The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-10-17
ANNEXATION WITH CANADA.

: 1t is just stuff as the following from
) the Chicago Journal that would make
the average man subscribe literally fol-
/, homes for the idiotic:
We do not want reciprocity with
Canada, nor annexation. Reciprocity
would bring only competition with oul
own products. Annexation would bring
only a lot of new democratic free trade
states.
When the United States purchased
Louisiana of France in 1903 for s15,OO0,-
600 and received for the insignificant
sum all the vast region west of the Mis-
sissippi to the Rocky mountains, and
north to the British possessions, includ-
ing what is now the great state of Mon
tana, the newspaper was not started
which objected to the purchase on the
ground that it would bring only competi-
ton with our own products and a lot of
democratic free trade states.
When by the treaty of Gaudaloupe
Hidalgo in February 1S48, Mexico coded
to the United States all the territory
comprised in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah,
Nevada and California for Sl5,C0O,OOo,
there was no newspaper to cry out
against the purchase upon the grounds
that it would bring only competition
with our own products and a lot of new
democratic free trade states.
When by treaty with Russia, made in
March, 1867, the United States acquired
Alaska for the sum of 100000 we
heard no newspaper crying out against
the purchase on the ground that it
would bring only competition with our
own products and a lot of new demo-
cratic free trade states. The area of the
United States at the formation of the
union in 1889 was about 100000 square
miles. 1t is now more than 100000
square miles. Instead of thirteen states
we have forty-four states. and from a
population of 100000 in 1776 we have
over G2,OOO,OOO in 1890. We have the
greatest country in the world and Amer
leans are the greatest people. The coun-
try and the people have become the
greatest because we have added to the
area of the former by purchase and to
the number of the latter byimmigration.
What would the United States now
be if the people had refused to add to
their domain the magnificent area they |
nov possess on the ground that such
additions would bring only compe-
tition to our own products and
a lot of new democratic free trade states?
A narrow strip of country on the Allan
tic coast inhabited by a narrow-gauged,
and necessarily parsimon-
ious people. 1t is we'll that no news
papers of the Chicago Journal stripe
Hourished in the early days of our coun-
try. That there is one ever now, and in
such a large, progressive and aggressive
city as Chicago is enough to make a man
subscribe literally for homes for the
OIL idiotic.
Neither reciprocity with nor the an
nexation of Canada can injure one single
industry in the United States. While
either may be possible neither is prob
ible-in the near future at least. The
lime may and doubtless will come
when both countries will find it to
heir interests to become one in
name as the people are now one in
ancestry, one in language, one in enter
Prise and aggressiveness and one in as
,irations. The assimilation of the peo-
Die would be easy because natural. The
status of existing political parties would
,e but slightly disturbed as men in Can
ida, like men in this country, are no
low nor never will be OF n political