
 should 
 it which 
 Is of the 
 le last 
 IS when 
 rere ex- 
 limits 
 kly sized 
 linistra- 
 
 tion and the revenue derivable from the 
 public lands, the forests, and the mines 
 should have been included in the Act 
 providing for the extension. But what 
 do we tind ? The extraordinary anom- 
 aly of a province about eijual in extent 
 to that of Ontario, with a revenue limit- 
 ed, no matter how populous she may 
 become, to less than one-fifth tlie ex- 
 penditure of Ontario in 18S(). which was 
 *2,()54,S23.24. That province enjoys a 
 subsidy from the Dominion of .$1,1 '.♦('.,- 
 S72.80. Unless further provision is made 
 for increasing the subsidy to ManitoV)a, 
 no matter what her population may be- 
 come, her revenue from the Dominion 
 cannot exceed $4(M),(J()0. Not only ( »nt- 
 ario but all the other provinces, are sub- 
 sidized to a much greater extent than 
 this province, and they also have their 
 public lands, their forests, and mines, 
 while Manitoba is deprived of these 
 without the slightest compensation, in 
 discussing the administration of the 
 public lands of the North-West, the argu- 
 ment is frequently used that they should 
 be held to pay the expenses of building 
 the Canadian I'acific Kailway. iSuch an 
 argument is entirely unfair. The most 
 expensive portion of that road is in 
 British Columbia, where the Dominion 
 has not a foot of land except by pur- 
 chase, and also pays to that province 
 $100,000 annually for the right of way 
 for the road. 'J'he only conclusion that 
 any candid reader of our supplement can 
 arrive at is, that Manitoba is deprived of 
 her just rights as a province, and hereto- 
 fore her people have very quietly sub- 
 mitted, in the hope that when the Can- 
 adian Pacific liailway problem was 
 solved, she would be placed on the same 
 financial basis as the other provinces. 
 Her Indian and half-breed reserves have 
 been set apart, the railway lands are 
 located, and the cost of the surveys of 
 her remaining lands, has been more than 
 paid for from sales ; they should there- 
 fore at once be handed over to the pro- 
 vince, together with all they contain of 
 minerals or timber. Manitoba can no 
 
 longer allord to remain passive under 
 the present state of things. She should 
 no longer permit the Dominion to d«>- 
 prive her of her birtliright. .\ most 
 emphatic protest should go up from ail 
 sections of her people. We are pleaso<l 
 to see the almost unanimous action of 
 the press of the province in the present 
 ajritation. but in our opinion it is as yet 
 altogether too tame. Meetings should 
 be held in every citv, town and hamlet, 
 and resolutions .and memorials shoulcl 
 pour into Ottawa to such an extent that 
 the Government would be compelled to 
 place our provincial resources on the 
 same basis as the otlier provinces. In 
 connection with this subject is involved 
 another of still greater importance, es- 
 pecially to the people liviny in the terri- 
 tory in disi>ute between Ontario and 
 Manitoba. We shall, however, rel'er 
 more tully to this i)hase of the ifuestion 
 involving the boundary dispute in anoth- 
 er article m our next isue. in the mean- 
 time we would invite a careful perusal 
 of the letters in the supplement, and 
 suggest the advisability of having a large 
 and enthusiastic public meeting to dis- 
 cuss the subject in all its bearings. 
 
 Emersox Liti'i'nofwvnl I — "That it is too 
 much governed from abroad and by 
 those who are way-billed up to fill some 
 lucrative office in the Province to the 
 exclusion of other persons e(jually good 
 here, that is insultingly absurd to sup- 
 pose that a people like we are now in 
 this Province are incajiable of handling 
 our own affairs with intelligence and 
 with success ; that we should be placed 
 under a similar fotting with all other Pro- 
 vinces ; that,it is disgrading to^inankind, 
 and insulting to our loyalty to doubt 
 that we have any other object in view 
 than to make this one of the fairest 
 jewels in the Domioion Coronet must be 
 patent. The time has arrived,, to f-ay 
 the least, when this subject should be 
 thoroughly disc ussod, and oiir position 
 improved in respect to our right as 
 
fl( 
 
 ^[anitobaiiK I'ik>t, < imadiuim .Sr;rOMt, 
 but British A r. ways.'" 
 
