The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs

representatives of Winnipeg business that a University Chair of Commerce be created; a special Convocation on Dec. 6 to confer the degree of M.D. on 28 graduates, all of whom were in uniform.

Wesley College held its Convocation on Feb. 13 and the Principal, Rev. Dr. Eber Crummy, announced that 330 men were on the Honour Roll of whom 20 had died for the cause; he declared that "there has never been in any previous war so truly spiritual an attitude as is now shown in the spirit of the Allies and through which the ethical standards of education are confirmed.' The Hon. degree of D.D. was conferred (Apr. 10) on the Rev. John McLean and the diploma of B.D. on 5 graduates. In August the new Principal, Rev. Dr. J. H. Riddell, took charge with Rev. Dr. A. Stewart as Dean of the Theological Faculty, Dr. W. T. Allison, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and D. C. Harvey, B.A., as Professor of History. On June 11 it was announced that the Methodist Conference had undertaken to clear up the last 3-years' deficit of $30,000—Winnipeg to give $12,000, the rest of Manitoba $12,000 and Saskatchewan $6,000. Meantime the controversy over the dismissal of Rev. Dr. S. G. Bland and Rev. A. J. Irwin in 1916 had raged throughout this year. It was due partly to the deficit and retrenchment in reducing the Staff, and partly to the extreme views of Dr. Bland in regard to social, political and religious problems. Upon the latter point the two Professors challenged the action of the College Board and carried the matter to the public in a series of letters and speeches and to the Methodist Conference which, after studying the matter thoroughly (June 11-12), reported that financial reasons were the cause of the action, but suggested that the matter be reviewed again. On June 8 the Saskatchewan Methodist Conference had also asked the Board to reconsider the dismissal; the Grain Growers' Guide (June 13) declared that Dr. Bland suffered because he was "a democrat to the hilt"; the Toronto World described him as "a great and good man," the greatest orator in the West and the feared foe of the corporations. On Sept. 20 the College Board went over the whole subject and decided not to re-instate the two Professors; an appeal was carried to the Court of Appeal of the Methodist Church, in Toronto, which decided on Dec. 29 that the College Board "acted within its power under the charter of the College, yet the summary dismissal of Professors Bland and Irwin at the time at which it was done was not in harmony with the usage and law of the Church." The annual Convocation of Brandon College (Baptist) on May 8 showed two-thirds of the graduating class at the Front and five degrees conferred; Bonds of $100,000 at 6% were issued in August to consolidate the floating debt of the College. At Manitoba College on April 4 the Hon. degree of D.D. was conferred on Rev. W. A. McLean of Winnipeg and 7 graduates were given their diplomas.

The Grain Growers of Manitoba. This was a remarkable body from several points of view. It was, perhaps, the most successful of the early movements in the Canadian West which sought to bring the farmers out of chaotic individualism into a condition of commercial, social, economic, and sometimes political combination. Started at Virden on Jan. 7, 1903, it had in 1916 thousands of members, a revenue of $6,190 and contributions to War Relief, etc., of $23,382. The annual Convention was held at Brandon on Jan. 10-12 with R. C. Henders in the Chair and a Directors' Report which dealt with various elements of work and advocacy such as cheaper money or Farm credits, Co-operative grain-grading and Elevator policy, the retirement of R. McKenzie, Secretary for years, to go to the Council of Agriculture, the accepted Farmers' platform of the latter body. Mr. Henders was also Acting-Secretary and reported as to good work done by the Association in distributing seed grain and urged (1) increase of members and financial returns, (2) more help from central to branch organizations, (3) a brief period of special training for local Secretaries. In his Presidential address Mr. Henders described this as a time for self-sacrifice and war-help, advocated the national registration of wealth and manpower, and a National Government, stated the Patriotic contributions of the Manitoba farmers at $30,000, denounced the High Cost of Living and blamed "a false system of land tenure" as primarily responsible, with the modern adaptations of "taking a part of the cost of maintenance out of the wage-earners and demanding unduly enhanced profits from the consumer." The 1st Resolution passed was as follows:

Whereas the British Empire and her Allies are engaged in a life and death struggle in which we believe the interests of civilization are at stake; and whereas the Canadian Government, in order that Canada might render more effective service in the prosecution of the War, has undertaken to make a census of the man-power of the Dominion

with the expressed view of organizing it to the highest possible point of efficiency; therefore, be it resolved that this Convention endorses the action of the Government in this regard: but while endorsing it it desires to urge in the strongest possible terms an abhorrence of private profiteering on the part of those engaged in the manufacture or furnishing of war supplies of any kind and also urges that a census of the wealth of Canada should be immediately taken with the view to imposing upon it the full share of the burden it should bear in this time of national sacrifice. And further that these resources can only be organized to their full efficiency by a National Government in which the interests of political parties shall be made entirely subservient to the interests of the State.

Other Resolutions were as follows: (1) approving the platform of the Council of Agriculture (1916) and sending it to the Locals for final action; (2) instructing the Executive to petition the British Government for protection of Canadian soldiers from intoxicating liquors; (3) asking the Dominion Government "to establish a Permanent Survey Board and to give farmers adequate representation thereon"; (4) commending the Provincial Government for granting the franchise to women, compulsory education and efforts toward the abolition of the liquor traffic; (5) approving free grants of land and public aid to returned soldiers but objecting to the grant of Scrip that might be used for speculative purposes as detrimental to settlement in the newer communities; (6) asking the Government to prohibit advertisements of alcoholic liquors through the mails; (7) protesting strongly against enlistment of boys under 18 years of age because they had not attained the fixity of character to resist temptation, because it was the policy of the British Government not to allow any such boys to go to the Front under 19 years, and because they were needed at home for farm production purposes; (8) urging the appointment of returned soldiers to Civil Service positions, etc., under a non-party plan of Provincial and Federal appointment; (9) approving of equalized pensions for all our soldiers who have served and are entitled to it without respect to rank or position in the army; (10) urging that homestead lands be withdrawn from entry by foreigners till the soldiers have returned, so that the best lands may be available for them. A Resolution was endorsed as to principle and sent to the Executive, declaring that "through enlistment of men for war service there was shortage of help for farm work with numbers of farmers unable to procure help even in the winter months; that National and Imperial interests demanded that production should be maintained at its highest possible level with all means available used to organize the Labour supply." Another Resolution approved the union of the commercial organizations of the Grain Growers in the different provinces. An ensuing meeting was addressed by T. A. Crerar, F. J. Dixon, M.L.A., and Rev. Dr. S. G. Bland, to hear the first public Western arguments in favour of the Council of Agriculture platform. As the Grain Growers' Guide put it "they certainly cleared the air of any protection dust and anyone who could not think straight on the Tariff after they got through ought to be laid away in the vaults of the Toronto News or Montreal Star." The Women's Branch endorsed the Homestead law changes under which the wife had to approve of any sale of the property and also the Intestacy Act under which a wife, upon the death of her husband, would get all of his estate up to $2,500 and a third of the remainder, and other amendments of Acts such as making parents equal, with equal guardianship of children, the right to hold municipal office and the right of the illegitimate mother to inherit from her child. R. C. Henders was re-elected President of the Association, J. S. Wood, Oakville, and Mrs. A. Tooth. Eli, Vice-Presidents, with the following Directors:

Of other Agricultural Associations the Dairymen's Association met in Winnipeg on Feb. 15-16 with 150 present and R. L. Race of Brandon in the chair. The Convention was addressed on Good Roads by Hon. T. H. Johnson and A. McGillivray, Highway Commissioner, and by others on technical subjects and Resolutions were passed declaring that (1) Oleomargarine should be barred from Canada, (2) that cream be pasteurized as a means of producing a higher grade of butter, (3) that the work of Creamery Inspectors should be continued. The Manitoba Horticultural and Forestry Association met on Feb. 16 and urged the Provincial Government to give a grant for the investigation of native plants of supposed value. The Farmers' week in Winnipeg -the third in February-brought an Agricultural Societies' Convention of 200 with

representatives of Winnipeg business that a University Chair of Commerce be created; a special Convocation on Dec. 6 to confer the degree of M.D. on 28 graduates, all of whom were in uniform.

