them. When commerce needed steam for its work upon the land, the mode was revealed to us, and so when it extended its demands to the sea, canvas gave way, and the electric telegraph and telephone on land and sea, followed to do their necessary work. When this increased trade needed the medium of gold to carry become part of that other. A friend of mine, building in St. John, had offers from a first-class firm tó heat at a cost of $2,500, and promised him the job. Another of less experience came in afterwards and offered to do it for $2,000. Under the pressure of a limited purse, he gave the second one the job; but my friend had to pay for the second's experi-it on, the mines of Australia and Calience; he had to go back to the first, it cost him great labor and anxiety and $1,000 more, than if he had ac cepted the first offer. I am fearful of delay in the settlement of of this question, for if, after years of waiting, under an offer of better terms, we have only these two, I dread the danger of playing with the first offer, and of having put upon the country again the responsibility of this work by a government. When a young lad I was sent to buy a pair of fowls, and the owner asked me a dollar for them. I left him because I thought the demand too great. He was the only possessor of the fowls, and he knew it; and when I went back the price had gone up to $1.50. | Franklin's lesson of the grindstone had not more effect upon him than had this upon me. I have never trifled with my necessities since. When the article was wanted, and I could not do without it, I secured it early as possible. Do the same now, or you may repent when too late. Removed from the heat and excitement of popular tumult, yet springing from, and of the people, we can calmly weigh these questions, not as to their effect upon this party or on that, but rather upon the great interests of our country; and doing this, while some may abuse, we shall have the sober, solid sense of the country at our back, which will mark that, amid the tumults of passion and the unseemly strife of tongues, there is one place where this may not enter, and that place, the Senate of this Dominion! Not a day longer can we wait; already years of profit have been wasted in petty party warfare in which the masses of the people take no interest. See how the world is speeding forward; mark its history and the developments of the years as they follow on. As in the natural world, "first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear;" so, as man's necessities arose, the process of development kept pace with fornia were added to Peru, and so when the difficulties and over-crowding in the old world demanded more room, these homes in the West were opened, and we can offer to the oppressed ones, in their day of trial, our magnificent North-West and East, a new nation given to us that we may prepare it for the over-taxed sons of want in Europe, where each can get his soil rights for the asking and the working, and where we, having the power, should provide the means of reaching these by every avenue that presents on land and water. We are, territorially, the largest nation of the globe to-day. This land, which is being ruled from this point, from here, is inviting the world to come in and aid us in developing its resources, build up its homes, and defend its treasury. What a privilege and honor to be permitted to make the laws for such; there is no higher honor that I desire. Where is there such a land as this? Where the same freedom of life, of thought, of action, of influence? Freedom, even to abuse it and its bounties, and no one to tar and feather you as would be done for like conduct in other lands. We may have summer heats and winter colds, but it is a land that yields its fruit in its season to all who ask for it, a land where the peasant may become a prince and the peasant's daughter a princess. I have travelled much in other lands, but when the errand which called me away was accomplished, like my hon. friend from Manitoba, the desire came to be back in "my ain countree," for when I saw the people of the Old World, under every form of government there, even that of our Queen, suffering from want and poverty, crowded into narrow limits, how I wished for them the occupation of our great forests and prairies, waiting to give them back that sustenance which the axe and plough may demand. Most of us here have been born in other lands, or the sons of those who were. They, or we, know what it observe, is not now present) and this House that these prophecies were based upon the fulfilment of the terms of union; and that hon. gentleman and this House know whether these terms have been carried out or not. He also knows that it was to a very great extent, if not altogether, due to the position of his party that they have not been carried out. In speaking on the question before this House, I intend, as far as I can in my humble way, to bring it before you from a point of view that it has not yet been exactly viewed from, and that is more particularly the British Columbian point of view. In the first place I wish to point out the character of the trade of the Pacific and the prospects for the future of that great ocean. I wish to remind you that the terminus of the great trans-continental railway that at present exists in the neighboring country is one of the great natural openings of the Pacific coast, and that no other opening exists for a distance of nearly seven hundred miles north along this coast that can be made the centre of any great commerce or the terminus of any great or through line of railway. That this great opening immediately after the discovery of gold in California and her golden sands sent out through it to enrich all portions of the world, was called the Golden Gate, and that it is at the present day the Golden Gate of Commerce through which the productiors and manufactures of California and of the United States are sent out broadcast to the different countries lying along the borders of this great ocean and to the numerous islands studded like was to suffer and to wait; what to bear the heavy burdens of the struggles of the old European nations, and how should we aid those who are ready to drop these burdens and aid us in opening up this land. Let us not keep those waiting for our slow movements; let the influence and power of this body be felt, by giving once, and for the greatest measure ever brought before it, an unanimous vote; let not the voice of party be heard and perpetuated in a division here! And what a change here since the time when first I crossed the Atlantic, and also my hon. friend from Kent, in the old sailing tubs of some 60 or 80 days. And then the tramp