 THE LEG1SKATF<>N. 
 
 There arc a creat many (UU'MMiltics 
 confronting us. We merely spealc as a 
 province. This journal makes no false 
 aasertions, and we think it will be con- 
 ceded, that Manitoba as a Province of 
 the Dominion, is just as loyal as all other 
 Provinces. There is nothing disloyal 
 meant. < )ur people are composed of the 
 same material as those who fought at 
 (^ueenston Heights or I'ontenoy. i:et it 
 be distinctly understood that in Mani- 
 toba we ask lor nothing, except what 
 would be conceded to any Provijxce of 
 the Dominion. Let (hose who attack our 
 loyalty say that we arc disloyal. We 
 want our rights, which means the cont rol 
 of our Public Lands. 
 
 WHY 
 
 SHOl'LD MAMToliA 
 THANKn L. 
 
 P.K 
 
 George l^idlaw, one of the railway miig 
 nates of Ontario, recently expressed mi 
 opinion of the prospects of this Province' 
 and the Xortli-Wost, which has been 
 published. I -ike nearly every one else 
 who lias studied the matter, whether he 
 has paid us a visit or not, Mr. Tiaidlaw 
 looka to the fuiux'C of this land as n splen 
 did one. But like many other public 
 men, who ought to know bettor, the 
 general manager of the Credit N'alloy 
 Uailroad, says some things of this portion 
 of the Dominion which are not correct 
 and are far from being palatable to our 
 people. Speaking of this country, he 
 says — "The people of Canada have made 
 it wliat it is, and have assumed heavy 
 responsibility for its future — therefore 
 they should go up and possess the land — 
 the very cream of it, and|not wait to let 
 the newcomers from all Europe sail in 
 past us, to pick and choose and brng of 
 
 their wheat and iheir wealth, and look 
 down on us in a few years as « >hio an<l 
 Illinois do on Maine and Vermont.'" A 
 gain, .speaking of the safeguards re(|uired 
 to]prevent the ('. P. H. from being tapped 
 on *ie jugular vein at Winnipeg, and our 
 trade drained away, Mr. Laid law says : 
 
 " It we let the American railway com 
 " panics loose at the throat of the syndi- 
 " cate, they will impair its credit, hurt 
 " the value of its securities, and might 
 '' burst it before we have our job done. 
 *• We should keep their hands off until 
 ' they are tinished, then we can, and no 
 •' doubt will, talk to them about compe- 
 " tition, rates, etc. JMeantime the people 
 " in Manitoba interested in or promoting 
 *' new railways must, 1 imagine, possess 
 '* themselves in patience, and be thank- 
 ♦' ful to the people of the rest of the Do- 
 '' minion for the fortunes they are 
 '' making, and ex[»e('t to make, out of 
 " their eastern fellow-countrymen. The 
 " success of the grand national project 
 " can't, and I think, wont, be endanger- 
 '' od for the sake of circumscribed and 
 " temporary local interests.'' 
 
 The idea running through these (|Uota- 
 tions that the older and richer provinces 
 are constantly contributing to us of their 
 .abund.'inco — that wo aie making fortunes 
 out of them— taking all and giving little 
 in return — and that we are a big burden 
 on them — that is an idea that the people 
 of this land complain of, and repudiate 
 in the most forcilile terms. It is not 
 true, but yet it is an untruth, which is 
 entertained and circulated by many of 
 our prominent men. The people of 
 Manitoija and the North-West have bfier: 
 astou'ihjd to see how far and fast fabri- 
 catioi> iias travelled as to thair being 
 pampered and spoiled by large Dominion 
 expenditures made for the special bene- 
 fit of the Prairie Province and the North- 
 West generally. Our attitude towards 
 the Dominion according to the authori- 
 ties we cite, ought to bo one of subjec- 
 tion — intense thankfulness — unbounded 
 gratitude — great caution, lest we should 
 in an nnguaivled moment do something 
 
