While the Klan was widespread in Saskatchewan and its ideas were acceptedby many, there were those who stood against the tide and defended equalityof all. The following excerpts are from an editorial entitled "TheImmigration Problem," which appeared in the World-Spectator on July25, 1928:
On the one hand are those who contend that only those immigrants whowill engage in agriculture should be allowed to enter the Dominion. . .
Then there are those who would draw a purely racial line of demarcation.They would entirely exclude the so-called yellow races; they would bar thenegro. They would put a stop to the admission of immigrants from the countriesof southern and central Europe; In a word, they would rigidly restrict allimmigration except that of people born and bred in the British Isles andspeaking the English language.
Still another group places the chief emphasis upon the religion of immigrants.They are opposed to those of other religions than their own. Even if theimmigrant be from the British Isles, they have slight welcome for him unlesshe also be of their religious faith.
To begin with, no government under the British flag, and having the slightestregard for that cardinal British principle, liberty of conscience, willrecognize or enforce any bar to immigration based on the religious convictionsof the intending immigrant.
To do so would be abhorrent to the great mass of the Canadian peopleand would be equivalent to declaring that Canada is no longer British .. .
If immigration to Canada is to be increased, then there must be somecompromise effected between those who insist on agricultural settlers only,and those who would admit other able-bodied workers; also compromise betweenthose who would admit only those who would serve to swell the ranks of theirparticular religious denomination, and some compromise on the issue thatability to speak English is the hallmark of good citizenship and the onlyguarantee of success.