is Scotch--full of descendants of the old
Scotch folk who used to serve in the Hudson's Bay Company. If there is
a chance to capture world traffic, Portland is out with both hands and
both feet after that flying opportunity. Portland has not only
improved the entrance to the Columbia to the extent of fifteen million
dollars--this was done by the Federal government--but she has had a
canal cut past bad water in the Columbia, costing nearly seven
millions, and has put on the big river a system of civic boats to bring
the wheat down from an inland empire. There is no aim to make this
river line a dividend payer. The sole object is to bring the Pacific
grain trade to Portland. Portland is already a great wheat port. Will
she get a share of Canada's traffic in bond to Liverpool? Candidly,
she hopes to. How? By having Canadian barges bring Alberta wheat down
the Columbia.

II

And now, what is Canada doing? Canada is doing absolutely nothing.
Canada is saying, with a little note of belligerency in her
voice--What's Panama to us? Either every harbor in the United States
is Panama fool-mad; either every harbor in the United States is
spending money like water on fool-schemes; or Canada needs a wakening
blast of dynamite 'neath her dreams. If Panama brings the traffic
which every harbor in the United States expects, then Canada's share of
that traffic will go through Seattle and Portland. Either Canada must
wake up or miss the chance that is coming.

Two American transcontinentals have not come wooing traffic in
Vancouver for nothing. The Canadian Pacific is not double tracking its
roadbed to the Coast for nothing. The Grand Trunk has not bought
terminals in Seattle for nothing. Yet, having jockeyed for traffic in
Vancouver, the two American roads have recently evinced a cooling.
They are playing up interests In Seattle and marking time in Vancouver.
Grand Trunk terminals in Seattle don't help Vancouver; but if Canada
doesn't want the traffic from the world commerce of the seas, then
Portland and Seattle do.

One recalls how a person feels who is wakened a bit sooner than suits
his slumbers. He passes some crusty comments and asks some criss-cross
questions. The same with Canada regarding Panama. What's Panama to
us? How in the world can a cut through a neck of swamp and hills three
thousand miles from the back of beyond, have the slightest effect on
commerce in Canada? And if it has, won't it be to h