 M 
 
■MSMMiB 
 
 
 d look 
 io an<l 
 
 it;- A- 
 
 tapped 
 md our 
 aays : 
 ly com- 
 3 syndi- 
 t, hurt 
 [1 might 
 b done, 
 tr until 
 I and no 
 compe- 
 ) people 
 oiuoting 
 , possess 
 e thank- 
 ■ the Do- 
 ley arc 
 
 out of 
 m. The 
 
 project 
 tidanger- 
 bed and 
 
 Be (|Uota- 
 rovincei 
 of th«nr 
 brtunes 
 ing little 
 burden 
 people 
 pudiato 
 is not 
 which is 
 many of 
 ople of 
 ve been 
 st fabri- 
 being 
 minion 
 bene- 
 3 North- 
 towards 
 iithori- 
 subjec- 
 ounded 
 should 
 lolhing 
 
 vl 
 
 4 
 
 to oiU'udour muniticicnLbonclurlorb and 
 cause them tocut ofVthe supplies. Tho nb 
 surdity of that view has been again anil 
 again pointed out by the Premier and 
 other members of the Local ( lovernment. 
 In a series of admirable letters in the 
 Montreal fla^ffe, in another series, and in 
 articles published by the press of this 
 city, it has been cle.'u'ly demonstrated 
 that Manitoba is not in the position of a 
 suppliant^suing for favors. There can 
 be nothing more certain than this— that 
 if the Dominion has, in creating this Pro- 
 vince, made large outlays, she has more 
 than recouped herself already, and has 
 made an investment which bids fair to be 
 the best she ever made. 
 
 We would like to see the people of 
 r Ontario and other Provinces come up and 
 possess this land, for it is a good land. 
 Lot them come by all means — they are 
 welcome to a share of the '• cream." But 
 we do not want them to come stalled 
 with the notion that they " have made it 
 what it is," and "assumed heavy respons- 
 ibilites for its future ■' — as if we were 
 simply children whose maintenance and 
 whole prospects in life depended on the 
 older. Provinces — and particularly On- 
 tario. Such a notion is a tremendous 
 mistake. It is a palpable reversal of the 
 true order of things. Manitoba and the 
 North West are the backbone of the 
 Dominion to day ; and the present pros- 
 perity and future greatness of the confe- 
 deration ore inseparably connected with 
 the possession and prospects of this pro- 
 vince and adjoining territories. To any 
 of our " estern fellow-countrymen " who 
 think that we are making fortunes out 
 of them, we have replied, " You have 
 taken our lands and are making a fortune 
 out of us. Up to the end of last year you 
 realized from the sale of these lands 
 $2,04<'»,335. The sole charge which can 
 be properly made against the lands is the 
 cost of survey, which amounted to $1,400,- 
 (MK). This leaves you, so far, in pocket 
 on this one transaction, $64r),.335. And 
 you still hold twenty-two millions of acres 
 
 or thoieiibouts of good laml included 
 within the provincial boundaries." 
 
 To our eastern fellow countrymen who 
 think wo are beiiig enriche<l at their ex- 
 pense, it has been further pointed out 
 that the Dominion revenue derived from 
 this rjuarter is increasing annually. It 
 hai* grown from $47,5;J'J,W in 1S72 to 
 s'204,20'). 4s in 1.S80— in the matter of 
 customs receipts alone. The total reali- 
 zed from this scource within the period 
 named, aggregated |l,r)7r»,899.78 ; while 
 from excise, the total receipts of the 
 seven years oomiuencing 1S74 have been 
 $2lf,,244..'{4. This gives a grand total of 
 $ 1, 793, 1 44. 1 2. as the sum Manitoba con- 
 tributed to the Dominion ; within the 
 nine pears specified the Dominon contri- 
 buted toManitoba as subsidy which foots 
 up to about $804,01 9.2 1. We have thus, in 
 a few years, from these sources alone, 
 helped to make the fortunes of our eas- 
 tern fellow-countrymen to the extent of 
 $9S9. 1 24.9 1 . And the grand total drawn 
 from us annually by the Dominion from 
 the sale of lands, customs, excise, &o., 
 exceeds half a million dollars. We now 
 receive in return a subsidy of a little over 
 $1(X),(XK) each year. It is not difficult to 
 decide on which side the balance lies in 
 that account. 
 
