Hon. Mr. CORNWALL I hope it may not be considered presumption on my part to rise and address the House in immediate succession to the distinguished gentleman who, before six o'clock, took his seat after an address which had extended over three days. At all events I think the idea of presumption on my part will be dissipated when I say at the outset that I have no intention to follow the multitudinous arguments which that hon. gentleman has laid before the House, in the course of the long speech in which he addressed it. I confess when I listened to those lengthy arguments which he delivered in the ner so usual and so becoming to the hon. gentleman, I recognized in those arguments old familiar friends-arguments which had been before used in a different place, and generally throughout the country during the past two months, and which have already, on every hand, received the most complete refutation. That refutation, I have no doubt, they will again receive at the hands of hon. gentlemen in this House, who will succeed in the debate which is to take ray. Just fancy such a proposition being made at the time the Grand Trunk was inaugurated, that from Port Huron own to Quebec there should be no branch lines running south connecting the United States! The proposition would have been scouted as ridiculous, and would not have been listened to for a moment. We would rather have lost all the benefit of the Grand Trunk Railway running through this country than abmit to any such proposition, and the people who now represent this Dominion would have been amazed at the shortsighted policy that would have placed upon us such a burden and would have bound the commerce of the coun- peculiarly clear and unimpassioned mantry with such shackles as were never placed on a people before. There will he just four channels through which to reach the North-West: one on the west ia the railway through British Columbia; from Ontario over the Eastern section; from Lake Superior by the Thunder Bay Branch, and from the south by the Pembina Branch. That these four channels should be placed in the hands of one company is monstrous. I say to the Government, let them at deast retain the Pembina Branch inde-place on the motion before the House pendent of the Syndicate, or let them retain the Thunder Bay Branch, so as to have some independent line under the control of the people, that they can have access to the United States without coming under the yoke of the Syndicate. If this Bill, as it now stands, becomes Jaw ten years hence our action will be keenly criticized, and we will not get much credit for our foresight. The subject is a very large one; the more one thinks of it the more it bristles with weak points, and the more objectionable are the features that present themselves. I perhaps owe the House an apology for the lengthy remarks that I have made, They have, no doubt, been somewhat broken, by the kindness of the House in allowing the adjournment on the first and second day, but I have endeavored, though perhaps feebly, as faithfully as I could to point out what, in my judgment, were the weak clauses of this Bill, as they affect the interests of the people of Canada. Having done this, I beg to move that the Bill be not now read the second time but that it be read the second time this day three months. while I propose to confine myself more to a review of the basis which underlies the whole of the remarks addressed to the House by the hon. gentleman. T was surprised- I will not say surprised but my attention was attracted at the ouset of his speech by a remark which he made, a remark not made for the first time, a remark often repeated by him, but a remark very significant of his peculiar views; it was that the lapse of ten years since the bargain with British Columbia as to the commencement and completion of this railway was first made without any very particular progress having been made, was a sufficient proof of the folly of that bargain and of its premature character. man did not, however, produce an argument in support of the assertion which he thus made, but notwithstanding that, I think it is a subject on which I might well spend a few moments, to enquire whether really the lapse of this time shows the bargain thus made was an unwise and premature bargain, or whether we my not perhaps, more correctly, lay the The hon. gentle augurate some different policy with regard to this great question, than that which had been initiated by the preceding Government? Were not those five years frittered away in still more culpable attempts to waste the time of the country and the resources of the country in attempts to blind the people as to the intentions and policy of the Government in reference to this great question? Was it not during that time that the hybrid policy, if I may so term it, of land, water and rail communication with the North-West, was first inaugurated? Was it not during that time that numerous surveys and explorations in British Columbia were commenced and carried on although it was known on all blame of the delay which has taken place on the shoulders of a particular party of politicians in this country. We all remember that within two years after the ratification of this bargain with British Columbia, the charter which is known as the Allan charter was given out by the government of that day. We all know that Sir Hugh Allan went to England to raise the money that was to enable him to carry out the undertaking which he had engaged to perform; we all know that he failed in the mission which he thus undertook to England, and for this :failure of his mission there was one of two causes : either this failure arose from the perverse opposition which was given to him and to the persistent opposition offered to the whole under-sides that those surveys and explorations, taking, by a certain party in this country, to a great extent must result in failure? and by a certain portion of the press of Was it not during that time this country, not only here, but by their that large sums were thrown away in the agents in England:; or on the other construction of useless locks and works, hand, the failure of his mission to and in the purchase of unnecessary plots England occurred because the charter of land, and that all this seemed to be which he had obtained did not contain done simply with the object of throwing sufficiently favorable conditions to in- dust into the eyes of the people-with the duce capitalists to back him in the object of blinding the intelligence of the undertaking which he had entered into people as to the absolute want of policy to construct this enormous work. Now, which characterized the acts of the Governif my first view is correct, that