The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-03-14
FRIDAY, MARCH Il, 1884.
EMERSON CONVENTION.


EMERSON CONVENTION.
Continued from last week.
On Wednesday evening the hall was
packed, many ladies occupying the
gallery. The Emerson band furnish.
ed some very fine selections.
H. J. Clarke, Esq, Ex-Attorney
General of Manitoba, was the speaker
of the evening, and gave an elegant
logical and convincing address, which
was listened to throughout with
thoughtful attention by the audience.
After stating the present condition of
the question and the rightful demands
of Manitoba from the Government, he
asserted that it was the duty of the
people without reference to politics to
sustain the premier in his mission to
obtain the concessions asked. lie claim
ed that the Canadian Pacific Railway
was necessity and that it would have
a fair share of Manitoba trade but it
was continental road and not a Mani
toba road. That OH. account of dis.
lance and transhipments causing a
necessary tariff of forty.five cents per
.bushel, the Canadian Pacific was an
unsatisfactory outlet to the Manitoba
people and therefore they were com.
PEELED to look for cheaper route.
Such was the Hudson's Bay Route.
The speaker argued that wheat could
he carried over the GOO miles of the
Hudson's Bay route, at one third the
price that it could be carried over the
1900 miles Of the G. p. r. Route.
That, as the G. p. r. had averaged
1886 per acre, Manitoba lands should
be worth at least fifty cents per acre
ut which rate the security she could
offer to the capitalists, was far above
the amount needed. The testimony
Of Prof. Bell was quoted that in his
opinion Hudson's Bay was navigable
for ten months in every year, that
large quantities of the finest magnetic
iron ore lay OH the shores of Hudson's
Bay. that lead and copper were plenti.
full and that anthracite coal equal in
quality to the best Pennsylvania coal
was there in abundance and that coal
could be mined and delivered at Winni.
peg for $3.50 per ton by the Hudson's
Bay Route.
VIM. Clarke called attention to the
fact that if the Hudson's Bay Com.
pay had been able to make 742 voy.
ages in their old tubs of sailing ships
with only two losses, why cannot we
with the modern Improvements do the
same. He also referred to the fact
that the Hudson's Bay Company have
been able to effect insurance at half
the rates on ordinary shipping. It had
'een claimed by representations in the
Canadian parliament that the eastern
provinces had paid the expense of
building the c. +. r., and that Mani.
5oba was like SOLVER Twist" always
calling for more and requiring to be
" spoon.fed." As a reply the speaker
showed that the eastern provinces had
only borrowed the money, $40, OOO, 90.
and the custom duties and internal
revenue fEe.n Manitoba, after costs of
collections had been paid, had been
from $I,2oo,00O to $4,000 per year,
paying in full the interest on the
money borrowed. and having mar.
gin Of from 100000 to. 5000, 900 annu.
ally. Again, the lands given by the
eastern provinces were not given from
the banks of the st. Lawrence or the
shores of the maritime provinces but
from the fair heritage of the people
OF the Northwest. Many other equal
ly interesting arguments were given
in eloquent and persuasive language
at least to the audience
that the Hudson's Bay route
was practicable and necessary and'that
Manitoba was. only asking her just
dues in seeking to make it an
accomplished fact. Mr.. Clarke pro.
phesied that the third years products
from this season >would be carried to
y large extent by the Hudson's Bay
railway.