Wesley College held its Convocation on Feb. 13 and the Principal, Rev. Dr. Eber Crummy, announced that 330 men were on the Honour Roll of whom 20 had died for the cause; he declared that "there has never been in any previous war so truly spiritual an attitude as is now shown in the spirit of the Allies and through which the ethical standards of education are confirmed." The Hon. degree of D.D. was conferred (Apr. 10) on the Rev. John McLean and the diploma of B.D. on 5 graduates. In August the new Principal, Rev. Dr. J. H. Riddell, took charge with Rev. Dr. A. Stewart as Dean of the Theological Faculty, Dr. W. T. Allison, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and D. C. Harvey, B.A., as Professor of History. On June 11 it was announced that the Methodist Conference had undertaken to clear up the last 3-years' deficit of $30,000-Winnipeg to give $12,000, the rest of Manitoba $12,000 and Saskatchewan $6,000. Meantime the controversy over the dismissal of Rev. Dr. S. G. Bland and Rev. A. J. Irwin in 1916 had raged throughout this year. It was due partly to the deficit and retrenchment in reducing the Staff, and partly to the extreme views of Dr. Bland in regard to social, political and religious problems. Upon the latter point the two Professors challenged the action of the College Board and carried the matter to the public in a series of letters and speeches and to the Methodist Conference which, after studying the matter thoroughly (June 11-12), reported that financial reasons were the cause of the action, but suggested that the matter be reviewed again. On June 8 the Saskatchewan Methodist Conference had also asked the Board to reconsider the dismissal; the Grain Growers' Guide (June 13) declared that Dr. Bland suffered because he was "a democrat to the hilt"; the Toronto World described him as "a great and good man," the greatest orator in the West and the feared foe of the corporations. On Sept. 20 the College Board went over the whole subject and decided not to re-instate the two Professors; an appeal was carried to the Court of Appeal of the Methodist Church, in Toronto, which decided on Dec. 29 that the College Board "acted within its power under the charter of the College, yet the summary dismissal of Professors Bland and Irwin at the time at which it was done was not in harmony with the usage and law of the Church." The annual Convocation of Brandon College (Baptist) on May 8 showed two-thirds of the graduating class at the Front and five degrees conferred; Bonds of $100,000 at 6% were issued in August to consolidate the floating debt of the College. At Manitoba College on April 4 the Hon. degree of D.D. was conferred on Rev. W. A. McLean of Winnipeg and 7 graduates were given their diplomas.

Lake would alone ensure the great mineral development of the Province; that the Flin Flon from the surface appears to be one of the biggest copper deposits in the world, and Schist Lake, while very much smaller, has even a higher percentage of metal in the ore."

The chief points of interest, as yet, during this year were the McCafferty lode, to the extreme north of the staked area, the Nemo, Trapper, Centre Star, Bingo, Le Roi and Ballard claims and, of course, the Herb or Wekusko district, the KiskiWekusko claims, the Moose-Horn mine, the Rex group and the Elizabeth-Dauphin group. Before the Canadian Manufacturers' Convention in Winnipeg on June 13 Prof. R. F. Ruttan of McGill, a member of the Federal Research Council, described the efforts to find some means of utilizing lignite coal in which Manitoba had become aware of large resources: "We have recommended the Government to work those lignite mines under a process which will make the finished product equivalent in thermal value to anthracite coal, and enable it to sell at a price that will be about two-thirds the price of anthracite." He declared that $400,000 was necessary to work out the scheme and T. R. Deacon of Winnipeg responded with the remark that if the basis was sound the money could be obtained any afternoon in Winnipeg. F. H. Kitto, D.L.S., of the Interior Department, Ottawa, told a Winnipeg meeting on June 19 as to the district north of Lake Winnipeg, of The Pas and Norway House, that "no one knew how really wonderful the country was." He believed that within a few years the Hudson Bay Railway would be carrying minerals out of the country in far greater tonnage than railways had ever carried grain from the southern portion of the Province." J. M. Wanless of The Pas told the Winnipeg Telegram (June 30) that in the Flin Flon and Schist regions "the quantity of ore proved up by current operations has an aggregate value of $100,000,000." At this time the mining people of the continent had begun to take an interest in these reports, and every train northbound during June, July and August, carried a number of mining men from New York, Boston, Chicago and other United States centres, while every train from The Pas had men going south to obtain funds with which to engage in the mining industry. On Aug. 25 it was reported that a discovery of free milling molybdenum ore had been made about 75 miles east of Winnipeg and samples were placed on exhibition. The original discovery had been made some years before by Wm. Gordon, but the mineral then had no specific value and it lay dormant until now Gordon revived and confirmed it in view of current needs.

