The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-09-12

The splendid trip from which we
have recently returned was the thirty
fourth and most extensive tour ever
made by the National Editorial Asso-
citation. The association was asked
last year by the Pacific Northwest
Tourist bureau, consisting of boosters
from Oregon, Washington and British
Columbia, to make their territory our
next convention grounds. The accept
ance of that invitation was the nucleus
about which this trip, lasting five
weeks and covering some ten thousand
miles for us from Colorado, was built.
The Canadian government took up the
affair." and did much to give us the
most magnificent entertainment that
could be planned for 215 people from
thirty-five states of the union.
We met in Minneapolis, and were
royalty entertained for day, leaving
in the evening for Winnipeg on the
first special train run in the United
States since the opening of the war.
When we reached Winnipeg, at the
junction of the Assniboine and the
Red rivers, our first surprise was to
reach our hotel, the palatial Royal
Alexandra, thru a marble subway, for
the hotel belongs to the Canadian Paci-
fic railway, and is right there at the
station. Then we learned that we
might expect to find just such fine
hotels along both the c. P. R. and the
Grand Trunk Pacific roads. Our
breakfast at this hotel was a beauti-
full affair, and introduced us to orange
marmalade, which we later found ac-
companied every breakfast served in
Canada.
For dinner, we were invited to the
Eaton store, wonderful institution,
employing from 5000 to 1000 people
in their retail and mail order depart
ments. This banquet stands out in
many respects as one long to be re-
membered. We met "His Worship"
Mayor Gray for quite a number of
Canadians were also quests. Mayor
Gray is fine man, who would grace
any board. He was the first of a
long line of His Worships" we were
to meet.
That evening we became acquainted
with ]. Bruce Walker, that dominating
Scotchman, publicity man for Cana
dian immigration, in whose hands we
were to remain during our stay in the
Dominion. He is perhaps sixty years
of age, splendidly posted, full of en-
thusiasm, an almost constant joker,
and a host to be envied by any party
He won our hearts with as fine a eu-
logy of George Washington as could
flow from the tongue of the most ar
dent American, and he told us that
Washington is taking his place among
the heroes glorified in the school work
of Canadian children
At the same banquet, we met and
heard our American Consul and many
prominent Canadian business men.
1t was during these speeches that we
first heard the British Hear, Heart
There we first sang God Save the
King" and drank our first toast to
THE King" and to Mr. President
At dinner at the Fort Garry hotel
the next evening, a Grand Trunk hos
telry almost beyond our conception
far, far ahead of anything in Denver
we heard Mr.. Dafoe, a newspaper man
and the only Canadian who was pres
ent at the peace table, representing
the press of his country. He said that
Wilson's task in attempting to bring
about league of nations is sublimely
ideal, but an almost heartbreaking un
dertaking, the hugeness of which car
be understood only by those who were
there, and who can realize the i'm
mense past, and the small future oi
some of the nations concerned. He
also spoke of the twenty-eight wars
going on in Europe at that time.
In 1870, only 40 years ago, Winnipeg
was the village of Fort Garry with 21s
inhabitants. In the fall of 1878 the
first railway reached the city from
the south. 1t was then about $500
Now there are 27 railway lines radiat
ing in all directions. From a village
with one street winding in and out
it has grown to metropolis of some
225,000 people, and an assessed valua
tion of $252, ,000,0 900. 1t is the capital
of Manitoba, and the commercial and
financial center on western Canada
The Canadian Pacific railroad yards
there are the largest individual rail
road yards in the world
Like most cities of western Canada,
the municipality owns the electric
power plant, furnishing the cheapest
power in America, the water system,
the street lighting system, fire alarm
system, police signal system, etc.
We were invited to the grain pit,
and stood in and about the pit while
bidding was going on. Perhaps this
was the most exciting experience of
the entire trip. This is the greatest
primary grain market in the world,
where actual trading in grain is done
1t is the greatest wheat market in
the world, except the one in Chicago,
which is at present inactive because
of the government guarantee The ex-
change is housed in a mammoth
building, employing about ten thou
sand men.