The sun., 1889-12-08
Goldwin Smith on Canadian Affairs

Goodwin Smith on Canadian AfaiFs.
During the month Of November o good
many Incidents occurred whose bearing on
vital Canadian questions deserves careful
| examination. Unusual interest attaches,
| therefore, to the latest number Of the By
| Stdnder, In which one of the best informed
| and most sagaclous men In the Dominion,
Mr.. GOODWIN Smith, discusses the purport
Of recent events.
It will be remembered that Mr.. MERCER,
the Premier OF the Quebec provincial Minis
try, said at the Catholic Congress at Baltl-
more that French Canadians were in favor Of
political separation from the Engllsh-speak-
ing sections of the Dominion. AS he also
admitted that his compatriots were not
strong enough to constitute an Independent
State, and had no thought Of reunion with
France the inference was unavoidable that
their tendency must be toward annexation
to the United States. In his comments on
this avowal MIR. GOODWIN SMITH, with his
habtual good sense. avoids saying much
about annexation. In the present temper
of Ontario he would as sooD think Of
waving red flag under the blood-shot
eyes OF mad bull. But he does
not hesitate to rank among manifest i'm
possibilities the fusing or even harmonic
ing Of French and Papal with British and
Protestant community. ln other words the
capital aim OF the trainers OF the Dominion
scheme OF government is impractlcable; and
it is only question OF time, and not long
time either, when the confederation whose
headquarters are at Ottawa will be broken
up. He adds that the divergence Of Quebec
from Ontario is due to no sudden access OF
sentimental excitement, but to steady and
natural growth. For the secession OF French
Canada, which Mr.. GOODWIN SMITH, like
Mr.. MERCIER, deems inevitable, he en-
deavors to console the British Canadians by
assuring them that Ontario by herself
might be nation" The italics are ours for
although Ontario, once cut Off from the
lower st. Lawrence. might conceivably be-
come nation, she would in our opinion, il
not in Mr.. SMITHS. much prefer to become
one Of the United States. AS Quebec would
also gravitate toward annexation. the prob
lem Of the st. Lawrence would be solved as
easily as that Of the Mississippi.
The Bystdnder assures us that the meeting
called at Toronto for the purpose Of hearing
the advantages OF unrestricted reciprocity
set forth by Mr.. ERAsTUs WIMAN was a
signal success" Naturally however, the
advocacy Of commercial union was de-
nounced by the newspaper partisans Of Sir
JOHN MACDONALD as betrayal OF Canada
political independence. The minute and
exhaustive knowledge of Canadian history
possessed by Mr.. GOODWIN SMpsF1 enables
him to repel the charge OF diS4oyalty in a
Nrn- fall hoN
years ago Mr.. ISAAC BUCHANAN. who was
not only Conservative but a protectionist
to boot. declared that the natural policy of
Canada was the establishment Of an Ameri-
can Zollverein, or Customs Union, such as
then existed between certain German
States. He went on TO explain that under
such an arrangement the United States and
Canada would neither OF them levy any GUS
toms taxes on their interior frontiers but
only at the seaports from Labrador to Mex
leo, the same duties being levied and each
country getting its share In the proportion
of its population. In word, Canada's COM
mercial system should, he thought, be based
upon the principle Of free trade with Amer
lea but not with Europe. Not only Is there
such unimpeachable Conservative authority
for Mr.. WIMAN's project but as Mr.. GOLD
WIN SMITH points out. MIR. BUCHANAN used |
the very phrase which on Mr.. WIMANs lips |
has been distorted into treason. He said that |
a Zollverein would give the Canadians all |
the commercial advantages Of annexation"
Leaving the Canadian Conservatives to |
masticate this tough moFsel of history, the |
BystGnder touches on another question lately |
raised in connection with the refusal OF the |
Dominion Government to veto the Jesuit |
Estates act passed by the Quebec Provincial |
Legislature. Why, it has been asked, Is |
national veto on local legislation essential to |
the preservation OF nationality in the case Of |
Canada, when II is not necessary in the case |
of the United States? Here again an intl-
mate acquaintance with the political condi-
tions and organic laws of both countries en-
ables Mr.. GOODWIN SMITH to return de-
cisiye answer. He shows that Presidential |