ced by the ultramontane leaders. Here was
sheer, stark Liberalism of the brand the Church had condemned. Bishop
Lafleche declared that no Catholic could without sin vote for the chief
of a party who had formulated publicly such an error, and Archbishop
Langevin called upon every true son of the Church to stand by those who
stood by it. In Ontario and the other English-speaking provinces, on
the contrary, the welkin rang with denunciations of hierarchical
presumption. Sir Charles Tupper fought with the wonderful vigour and
fearlessness that had always marked him, but fought in vain. His
forces, disorganized by internal strife, weakened by long years of
office, weighted down by an impossible policy, were no match for the
Liberals, strong in their leader and in a cause which stirred the
enthusiasm of a united party. The election resulted in a decisive
victory for the Liberals. Strange to say, Manitoba went with the
Conservatives and Ontario gave the Liberals only {168} forty-four out
of ninety-two seats, though seven fell to independents opposed to the
Remedial Bill, while Quebec gave forty-eight seats out of its
sixty-five to the party which its spiritual leaders had denounced.

{169}

CHAPTER IX

NEW MEN AT THE HELM

The school settlement--The new tariff

The long night of opposition was over. The critics were to be given
the opportunity to do constructive work. Under the leader who had
served so fitting an apprenticeship they were to guide the political
destinies of Canada for over fifteen years. These were to be years of
change and progress, years which would bridge the gulf between the
stagnant colony of yesterday and the progressive nation of to-day.

[Illustration: The Liberal Government formed by Mr. Laurier in 1896.]

Mr Laurier gathered round him the ablest group of administrators ever
united in a single Canadian Ministry. To augment his already powerful
parliamentary following he called from the provincial administrations
four of the strongest men[1] and took them into his Cabinet. The prime
minister himself, warned by the experiences of Mackenzie and Macdonald,
did not burden himself with a department, but wisely decided to save
his strength {170} and time for the general oversight and guidance of
the Government.

The first task of the new Ministry was to seek a peaceful settlement of
the Manitoba school question. A compromise was {171} doubtless
facilitated by the fact that the s