38 Timehri. 
policy but they will require to be satisfied that the realinterests of the colony 
lie in the direction of any large expenditure in the interior. They will em- 
phasize the quantity of unoccupied land on the foreshore and the smallness of 
our population. They will msist that without population we can do nothing 
and it must be admitted that unless a railway brings population it will 
be of little use. They will be sceptical about resources of which they 
know nothing, of which they have seen nothing and which in any case are 
out of their line. Few of them think the entire 90,000 sq. miles ef hinterland 
equal in value to a single coast estate and a favourite attitude is ‘“‘ Take the 
whole interior if you like and do what you can with it, but do not ask the colony 
to pay anything as we are already overtaxed and cannot afford it.” Like the 
man from Missouri they will require to be shown. They have every right to 
ask to be shown. On the other hand they should not be encouraged or 
allowed to treat their reasonable suspicions and natural prejudices as Mr. 
Dooley treats the Bible and Shakespeare. “ I suppose you alwaysread them 2” 
suggested Mr. Hennessey. ‘‘ I never read thim’’ said Mr. Dooley ; “I keep thim 
_ for purposes of difince.’’ ‘* I’ll never read anything else till I have read 
thim.’? Their doubts must be met by schemes of colonization. Any Rail- 
way Company can be asked to formulate some on the lines carried out for the 
development of land subsidies in Canada and Brazil. The Government 
must formulate others and whatever the company 1s asked tu do the Govern- 
ment must do also. Hand in hand the path of development must be climbed. 
We have the statement on good authority that responsible persons are 
negotiating to secure the rights of the Rio Amazon Syndicate to construct a 
railway from Manaos to our frontier or to secure a further concession in case 
those rights have lapsed or are contested. The fact that the State of Ama- 
zones has twice granted a concession for such a line disposes of the question 
of local hostility. The Federal sanction to cross the reserved frontier strips 
has never been withheld from any of the numerous contemplated inter- 
national lines. There is no reason why Great Britain should not get the full 
benefit of the “ most favoured nation “ clauses ’’ of her treaties. It is a mere 
matter of negotiation by responsible parties. The idea of Brazilian opposi- 
tion was anvther imaginary obstacle tu the consideration of this question in 
the eyes of those unacquainted with the progressive character of our great 
Southern neighbour. The Syndicate in question has already made a flying 
survey over its intended route, but has recently shown no other signs of life. 
lt will probably give place more to vigoruus and better authenticated proj.o- 
gandists. It is also stated that leading firm of engineers already engaged in 
railway construction all over the globe and supported by a great financial 
house is quite willing to extend its operation to the colony for the construc- 
tion of a trunk line on the usual terms. But proposals equally good may 
come from other sources. When interest is aroused a dozen wild cat specula- 
tors will also be on che trail and conjure the issues. Time alone can tell. If 
there is no competition of offerors we can only bide in patience the coming of 
any offer whatever, if any should ever come, see whether we can afford its 
demands, abate them if we can, but in any case carefully examine any scheme 
from a financial and political standpoint and in the light of the experience of 
