The Portland daily press., 1889-04-01

mr.. Erastus Wiman Pjctuyes the
possibilities OF Such Connection,
And Tells How He Thinks IL May be
Secured.
An Instructive Address Before the
Portland Board Of Trade.

reception committee, and driven to the Fall
mouth Hotel. At o'clock Mr.. Wiman and
the committee lunched at the residence of
Mr.. Putnam. In the evening a large number
OF the people Of Portland gathered at the
Falmouth Hotel and were introduced to Mr..
Wiman. 1t was nearly 8 o'clock before the
doors OF the large dining room were thrown
open. Nearly 200 gentlemen set down to the
supper. Mr.. Wiman occur led the place OF
honor and on his right and left were the fol
lowing gentlemen: Hon. w. l.. Putnam,
Captain ]. s. Winslow. Hon. w. w. Thomas
Jr.. Mayor Melcher. Hon. Charles j. Chap,
man, Judge Haskell, Hon. Edwin T. Russell
OF Boston, Hon. William G. Davis, Wood
bury >. Dana, Esq, L. Frank Jones, K.
Corey, III. n. Jose, s. c. Strout and M. II.
Rich.
After the supper Captain j. S. Winslow.
the assemblage to order, and introduced Mr..
Wiman, who spoke as follows:
Mr.. Wiman's Address.
One Of the most marked consequences of
the American revolution and the subsequent
Declaration of Independence was the estab-
lishmentof line Of demarcation across the
centre Of the continent. Next in Importance
to the creation of great nation south of that
line, was the creation Of a nation to the north
Of 1t that might become great. The marvel
| l0us progress Of the United States which
comprise the nation to the south has enabled
It to completely .outstrip the nation to the
north. From this condition there has arisen
| IN tne minds OF the people of the United
states, the belief that the part of the conti-
nent which they occupied included that
| Wnlcn only was worth having, while the
| greater half of the continent, to the north of
Lne boundary, was comparatively valueless.
rms conception, however, has been found to
De entirely erroneous. The truth is begin
ning nm 70 pe realized that the northern half Of
the continent possesses sources of wealth
and areas OF cultiyatable land of great possi-
Bile Importance to the United States. The
continent, as has been truly said by Goodwin
smith, is an economic whole; and the fact
that the progress of Canada has been only
partial, as compared with that of the United
| States, does not in the slightest degree indi-
cate that the British American possessions
on the continent are either valueless or un-
important to the United States. Indeed,
| next to the assets which the Union itself
| possesses within its own borders, no greater
| contribution TO its success and future great
ness can be conceived than that which Is
| possessed in the material resources Of the
northern part Of the continent.
CANADA FOREIGN TO THE UNITED STATES.
The supposed adverse influences Of clim-
ate are dissipated when one recalls the fact
thar, within the parallels which include
Canada, there has been the greatest progress
within the United States; and that within
these parellels, not only in New England,
but such western states as Michigan, Minne-
sofa, Dakota, Montana, have contributed
IN greater degree to the wealth Of this ma
ton than equal areas elsewhere. The pur-
chase of Alaska is a testimony to the fact
that the climatic influences of the North are
In no respect barrier to the possibilities Of
pront, and the advantages of increased areas
Tor trade and development The fact, how
ever, remains that, Notwithstanding the in
| equality in the continental race between
Canada on one side of the line and the Uni
ted States on the other, which has now gone
On i0r 100 years the greater half Of ths sSn
leiand to the Unitsa az BY the line Of
de9arsatlsg exists two at tne }qtssst
regulated the affairs upon this continent
| This condition seems as fixed and determin-
ed as ever. This is all the more remarkable
when 1t is recalled that these two people
have the same lineage, the same language,
| the same laws, the same literature, and that
In hardly any respect is there any difference
whatever between them Alike in every
respect, with social relations between them,
and large interchanges of population, they
were as far apart as ever. A barbed wire
fence, in the shape OF customs line, was
created 100 years ago, and still exists, over
which one brother cannot trade with another
q
| Intervention of the government.
IF THE WHOLE CONTINENT HAD BEEN IN
cLUDED.
1t was the most fortunate event in the his
| tory of humanity that the United States
should have declared themselves free from
the trammels of European government. The
Declaration of Independence and the vast
results that have followed it, the world over,
are contribution to the good Of mankind
| greater.t than almost anything else in the
| providence of God, except 1t be the gift Of
life itself. and with it liberty and the pursuit
| Of happiness. Because not only in the
| world at large has the influence of that dec
| laration been felt, but in this great country
| more has been done for mankind than el Sc
| where and underdifferentc ntcircumstances could
| have been possible. III, of all the material
| gifts to man, the revelation Of this continent
| of North America was the last and best gift I;
and If. in fulfillment of the divine design,
| the administration OF great portion Of 1t
| was so ordered as to make 1t the most attrac-
tive, as it is the most desirable home Of hu-
manity, then 1t may seem an event forever
TO be deplored that, instead of one-hslf being
included within the area covered by the
Declaration of Independence, the whole vast
continent was not made to possess equal at
fractions. But notwithstanding that this
may appear at first sight to be unfortunate,
1t may be that in the future the wisdom
Of this dispensation will be demonstrated.
For it is just possible that two forms of
government side by side, one helping
the other by accepting that which
which is adverse. will work out for humanity
better result than would have been
achieved If the principal Of republican gov
ernment had been inaugurated and carried
on on q scale even vaster than that which
| tho world iG witnessing Tho cfndant
Of American affairs reflects, however, that II
| so much progress has been achieved within
the United States In a hundred years, with
half Of the continent only available, what
might have been done with the whole Of Ii
accessible and under one form of govern
ment. II the riches realized by the develop
ment of the natural resources Of one-half
have been ENORMOUS. Is IT too much 70 say
| that with double the opportunity, and with
double possibilities, there would have been
| an increase Just double in the national
wealth? 1t may be said that the area of the
| United States was large enough, and that q
greater expanse OF territory would have
diffused the effect, and no greater result ir
the hundred years would have beer
| achieved IL the whole continent had been in
cluded. But the instance of Alaska show,
that neither climate, distance nor interyen
ing foreign territory retards the American II
his career Of conquering the forces that rul,
the material world.
A CONTINUED COLONIAL EXISTENCE.
The achievements within the hundred
years since the Inauguration of Washington
upon one-half Of the continent, within the
United States, have been so great that the
belief is fixed one In this country, that moi
only within these limits is possessed all that
is worth possessing, but that in the great
political science of government, something
serious is wanting in a continued colonial
existence Because Canada has been lag
gard in the race for continental supremacy
it is supposed that she is not only materially
at a disadvantage, but because she has moi
been made politically so attractive to the
vast mass OF Europeans, she does not pos
sess all the elements of self-goyernment, anC
has not worked out for herself perfect anC
a most complete system for the regulation ol
public affairs. This she certainly has done
She has gained all the advantages which
long history of European systems have de
yeloped, while she has been an observan
student Of the principles which have gov
| erned this country, taking that which wa
advantageous and avoiding that which wa
questionable The result has been that II
Canada the progress In the administration
of public affairs mas been such that, insignia
cant and remote as she Is, a great deal ha