Page:Robert Barr - Lord Stranleigh Philanthropist.djvu/243

 The Minister ceased his perambulations, and now faced his auditor, and

"Your policy does not lack comprehensiveness," said Stranleigh quietly. "As you say, any man might be proud to carry out such a useful work. I have made a few notes of points on which I should like further enlightenment. Your Canadian farmer is scattered over millions of square miles. You could, of course, by the expensive means of agents, or the cheaper form of correspondence, enter into agreements with him. He might enforce those agreements on you, but how could you, except at ruinous expense, make him keep his side of the bargain? If the market price of wheat in Canada was, say, seventy cents a bushel, he would gladly sell to you for a dollar, and you could get all the grain there was in the country. But suppose the price rose to a dollar-and-a-half a bushel, he would in most cases, bargain or no bargain, take the ready cash of the local dealer."

Wilmot waved aside the suggestion with a gesture of dismissal.

"Oh, that is a mere detail. The Canadian farmer rarely gets a dollar for his wheat. A corner