St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-19
A FRIENDLY VISIT.
So Sir Donald Smith Explains His
Appearance in St. Paul.

So Sir Donald Smith Explains His
Appearance in St. Paul.
Sir Donald A. Smith is one of the
most distinguished citizens of Canada,
and together with his cousin, Sir George
Stephen, now Lord Mount-Stephen. has
done a wonderful amount of work to-
ward developing the dominion. Sir
Donald, though hale and hearty, has
snow-white hair and beard, which, by
the way, are to be expected from man
of seventy years, for he was born
In 1921, in Scotland. He began
his life in America as an employee
of the Hudson Bay company. Later
he became resident governor and chief
commissioner, and in 1870 he was made
a member of the executive council of
the Northwest territories. From III to
IA he represented Winnipeg in the
Manitoba assembly, and later was
elected to the Dominion parliament for
Selkirk, Man.
But it was not until 1880 that Sir Don
aid made the first strike of his life. In
that year he became one of the directors
of the Canadian Pacific, land was largely
instrumental in pushing the road
through to the Western coast. For his
services in this connection he was
knighted in 1856. he is a governor of
McGill university at Montreal, to which
he gave $4,000 to establish a special
course for women. He Is extremely
wealthy and has one of the finest pri-
vate residences in the Dominion at
Montreal, as well as seats at Pictou, n.
S., and at Silver Heights, near Winni-
peg.
Sir Donald is most genial gentle
4 l., IL, -
ing his trip, as well as the Dominion
scandals, for the benefit of the public.
1--WE are here on our way West he said,
''on pleasure trip, and have stopped to
meet Lord Mount Stephen and President
Hill, of the Great Northern. 1t is merely a
friendly visit and has nothing of interest TO
the public in it. OF course little railroad
business may be discussed. but even this is
doubtful"
What is there in the rumor that the Can
adam Pacific, Manitoba or Great Northern
and the 500 are TO be consolidated?'
Absolutely nothing" answered the bar
onet. There is 10 probability of anything
| being done. While it is always best for con-
Meeting lines to have friendly interests in
| common, it does not follow that consolida-
| ton is necessary or advantageous Railroads
| are built to serve the interests of the public
| and also to yield whatever profits they may
to the stockholders In my opinion the inter
ests of neither the stockholders nor the peo
|
| ton as the one you mention"
Sir Donald is member of the Cana
| dian parliament, and Conservative in
| politics, as nearly all the officials of the
| Canadian Pacific are, by the way; and
| he thinks that the troubles in the Cana.
dian government have been greatly ex.
| aggerated OH this side of the border, as
well as in the opposition press of the
dominion.
1t is matter of great regret with u.s. hi
said. that the recent troubles in our officia
circles have been greatly exaggerated botf
| on this side of the border, where we are par
| ticularly DESTROYS of creating favorable i'm
| preston. and throughout the Dominion.
| can say without partisan bias that believe
as little corruption can be found among oul
| officials as you will find in any government
| with like number of men in official posi-
| ton. l can also say, not as politician. bu
as one who knows, tht the party in powe
will push the investigation to the
| end They are as anxious to fine
the evil and root it out as the opposition
| They viii push ahead without regard Il
party or individual and regardless of whs
may be injured"
do the Canadian people desire close
trade relations with the people of the United
States?"
Regarding closer trade relations with thu
people of the United States" said Sir Don
aid, 81 can say that the Canadian peopl
have nothing but the most friendly feelinI
toward the people of this country, and SOM
closer relations may be made i'll time. but a
| present we are very much interested III de
yeloping our own resources. We are goin
as far West as Vancouver. and will look VI
some of the mining interests in the West OF
the trip"
Special attention given to Music ant
| Art at ST. ,JOseDh'S Academy.