The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-12
HuDsoM's BAY ooM1PAM x
The End of the Great MonopoIy.


that the Hudson's Bay Company had agreed to
surrender its franchises to the British crown on
the terms proposed, substantially as tollows:--
First, payment in cash OF F3OO, OoO; secondly,
n reservation of one-twentieth of the land which
may be brought into colonization; and, lastly,
immunity from exceptional taxation, and liberty
to continue their operations as a trading body.
The London Saturday Rerielo contains n
lengthy article on the subject of the company
aud previous negotiations for the surrender of
its franchises, from which we extract the fol-
lowing:--
The Hudsons Bay Company is the last of the great
territorial monopoes which were layishly created
at carly stage Of colonial history. II has be-
come monstrous anachrOnism, and must as GER
tainy be improved If not OFF the face of the carth at
any rate, of the face of all recaimabe land as the
native tribes whose huntng-grounds 1t has appro-
priatcd.
That fur-tradlng company should be allowed to
keep about third of the territories of the Crown in
North America perpetual wilderness for the breed
ing of wild animals is too preposterous demand for
even the IIudsons Bay shareholders to make. The
Dominion of Canada together with the outlying
colonies of Newfoundlaud Prince Edward Island
and Columbia, which it must shortly absorb) in
cludes nearly, though not quite, the whole OF the
settled and great deal OF the unsettled area of
Beyond this lie two great districts-Rupert's Land,
which is or is claimed to be, the property of the
Hudson's Bay Company, and is about as large as
Europe, and the underlined Northwest territory
which stretches to the Arctic Ocean This last is al
present barren waste, and the greater part Of Ru
perts Land is still of no value except as hunting
ground. But in the very line across which the Do
mnion Road must ultimately pass from Canada to
Columbia lies the sO-called Fertile Belt including
the Red River Settlement, which, Ii not soon con-
nected with the Dominion, will assuredly be alb
sorbed by intruders from the States. Whether this
Fertile Belt belongs to Canada or the company has
long been matter of dispute The Canadians con-
tend that even if the original charter Is not for
fetcd by breach of implied duty to promote
colonization this region was never included
in its terms and they insist that 1t always
was part Of Canada, that it did not belong to the
Crown when the charter of the company granted,
that 1t was excluded from the grant under the ex-
ception OF land 'pOssessed by the sub jects OF any
other Christian Prince" and that it only became
English territory by cession from France long after
the rights OF the company, whatever they were, had
Bay Company have little to say, except that they
have established five trading posts at various points
in the disputed territory and that they are prepared
to defend their title whenever it may be assailed in
court of law. That they would succeed in maintain
ing the validity Of charter which, however impro-
vdent, has been recognized again and again by the
Government of this country, we have little
doubt; but their prospects of proving that the Fer
tile Belt is included within their boundaries seem TO
us extremely small. If il Is not comprised in the
terms of the charter it would be absurd to suppose
that the sort of possession implied from its
hunting-ground could be OF any avail against the
Crown, even if it were worth anything against pri
vate owner However, If the company and the Cana
dians are wise enough TO accept the terms OF COM
promise now proposed this question viii never be
raised. II they decline we may expect soon to see
the commencement OF the most gigantic electment
suit ever tried in any country
Like many other charters OF the same period, that
OF the Iudsons Bay Company granted, not only ter
ritory, but a certain measure OF sovereignty which
has been exercised Win Judgment IN preserving
peaceabe relations with the native tribes and main
tanning order in the hunting and fur-tradng settle
ments But for all other purposes the government
OF the company has been q blank Though they have
constantly professed desire to yield up any land
which was suited for coloniziuon and have invited
the Government to resume the direct administra-
ton OF such districts, 1t was impossible for fur
trading company really to promote the colonization
which must, Ia the end destroy their traiC. Neither
would il be possible or fair to expect the Govern
ment either of this country Of Canaa, to under
take the duties OF administration without having the
waste lands, ut least the bulk of them, at their
own disposal and the suggestions of this kind which
from time to time have been offered by the company
may be dismissed little more than rhetorical
articles for supporting case which they like every
one else. knew TO be one for compensation only
A similar and equally plausible artifce was tried by
The Canadian Government. The Dominion act au-
thorized the Crown consent to the Incorporation OF
Ruperts Land with the Dominion on suitable terms
and conditions The Ottawa Parliament accordingly
requested that this might be DONE on condition tina
the legal rights OF any corporation or individua
within the territory should be respected and In terms
this Is OF course all that the Hudson's Bay any
other company could insist upon But the working
OF such Il condition would be to leave the company
practically helpless. The Canadian Government
would at once appropriate the debatable Fertile
Belt and deny the right of the company TO cOmpen-
sation and nothing would be left to the shareholders
but litigation in Canadian courts against Govern
Inent already in possession and strongly committed
10 an adverse view.
The Imperial Government rightly rejected both OF
these counter proposals, until settlement by nego-
tiation should have been tried and, falling that,
legal decision obtained fixing the boundaries of the
Uudsons Bay territory.