on foot, or ride in rude waggon, where now comfortable cars await the comers with a welcome, where in other years it was a repulse, and the old motto of know-nothingism, that "no Irish need apply" was then general. Out of the wild agitation, which there, vicious land laws, and some unreasoning landlords, have evoked, there will be another exodus, and we should open our doors to receive it. In Germany, France, Russia, the unrest of their people can find quiet and prosperity in our widely extended lands. The spinners and weavers of Lancashire and Paisley can find employment in our mills. They want what we have, and we want what they have. Let the reciprocity of labor and possession be established, and it will never be abolished, and if you issue the letters patent, 'twere well, 'twere done quickly. I thank you, hon. Senators, for the patience accorded in my case, and trust that your vote will be such as to make this country all that its enemies desire it may not be, and all that its friends are deter-gems over its bosom. But, hon. gentlemined that it shall be. Hon. Mr. NELSON. Before the question is put, coming from the Province of British Columbia, I feel that I cannot give a silent vote on this measure. One hon. gentleman, in speaking to-night, cast, I think, certain reflections on British Columbia. He spoke of the great predictions that had been made with regard to that country, and of the prophecies of the great progress that that country would make in the future, and declared that these prophecies had not been fulfilled. 1 would beg to remind the hon. gentleman (who, I am sorry to men, we are to-day in possession, for all practical purposes, of another great gate, that will become, in the not distant future, as great, if not a greater channel for commerce, as the Golden Gate of San Francisco, I mean the Straits of Fuca, controlled and owned jointly by the Dominion of Canada and the United States. In the inland waters connected with this great natural passage there are magnificent harbors, both on the Canadian and American sides. I may say that the harbor that has been selected as the terminus for the Canadian Pacific Railway has not only no equal upon these inland waters, but it has no equal in point of extent of through to British Columbia was not to increase the burden of taxation to the Dominion. Now, hon. gentlemen, I find no such agreement in the terms of union. It does not appear there. The terms of union were made without any such condition, but afterwards such a condition was, I believe, forced upon the Government of the day by the Opposition, but British Columbia is in honor bound by that condition. At the same time I consider that the amount of money that has been spent on that railway has not increased the taxation of the Dominion. By referring to the public documents we will find that if it has done so at all, it has only been to a very slight degree. At the time that British Columbia was anchorage as in point of safety along the | Columbia. I have here a paper published Pacific coast, and it is bound to become in San Francisco, which I might quote the great commercial port of the West, from to show the enormous amount of and can be made one of the safest ports the exports and imports, and the imin a military point of view that can be mense trade, that is being done with the found in the world. This harbor is islands of the Pacific Ocean, but it is too placed in the most advantageous position late to-night to weary the House with on the coast, as it is backed by the most them. I bring this matter before the extensive tract of agricultural lands in House because I think that any delay that portion of British Columbia. It is upon the part of the Canadian Governthe centre of the lumber trade in that ment in opening up our own line of railprovince, and it is in immediate proximi- way through to the Pacific Ocean, is only ty to the great coal fields on the opposite putting it in the power of our American coast of Vancouver Island. Taking all competitors to monopolize and retain to these advantages into account, no better a large extent the great bulk of the whole selection could have been made than the trade and commerce of that immense harbor of Burrard Inlet, and being a ocean. In the speech of the hon. the late resident of that place, I do not Secretary of State--for I think he it was know that anyone has more inti--he referred to the statement often made mate knowledge of its advantages that the building of the railway than I have myself. In referring to the subject of the commerce of the Pacific, I would direct the attention of hon. gentlemen to the rapidly increasing trade of the port of San Francisco, mainly brought about by the increasing trade of the other countries surrounding this great ocean, and of the numerous islands I have already spoken of as scattered over its bosom. I lived in San Francisco from 1855 to 1858, and I recollect well one of the first, if not the first, of the sailing ships that was sent out from there with a cargo destined for New York, and I well recollect the character of that cargo rags, old iron and rubbish of every description, that had no market value in San Francisco, but could find a market in the east, no other market being avail-admitted into the Union, the total liaable. I wish to point out the tremendous change that has taken place since that time. The character of commerce there at that period was mainly in fact, I may say altogether inward bound. Ships came there with cargoes and went away in ballast. But what is the fact now? A wonderful change has taken place, and the bulk of the commerce of San Francisco consists of the exports of California, aided partly by the manufactures of the United States, which come overland and are shipped to all parts of the world. Ships from every sea and of every flag, many of them in ballast, arrive at that port, and carry away the products of that country to Great Britain, China, Australia, South America, and north to our own British -- bilities of Canada were only $115,492,682.76-I take this from the Public Ac counts-and at the end of the year 1879 these liabilities had increased to $183,974,753.85, making an increase during that time of $68,482,071.09 in the publie debt, from the admission of British Columbia until the date I have spoken of. Now hon. gentlemen, let us see in what way that increase has been brought about, for the increose in taxation that hon. gentlemen complain of is due to that increase in the public debt. On referring to the Public Accounts we find that from 1872 until 1879 our canals and certainly no canals have been built in British Columbia - cost the Dominion $16,853,633.07; Ottawa public