Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-11-28
HOW MUCH SHALL WE GIVE?

How much will our Government give
for British Columbia? That is a practical
question to-day. The Dominion Cabinet
refuses to offer assurances of q purpose
to comply, So far as is practicable, with
the promises made when the colony ell.
tered the Confederation: and the Colonial
Administration and the people st Victoria
will not be satisfied with such conduct.
The bargain is broken, and British Col.
umbia is morally free to make new ar
rangemcnts. Whether her people would
consent to leave the Dominion and enter
the American Union, under any circum-
stances, cannot now be ascertained; but
we consider it proper that they should
understand that their company is desirable
and valuable to US, and that we are able
and willing to give them the means of
developing the natural resources of the
extensive region of which they are the
custodians. by making their homes there,
they have accepted the obligation Of hold.
ing it first in their affections, and desiring
its prosperity before that of any other
country. On that principle only can VIC
expect them to give favorable hearing to
a word about annexation.
Their entrance into the Dominion was
an error from the first, and adherence to
it will be mistake to the last. Canada
has not the money to build the railroad
nor the disposition to build it, nor the
route over which to build it, nor the b,,.
siness to make it profitable, nor (what is
more important than all the rest) the
people to spare for British Columbia if it
should be built. These are are all material
points, and yet the Canadian officials, in
their speeches about the present crisis. say
nothing about them, and those who men,
ton the subject merely say, in general
phrases, that the road will be finished as
soon as it can be conveniently.
Without saying more at present about
the inability Of Canada to supply the
wants Of the Fraser Basin and Vancouver
Island, We consider what our Govern
ments should do. What it would do, no
body knows ofa certainty, but we doubt
not public opinion would favor very liber-
al action to secure sucl, prize as the
coast between Washington Territory and
Alaska. We think we do not err when
we predI that Congress would bind it.
self to give Victoria railroad connection,
by way of the Willamette and Sacramento
valleys, within three years, and to COM
plete within three years more, another
line, running nearly in direct course
from New Westminster, either to Ogden,
on the Union Pacific, or to some point
Oh the Northern Pacific. The Northern
Pacific would, in our judgment, be prefer.
cradle, but as that enterprise is tar from
completion, and is in the hands of com.
pany which might be involved in many
difficulties, prudence dictates that an al.
tentative should be provided, at least for
few years.
The railroad connection with New
York by the Willamette and the Sacra-
mento valleys, would require the con-
struction of 2SO miles OF road, in the
mountains of Northern California, and
Southern Oregon (for which Congress
has already given land grant of 49,
800 acres per mile) the construction OF
22O miles on the mainland in Washing
ton Territory and British Columbia
and 70 miles on Vancouver Island, or
$40 miles. The cost would probably
average about $40 900 per mile, or $23,-
0O0, 900 in all. A road from Ogden to
Whatcom, there connecting with the
coast road, would be 500 miles long,
and would cost $40, 200, 600. These
two roads, one completed within three
years, and the other within six years,
would be OF far moro service to British,
Columbia than any road that Canada
can build; besides, they would be fin-
ished at least five years sooner, and
time is consideration Of the highest
Importance. In addition, however, to
those two roads, we would promise the
completion of the Northern Pacifc-at
a probable cost of $4O, ,OOO, 900 more
thus giving o choice of routes, and Sc
curing the settlement of Montana aud
Idaho, and providing trunk line, from
which branches could be rum out to
drain the trade of the Saskatchewan
basin. ...s, mia ........
Thus we would propose to incur an
expenditure that might rise to $50, ,OOO,.
200, for the sake of getting British Co.
lumbia; but the roads built as o con-
sideration, would run long distances in
our present territory, and would attract
population to aud develop industry and
wealth to Oregon, Washington, and
other portions of our present territory,
as we'll as British Columbia. We
should be glad to have an expression of
the public opinion on these points.
They deserve attention.
y In "Adam Bede," the most pow
erful OF George Eliot's novels, one Of the
characters makes the following shrewed
comment upon people who perform
their daily duties like galley slaves: II
cant abide to see men throw away tools
i that way the minute the clock begins
to strike. as if they took no pleasure i
their work and was afraid O. dom a
stroke too much. I hate 10 see a mans
arms drop down as if he was shot before
the clock fairly struck, as if he'd never
bit o pride and delight in's work.