lity and keeping open the door of opportunity, the free gift of
farm lands to all who will, has been a federal policy. But in one
important field, liberty of thought and discussion, the battle has had
to be fought in our own day, and has been fought valiantly and well.
In standing for the elementary rights of freedom of speech and
political action, Sir Wilfrid Laurier braved the wrath of powerful
forces in the Church he loved and honoured. He did not deny any church
or any churchman the right to take a full part in political discussion.
But he {327} did deny any religious teachers the right to brandish for
a political purpose the weapons of their spiritual armoury; and he
urged the inexpediency, in the Church's own interest, of endeavouring
to build up a clerical party.

The promotion of the country's economic welfare has been the chief task
of every Canadian Government, and the one most in discussion. A tariff
marked by stability and by moderate advances towards freedom of trade,
a railway policy reflecting the new-found faith of Canada in its
future, an immigration campaign that opened up the West and laid the
foundation for mounting prosperity, and for a new place in the world's
regard, aid to farmer and fisherman and miner--these were the
outstanding features of the Canadian administration after 1896.
Mistakes were made, errors of omission and commission, due now to lack
of vision, now to over-confidence, but the accounting was not to be
feared. 'When I am Premier,' declared Mr Laurier in the early
nineties, referring to some dubious statistics used to prove that all
was well with the country, 'you will not have to look up figures to
find out whether you are prosperous: you will know by feeling in your
pockets.'

{328}

No need of Canada has been greater, none has lain nearer Sir Wilfrid
Laurier's heart, than the lessening of misunderstanding and hostility
between the men of the different races and tongues and creeds that make
up the Dominion. It is a task which has been the more difficult
because not merely was there a difference of races, but one race was of
the same blood as the people of the United Kingdom and the other of its
hereditary foe. It was always easy for politicians of the baser sort,
or for well-meaning but rigid and doctrinaire extremists on either
side, to stir up prejudice and passion. It was a statesman's task to
endeavour to bridge the gulf, to work for better feeling between
Britain