The Citizen

CANADIAN CABINET CRISIS
Excitement in Montreal—Action of French Ministers Condemned.

Montreal, July 10.—The crisis at Ottawa causes tremendous excitement in this city, and nothing else is talked about. The resignation of the three French ministers, Ouimet, Caron and Ingram, while generally approved of by French Canadians, is condemned by some who claim they should have remained in the cabinet to look after the interests of the Catholic minority. That the situation is very grave is emphasized by the fact that the governor general started from Quebec for Ottawa immediately on hearing the news.

May Defeat the Ministry.

It is claimed by many that, if the French ministers persist in their determination to resign, they will take with them sufficient following to defeat the ministry. The reason for the resignation, as given by friends of the ministers, is that the delay in passing remedial legislation is entirely futile, and can serve no good purpose.

An Insult to the Minority.

Also, they claim, it is asking the Province of Quebec to go down on its knees, as it were, to Manitoba, notwithstanding everybody knows what answer will be received from the Greenway government. They claim, in short, that it is an insult to the minority. They also object that the government's statement did not specifically assert that as a result of legislation to be passed, Catholic denominational schools would be restored to Manitoba.

Mentioned as Probable Successors.

While some claim that the resignations on the part of the French ministers are in the nature of a bluff, others assert that the action is taken in real earnest, and that the ministers have left the cabinet for good. As one prominent conservative said: "There is not a single French conservative member who is with the government in this matter, and all will follow their leader should they go into opposition." Among the names mentioned as probable successors to the retiring ministers are D. Girouard, member for Jacques Cartier, and Sir Hector Langevin, liberal. Politicians in this city are jubilant and predict an early downfall of the Bowell cabinet.