ervative.
He was to be, five years later, one of the leaders in that curious
conspiracy, the MacKenzie-Mann-Berthiaume-La Presse deal--the details
of which as told by Professor Skelton read like a detective yarn--which
was turned into opera bouffe by Laurier's decisive and timely
interference. In 1902, Tarte, in Laurier's absence and in the belief
that he could not resume the premiership on account of illness,
attempted to seize the successorship by pre-emption, and was
promptly dismissed from office by Laurier. Tarte and Dansereau tried
to rally the Bleu forces against Laurier, but these were no longer
distinguishable from the Liberal hosts into which they had merged.
Their day was over and their power gone. Laurier reigned supreme.

These commitments and considerations furnished the background to the
drama of Laurier's premiership. Much that took place on the fore-stage
is only intelligible by taking a long vision of the whole setting.
There was nothing of assertiveness or truculence in this
steady movement by which Liberal policy and outlook was given a new
orientation, Quebec replacing Ontario as the determinant. Students
of politics can trace the changing influence through the fifteen
years of Liberal rule, in legislation, in appointments and in
administrative policies. One or two illustrations might be noted.

A CHALLENGE AND A CHECK

During the crisis of 1905 over the school provisions in the Autonomy
bills erecting Alberta and Saskatchewan into provinces, Walter
Scott, M.P., in a letter quoted by Professor Skelton, refers to the
"almost unpardonable bungling" which had brought the crisis about.
But Sir Wilfrid did not step into this difficulty by mischance. He
knew precisely what he was doing though he did not foresee the
consequences of his action because with all his experience and
sagacity he never could foretell how political developments would
react upon the English-Canadian mind. The educational provisions of
the autonomy bill were designed to remove the still lingering
resentment of Quebec over the settlement of the Manitoba school
question and to further this purpose Sir Wilfrid indulged in his
speech introducing these bills in that entirely gratuitous laudation
of separate schools which had on Ontario and western Canadian
opinion the enlivening effect of a match thrown into a powder
barrel. This incident revealed not only the tendency of Laurier's
policy but illustrated the tactics which he had deve