Federal Relations of the North-West. 457 



" "Whereas, in view of the present depression in agricultural and com- 

 mercial industries in the Province of Manitoba, the farmers of the Province 

 have assembled for the purpose of expressing their views upon the causes 

 of the said depression and the means of removing the same ; 



" And, whereas, the present and future prosperity of this Province 

 depends both commercially and otherwise upon the successful prosecution 

 of agriculture ; 



" And, whereas, numerous and embarrassing restrictions are placed 

 upon the efforts made by the settlers to extend their operations and 

 improve their condition ; 



"And, whereas, such restrictions are unjust and unnecessary, and 

 have been continued in defiance of the just rights of Manitoba ; 



" And, whereas, some of the said restrictions consist of the oppressive 

 duty upon agricultural implements, the monopoly of the carrying trade 

 now enjoyed by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, and the improper 

 and vexatious methods employed in the administration of the public lands 

 of Manitoba ; 



" And, whereas, the inhabitants of Manitoba are British subjects, and 

 have made their homes here upon the representation that they would be 

 allowed all the privileges which, as such subjects, they would elsewhere 

 in Canada be entitled to, and it appears that by the terms of the admis- 

 sion of Manitoba into Confederation they should be allowed such rights 

 and privileges ; 



" And, whereas, they are denied such rights, and they find that the 

 representative system of the Province is such that they are practically 

 denied the privilege of securing the redress of their grievances through 

 their representatives in the Provincial or Dominion Parliaments ; 



" And, whereas, a large proportion of the business of the Dominion 

 Government is wholly connected with Manitoba and the North-West, 

 especially the important Departments of the Minister of Railways, Public 

 Works, Immigration and Agriculture, which should be controlled by our 

 Provincial Legislature ; 



" And, whereas, it is the right of every British subject to call the 

 attention of the constituted authorities to the existence of abuses and 

 wrongs : 



" Therefore be it resolved that this Convention demands : 



" I. The right of the Local Government to charter railways anywhere 

 in Manitoba free from interference, and 



" 2. The absolute control of her public lands (including school lands) 

 by the Legislature of the Province, and compensation for lands sold and 

 used for Federal purposes. 



