The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-09-05

A Chicago Tribune correspondent
telegraphs his paper, from Rufus
Hatch's big hotel in the National Park,
the following concerning a bold and
brilliant scheme to annex British
Columbia to the United States. Although
but a Pigment OF the correspondents
imagination, it will be read with inter-
est by northwestern people:
Your correspondent arrived here over
the presidential trail yesterday, in adj
vance Of the party, which at noon yes
terday was at Jackson's lake. There is
a significant object OF the journey which
the correspondent has learned since ar
rival here from a man in the best position
to know-that there has been some agi-
tation Of late looking to the annexation
of the state of Chihuhua, Mexico. While
there are certain railways interested in
the annexation, the powers that be, COM
prising the executive, together with the
army and most prominent politicians,
are opposed to the movement. General
Sherman recently said that the United
States ought to have another war with
Mexico. When asked why he replied !:
ITO make 'em take back this d coun-
try we bought of 'em." The admins
tration is not looking south, but north,
toward British Columbia, with it's vast
grain fields, its exhaustless supplies of
coal, pine, gold, silver and minerals. 1t
is whispered here that Mr.. Arthur is
interested in this acquisition, and that
before long British Columbia will fall
quietly into our possession. Both the
Canadian and Northern Pacific are
straining every nerve for such a result.
It is claimed that Americans are fnan-
cially interested in the former road, and
that the E~nglishmen associated with
them are SO greedy to make money that
they are willing to see the British flag
cease to float over the Dominion, so that
it's productions may pass freely into our
market without the imposition of Gus
toms and delay. Further, it is claimed
that Englishmen are quietly working
up a sentiment at home for such transfer
of the Dominion, impressing the idea
that Great Britain can only afford to
foster the grain fields Of India. The two
roads will pull together and construct a
great halbor on Puget's Sound, with a
Pacific line Of steamships to China,
Japan, the Pacific-American coast and
the Oceanic isles. There they will have
Ilc IuGSU ndLDOIS Ill GnC WOllu, dIu Will
make Chicago the head center for the
receipt of productions on one side, and
of the supply Of exports OH the other.
This grand scheme of annexation is said
to have been already under cabinet dis
c%ussion, and while the president is silent,
as usual, yet his visit in this part Of the
country will enable him to quietly look
over the ground, to substantiate the
somewhat brilliant future already pic
tured to him in glowing terms. In this
great railway scheme, San Francisco is
to be thrown into the shade, and Port
land is to be made the great Northwest
ern city tributary to Chicago, to collect
the products of North Columbia-for the
prefix British is to be dispensed with
and Oregon and Washington territory.
When the Canadian Pacific is completed
it will be given its share of the patron
age. It is now conceded on all sides
by the politicians and capitalists so plen-
tifully sWarming this part of the coun-
try, that British Columbia will be the
richest acquisition to the United States
vet made. Southern acquisitions are
maligned as the most expensive and
useless luxuries the country has eve in
dulged in. What return have Arizona
land New. Mexico ever made on their
cash account except bloodshed, murder,
Indian massacres, pillage by cowboys,
lynching, crime n all manner OF ter
rorism? The president is said to have a
level head on this matter, and his deaf
ear is toward the south but his open eye
toward the north.