crupulous. 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 cures; 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. Sir John Macdonald was Premier of the
Dominion of Canada for over nineteen years, but this covered two
terms separated by five years of Liberal rule.

The theory of government by party is that the two parties are
complementary instruments of government; by periodic interchanges of
position they keep the administration of the country efficient and
progressive. The complete acceptance of this view would imply a
readiness upon the part of a party growing stale to facilitate the
incoming of the required alternative administration, but no such
phenomenon in politics has ever been observed. Parties, in reality,
are organized states within the state. They have their own dynasties
and hierarchies; and their reason for existence is to clothe
themselves with the powers, functions and glory of the state which
they control. Thei