CONCERNING THE TERMINALS 185 



" The demand of the West is that the grain should not 

 be manipulated at the terminals," declared Mr. Foster. 

 " It does not matter a pin as to how that is brought 

 about so that the thing itself is accomplished." 



The new bill provided for sample markets and the 

 farmers did not like this unless the Government 

 acquired the terminals as had been requested. Owing 

 to the grain blockade, due to car shortage, feeling was 

 running high in the West and the farmers eyed the new 

 legislation closely. They came upon a clause which 

 startled them and in the row that followed it looked at 

 one time as if the new Bill would be led to the boneyard 

 and killed. 



One of the proposals of the Government was the 

 formation of a Board of Grain Commissioners with 

 wide discretionary powers. They would be made 

 responsible for the proper conduct of the entire grain 

 trade and deal with all matters pertaining thereto. 

 They were to have the absolute say-so in regard to car 

 distribution and there was one clause that threatened 

 this protection for which the Western farmers had 

 fought so hard in earlier days. 



At once consternation spread among the Grain 

 Growers, their apprehensions based upon bitter experi- 

 ence. They protested vehemently. Letters, petitions 

 and resolutions slid all over the official Government 

 desks and delegations followed to Ottawa. Not the 

 organized grain growers alone, but the whole Western 

 farming element was up in arms. 



Nevertheless, the new Grain Bill passed the House 

 of Commons and browsed over to the Senate. 



It was the farmers' last chance to stop it. 

 K. McKenzie and J. S. Wood, of the Manitoba Grain 

 Growers; J. A. Maharg and F. W. Green, of the 



