hat　he　was　in　demand　for　just　such　occasions　as　a　Dominion　Day　celebration　and　in　just　such　a　community　as　Wolf　Willow。　　The　theme　of　his　address　was　Canadian　Citizenship；　Its　Duties　and　Its　Responsibilities；　a　theme　somewhat　worn　but　possessing　the　special　advantage　of　being　removed　from　the　scope　of　party　politics　while　at　the　same　time　affording　opportunity　for　the　elucidation　of　the　political　principles　of　that　party　which　Mr。　Gilchrist　represented；　and　above　all　for　a　fervid　patriotic　appeal。　With　Scotch　disdain　of　all　that　savoured　of　flattery　or　idle　compliment；　Mr。　Gilchrist　plunged　at　once　into　the　heart　of　his　subject。
  〃First；　the　area　of　Canada。　　Forty…six　years　ago；　when　Canada　became　a　nation；　the　Dominion　possessed　an　area　of　662；148　square　miles；　to…day　her　area　covers　3；729；665　square　miles；　one…third　the　total　size　of　the　British　Empire；　as　large　as　the　continent　of　Europe　without　Russia；　larger　by　over　one　hundred　thousand　square　miles　than　the　United　States。〃
  〃Hear；　hear；〃　cried　an　enthusiastic　voice　from　the　rear。
  〃Aye；　water　and　snow；〃　in　a　rasping　voice　from　old　McTavish。
  〃Water　and　snow；〃　replied　Mr。　Gilchrist。　　〃Yes；　plenty　of　water；　125；000　square　miles　of　it；　and　a　good　thing　it　is　too　for　Canada。　Some　people　sniff　at　water；〃　continued　the　speaker　with　a　humorous　glance　at　McTavish；　〃but　even　a　Scotchman　may　with　advantage　acknowledge　the　value　of　a　little　water。〃　　The　crowd　went　off　into　a　roar　of　laughter　at　the　little　Scotchman　who　was　supposed　to　be　averse　to　the　custom　of　mixing　too　much　water　with　his　drink。
  〃My　friend；　Mr。　McTavish；〃　continued　the　speaker；　〃has　all　a　Scotchman's　hatred　of　bounce　and　brag。　　I　am　not　indulging　in　foolish　brag；　but　I　maintain　that　no　Canadian　can　rightly　prize　the　worth　of　his　citizenship　who　does　not　know　something　of　his　country；　something　of　the　wealth　of　meaning　lying　behind　that　word　'Canada；'　and　I　purpose　to　tell　you　this　evening　something　of　some　of　Canada's　big　things。　　I　shall　speak　of　them　with　gratitude　and　with　pride；　but　chiefly　with　a　solemnising　sense　of　responsibility。
  〃As　for　the　'water　and　the　snow'　question：　　Let　me　settle　that　now。　Water　for　a　great　inland　continental　country　like　ours　is　one　of　its　most　valuable　assets　for　it　means　three　things。　　First；　cheap　transportation。　　We　have　the　longest　continuous　waterway　in　the　world；　and　with　two　small　cuttings　Canada　can　bring　ocean…going　ships　into　the　very　heart　of　the　continent。　　Second；　water　means　climate　rainfall；　and　there　need　be　no　fear　of　snow　and　frost　while　great　bodies　of　open　water　lie　about。　　And　third；　water　power。　　Do　you　know　that　Canada　stands　first　in　the　world　in　its　water　power？　It　possesses　twice　the　water　power　of　the　United　States　（we　like　to　get　something　in　which　we　can　excel　our　American　cousins）；　and　lying　near　the　great　centres　of　population　too。　　Let　me　give　you　three　examples。　　Within　easy　reach　of　Vancouver　on　the　west　coast　there　is　at　least　350；000　horse　power；　of　which　75；000　is　now　in　use。　　Winnipeg；　the　metropolitan　centre　of　Canada；　where　more　than　in　any　place　else　can　be　heard　the　heart　beat　of　the　Dominion；　has　400；000　horse　power　available；　of　which　she　now　uses　50；000。　Toronto　lies　within　reach　of　the　great　Niagara；　whose　power　no　one　can　estimate；　while　along　the　course　of　the　mighty　St。　Lawrence　towns　and　cities　lie　within　touch　of　water　power　that　is　beyond　all　calculation　as　yet。　　And　do　you　Alberta　people　realise　that　right　here　in　your　own　province　the　big　Bassano　Dam　made　possible　by　a　tiny　stream　taken　from　the　Bow　River　furnishes　irrigation　power　for　over　a　million　acres？　　Perhaps　that　will　do　about　the　water。〃
  〃Oo　aye；〃　said　McTavish；　with　profound　resignation　in　his　voice。　〃Ye'll　dae　wi'　that。〃
  〃And　snow；〃　cried　the　speaker。　　〃We　would　not　willingly　be　without　our　snow　in　Canada。　　Snow　means　winter　transport；　better　business；　lumbering；　and　above　all；　wheat。　　Where　you　have　no　snow　and　frost　you　cannot　get　the　No。　1　hard　wheat。　　Don't　quarrel　with　the　snow。　It　is　Canada's　snow　and　frost　that　gives　her　the　first　place　in　the　world　in　wheat　production。　　So　much　for　the　water　and　the　snow。〃
  McTavish　hitched　about　uneasily。　　He　wanted　to　have　the　speaker　get　done　with　this　part　of　his　theme。
  From　Canada's　area　Mr。　Gilchrist　passed　on　to　deal　with　Canada's　resources；　warning　his　audience　that　the　greater　part　of　these　resources　was　as　yet　undeveloped　and　that　he　should　have　to　indulge　in　loud…sounding　phrases；　but　he　promised　them　that　whatever　words　he　might　employ　he　would　still　be　unable　to　adequately　picture　to　their　imagination　the　magnitude　of　Canada's　undeveloped　wealth。　Then　in　a　perfect　torrent　he　poured　forth　upon　the　people　statistics　setting　forth　Canada's　possessions　in　mines　and　forests；　in　fisheries；　in　furs；　in　agricultural　products；　and　especially　in　wheat。　　At　the　word　〃wheat〃　he　pulled　up　abruptly。