it was ment? So, five years were spent, and in owing to the opposition that the build- connection with the three years to which ing of the whole of the Canadian I have already alluded, occupying eight Pacific Railway received at the hands out of the ten that have now elapsed of a certain party in this country, then, since the completion of the bargain with it is a fact that for that oppo- British Columbia. For the remaining two sition and for the failure of Sir years what have we to show? There are Hugh Allan's mission, a certain now at present under construction some portion of the press and people of this 600 or 700 miles, or it may be some country is responsible, and that is the miles more, of the total length of the Paportion who are now in opposition to the cific Railway, and of those 700 miles, a Government which is now entrusted with portion is already approaching complethe administration of the affairs of tion, while with reference to the Canada, and in this way we may account remainder of that long line, we have for three years of the ten which have now before us the scheme which is emelapsed since the bargain with British bodied in the Bill which we have been Columbia was first made. What shall re-considering, and which seems to me, we say, then, of the succeeding five years, at all events, to be a sensible and practithe five years in which the party of the cal scheme. I think it would be useless hon. gentleman who has made this long in me to say anything further to show address to us was in power! What is there is nothing to support the assertions the history of that five years in connec- of the hon. gentleman who last spoke, as tion with the building of this great en- to the fact that the bargain, which was terprise of the Canadian Pacific Rail- made with British Columbia, in the first way? Is it not acknowledged through place, was an unwise and premature out the length and breadth of the bargain, because, if any blame country, that those five years were in the matter whatever attaches for the frittered away in attempts to in- delay which has occured it must be altogether on the shoulders of the party hardly concisely, but carefully and at of which the hon. gentleman is a pro-length every different clause of the conminent supporter. If, on the other hand, tract as he took it up, and, although he the Allan charter, was not a sufficiently attempted to show every advantage perfavorable one, if it did not contain taining to the contractors who have sufficiently favorable conditions to in- undertaken this work, he altogether duce capitalists to undertake the work, omitted to make any mention of this then, it appears to me, there was suffi- great charge which lies upon them of cient reason to induce even the last maintaining and operating the line after speaker to understand that it was well it is completed. Different estimates have and fitting in this charter we are now been made as to the cost of such considering there should be some such maintenance and running of that line. conditions inserted as would bring about Those estimates have varied from a sum the end we all desire to see-that there of $6,000,000 to $8,000,000 per annum ; should be in it something which might and it has been further estimated that until hold forth an absolute certainty to the country through which the line passes the contractors of remunerating has a population exceeding 3,000,000 themselves for the immense ex- people it would be impossible that the pense and risk they run in road should ever pay. Now, hon. gentleundertaking that enormous work. men can judge for themselves as to what But the whole drift of the hon. gentle-time is required to elapse before 3,000,000 man's argument when he was comparing souls shall have penetrated the compara the Allan charter with the contract tive wilds of the North-West, and settled which we are now discussing, and the definitely in that country. And consecomparison which he drew between the quently if that were to take a long time, state of the country in 1873 and the state in proportion to the length of time, so of the country at the present moment would the burden on the shoulders of tended only to convince me that now is the contractors be, until that point is the absolutely favorable time for the reached, of having to maintain and operate commencement of the carrying on of the this line at an annual loss. Although the great work of the construction of that hon. gentleman did not refer to the portion of the railway which has not whole of the line with reference to this already been commenced. It seems to particular point, yet he was careful to me that the easiness of money-that is say, as regards one particular section of the easiness with which money could be that line, that there was no possibility of obtained that he alluded to, that the its ever being a paying concern. Of cheapness of material and the compara- course the part of the line to which the tive accessibility of the North-West and hon. gentleman referred was the western neighboring territories are just the facts portion of the central section, and what of such sufficient importance as have is known as the western section proper, enabled the Government to make the both of which are in British Columbia. present bargain with the contractors I know that the hon. gentleman, alwhich is embodied in the Bill that we though he makes this assertion, believes are now discussing. As I said before, has no special knowledge of the ProvI do not intend to follow the hon.ince of British Columbia. He has never gentleman through all the argu-been in that province, and therefore, it ments which he has advanced, has not been in his power to inform but there is one particular matter to himself very particularly as to the which, I confess, I was surprised that he characteristics of that country. I think did not refer, and that was as to the im- further, that he has never been so far mense burden which lies on the shoul- west in the Western States belonging to ders of the contractors in having to the United States, as to be able to maintain and operate the whole line appreciate from what he has himself when it is completed and in their hands. observed the wonderful change that is The hon. gentleman made no allusion brought about in new countries when whatever to that. He probed the whole they are permeated by new lines of contract from beginning to end. He railways, such as He railways, such as that we propose to examined carefully and concisely - commence to build through our own North-West, and through British railway which runs over that country, Columbia. I should rather fancy from during the past year received, as the the remarks which fell from the hon. value of