Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-14
EASTERN BLOCK, OTTAWA.


however, though they furnish the basis upon
which nations are built, are not the only re-
quisites of national life and autonomy The
air has lately been filed with the sound Of
discussions about the future of Canada, many
of the disputants being apparently Of opinion
that the name Canada" is to disappear from
the map of this continent. Public opinion
in the United States" says Senator Morrill,,
has its index finger pointing TO a union of
ali that lies north Of US as our manifest des-
tiny" and MIR. Blackburne Harte, an edi-
torial writer on The Toronto Mail newspaper,
advocates the same opinion from the Cana
dian standpoint in an article recently
contributed TO The Forum Magazine Indeed,
there is much reason to believe that a large
proportion of those who in both countries
have supported the cause of commercial
union have been more or less consciously aim
ing at annexation as their ultimate goal. On
the other hand, a counter movement has set
in since the beginning of the fisheries contro-
yersy in favor of imperial federation and
this idea has found able champions and
large following among Canadians Finally,
there are those who believe that absolute in
dependence is the end which the statesmen
Of the Dominion should keep in view.
ton that a priori theories of manifest des-
tiny" will prove futile to solve the
problem of Canada's future. Its desti-
ny is manifestly not to be settled by
geographical contiguity or similarity of
social and political life, powerful fact
ors though these be in shaping the course
of history. The people Of the Dominion are
sprung from hardy and independent stock,
themselves in determining what their type of
national existence shall be in the future.
Proximity to the great and enterprising re-
public has strongly Influenced the feelings
and ideas of the people of Canada, holding
forth tempting bait to draw them into
political union. But the sentiment is not
strong enough to induce them to sacrifice
every independent wish, for the qualification
of which they have been constructing gigan-
tic public works. and otherwise struggling
with herculean energy since confederation
Commercial intercourse will always have its
effect in creating friendly DISPOSE
ton towards the American people,
hut in the view of the writer
it would be idle to anticipate any more rad
zeal results to flow from it Attachment to
the mother country is strong in the breasts of
Canadians, and OF late has constantly grown
stronger. 1t is possible that within another
generation some change may Ire accomplished
In the relations between England and her
colonies which Will permit the latter, their
condition warranting an altered position, TO
cast aside the state of pupllage and to form
with the central islands a world encircling
empire of independent sovereign states,
forerunner of that parliament OF man, that
federation of the world" dreamed Of by the
poet laureate. Thepresent organization of the
empire cannot continue. Not only is Canada
outgrowing the colonial stage, but Britain
herself finds the burden of defending unassist
ed not only her own shores, but her most dis
tant possessions, is bearing with increasing
weight upon her. In the language of Mr..
Matthew Arnold, 1.-The weary Titan" finds
the ''too vast orb of her faten to be well
nigh not TO be borne" The onward current
of event forces the problem of recasting the
relations of the different portions of the en-
pire upon the minds of thoughtful English
men as well as thoughtful Canadians Posi-
blv imperial federation may be a dream of
Missionaries, enthusiasts and sentimentalists;
but the principle was tested in Germany and
proved practicable, and it has this advantage
over the other dream of annexation, that 1t
lies In the line of continuous national life.
No sketch however brief and fragment
airy, of public affairs in Canada could pre-
tend to be satisfactory which omitted men
ton of the great statesman who was the
chief architect of the Dominion, and who
still rules it. Sir John Macdonald has been
forty-fve year in public life, and during
that long period has been almost continuously