Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-03-23

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n state and nation.
Given under my hand and the seal of
the executive chamber, at Hyde Park, this
18th day of March, A. ID. 1891.
By the Governor CARROLL S. PAGE.
HENRY NJ. MCFARLAND,
ISecretdTy of Military and CtUU affairs.
The Annexation of Canada.
Much is said about the annexation
of Canada to the United States, and
one would infer from the random
talk indulged in that the matter of
breaking allegiance with England and
going over to the United States was
only thing of the will of the Cana
dians. 1t is well to remember that
Canada is a part of the British EN-
pire, of vast area, a population Of
more than five millions, with posses
sions which to the empire are Of val
ue and Importance. Great Britain
enlarges her dOminiOns on every con-
tinent when by purchase, diplomacy
and war she is able so to do, but she
is extremely reluctant to yield an inch
anywhere 1t took seven years for
the colonies to shake off her power,
and another serious war was waged
thirty years afterward to fix the
boundary line between the United
States and Canada.
When the Canadians, such as de-
sire to unite with the United States
begin to make any attempt, except in
words, to break allegiance with Eng
land, the royal lion will utter such a
howl as will make all Canada tremble.
Should the United States by any
overt act assist in the project of an
nexation, the mighty war ships of
Britain will stand ready along our
coasts to speak in tones that will
mean serious business.
The United States would be invinc-
ible, without doubt, against the arm
les Of England-possibly of all Eu
rope, but it would tax the energies
Of our own country to defend our cit
les and our harbors, to say nothing
of our commerce, against the naYies
and armies of that country.
Canada might seek to rebel, but
her effort would be futile and destruc-
tive. She could not maintain a COM
bat a month with Great Britain.
While many for commercial and 9TH
er reasons would favor annexation,
England, while it really receives little
benefit from the American Provinces,
is nevertheless a great helper of the
Canadas. She has furnished millions
of dollars to build her cities, roads,
canals and railroads, and has to-day,
probably, more money invested in
Canada than the whole Canadian
country is worth. England can get
along without her American dominions
with no loss to herself, but Canada can
not maintain herself without British
help. These dominions have afford
ed the rich and aristocratic "big
fellows" of England a fine place to
expend their surplus money, to fish,
hunt and expand. Canada can not
afford to ALLEVIATE this sort of favor,
and in the matter of outside assist
ance, both from government and in
dividuals.is vastly better off than she
would be if a part of this great coun-
| try. True there is the matter of the
tariff that is doing her people much
harm at present.
While England would be loath to
part with these dominions, the United
States could not afford to take them
as a gift. Our own territory is broad
enough, and in climate, productions
and all that goes to make up the ne
cessities of the people,w have enough
and to spare. Canada is so situated
geographically that only narrow
area, stretching from Newfoundland
to Vancouver is inhabitable or valua-
BILE. Her productions are only those
things which can be grown in the
colder regions Of the north temperate
zone, with some timber, fish and ful
products, all of which can be purchas-
ed for less than the people of the
United States world care to furnish
them for.
Much of the timber belt has beer
cut over, and the present mineral de-
velopment is not great. The United
States has all the ice fields and frozer
rivers, the white bears and walruse:
she needs in her Alaska, possessions
and she will not require the icy des
ert regions of the North British pos
sessions for any thing of this sort.
The public debt of the Dominion
government is immense, the means
she has for paying it considered. The
debt grows in the wrong direction
from year to year, bigger and bigger
Whoever owns the Dominions owns
the great debt. The United States
at present is not looking for an in
yestment of that sort. If ANYTHING i:
wanted in this line modern congress
has capabilities sufficient.
Tue whole scheme of annexation
IS preposterous. The United States