buildings, $1,378,682.52; railways, $31, COW. - total a expenditure whites. I think, hon. gentlemen, these 840,799.92 for these items of $50,072,150.51; and of that sum only $11,251,977 was expended on the Pacific Railway up to the time I speak of, not a single dollar of which was spent in actual construction in British Columbia. I think when we take these matters in account, it cannot be claimed that the increase in taxation is due to the building of that railway, or that it is in any way due to any expenditure of public money in British Columbia. It has been frequently said in another place by members of the Opposition, and particularly by members from Ontario, that British Columbia and the other small provinces were milking the Ontario I think, however, that the returns I have shown you are conclusive proof that such is not the case that the great expenditure, especially for canals, has been in the Province of Ontario; that the greater portion of the expendi ture for railways has either been made in the Province of Ontario, or in the interests of Ontario and some of the older provinces, and that out of this vast sum only $11,251,000 has been expended on the Pacific Railway. While I have every respect for that very fine animal," the Ontario cow," I do not think that, if we examine the Public Accounts thoroughly, it will be found that that very excellent animal pays for the Dominion fodder which she consumes. In this connection 1 wish to point out, what I think is not generally recognized, that, notwithstanding the nonfulfilment of the terms of Union and the state of suspense in which British Columbia has been kept, the people being prevented thereby from embarking their capital in many kinds of industries, the increase of the revenue of that Province has been something wonderful. I have before me a return of the revenue from Customs and Excise in British Columbia for the last six months, and I find that it amounts to $352,000; at the time that we entered the Union our whole annual revenue did not amount to more than $327,000. It has been the practice of hon. gentlemen-some in this House and some in another place to describe British Columbia as an inhospitable sea of mountains a barren, worthless country, having a still more worthless population of some 10,000 to 12,000 I am dred miles, at a higher altitude than the involuntary manner to bring about by highest summit of the Canadian Pacific, one of the greatest acts of their official and apparently of the most worthless career-their retirement from office. So character, and yet, upon which, along the long as they occupied the Treasury line of the railway, towns and villages benches and pursued their milk-and-water have sprung up, having all the evidences or rather water-stretches policy, the lands of business ah3 prosperity, and he would were of no value. But when another have wondered when he looked upon the pilot was placed at the wheel, and the country by which these were surrounded, ship of state was steered by a steadier what gave them this life and vigor, and and more experienced hand in a different where the enormous way traffic of the course; when it was manned by a crew line of railway that passed through in which the people have confidence, this country came from. But the the natural consequence was that our building of that railway through lands increased in value, and no greater the country described, created all this cause for that increase can be found than traffic. The mines of that country the very fact that the Government have have been developed by its means, where entered into the contract with the Syndinone were known to exist before, and the cate, and I ask hon. gentlemen what results of this have been something magi- would be the effect on the value of the cal. I was just looking to-day over some lands of a defeat of the measure before the returns of the Central Pacific (the Union House? Would not our lands become Pacific is not included) and the local in effect almost worthless again? traffic of that line is something like six The inevitable result of rejecting this times as great as the through traffic, and contract would be, in my opinion, the dethe freight carried on that road last year feat of this Government and its conseamounted to about 2,000,000 tons. Iquent retirement from power, and with presume that the traffic over the Union its retirement the defeat of this great Pacific Railway was equally great, and project for years to come. I wish to say the proportion of local to through traffic a few words on the subject of exempting was equally large. In speaking of this the road-bed and property of the Company Syndicate question, I think we can look from taxation. There is is a clause at the opposition to this contract as only in their charter which enables the a portion of the persistent and unpatrio- Government to reduce the rates tic opposition, that has always been when the profits of the Company given by the party opposed to the pre-exceed ten per cent. per annum on their sent Government to the building of this great overland route across the continent, and that, if any other scheme had been proposed, no matter what its character, the same party furore would have been raised against it. When it was proposed by the present Government to continue the work as a a Government work in the absence of being able to arrange with capitalists for its construction, we all know the feeling that was attempted to be raised against it, and the pictures of ruin and disaster that were portrayed. I am glad to see the change that has taken place in the opinions of these hon. gentlemen in regard to the value the lands in the North-West though at the same time I do not wonder at that change in value, and which to a certain extent I am prepared to admit a change which they contributed in an actual outlay. This taxation of the roadbed and property can only affect the company favorably so long as the profits arising out of the working of the railway are under ten per cent. on the actual outlay, because such taxation would only reduce the profits, and higher rates would have to be charged to reach the ten per cent. limit; hence this exemption is only valuable to the Syndicate so long as the operation of the road is not fairly profitable to it, and can be made to cease as soon as a fair profit can be derived by the action of the Government in accordance with this clause in the charter. Then, with reference to the exemption of their lands from taxation, I think the Government has got the advantage of the Syndicate in this part of the bargain. I think, if I had been acting for the Syndicate, I should have insisted upon having these lands free from taxes without any time limit until they were sold |