The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-23
HOW THE WEST LOOMSUP
IN CANADIAN AFFAIRS
Grip of the French Will Be Loosened in Time by the
Giant Of the Plains---Power of Quebec Already Be-
ginning to Ebb

ray of hope came to those who had
grown pessimistic as to the future of
the country. There was no hope of ri
vallng the natural increase of the
French-Canadians, but if the west were
to fill up with men of English speech,
there would still be. hope of building
an Anglo-Saxon nation, with Anglo
boundary.
If the present rate, of increase is
maintained in the west, the next de-
cennial census will give the western
provinces representation in the Do
minion parliament equal to if not
greater than that Of Quebec. Under
the federal constitution Quebec sends
sixty-fve members to parliament, no
matter what her population may be,
the other provinces getting representa-
ton according to their population, the
number Of their members bearing the
same proportion to sixty-fve as their
ppulation bears to the popula ton of
Quebec.
Of the PA members in the present
house Of commons, Ontario has SO, the
maritime provinces 35, and western
Canada %, Quebec, as before said, hav-
ing 65. AS the pendulum of popula-
ton swings gradually from east to west,
western Canada will send an ever-in-
creasing delegation to Ottawa, and the
solid French vote, which today is as
serious menace to Canadian progress
| as the Irish vote is to the imperial
party in the British house of commons,
will be swamDed in an overwhelming
ajority of English-speaking members.
Cruise of the Neptune.
The most interesting publication is
sued this year by the Canadian govern
ment is A. P. Lows * Cruise of the
Neptune.' This is the narrative Of
the Canadian government expedition
sent north three years ago, under the
leadership of MI. Low: The Neptune
spent the better part Of two years in
the far north, during which time the
officers made many important discover
les, scientific and geographical. New
arctic islands have been added to the
map, and several small ones have been
found to be nonresident. One in par
ticular which has figured for years on
the official maps Of Hudson bay has
i proved to be myth, the Neptune
steaming backwards and forwards over
the very SPOT where the island was sup
posed to lie. .-..
Pronounce It Feasible. +
But perhaps the most important re.
suit. of Mr.. Low s expedition is the
evidence it affords as to the period of
navigability Of Hudson straits. Or
this point the well-known Canadian
scientist and explorer is explicit
After an exhaustive discussion Of the
scientific aspects Of the question, which
need not be entered into here, Mr.. Low
says. ~
S'The period Of safe navigation fo1
ordinary iron steamships thru Hudson
strait and across Hudson bay to thu
port of Churchill, may be taken to ex
tend from July 20 to Nov. 1. Thi
period might be, increased withou
much risk by a week in the beginning
Of the season and by perhaps twi
weeks at the close.''
J Taking the more conservative esti
mate, it is evident that the Hudson
bay route is commercially feasible
, With the completion of the road nov
under construct ion; which will connec
!, Winnipeg and Prince Albert with Por
Churchill, there is no reason why west
4 ern grain for export to Europe coul
not be laid down at Port Churchill an
loaded there on ocean vessels in plen
/ ty Of time to get thru the strait befor
t | the close Of navigation. s15s