The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-24
Good Advice for Canadians.

Mr.. J. ]. Hill has, by the agency of
the Toronto World, been drawn into the
controversy now raging in Canada re-
Trunk Pacific railway, the proposed new
transcontinental line. The Grand Trunk
transcontinental promoters have stated
from the first that they could not think
Of building line across Canada two or
three hundred miles north Of the Cana
dian Pacific, where there are not now
100000 people from ocean to ocean, with
out a subsidy. The precise amount Of as
sistance required has not been officially
announced, but it has been given at all
| the way from s25, 100000 to 500, 900, 900,
with land grants thrown In.
I TO a representative Of the Toronto
F! World, dispatched to St. Paul to inter-
| view him, Mr. Hill consisely said in part:
may say as an original proposition
| that a railroad that requires a govern
ment subsidy to build is not required by
| the country. -.-. :.
The age Of railroad promotion, when
! subsidies were necessary for the construc-
ton of transcontinental lines, has passed
| never to return to Canada or the United
| States.
Government aid is usually tainted with
! such conditions that the grant becomes
a genuine hardship when viewed from a
practical standpoint.
| It is my judment that another railroad
| across Canada will not pay to-day. The
| business is not there. When 1t IS, sub
sides will not be necessary to induce
railroads to enter the country.
| Canada has practically two transcon-
| tinental lines for 100000 people. and that
/ is one for each two and a half million
people, while the states have but one line
for each 100000 Of population
! General Manager Hays Of the Grand
Trunk retorts that Mr.. Hills statement
that a Canadian transcontinental car
not be proftably built now is right, and
that that Is precisely why his company
is asking for a subsidy from the Dominion
government. He also intimates that Mr.
Hill is doing all he can to hold the traf-
fic Of the Canadian west for the Canadian
Pacific, with which, he intimates, Mr.. Hill
has a very close understanding.
Whether Mr.. Hills advice to the Cana
diansais- altogether; disingenuous or not
! it is good advice. and they VIII make ne
mistake If they follow. 1T. It Is ar
anachronism for either Canada or the
United States, at this late date, to spent
good money in promoting the building o.
| railways that will be built by private
capital, and gladly, whenever they are
needed. Canada is well loaded UP will
subsidies already. It is time for it's gov
eminent to begin to cut down rather thar
expand subsidies. In the report of thu
minister of railways and canals there art
pages given up to a mere listing of sub
sidized companies, each Of which is still
drawing it's pap from the national treas
ury. This little nation Of 100000 people
has already spent some $so,o00,ooo in sub
sides, to say nothing of land grants, fed
eral and provincial, great and small, from
some Is, 100000 acres to the Canadian Pa.
cific and dependent companies down tn
line to much smaller grants. With tn
extension Of the Canadian Northern t.
the Pacific coast independently of TIL
Grand Trunk, there is absolutely no ex
cuse for the construction Of the latter
The building Of a line from eastern Can
ada to connect with the Cana dian North
|, ern at Port Arthur is a different matter.
If the Canadian parliament votes t
substitute the Grand Trunk, it will be be
cause the subsidy habit has become IRE
sistible in Canada, and because the van
ity Of the people has. been vastly tickle
by the idea Of another railway line acros
the continent two to five hundred mile
, north Of the boundary.