The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-04-14
The Canadian Pacific Railroa

From the Minnesotian- Herald, April 8.
In the Dominion House of Com.
mons, on the 9th of March last, resolutions
declaring that the government should pro
coed Immediately and continuously with he
Canadian Pacific Railway, were defeated by a
vote of 81 nays to yeas This looks as if
a wet blanket was thrown over the project
and thatit will take long time indeed for
| Canada to enthrse out of the cloudy stua-
ton in which it leaves this premature and
gigantic undertaking. No scheme in mod
ern times seemed 80 reckless as that which
contemplated the running of two parallel
roads, such as the Northern Pacific and
| Canadian Pacific railroads The Northern
Pacific having become an equipped, running
and established road, it was quite natural
that the undertaking of our neighbor would
prove but a speculation, wild, visionary and
unproftab le And from the action indicated
above, it looks as if the project has embrac-
ed the sleep of death.
| Under the head "Join Hands" we find in
the Moorhead Star of April Sth, the follow
! ing sensible article relative to the same SUBJ
! iect:
The Standard (Winnepeg) of the 1st inst
has a review Of the British Columbian Grev-
ances, in which is touched the general rail
way projects of the Province both of Mani
toba and Columbia. Speaking of the Canada
Pacific, from Thunder Bay, via Lower Fort
Crossing, and terminating on the Pacific
Coast, it says "We fear however, the whole
scheme will remain unaccomplished at least
for generation to come. If the
Dominion can establish Province on the
Praires of Manitoba, the Legitimate annual
revenues of which will exceed its regular ex-
penditure within twenty years from the date
of Confederation, it will form a subject for
col graduation"
1--WE would wish to see more interest taken
in the completion of our connet on with the
American Railway system and the improve
ment of facilities for navigation on the Red
River and Assineboine We think with these
and good understanding with our neighbors
to the South, the necessities of this country
for many years to come might be fully met
by using the Lake Port at Duluth for our i'm
ports and what exports our lucky stars may
enable us to serd forth"
We commend the spirit in which the above
is written, for we have often thought that
our neighbours best policy was to Join the
Americans in their Railway schemes, but we
have always hesitated to say SO, fearing that
we might be accused of interested and selfish
motives. Instead of expanding all their en-
ergies on a road for the sake of being GIN
dependent" it would be easier for our Cana
dian reighbors to join hands with US, at least
until such time as their country will warrant
an independent measure. Even if the Thur
der Bay road be completed to Winnepeg, it
will be road virtually having its eastern
terminus nowherc-seven months out of
twelve-a road which will be costly to con-
struct, and very expensive to run Without
a road connecting with the Ontario system
north and east of Lake Superior, ur Mani
toba neighbors will find that they have com.
menced in the wrong direction Their plan, |
as we have already indicated, is to avail them
selves of the facilities offered bv the Ameri- |
can system, at all events until such time |
as they can build their Railway to connect |
with the Ontario system already mentioned. |
We think the Dominion Government make |
a mistake when they wait for the completion |
of the missing link of the St. Paul and Pa
cifc Railroad, which is to end at st. Vim !
cent on the boundary line. The Canadians |
viii have to wait several years for that event |
unless they themselves do something, or in
other words, construct the Pembina Branch |
so as to make it an inducement for American
capitalists to take hold of the ST. Vincent ex
tension as feasible project. The tone of
the Standards article indicates that our
Canadian nelghbors are likely TO become
more liberal and sensible in their raiwae
policy than they have been for some TINY
past.