 With regard to the C. P. R. expendi- 
 tures these countrymen of ours in the 
 east ore not so wise as they might be, 
 although they have been furnished with 
 statistics, (which we need not recapitul- 
 ate) proving incontestibly that this coun- 
 try is under no obligations to the Domi- 
 nion for the building of that railway. As 
 a matter of fact, its cost to the Dominion 
 will be far more than paid out of our 
 lands ; and in all probability it never 
 would have been built were there not 
 hundreds of millions of fertile acres to 
 build it with. It has also to be borne in 
 mind that among the Dominion liabilities 
 (of which Manitoba has to pay a large 
 share) are ovfr $90,000,000 that have 
 been expended in the older Provinces on 
 public works. < >f this amount $41,000,- 
 
.3S 
 
 (XM) represent railway expenditures in 
 these old Provinces. 
 
 Under all these circurai^tanres we fail 
 to see how we are making our fortunes 
 out of our fellow countrymen in the oast 
 — or what it is for which "vvr ought to he 
 specially than lul to them. 
 
 OUR PROVINCIAL RIGHTS. 
 
 Fioiii ihe. Manlfuha Frti' /*/v>.s'. 
 
 We are contident there is little diver- 
 sity of opinion in this Province as to the 
 absolute justice and propriety of our 
 claim that all unappropriated public 
 lands within our boundaries forthwith 
 be placed in tne possession of our Pro- 
 vincial authorities. This unanimous ex- 
 pression of public opinion cannot fail to 
 have its due effect upon the Dominion 
 Government. Pressure may be neces- 
 saiy in order to secure the rights which 
 alone can put Manitoba on an equality 
 with the other Provinces of the Domin 
 ion. It is therefore gratifying to observe 
 that a movement has been inaugurated 
 to obtain from the municipal councils of 
 the Province a united demand that 
 Manitoba's undeniably just claims shall 
 be speedily satisfied. At a meeting of 
 the council of the municipality of West- 
 bourne, held at Gladstone on the sth 
 ult., the following resolution was adopt- 
 ed. 
 
 "That this council respectfully solicit 
 the aid and co-operation of the various 
 municipalities in the Province, as well as 
 our Dominion and local members, to 
 urge on the Dominion Governnuiet the 
 necessity of handing over the public 
 lands to our local .iLithorities, as it con- 
 siciers they will be better administered 
 by them in the interests ot this Pro- 
 vince. 
 
 "GRIP " ( >N MANITOBA'S LANDS. 
 
 Ttis gratifying to observe that Manito- 
 ba's demand for justice in regard to the 
 unappropriated public lands .vithin her 
 
 boundaries in finding powerful and dis- 
 interested advocates in other Provinces. 
 We are particularly glad to see that the 
 keen sense of right which has always 
 characterized the public cource of 
 " Grip ■' has been thoroughly aroused on 
 Manitoba's behalf. In its last number 
 there appears a cartoon in which the 
 wrong now inflicted upon this Province 
 by the deprivation of her legitimate 
 sources of revenue is admirably depicted. 
 The cartoon is called " Poor little Mani- 
 toba — the Dominion Starveling.'' Sir 
 Samuel Tilley, with a plethoric waist, is 
 seated at one end of a table, while Mani- 
 toba, a small boy, with an < »livei Twis- 
 tish look of himger, ragged, out at knees 
 and elbows, occupies a high stool at the 
 opposite extremity. Before Sir Samuel 
 is a hugh dish, occupied by an immense 
 pudding labelled " Internal Resouices of 
 Manitoba, " The I'inance Minister is 
 ravenously devouring the pudding, 
 which is made ot dollars, while starved 
 Manitoba is piteously holding out his 
 little plate towards which Sir Samuel 
 verv gingeily extends one dollar. Be- 
 hind appears the countenance of Sir 
 .lohn, who, with a grin on his face, whis- 
 pers to Sir Samuel, "Dont cram him- 
 you know,' — a very unnecessary piece 
 of advice, one would think. On the 
 wall are di splayed three placards ; the 
 first reads, "Provincial receipts (Manl 
 toba) 1881, $90,()(X):'' the second, as a 
 condtrast, "Provincial Expenses, (Mani- 
 toba) I SSI, $181,vJU0;" while the third 
 emphasizes the sarcasm by quoting Sir 
 George Cartier's promise that "'Manitoba 
 will enter the confederation on the same 
 basis as the other J^rovincos, viz : locrJ 
 self government."' In its editorial com- 
 ments. Grip thus pointedly presents the 
 situation : 
 
