“The future of the Government ownership of railways in my opinion, depends entirely on their operation being carried on free from any political or other influence. The operation should be carried on the same as a private corporation, keeping in view at all times economy and the interests of the shareholders who of course, are the people of Canada.
“If you desire any information from the Government or consideration of any matters in connection with the Government Railways, then I ask that you submit it in writing, so that I can lay all matters before the Governor-in-Council in the proper way. I shall then forward you the reply officially. In this way a proper record will be on file.
“This in my opinion, is the way to carry out the operation of the road, and if you agree with me, I hope you will see that this is done.”
The name Canadian National was used, as already said, for general convenience, but legal identities were then in no way affected. The Board’s first duty was to see the property it was to manage. There was a trip to the Pacific coast and then one to the Atlantic seaboard.
Since before the war the West had known the disadvantages of hampered operation and delayed completion of branches that were urgently required. It wanted service; and it had no hoary traditions, practices, or hopes to recover or maintain. No old war horses had been running loose for ten years expecting that when next the fortune of political battle turned out a Minister of Railways they would be turned into the paddock.
The East was as different from the West as chalk is from cheese—it could not be otherwise. For nearly fifty years the Government railway had been an unquestioned engine of political patronage. The oldest inhabitants when they gazed at a time-table saw in it the covenants of Confederation. The attitude of many men who are not so grey was and is: (1) That the Intercolonial being named in the British North America Act, and projected and promised as a political link between eastern and central Canada, must so remain; (2) That, taking not the most direct route from Montreal to Halifax, and therefore giving rates to shippers based sometimes less on mileage haul than on the shippers’ desire, the Intercolonial must not be treated as a commercial railway; but as a sort of douceur to induce the maritime provinces to remain confederated with the Canadas.
This view has been advocated with great fervour by deputations that have come to protest against the ruthless administration that had its head and offending in Toronto. It is not unanimously held, down east. Even some politicians have said openly to their friends that there is nothing worth fighting about in the views of the departed fathers of Confederation, and that the East must look for business connections with the West only on businesslike bases.
A few days after the armistice the Board reached Moncton for a Saturday afternoon and Sunday acquaintance with the Intercolonial headquarters. It found the atmosphere as chilly indoors as out, after the President had given to a representative meeting the Board’s assurance of goodwill, and appreciation of the need for the local officers to have large jurisdiction; and had sketched the possibilities of interchange between Eastern and Western officers with a view to broadening the experience of the whole staff.
A gentleman of much ability and intense local patriotism presented us with a picture of an Ontario we had never seen before; and generally left the impression that something like a Western pirate was determined to prey on an Eastern victim.
Plainly, we were not as welcome as the flowers in May. The archangel Gabriel could not have become popular down by the sea if he had undertaken the job of co-ordinating the services of the railways which the Dominion of Canada now possessed. With all the good will in the world, it can be said that it was too much to expect that excellent men, habituated to party control of a railway, would discern the least beneficence in the revolution which had come upon the ancient institution.