The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-08-22

ment OF n0ninterference ami neutral
ity which has only recently been
broken. This Is Why Hin has pushed
least a half-dozen extensions OF his
northern lines clear TO the border,
where they have been summarily halt
ed. but where they have remained
mute menaces TO British supremacy
on British soil The richness OF the
commercial prize. however. has proved
too powerful a temptation and there
are now unmistakable evidences that
the neutrality treaty is al an end and
tha. Hill and the Canadian Pacific
have begun a struggle for the lions
share in British Columbia. Hin is
pushing his Great Northern extensions
across the border In every direction,
Is threatening the Canadian Pacifc's
hold on Vancouver by an alliance With
the Grand Trunk Pacific which Will
effect a shorter route than that Of the
Canadian Pacific across Canadian soil
to Vancouver Hin has also secured
masters hold on many Of British
Columbia's greatest mineral deposits.
In what an important light this Is
viewed by the financial world was
shown in the four weeks between the
middle Of last July and the middle OF
August, when the knowledge of Hilfs
new mineral possessions in British Co
lumbia sent Great Northern railway
stock up 50 points in the market.
Retaliation has already been begun
by the Canadian Pacific. which has
since bought an entry into Bellingham
and Is threatening Seattle and Spo-
kane with railroad invasion. This
struggle between the two greatest rail-
way interests In the north for the rich
tonnage OF the future Pacific and the
British northwests powerfully Illus
trates the folly OF mans trying to put
asunder by political divisions what ma
ture has inseparably joined.
British Columbia is no longer solely
rich mineral storehouse. Its agricul-
tural products. It's fruit. its lumber in
dustry, its fisheries and its varied In
dustries are attracting almost 10000
settlers annually. Its possibilities are
scarcely second to those of the Pacific
northwest. with which II is so closely
linked. Think Of an empire with gate
ways TO the shortest oriental routes
with 10000 square miles of territory
rich in scenery, climate and resources
beyond compare! Think Of this terri
tory which Is three times as large as
the United Kingdom, portion Of which
controls IT, Think Of this empire by
the Pacific, which is is times as large
IS Novia Scotia, IA times as large as
New Brunswick, which exceeds On
tariO. and which is almost twice as
large as the great state Of Oregon.
which in turn has more than 10000
square miles in excess Of New York
and Pennsylvania combined Think
Of this great empire with its unlimited
and undeveloped resources, but with
a population scarcely more than 200.-
600. less than half the population Of
T Oregon. which is so thinly populated
that one languishes with lonesomeness
between habitationsi
British Columbia continued to be a
crown colony until 1871, when its COM
manding position upon the Pacific and
the meaning Of its geogrophy began to
penetrate the craniums OF Canadian
j statesmen and it vas welcomed into
the Canadian commonwealth. In that
year the total white population did not
exceed 5000 and the entire population
10000. and it was not until 1855 that
the first train reached Burrand Inlet.
In 1873 the imports we're only $1,000
900. ten years later they were only 81
900. 900 greater and in 1898 they had
reached s4.00O000. and ten years later
had more than trebled. while the ex-
ports had risen from s2.o0o.0 900 to
nearly sl7.0vo.000 during the same
period