 We advisedly picture the Province of 
 Manitoba as the Dommion Starveling. 
 The actual and discreditable fact is that 
 the Dominion authorities are fattening up 
 on pi'operty which by eveiy rule of just- 
 ice belongs to the I'rairie Trovince. As 
 intimated, this cartoon is but the first of 
 
 4 
 
;i!i 
 
 a scries to be published with a view of 
 arousing public attention to the anomaly 
 and having it remedied, if possible, be- 
 fore serious trouble arises. * * 
 We heartily join in this fray because we 
 are convinced that the present position 
 of the Prairie Province is fraught with 
 grave danger, not only to the people who 
 live within its limits, but to the whole Do 
 minion. But aside from this, the present 
 attituae of the Dominion authorities is 
 mean, tyrannical and unjust — so much 
 GO that no free journal can stand by com- 
 l)lacently and endure it. For t'le benefit 
 of thos3 who have not examined the 
 matter, let us brietiy summarize the facts 
 of the case. Manitoba-iuilike any of the 
 other provinces — is prohibited from con- 
 trolling any of the lands,rainernls or other 
 sources of revenue witliin her borders. 
 I ler local governmental institutions must 
 be supported entirely by the interest on 
 the amount placed to her credit on enter- 
 ing Confe leration — which was some 
 $500,000. '"'h'^ niterest is 5 per cent., 
 but circumstances have obliged the 
 province to use up about $300,000 of 
 the principal,and the annual expenditure 
 at present is not less than $180,000. In 
 addition to the interest on the subsidy 
 the only other revenue at the command 
 of the Province is the annual receipt 
 from the Dominion of 80 cts per head on 
 the population — which is limited to a 
 population of 400,0(X). If Sir John A. is 
 sincere in predicting a population of 
 •' millions" in the Nort-West .sithin a few 
 
 years, he ought to be able to grasp the 
 gravity of the problen here presented for 
 his consideration. 
 
 -Vn able Canadian writer recently 
 wrote : — "Local self-government is in- 
 finitely valuable, and is the basis of all 
 sound institutions ; br.c it is impaired 
 when unsuitable functions are assigned 
 to it and when mixed up with the central 
 government, from which it ought to be 
 kept entirely distinct. The relation be- 
 tween Law and Equity are a subject for 
 the^highest practical intellects and for 
 the ',best legislative power." The difii- 
 culty which Manitoba has always en- 
 countered since it was made a fledgeling 
 is that the Central Government is always 
 mixing itself in our affairs, hence local 
 government with us is a mere name. 
 Were we i)Ossessed oi' the functions of a 
 province the case would be different, we 
 would then know better how to act and 
 understand our relations better, and be 
 more self-reliant anj less under appre- 
 hension of having our rights impaired by 
 those who claim to be guardians and who 
 while pretending to shield us, disj'ose of 
 our just privileges to those who care 
 nothing for us, and who merely view us 
 as a s\\ ddling. Yes, instead of fighting 
 about tLis member or that member, it 
 were better that we first saw that we had 
 a Province witli a Legislature instead of 
 a Colony with a council shorn of most of 
 its power.