s covered a multitude of sinners. Yet whether it was the
Grand Trunk or the Intercolonial, the Canadian Pacific or the Grand
Trunk Pacific, the national purpose has been strong, and must fairly be
set on the assets side of the sheet. Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Sir John
Macdonald both worked with high courage and enduring faith for a
greater and more united Canada. Any one who looked at a map of the
Dominion and realized how incredibly narrow a fringe of population was
strung out on the southern border, could not but feel that some attempt
to add a second storey to the structure, to give breadth as well as
length, was a national necessity. Perhaps least defensible was the
Quebec-Moncton section; true, it was essential, if freight was to reach
the Maritime ports, that a shorter line with better grades than those
of the Intercolonial should be secured if possible. Grades were
bettered in the lines secured, but the saving in distance was not as
great as old and incorrect surveys had led the government to anticipate.

How should the road be built, granted its {211} need? Government
ownership had its advocates, but experience of political 'machines' and
a recognition of the difficulties of a government line in carrying on
steamship or irrigation or other subsidiary activities, or in making
international extensions, told heavily against such a policy. The real
choice lay between the two private companies, the Grand Trunk and the
Canadian Northern, which were seeking to rival the Canadian Pacific.
Undoubtedly the best solution would have been to amalgamate these
companies, and thus to save the eventual outlay on a line north of Lake
Superior, on closely parallel lines in the prairies, and on the
enormously costly rival lines to be built through the Rockies. True,
competition even in railway matters has still its merits, but one
strong competitor of the Canadian Pacific would have better served the
country than two in financial straits. This solution appeared for a
time possible. As has been seen, negotiations were carried on in 1902
and 1903 looking to such a union, but unfortunately without result.
Forced to choose, the government had no alternative but to give its aid
to the older and better known system.

What standards were to be set for the {212} new road? The continent's
pioneer traditions were plain: build the road in the cheapest way it
could be made to hold together, with sharp curves and steep grades if
need