172 DEEP FURROWS 



Constitutional difficulties, financial difficulties, legis- 

 lative difficulties all were set forth in a lengthy and 

 well written memorandum. The British North America 

 Act would have to be amended to grant the provinces 

 authority to create an absolute monopoly without 

 which success would not be assured. In short, there 

 was such a tangle of overlapping jurisdictions, public 

 interest in trade and commerce, federal rights, railway 

 rights and so on that the Premiers could not see their 

 way clear at all in spite of their great desire to help the 

 farmers at all times. 



The Grain Growers passed the document to their 

 legal adviser and E. A. Bonnar, K.C., gave them his 

 opinion in writing. That opinion was very complete, 

 very authoritative, and poked so many holes in the 

 " constitutional difficulties " that the farmers could see 

 their way much more clearly than the Premiers, to 

 whom they made dignified rejoinder. They handed on 

 the holes while they were at it in the hope that the 

 heads of the three Provincial Governments could take 

 a peek through the " difficulties " for themselves and see 

 just how clear the way really was after all. 



The Provincial Premiers, however, took the step 

 which logically followed their reply to the farmers. 

 Resolutions were introduced in the Alberta and Mani- 

 toba Legislatures that His Excellency the Governor-in- 

 Council be memorialized in regard to the elevator 

 question and asked to provide government ownership 

 and operation or to have the necessary powers to deal 

 with the matter conferred upon the provinces. 



Thus things rode until December 14th, 1909, when 

 the Committee on Agriculture in the Saskatchewan 

 Legislative Assembly recommended the appointment of 

 a commission to make searching enquiry into the 