  〃Wheat；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃the　world's　great　food　for　men。　　And　Canada　holds　the　greatest　wheat　farm　in　all　the　world。　　Not　long　ago　Jim　Hill　told　the　Minneapolis　millers　that　three…fourths　of　the　wheat　lands　on　the　American　continent　were　north　of　the　boundary　line　and　that　Canada　could　feed　every　mouth　in　Europe。　　Our　wheat　crop　this　year　will　go　nearly　250；000；000　bushels；　and　this；　remember；　without　fertilisation　and　with　very　poor　farming；　for　we　Western　Canadians　are　poor　farmers。　　We　owe　something　to　our　American　settlers　who　are　teaching　us　something　of　the　science　and　art　of　agriculture。　　Remember；　too；　that　our　crop　comes　from　only　one…　seventh　of　our　wheat　lands。　　Had　the　other　six…sevenths　been　cropped；　our　wheat　yield　would　be　over　three　and　a　half　billion　bushelsjust　about　the　world's　supply。　　We　should　never　be　content　till　Canada　does　her　full　duty　to　the　world；　till　Canada　gives　to　the　world　all　that　is　in　her　power　to　give。　　I　make　no　apology　for　dwelling　at　such　length　upon　Canada's　extent　and　resources。
  〃Now　let　me　speak　to　you　about　our　privileges　and　responsibilities　as　citizens　of　this　Dominion。　　Our　possessions　and　material　things　will　be　our　destruction　unless　we　use　them　not　only　for　our　own　good；　but　for　the　good　of　the　world。　　And　these　possessions　we　can　never　properly　use　till　we　learn　to　prize　those　other　possessions　of　heart　and　mind　and　soul。〃
  With　a　light　touch　upon　the　activities　of　Canadians；　in　the　development　of　their　country　in　such　matters　as　transportation　and　manufactures；　he　passed　to　a　consideration　of　the　educational；　social；　industrial；　political　and　religious　privileges　which　Canadian　citizens　enjoyed。
  〃These　are　the　things；〃　he　cried；　〃that　have　to　do　with　the　nation's　soul。　　These　are　the　things　that　determine　the　quality　of　a　people　and　their　place　among　the　nations；　their　influence　in　the　world。　　In　the　matter　of　education　it　is　the　privilege　of　every　child　in　Canada　to　receive　a　sound　training；　not　only　in　the　elementary　branches　of　study；　but　even　in　higher　branches　as　well。　In　Canada　social　distinctions　are　based　more　upon　worth　than　upon　wealth；　more　upon　industry　and　ability　than　upon　blue　blood。　Nowhere　in　the　world　is　it　more　profoundly　true　that
  〃'A　man's　a　man　for　a'　that；　　　　　　　The　rank　is　but　the　guinea's　stamp；　　　　　　　The　man's　the　gowd　for　a'　that。'〃
  At　this　old　McTavish　surprised　the　audience　and　himself　by　crying　out；　〃Hear…r…r；　hear…r…r；〃　glancing　round　defiantly　as　if　daring　anyone　to　take　up　his　challenge。
  〃In　matters　of　religion；〃　continued　the　speaker；　〃the　churches　of　Canada　hold　a　position　of　commanding　influence；　not　because　of　any　privileges　accorded　them　by　the　State；　nor　because　of　any　adventitious　or　meretricious　aids；　but　solely　because　of　their　ability　to　minister　to　the　social　and　spiritual　needs　of　the　people。〃
  Briefly　the　speaker　proceeded　to　touch　upon　some　characteristic　features　of　Canadian　political　institutions。
  〃Nowhere　in　the　world；〃　he　said；　〃do　the　people　of　a　country　enjoy　a　greater　measure　of　freedom。　　We　belong　to　a　great　world　Empire。　This　connection　we　value　and　mean　to　cherish；　but　our　Imperial　relations　do　not　in　the　slightest　degree　infringe　upon　our　liberties。　　The　Government　of　Canada　is　autonomous。　　Forty…six　years　ago　the　four　provinces　of　Canada　were　united　into　a　single　Dominion　with　representative　Government　of　the　most　complete　kind。　Canada　is　a　Democracy；　and　in　no　Democracy　in　the　world　does　the　will　of　the　people　find　more　immediate　and　more　complete　expression　than　in　our　Dominion。　　With　us　political　liberty　is　both　a　heritage　and　an　achievement；　a　heritage　from　our　forefathers　who　made　this　Empire　what　it　is；　and　an　achievement　of　our　own　people　led　by　great　and　wise　statesmen。　　This　priceless　possession　of　liberty　we　shall　never　surrender；　for　the　nation　that　surrenders　its　liberty；　no　matter　what　other　possessions　it　may　retain；　has　lost　its　soul。〃
  The　address　concluded　with　an　appeal　to　the　people　for　loyal　devotion　to　the　daily　duties　of　life　in　their　various　relations　as　members　of　families；　members　of　the　community；　citizens　of　the　Province　and　of　the　Dominion。　　In　the　applause　that　followed　the　conclusion　of　this　address；　even　old　McTavish　was　observed　to　contribute　his　share　with　something　amounting　almost　to　enthusiasm。
  CHAPTER　XI
  THE　SHADOW　OF　WAR