New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-13
c,vtnrS pII;PO1D GOVERNMENE


CAV4DHS RAILROAD GOVERNMENE
Our Canadian contemporaries are not lltue
Disturbed At Secretary WINDOWS lntlmauon
that the policy of our Government toward the
Canadian railroads will undergo change The
Tory organs tell the news in rather sur| tones
and pass over the matter as lightly a possible
IN their editorial columns. The GrltS, how
ever. ask the people of Canada what else theF
expected. Did they expect unfair uhcan"'u'
nnncighhorly and really injurious cohduc''
boldly declared and pcrSStenty pursued ID
produce nothing but gracious smiles ana ami
able words from the United states? This Is
tbe inevitable question We are curious I"
scc an answer 10 It. The able and experienced
statesman who has conducted Canada : affairs
during almost the entire period OF confederation
must have some plausible hyp"theNIN upon
which he has prcdicatcd his astonishing pohc!
Of hostility to the United states. lie has Pur-
sucd that policy with grim rclentieS'nc>S
which, from the American point OF view, Is al
most amusing. We are bound to admit that
il has had certain sort OF success. 1t mas
enabled Canada 70 build magnificent rail
road ly which the Provinces have been con-
solidated and unified in measure which ny
no other means would have bccn possible
# has nationaizcd tho Dominion, and has
greatly promoted the military Interests OF
Great britain. But are these ends, obtained
bv a reckless disregard of all neghboriI duties
and AT the cost of the goodwill at America
and of an appalling national debt really to thc
advantage Of the Canadian people?
Sir John Macdonald has converted the Do
minion Government into transportation com
panv. 1t has become more and more rall-
road and less and less a political institution
with every year of his administration. HIS
proclaimed object has been the furfheranco OF
Imperial Interests, and by that. presumably ne
has thought To further the material interests OF
Canada vt the time of confederation tn"
puLlic debt Of Canada WAS not in excess oi
500 0o0 600 which was shared by popula-
zion of 3.0UO.O0O. This was bad enough.
But by converting his government into rail
road COMPANY sir John Macdonald has butt
mn a debt of >235.0oo. 600. to hc shared hy
only 5.0o0. 600 of people and h., committed
them To the payment of gifts and suhVcn'l'hN
If more than S2I5.0o0. 600 10 a corporation
which does not pay one dollar OF tlAat'h'
whose plant and equipment are not worm
more than Sl7o.0OU.0ob. and for which the
people of Canada have no such COMMERCIAL Use
rs m>tilios lis existence. This tremendous
burden was undertaken, according {" oir J}hn
himself in the interest of "Grcat'r britain
ism: according to the Duke Of Newcastle. for
military and other conditions in tho interest
Of the Empire according t. Lord Lytt"n
for Imperial interests, commercial and mill
tary" and according to sir Edward Natkln, IN
order to create a chain Of British nations
and line Of military posts OF strength and
magnitude beginning Al Halifax on the At
aniic and ending on the Pacific
Thi, interesting dream has been realized.
lii John has his railroad. England has her
military posts, Canada ha- her debt. and the
United states has, apparently. an enemy al
its Northern border, not only threatening liz
peace. but actually demanding that II shall
pay the expense, of the vast project hy which
ia, security is mcnaccd. We have much dill
culty in pcrcciylng why the United state,
should do anything OF the kind. Certainly SIR
John doe, Il, no favor by building up a " chain
II British nations or a series Of British
for'rc>,c,. The statutes and Treasury reg
ul4tion, under which he has been enabled 10
match American traffic from American carriers
were made for another situation than that
which prevails to-day. They never would have
endured one hour after the Canadian Pacific
Hallway was surveyed but for the blind good
nature Of our people. Not even by dumping
the Canadian Treasury into The Golfers OF this
corporation could il have been rendered profit
able except iOr the American business II has
secured Thi, bushes, the carrying of goods
through Canada from or" American depot to
another. or from Canadian port of entry into
an American maTkct-accrucd to the inter
oceanic railroad from treaty provision de-
signed for another and a different situation.
Its operal ION has been IN many way facilitated
~ Treasury regulations and by the authority
conferred upon the Canadian Government OF
lcgi>!atng without Parliament. With an
adroitnc>. and q pcrccptyc cunning that are
admirable enough ~ their way, Sir John has
awaited himself of all the opportunities that
our ,clf-conGdcnrc and carclcssncS> have af-
rord.d him. While DENYING TO our Atlantic
fishermen not only their treaty rights, but the
common Offices of mercy and dcccnCy, and
while maintaining a fierce struggle in Bchrng
~oa for the right Of stealing. and while
placing every obstacle in the way Of trade and
intercourse. the Tory Government of Sir John
Macdonald has at all times and everywhere
labored to cut American traffic from American
carriers and to keep his railroad afoat with
American freights.
The Administration does well 10 conclude
that this sort Of thing should stop, and that
ncighbor who is at such pains to be disagree
able should not be rewarded for his unnegh
bOrly and dangerous misconduct