Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-04
Nntlca tn NlaiI subscriberR.
mONDAY, MARCH 4, 1889.
Canada and the United states.


The most statesmanlike measure that
has gone through Congress this session
is that which lays the groundwork for a
commercial union with. Canada. The
action of Congressman Butterworth, a
few months ago, in introducing bald and
rash proposition for the annexation OF
the Dominion, was foolish and untimely.
The irritation on both sides of the st.
Lawrence on account of the fisheries
controversy and the retaliation measures
made the Butterworth proposition offen-
sive to our neighbors, and provoked
a spirit calculated to widen the
breach. If annexation is desir-
able it must be brought about
in natural way. 1t cannot be advanced
by brash or patronizing policy on our
part. Preliminary to any movement to
q political union must be union
of sentiment of the two peoples; and
this union Of sentiment can only
be brought about by creating a
union of interests. Nothing will conduce
mere to this than reciprocal CONNER
cial system OF exchanges based upon
principles of equity and justice. Ii the
people of Canada were brought nearer
to us in the interchange of trade by a
tariff adjusted upon principles that
would work out equal mutual benefits,
the way would be paved to closer union
of sentiment upon political points. But
80 - Of 10 ln1n oikhn1
side has, or thinks that it has, an undue
advantage of the other there can be no
reciprocity of good feeling, and with out
that there can be no possibility OF
political union. Force will not accom-
plish it. Marriage does not result from
mutual hate or suspicion any more with
states than with individuals. The
strength of binding tie must rest in
mutual respect cemented by mutual
interest. Therefore we say that the
plan proposed by Congress is the cor
rect one. Canada may not be now in
the mood to accept it. But she may be
hereafter, and it is we'll that it should be
ready for her when she feels that it is
her interest to embrace it. 1t is door
open that will give passage to still
wider door in the distance.
We must remember that our neighbor
is no bantling. Although she is far be-
hind US in wealth and power and popu-
lation, we must appreciate the fact that
she is territorially giant, and possessed
of resources 80 varied and so vast that
her future possibilities are simply un-
limited. Whilst the United States
can do without Canada and Canada
can flourish without the United States
yet both would reach higher state oi
prosperity and greatness if they were
politically united. Our vacant public
lands are rapidly being settled upon, and
it will not be many years before there
will be none left. But Canada has mil
lions Of acres that would supply the
demand OF settlers for the next
two centuries. It must not be
supposed that because these lands
are nearer the polar region
than ours that they are less available for
agriculture than those of some of our
border States. The winters are milder in
Manitoba than in Minnesota, and a
writer in the January number of the
North american Reriew, who has care
fully examined this subject, declares that
the great wheat region of the future is that
vast stretch of territory in the Dominion
which reaches from Hudson Bay to
British Columbia.
It is worth our while to conciliate, and
unite with us, if possible, a people who
control the destinies of country which
is territorially larger than our own, and
which possesses possibilities OF a
development but little less than
have been exemplifed by the
United States in the last CEN
tury. That kind of statesmanship
which will pave the way for the political
union of these two countries is the kind
of craftsmanship which will confer last
ing benefits on great branch of the