oriental immigration, and "better terms" for the province from the Dominion government. We have already seen how the failure of the Mackenzie government to carry out the terms of union in regard to a transcontinental railway had aroused public opinion in the province. Happily, the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway removed all cause of discontent in this direction. During the early mining days in the Pacific province, many Chinamen had entered British Columbia, chiefly from the United States. Indeed, at the first election after the union with the Dominion, there was quite a large Chinese vote. Thousands more were brought in from China during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, until their number began to threaten seriously the employment of white labour. The Legislature made many efforts to restrict this immigration, but Acts passed for the purpose were promptly disallowed by the Dominion government. Urged, however, by a strong public opinion in the province, the Dominion government, in 1885, placed a tax of $50 on every Chinese person entering Canada. In 1900 the tax was increased to $100, and two years later to $500. The increased tax, however has by no means stopped the immigration from China. In 1896 a few Japanese had landed in British Columbia; and by 1901 the number had increased to nearly five thousand. Thousands continued to pour into the country each year. Both the Legislature a nd the people began to be seriously alarmed at the presence of so many Japanese. The whole question was taken up with the Dominion government, with the result that an arrange- ment was made with Japan. The government of Japan agreed that only a limited number of their people should be allowed to emigrate to Canada each year. For a time Immigration of natives from India threatened trouble, but the matter was finally settled by government regulation. In 1901 the British Columbia government put forward a claim for further aid from the Dominion government. It was pointed out, on behalf of the province, that the amount agreed upon by the terms of union to be paid British Columbia each year was insufficient for purposes of administration. The justice of the claim was admitted by the Laurier government. The Dominion agreed to pay to British Columbia the sum of $1,000,000, in ten equal annual payments. Sir Richard McBride, while accepting the amount offered, refused to consider the settlement final. The question is still undecided. In the opening up of the interior by the building of roads and bridges, large sums have been spent by the various administrations. Railway construction within the province has been encouraged by provincial aid. All three of our transcontinental railways have their western terminals in British Columbia. A provincial university has been in operation for some years at Vancouver. In 1916 a vote of the electors was taken on the question of prohibiting the public sale of liquor within the province. When the returns were counted, including the votes of the soldiers overseas, it was found that the majority of the electors were not in favour. However, when the Brewster government came into power, it at once carried through the Legislature an Act bringing prohibition of the liquor traffic into force. A similar vote on the question of extending the franchise to women was favourable by a large majority. The Legislature confirmed this by an Act giving the franchise to women. 247. Saskatchewan, 1905-1920.-The Hon. A. E. Forget who had been clerk of the old North-West Council and later lieutenant-governor of the Territories, became the |
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MACMILLAN'S WESTERN CANADA SERIESThe West 1763-1812, The West 1812-1841, Western Canada, 1870-1920, The Prairie Provinces and The Rise of the North West, North West, Prairies, prairie provinces, Western provinces, Sask Gen Web, Saskatchewan Gen Web THE STORYOFTHE CANADIAN PEOPLECanada history, Ca, Can, Canada, Canada by A.G. Bradley, A.G. Bradley, Canadian History, The Story of the Canadian People, Duncan, The Western Canada Series, David Duncan NEW EDITIONBY
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