The Portland daily press., 1889-07-10

by the Inter-colouial road (which lies entirely
inside the Dominion, and which terminates
at st. John and Halifax. 1t has still another
by way of Edmunston, also entirely On Cana
dian soil. Now what reason has Mr. Deyer-
eaux to think that we can force the Canadian
Pacific to do its export business over its
Maine branch and from Maine ports when it
has two other connections over which we
have not the slightest control? Mr. DeVsr-
eaux says the Canadian Pacific is ''politl-
cal" railroad and that to certain degree is
true. 1t was built TO Large extent from
subsidies or anted by tie Dominion of Can
ada, and therefore has to conform in large
degree to the wishes Of the people OF that
country. What is the desire OF the people
concerning it? There is no doubt about it.
1t is that it Shall build up Dominion towns
and cities and make the Atlantic ports of
New Brunswick aud Nova Scotia great ports
of export. The people Of the Dominion, es-
pecially of the maritime provinces, did not
look with favor upon the building of the line
across Maine. They feared that it would
divert traffic which they sought for their own
ports. They were afraid of those great nat
ural advantages which Mr.. Devereaux says
Castine possesses in so high degree. Now
does anybody suppose that the people of the
maritime provinces will feel badly If we in
terpose obstacles which will render it diff
cult or impossible for the Canadian Pacific to
make use of these natural advantages. Let
us see il this is pot just exactly what Mr..
Devereaux's plan will do. Castine has
wonderful harbor, it never freezes over in
the coolest winter, its water is deep, and 1t
is easy Of access to the lsrgest steamers.
When the CastiEe railroad is prit goods
arriving at Bangor over the Canadian Pacific
and designed for export will naturally
seek the great advantages which this harbor
offers. II will probably be much cheaper
for the Canadian Pacific to land them there
than to take them to st. John and Halifax.
Now Mr.. Devereaux proposes practically to
make it impossible for the Canadian Pacific
to seek the port of Castine by boldly and
avowedly undertaking to compel it to do so,
for the moment our government attempts to
compel railroad built and owned by the
Dominion people to build up our port as
against theirs it arouses their resistance, In
fact challenges it. That is to say, it sets all
the political machinery at work to compel
this political railroad to conform TO the
wishes Of its owners and builders. The
power of the Dominion government over the
Canadian government is infinitely greater
than ours. 1t is not stretching the truth to
say that 1t could compel 1t to practically
abandon the Maine branch and transport
every pound Of freight destined for foreign
export to st. John and Halifax. 1t could
practically compel 1t to forego all the natural
advantages Of our Maine ports, and such a
policy as Mr.. Devereax advocates tends to
incite ii to make the effort The true policy
of Maine ports which are hoping for an ex-
port business from the Canadian Pacific is to
keep still and rely entirely upon their natu-
raj advantages. Any attempt by legislation
to compel that road to seek our ports in
preference to those of the Dominion is GER
tain to be met by legislation far more effec-
tive on the part of the Dominion to compel
them to adopt contrary policy.