74 ~~ CANADA AND THE EMPIRE.

Canada an advantage over the United States of
this amount. Who, it has next to be considered,
will get this six cents?
Other things being equal, it is probable that this
advantage will be distributed between producer,
transporter, and middleman in approximately the
same proportion as the price of wheat in English
markets is at present. When wheat in England
is fetching, say, 36s. per quarter, or 4s. 6d. per
bushel, the North-West farmer is selling it at
about 32 cents, or 2s. 24. per bushel, so that it
would be fair to assume that, other things remaining
 as they are, rather less than 3 cents would go
to the farmer. But can other things remain as
they are? It remains to consider for this purpose
the fate of the bonding privilege, but in order to
do this, one has to consider the power of Canadian
and United States railway companies,
In countries where so much depends on transportation,
 where new territories of boundless extent
and unfathomable promise remain useless until railways
 are built, it is not surprising that the railway
companies have become very powerful. Governments
 have been anxious to do their utmost to
encourage railway building, and grants of land and
money and concessions of monopolies have been
made in early times, which, in Canada at any rate,
have given the companies more power than has yet
been felt. Since it must necessarily be a bad thing
when railways coerce Governments, itis to be hoped
that the Canadian Government will profit by the