The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-11-30
CANADIAN VISITORS.
What Mr.. ChapIeau and Mr.. White
Talked Of in This City
THE CONDITION OF CANADA.
Very Interesting Meeting OF the CONNER
cial Club at the Narragansett Hotel.
Prominent Citizens Present, and Ad-
dresses Listened to with Marked At
tention.

The subject under discussion at the
meeting Of the Commercial Club at the
Narragansett Hotel, last Saturday even
ing, was Canada AS 1t Is"
At o'clock the dinner began. The
guests of the occasion were Right Hon. j.
A. Chapleau, Secretary of State for the
Dominion of Canada; his confidential
secretary, Mr.. l.. ii. Tache; John A.
Macfarlane, Managing Director of the
canada Paper Company; Richard Whlte,
Managing Editor of the Montreal Ga
zette. Mr.. Chapleau was accompanied by
Senator Dixon, Congressman Lapham,
Lieut.. Gov. Stearns, Secretary of State
Utter, Speaker of the House Capron,
Mayor Smith, Col. Samuel T.. Colt,
Richard ;. Rowland and Edwin q. An
gell.
President Arthur III. Watson presided.
About 8 o'clock the speaking com
menced. President Watson introduced
Mr.. Chapleau as the first speaker.
Mr.. Chapleau in part spoke as follows;
IL must be admitted that the present Cana
dian Opposition had good reason To anticipate
success at the elections which would neces-
sarily have taken place in the autumn, Tor the
House or Commons was in the last year OF its
life. The influence of the local government
had been out OF power since 1875, and IL was
their turn, Tor government SO long In once,
so long as the present Dominion Cabinet, must
make many active enemies and lukewarm
friends. The farmers were uncomfortable
and disposed for change when the Opposi.
ton committed the irretrievable blunder Oh
Identifying their party with policy oil unre-
strlcted reciprocity with the United states,
and thus trayersing the continuous traditions
Of Canadian sentiment and history, Sir John
Macdonald watched the moment when they
should become hopelessly committed, ana
then, unexpectedly, dissolved the House ana
threw himself upon the national feeling or the
people. The battle was fought politically, as
FAR as party programs went, on "A protectionist
pasis, put really upon far deeper issue-that
or national existence. No doubt this was DIS
claimed by the opposition. No doubt Sir
Richard Cartwright comes of good loyalist
stock. No doubt Mr.. Laurier would deprecate
a union which would dwarf the Importance of
MS race ana religion, but, covered up though
IL was IN every way, the issue was there, ana
the quick sense of the people detected 1t at
once They felt that, in n "dicker' with the
United states government, the national inde-
pendence was safer in the hands OF the pres
ent Cabinet than in that of their opponents.
That a proposition TO permit the United
states government to regulate our commerce
and settle our tariff should have secured even
the measure OF support IL did, ought to sug-
gest much searching of conscience to our
present rulers. The power proposed to be
handed over so frankly to Washington we had
won after "a long and hard struggle with our
mother land. IL was a thing above all others
"
last election, an important minority voted APP
parently 10 yield IL up to the United States.
We should be told that we ought not To ex-
pect the advantages of free trade with the
United States unless we were prepared 10 share
all the burdens of citizens. Then, with our
manufactures ruined and our self-respect
gone, we should be compelled to sneak by a
back way into the American union, instead OF
entering IL like freemen by a freeman's vote.
But, say superior persons" why resist the I'M
evitablef Annexation must come sooner or
later, and they point to the wealth of the
United States-its millionaires, the greatest in
the world. The reply Is easy. Very rich men
are not q strength but a weakness 10 state:
The Mckinley tariff Is a measure for the
passing Of which we ought not to feel angry
with the United States. Ii has done us good.
upon our own feet, where before we leaned
little for support upon the United States.
III you have republic we have yeritable
commonwealth Crowned Republic as IL
has been happily called. You are far ahead of
us in point of numbers, but we know that our
people live IN peace and plenty no less than
yours. And IT is our hope that Canada and
the United States in friendly rivalry in all its
arts of peace, in all the marts of commerce,
may go on through the ages TO come, the hap
pness and prosperity of each acting as a stim-
ulus TO the best efforts of the other each
working out destiny of the brightest augury,
and so linked in the bonds of amity and low
ing kindness that they may, somewhat in the
majestic words of Milton, be said to progress
the great circles of revolving centuries, clasp
ing hands with unfailing jov and bliss in over
measure forever.
Mr. White of the Montreal Gazette was
next introduced He spoke brihy saying
that the majority of the Canadian people
were in favor of reciprocity
At the conclusion of Mr.. Whites ad-
dress President Watson thanked the
speakers in behalf of the club. The meet
ing then adjourned.