The Minneapolis journal., 1906-07-08
Millions Spent to Bring
Closer Union May
Be Lost. r. s:'
HIPS Reception by West
Latest Thorn in East's
Side.
Products of Rich Territory
to Be Diverted by
New Roads.
Hpacfai to The Journal,

Wv p ASHINGTON, July us the
w dismemberment Of the Cana
dian confederacy to be caused
BY United States railroad magnates and
United States immigrants9
That members Of the Canadian gov
ernment take an apprehensive view of
the situation as it is rapidly developing
Is demonstrated by information which
has reached Washington. The eastern
provinces Of Canada are really consid-
ering it among the possibilities that
the western provinces will bolt out Of
the cenfederacy should any attempt to
force upon them governmental policies
which are extremely popular. in tho
east.
The division, between the eastern and
western provinces in Canada is fast
growing as wide and as irreconcilable
as that between the north and south in
this country in the late ffties and
early sixties. 80 -.
Jealous Of United States. Z.
Reliable semi official information dis
Z closes that the eastern provinces real
ize that the western provinces Of the
Dominion are more closely related COM
mercially to the United States than to
them, notwithstanding the efforts
Of the government to maintain unity
of Canadian interests.
@ The great expense to which the gov.
ernment was subjected to bind the
provinces together by bands Of steel
are being fast rendered .valueless by
the encroachment Of American: rail
yoads, which are tapping the most pro-
life Canadian territory and are prepar.
ing to divert to the twin cities and
other American trade centers the com
merce which the eastern provinces ha6
hoped to monopolize.
Millions Are Spent.
The Canadian Pacific cost Canads
$62 100000 in cash and government
built sections and 25,00O.000 acres Of
land. Over $100,000,000 has been spen,
on the Canadian canals in order tt
provide navigation for vessels carrying
Manitoba wheat in Montreal; in addi
tion to which large sums have beer
sunk in harbor improvements, elevators
ETC., at that and other ports to ao
commodate the growing western trade
The theory has all along been enter
tanned that only by confning the trade
and traffic Of the west to Canadian
channels could the confederation b,
kept from disintegrating on it's western
side.
Now comes Mr.. Hill, however, will
projected extensions Of his system
available for diverting the traffic O.
the Canadian west to American chan
nels should he so desire. He has al
ready built a number of spurs runnin,
from the Great Northern and Norther,
Pacific into or up to the southern o
international boundary of Manitobs
Saskatchewan, Alberta, and is COZ
structing more. - ~
g.. Drains Rich Section.
He is also building road known g
the Vancouver, Victoria & Eastern thr
southern British Columbia, which wi
enable him to collect the minerals {
that region and dispatch them by e:
listing spurs to Northport, Spokane, 81
mas and Seattle. @ ". - q. -:
He contemplates extending this ir
from Vancouver into northern BIRTHS
Columbia and thence thru the yellow
head pass to Edmonton in Alberta, an
will run branch from Edmonton soutl
ward by way of Medicine Hat to tt
Great Northern at Great Falls or Hell
ma. This will give him gage be
line, draining not only the richest mi
eral regions Of British Columbia, b,
also the extensive wheat and dali
country between Edmonton and Il
United States boundary, to whit
American settlers have been fockil
for some time.