the total amount of traffic which gentleman on a question like this, that passed over the line, a sum exceeding his experience has been confined to his $25,000,000. That was the gross reown immediate neighborhood. However turn, and of that large sum that may be, it seems to me the only the net value over the expenses way in which one can really fairly of conducting that line amounted to judge of such a question as this is by a sum in excess of $5,000,000. comparing a line which we know, within Of that total sum of $25,000,000, extrathe last few years has been commenced ordinary to say, considering the character and carried over a new and unin- of the country, it is estimated that more habited country by comparing such a than one half was the value of the way line as that and the country over which traffic that was carried over that line to it runs with the country over and fro between. particular stations which we propose to build our own Cana- within the distance over which that line dian Pacific Railway. That comparison passes. We will suppose that the reI intend to make, and for the purposes maining half of the total receipts are reof that comparison I will take the Union ceived as the value of the through Pacific line, of which we have for some traffic that is carried to and fro betime past heard a good deal. I myself tween the east and west. If we compare have passed many and many a time over with this country which I have just dethat Union Pacific Railway, and at the scribed the British Columbia section same time I know the greater part of the over which our own railway will pass country in British Columbia through we shall find that there is a wonderful which our western section of the Cana- advantage in favor of our section. The dian Pacific Railway will pass, so that I line will pass for a considerable distance consider myself comparatively at home through long tracts of agricultural and on the subject, and able to make the pastoral lands, and where it does not it comparison to which, hon. gentlemen, I will for the most part pass through shall ask your attention. The thousand a country which is splendidly miles over which the Union Pacific Rail- wooded and valuable in other ways. way takes its course passes through a The rivers and lakes which are concountry which I may describe as unpre- tiguous to the railway teem with fish, possessing in every particular. It is and the mountains, of which we hear so true that for three hundred miles west of much, abound with valuable fur bearing Omaha, the point from which it starts, animals. Much more than all this, the it passes through a country which is whole line through British Columbia available and valuable for agricultural will pass through a country which has occupation, but having passed that 300 already been amply proved to be rich in miles the grades begin to rapidly ascend, every description of valuable minerals. and for the remaining 700 miles of its What a comparison, hon. gentlemen, becourse it passes over a country which is tween the two! On the one side we comparatively valueless for anthing but have a country which is unattractive in pastoral purposes- a country produc- every particular which apparently, to ing a scanty growth of herbage and the eye of one passing through it, is defigrass, and which can only support a cient in all valuable and productive charlimited number of flocks and herds. When acteristics, and yet a country which has the Union Pacific Railway was first been found capable, within a few years, commenced the country over which it of supporting a line of railway whose passed was altogether uninhabited, and absolute cash receipts for the past year yet, notwithstanding the character of have exceeded the enormous sum of that country, as I have attempted to des- $25,000,000. That is one side. On the cribe it, the absence of all apparent other we have a country which bears on natural resources, the absence in that its face the impress of wealth, and yet country of all we are accustomed to sup- which is described by my hon. friend pose renders life enjoyable-notwith- who lately took his seat, as a country over standing all these drawbacks the line of which it is impossible to build or sustain I think that I Hon. Mr. SCOTT All, with the ex Hon. Mr. AIKINS Two voted against it. You would have had a inajority if two of your own supporters had not voted against the Bill. a paying line of railway. Hon. Mr. SCOTT I do not think that justifies the hon. gentleman in making a charge against me that I acted deceitfully, that I was guilty of falsehood or treachery. If I had been, no language would be strong enough to condemn or characterize such conduct. Hon. Sir ALEX. CAMPBELL - I do not think the hon. gentleman does. Hon. Mr. SCOTT I was speaking of what the experience of a few years does, and how, looking back upon the past, I was not prepared to say that the Senate had not acted wisely and right in rejecting the Bill. I hope the hon. gentleman does not mean to insinuate that I did not act honorably on that occasion; I hope he does not insinuate that I did not try to have that Bill passed. If the hon. gentleman does take any such stand as that I think he is going beyond the Parliamentary rule. I do not think he nas a right to accuse me of falsehood or treachery to my own party. The hon. gentleman knows very well that every supporter the Government had in this House on that occasion voted for that Bill. Hon. Mr. CORNWALL No. Hon. Mr. CORNWALL- The hon. gentleman thinks that I am not justified in putting the exact interpretation on his language that I do. But if we look back for a few years and recollect the circumcumstances under which that Bill was defeated, I think the majority of this House will agree with me that I was perfectly justified and perfectly right in saying what I have already stated with reference to this matter. I will try to recall to the minds of hon. gentlemen what did actually occur on that occasion. The Bill was introduced at an evening sitting towards the close of the session of 1875. That Bill called for authority to construct the Esquimault and Nanaimo Railway. It was introduced by the hon. gentleman himself, who was then Secretary of State and leader of that Government in this House. Hon. Mr. SCOTT The Hon. Mr. - Hon. Mr. CORNWALL At all events the hon. gentleman was a member of the Government, and introduced the Bill himself, and I remember well the lame, short and impotent speech with which he introduced that Bill, and yet that Bill was brought forward in order to carry out one of the most solemn obligations into which the Government of which he was a member had entered. Hon. Mr. WARK Do you remember the speech your own colleague made? |