The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-30
OUR POLICY WITH REGARD TO
CANADA.

CANADA.
WE regret to see such an undue amount of
attention given by our press to Canadian po-
itics We cannot understand that they con-
cern us in the slightest degree in their proxi-
mate issue. The people of Canada are quite
able to manage their own affairs and their re-
lations with England without our generous
interference, and they show pretty plainly
that it is their intention to do so. We may
rest assured that annexation is the idea least
contemplated by the great body of Canadians,
and the least desired by every sensible man
on this side of the dividing line. To mind
our own business, to turn our attention
towards developing the vast wealth of terri
tory we already possess, these are the solu-
tions to that great problem now before the
American people, viz, how we shall pay the
national debt and grow rich?
We are in favor of annexing Canada when
ever Canada shall grow into self-sustaining
State. That time has not yet come. Her
forces are scattered and insufficient, her re-
sources are only comparatively developed,
and for many years she would be burden
upon the American nation it could very illy
bear. Every dollar and sinew our citizens
can spare must now be devoted to our own
territories. 1t will need every nerve and
muscle of our home and foreign emigration
to colonize and develop them. We need to
be strong ourselves in every part; we need
to get our own vast machine in full active
working order throughout, before we turn
our attention outward Let us consider this,
and stop dreaming. The day will surely
dawn when Canada not only may be, but
must be, ours: do not let us hope for this new
and heavy responsibility before we have dis
charged the old one that rests upon us at
home.
That the true means to accomplish the end
of annexation are in active operation now, we
are rejoiced to know. The tide of emigration
is setting steadily westward, and in a few
years, local centres having sprung up through
out the whole country, and fruitful fields hay
ing been evolved from marsh and desert, we
will find we have infused such power into our
national arms that we are ready for new &C
quisitons and fresh enterprises of civiliza-
tion. What we contend for is that our charity
should begin at home; we have no wish that
it should end there. Let us strengthen our
selves, and we shall be in a better position to
strengthen others Let us cultivate and deve-
lop that i, ,499, SCI miles which is as yet COM
paratively undeveloped, and we shall see
clearly how we may annex 2,S41, 1927 miles
which will need all the outlay of money, bone
and muscle we are able to invest to render it
ultimately profitable. We hold it the duty of
every responsible journal in this age of fever
ish scheming to set these facts fairly before
the people. The strength of a nation does
not lie in the extent of It's territory, but in
the extent of the development of that terri
tory. Every acre of ground we add to our
possessions to-day, if it does not prove a
source of immediate revenue, will be source
of immediate weakness. Alaska, for which
we paid seven millions in gold, would be we'll
got rid of at price less than the sum we
have already spent in her improvement
Texas and the country acquired by our
treaty with Mexico will now, for the first
time, become paying investment for money
sunk there by Democratic administration
twenty-one years ago Look where we will
experience still points to the same moral-no
annexation without remuneration.
Of course, our remarks do not and cannot
apply to the acquisition of Cuba Her inter
nal commerce is vigorous and healthy, her
soil is in high state of cultivation, and her
people are willing and anxious for annexation
to the United States The sum we shall spend
upon her reconstruction, as a new State in the
American Union, will be inconsiderable,
while the life-giving power of American laws
extending over her territory will strengthen
and vivify every native energy which Spanish
oppression has hitherto done its best to
weaken and destroy. BY Grants policy we are
losers neither in fortune or good name. By
anybody elses policy, looking to the purchase
or acquisition of fruitful icebergs and teem-
ing trades in skins, we lose at least our repu-
tation for sanity and an amount of money
woful indeed to compute. OF course, we
might console ourselves with the reflection
that we had got wisdom by experiences; but
when we meditated how much in the course
of our history we had paid for that valuable
commodity already, it might not prove very
potent comfort. Moral: let us mind our own
business at home.