Laurier: A Study in Canadian Politics | Page 7

minister of Canada. All through the winter and
spring of 1895 Tarte was sinking test wells in Quebec public opinion
with one uniform result. The issue was Laurier. So the policy was
formulated of marking time until the government was irretrievably
committed to remedial legislation; then the Liberals as a solid body
were to throw themselves against it. So Laurier and the Liberal party
retired within the lines of Torres Vedras and bided their time.
But Tarte had no end of trouble in keeping the party to the path marked
out. The fainthearts of the other provinces could not keep from their
minds the haunting fear that the road they were marching along led to a
morass. They wanted a go-as-you please policy by which each section
of the party could make its own appeal to local feeling. Laurier was
never more indecisive than in the war councils in which these questions
of party policy were fought over. And with good reason. His sympathy
and his judgment were with Tarte but he feared to declare himself too
pronouncedly. The foundation stone of Tarte's policy was a belief in the
overwhelming potency of Laurier's name in Quebec; Laurier was
naturally somewhat reluctant to put his own stock so high. He had not
yet come to believe implicitly in his star. Within forty-eight hours of
the time when Laurier made his speech moving the six months' hoist to
the Remedial bill, a group of Liberal sub-chiefs from the English

provinces made a resolute attempt to vary the policy determined upon.
Their bright idea was that Clarke Wallace, the seceding cabinet
minister and Orange leader, should move the six months' hoist; this
would enable the Liberals to divide, some voting for it and some
against it. But the bold idea won. With Laurier's speech of March 3,
1896, the death-blow was given to the Conservative administration and
the door to office and power opened to the Liberals.
The campaign absolutely vindicated the tactical foresight of Tarte. A
good deal might be said about that campaign if space were available.
But one or two features of it may be noted. In the English provinces
great play was made with Father Lacombe's minatory letter to Laurier,
sent while the issue was trembling in the balance in parliament: "If the
government . . is beaten . . I inform you with regret that the episcopacy,
like one man, united with the clergy, will rise to support those who may
have fallen in defending us." In his Reminiscences, Sir John Willison
speculates as to how this letter, so detrimental to the government in
Ontario, got itself published. Professor Skelton says boldly that it was
"made public through ecclesiastical channels." It would be interesting
to know his authority for this statement. The writer of this article says it
was published as the result of a calculated indiscretion by the Liberal
board of strategy. As it was through his agency that publication of the
letter was sought and secured, it will be agreed that he speaks with
knowledge. It does not, of course, follow that Laurier was a party to its
publication.
The campaign of 1896 was on both sides lively, violent and
unscrupulous. The Conservatives had two sets of arguments; and so
had the Liberals. Those of us who watched the campaign in Quebec at
close range know that not much was said there by the Liberals about
the high crime of coercing a province. Instead, stress was laid upon the
futility and inadequacy of the proposed remedial legislation; upon the
high probability that more could be got for the minority by negotiation;
upon the suggestion that, negotiation failing, remedial legislation that
would really accomplish something could still be invoked. This
argument, plus the magic of Laurier's personality and Tarte's organizing
genius, did the business. Futile the sniping of the curés; vain the
broadsides of the bishops; empty the thunders of the church! Quebec
went to the polls and voted for Laurier. Elsewhere the government just

about held its own despite the burden of its remedial policy; but it was
buried under the Quebec avalanche. The Liberals took office sustained
by the 33 majority from the province which had once been the citadel
of political Conservatism.
"Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun
of York; And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house In the deep
bosom of the ocean buried. Now are our brows bound with victorious
wreaths; Our bruised arms hung up for monuments; Our stern alarums
changed to merry meetings; Our dreadful marches to delightful
measures."

PART TWO. LAURIER AND EMPIRE RELATIONSHIPS
WILFRID Laurier was Prime Minister of Canada from July 9, 1896, to
October 6, 1911, fifteen years and three months, which, for the
Dominion, is a record.