Vancouver, a Canadian Asset

Vancouver is being discussed freely and favorably in eastern cities of Canada and the United States. Press articles extol its phenomenal rapid rise from a small logging town to one of the principal commercial ports on this continent, competing with and outstripping older established cities. Vancouver is an asset to Canada, a greater asset to British Columbia; it is, therefore, of the utmost national and provincial importance to protect Vancouver’s greatest asset from the menace which threatens it.

The size of a city may be limited by its water supply; we sometimes hear of the population of Vancouver reaching the million mark, but if it is necessary to spend millions of dollars in erecting dams and waterworks to ensure a sufficient supply of water, the heavy increase in taxation to pay for and maintain this supply, may hinder the establishment of industries, and drive out some of those already established. I need not refer to the effect on the rank and file of the population, many of whom are bearing all they are able to bear under present conditions. We must elect representatives who will protect the interests of the people. In this connection I wish to heartily endorse and commend the recent action of Mr. Chas. Woodward for the stand he took in regard to the protection of our watershed; I only regret that he was not elected 12 years earlier. It will take more than 100 years to repair the damage done within the past few years; even now it may be too late.

I see the hand writing on the wall, word by word, as clearly as in the days of old. WAKE UP, and read it for yourselves. “WEIGHED IN THE BALANCES,” are we to be found wanting? Shall we return again to “drink wine and praise the gods of gold and silver, of iron and wood.” (Sounds like our sources of revenue, liquor, mines and forests). Shall we wait for another repetition of history?