St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-12-13
THE ANNEXATION OF CANADA.
Senator Sherman Warmly Favors 1t.


THE ANNEXATION OF CANADA.
Senator Sherman Warmly FavOrs 1t.
The advantages of political CONSOLE
datiOn with Canada to the United
States are palpable and obvious. If
less Immediate, they will be even
greater in the long run. At the out
set we shall add three hundred million
dollars to our present debt of fourteen
hundred million-a mere bagatelle-in
return for which we shall not only add
five million to our taxable population,
but acquire extensive and valuable
public works, whose title is now in the
Dominion government, railroads, ca
nails, public buildings, Notifications,
etc. But this present gain is not worth
considering in comparison with the flu
ture advantages to accrue to the Amer
lean republic from the vast extension
of her territory. l doubt if we fOresee
these any more adequately now than
the Americans of Jefferson's time saw
the potential value of the Louisiana
purchase. The material wealth, unde-
veloped resources, and industrial pos
sibilities of the great British North
west are even yet only dimly under
stood. The most eXtravagant esti-
mate of it's productive capacity and
power to support Il thriving population
is probably below the reality that
union with the American republic, free
connection with American railroads,
and opening to American immigration
and enterprise would reveal, and which
will be revealed in no other way.
Tho nn1itipal nd van DaS IF the nm
ion are emphasized by the present
transit and canal tolls. These and
other occasions of border dispute
would be removed, and the most grave
provocative of dispute and irritation
taken out of our diplomatic relation.
The occasional and contingent difficult
ty of an unscientilic, because purely
artificial, unduly extended, and Who'll
ly indefensible frontier would disap
pear with the constant veXatiOn of
commercial disputes. Consolidation
would establish and perpetuate the
peace of the American continent so
long as the American republic endures.
1t would contribute to the peace of the
world by removing the most sensitive
occasion of war with a European pow
er, and abOlishing the last considerable
trace of European dominion upon the
Western continent. In this sense it
would be an advantage to Great Brit
ain, as well as to America. She would
lose costly, unprOductive and useless
dependency, and gain absolute politi-
cal security in part of the world
where she has everything to lose, and
nothing to win, except safety.
The commercial and social ties be-
tween the two countries are very close,
and growing more intimate every year.
Two important points of contact are
the investment of American capital in
Canada and the immigration of native
Canadians into the United States. 1t
is estimated that at least $780, 100000
of American money is locked up in
Canadian railroads, mines and indus
trial and commercial enterprises of va
riOus kinds. On the other hand, the
census shows that a million persons
born in Canada are now living in the
United States, and this does not, of
course, take into account the thousands
of European emigrants who come here
after Il brief and Improbable sOjOurn
in the dominion. This exchange of
capital for labor, of men for money, is
going on constantly, and knitting clos
er every year the ties of common in
terest and social kinship. The truth
of this is revealed in the actual state of
feeling in Canada.
There are two exceptions to the gen
eral willingness of the Canadian peo-
pie to entertain the notion of political
consolidation with the United States.
One is official and the other clerical.
1t is not quite accurate to say that the
tory party is opposed to political
union. This is true of the tories of the
official circle, the ministers of the Do
miniOn government and their subOrdi-
mates, the place-holders of the central
administration, which would be de-
strOyed by absorption in the United
States. Consolidation is not party
question in Canada any more than it
is in the United States, although the
accident that the central government,
which would be destroyed by it, is
conservative, and that many of the
provincial governments, which have
nothing to lose by it, are Liberal makes
it appear SO. The strongest, best
grounded and most lasting opposition
will come from the French Catholic
church in the Province of Quebec,
which enjoys valuable privileges un-
der the Dominion government, incom-
patible with the American political
system. Quebec will be the last for
tress of resistance to consolidation. 1t |
is a question of religion, or rather of
religious privileges, not one of race.
The French Canadians are not con-
spjcuOusly loyal to the crown or I'M
friendly tn the limited States Thav
have furnished the bulk of the immi-
grants from Canada into New Eng
land, and adapt themselves easily to
American political ideas. But they
cling to their church privileges, and
will surrender them reluctantly. These |
were the price of their ad-
hesion to the Dominion. They will |
not be willing to bargain less shrewd-
ly with the United States.