Saskatchewan: The Hon. W. M. Martin, in his first year of office, Government, had to carry his Party through a general election Legislation and to meet difficulties of which Union Government and Politics complications were by no means the least. It was a prosperous year for the Province with the enormous production and agricultural values of $609,000,000; it was a war-year which he met in the spirit of his New Year's greeting on Jan. 1, 1917 -"Every effort must be put forth by every man and woman in our Province to the end that our future share in the great struggle may be well and faithfully performed"; it was essentially a political year with the opening event an auspicious one for his party -the Interim Report of the Wetmore Commission and the afterwards final Report clearing the preceding Scott Government, in the main, of corruption charges laid in 1915-16.* This Royal Commission reported (1) under date of Dec. 23, 1916, and (2) on July 6, 1917; it had Counsel for the Government and for J. E. Bradshaw, M.L.A., who, originally, urged the charges upon the Legislature: it had Auditors in constant attendance, examined 136 witnesses, received 335 exhibits for fyling, had 9,000 road and bridge vouchers audited, heard 16,000 pages of evidence and cost about $90,000. Composed of Hon. E. L. Wetmore, Chief Justice, H. G. Smith of

* For details see 1916 volume of The Canadian Annual Review.

Regina, and G. D. Mackie, c.E., of Moose Jaw, it had been appointed on Mar. 7, 1916, and after 9 months' inquiry its first Report showed the fact of extensive road-frauds in the Public Works Department, the collusion of some members of the Legislature and the incapacity or worse of members of the Highway Board, but it relieved the Government or any of its members of knowledge as to these frauds or participation in any electoral corruption as a result of them. It left the Hon. Walter Scott, in his days of ill-health and retirement, free from any worse fault than the defalcation of some trusted employees in a Government Department; it left Mr. Martin in a better condition to carry on his Government beneath clearer skies.

W. B. Willoughby and J. E. Bradshaw of the Opposition had fully believed (1) that the Government itself was involved in these frauds in much the same manner as the Roblin Government had been involved in the Parliament Buildings graft at Winnipeg, and (2) that the frauds were carried on for the purpose of providing a campaign fund for the Liberals with the proceeds devoted to that purpose. Hence their keen fight in the Legislature and the inportance of the findings of this Commission. Early in 1917 the Legislature, by special Act, confined the Commission in future inquiries to specific charges, except in the case of the Saskatoon Bridge, and Mr. Bradshaw intimated a little later that he had no new particulars to advance or charges to make. The final Report declared (1) as to the Saskatoon Bridge charges that "the three expert witnesses examined were of the opinion that the Bridge was constructed, generally, according to the contract, plans and specifications," that the structure was a good one and that the Government received full value for the money expended-in which the Commissioners concurred; (2) as to Brown highway frauds the Commission stated that there was no evidence of their being initiated for, or used for, the purpose of political corruption; (3) it censured A. J. Macpherson as Chairman of the Highways Board for holding stock in one of its contracting companies but found that neither the Government nor his colleagues knew of this fact; (4) it was intimated that the Deputy Treasurer and certain other Departmental officers, in departing from Government regulations, had rendered the frauds of Brown, Devline and Simpson possible; (5) it was pointed out that the Government already had taken steps to institute improved methods of accounting, not only in the Highways but in all Departments of the public service, and at the last Session of the Legislature, following a searching Departmental investigation, and also a survey of the systems in vogue by Price, Waterhouse & Co., an entirely new system of Departmental accounting was instituted and put into operation. Meantime the BrownElwood Commission (1916) had disposed of the charges as to corrupt relations of the Scott Government with the Liquor interests-Mr. Scott being, in fact, a pioneer in Western Prohibition legislation. Another Commission passed away when the Legislature, at the close of the year (Dec. 6) on suggestion of the Opposition Leader, proposed the reference of anything which might come up under the Haultain Commission of 1916 to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

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