intendent
Steele, who says in 1886: "I wish to call your attention to the quality
of wood used last winter for fuel, causing large fatigues, much waste
and consequently great expense. This could be avoided by entering into
coal contracts with people residing near the coal beds on the North
Saskatchewan, who would be able to supply at low rates." Thus were these
guardians of the peace keeping their eyes open and urging forward the
proper industrial development of the country.

There is a striking and characteristic passage in a later report from
Superintendent Perry, the general truth of which is just as vital to the
well-being of the State to-day as it was when written not long after the
rebellion. It appears that Perry and his men had traced and brought for
trial a good many cattle-killers, mail-robbers and others, but found
much difficulty in getting convictions in local court where jurymen and
others seemed to have more sympathy with the accused than necessary.
Perry sees the far-reaching danger of this attitude, and refers to it as
follows: "I regret that convictions for the serious crimes were not
secured against the guilty parties. Evidence was produced for the
defence which could well be doubted. Not only has this case produced
sympathy for crime, but in other cases, it has been plainly manifested.
Petitions have been forwarded to lessen the penalties where laws of the
country have wilfully and knowingly been broken. So notorious has this
become, that it has disheartened us in attempting to secure criminal
convictions. There seems to be an absurd idea that the dismissal of a
charge means a snub to the Mounted Police, whereas it strikes home at
the root of society and threatens the lives and property of the very men
who jeer and flaunt." The frontier was fortunate in having men who saw
and pointed out this tendency in time. There is the ring of a statesman
in that declaration.

But Perry and his men were by no means deterred, even if feeling
disheartened by that state of apparent sympathy with law-breakers. This
is attested by the fact that when the first stage robbery ever
accomplished in the territories took place by the holding up of the
Prince Albert mail near Humboldt, Perry and his detachments under
Inspectors Begin and Guthbert so combed the whole country in search of
the perpetrators that this attempt to introduce the Jesse-James
programme into Canadian territory was effectually discouraged. It took
some