the British
parliament as a member of the Home Rule party. But the appeal made to
the electors in 1896 resulted in a decisive victory for the Liberal
party, and marked the beginning of a long period of Liberal rule.

Laurier.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier (q.v.) became prime minister, and strengthened the
cabinet which he formed by drawing into it from provincial politics the
premiers of Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The administration
thus established underwent many changes, but after winning three general
elections it was still in power in 1909. The period of Sir Wilfrid
Laurier's rule was one of striking progress in material growth, and a
marked development of national feeling. While the federation of the
provinces favoured the growth of a strong sentiment of Canadian
individuality, the result of unification had been to strengthen
decidedly the ties that bind the country to the empire. This was as true
under Liberal as under Conservative auspices--as Canadians understood
the meaning of these party names. The outbreak of the South African war
in 1899 furnished an occasion for a practical display of Canadian
loyalty to imperial interests. Three contingents of troops were
despatched to the seat of war and took an active part in the events
which finally secured the triumph of the British arms. These forces were
supplemented by a regiment of Canadian horse raised and equipped at the
sole expense of Lord Strathcona, the high commissioner of the Dominion
in London. The same spirit was illustrated in other ways. In bringing
about a system of penny postage throughout the empire; in forwarding the
construction of the Pacific cable to secure close and safe imperial
telegraphic connexion; in creating rapid and efficient lines of
steamship communication with the motherland and all the colonies; in
granting tariff preference to British goods and in striving for
preferential treatment of inter-imperial trade; in assuming
responsibility for imperial defence at the two important stations of
Halifax and Esquimalt,--Canada, under the guidance of Sir Wilfrid
Laurier and his party, took a leading part and showed a truly national
spirit.

Canadian expansion.

The opening years of the 20th century were marked by a prolonged period
of great prosperity. A steady stream of emigrants from Europe and the
United States, sometimes rising in number to 300,000 in a single year,
began to occupy the vast western prairies. So considerab