The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-08
CANADIAN ms CONCEPTION.

The returns from the parliamentary cleo
tions held throughout the Domin ion Of
Canada last Thursday, and the comments
Of the Canadian papers thereon, furnish
interesting matter for readers on this side
of the line. That the campaign was fought
and won on gross misconception or mis-
representation of the feelings and purposes
Of the government and people of the United
States is glaringly apparent.
If the newspapers Of the Dominion have
been candid, and have fairly represented
the ideas of that people, and the issues
upon which the contest has been decided,
the Conservative victory is almost wholly
attributable to great scare, based on the
idea that our republic has . hungry eye.
fixed upon Canada, Is eager to swallow il
up, and had an organized band of emis-
saries scattered throughout their country
with intent to mislead and debauch the
electorate in the interest Of annexation as
result of Liberal victory.
The returns and press comments make
it apparent that this was conspicnously the
case in British Columbia. The Victoria
Cotonist, leading and influential Conserv-
alive organ, admits that there was general
and deserved opposition to Sir John
Macdonald's government in that province,
for "disregarding the requests Of their
representatives, and in neglecting to
supply the wants of the city and district. I"
It admits that there was widespread
"feeling of indignation at being sighted
and neglected" But, nevertheless, in the
Victoria district, the government cam
didates received 1,O79 and loss votes
respectively, against 40 and 40 for their
opposition competitors, considerably more
than two-thirds majority.
In New Westminster the disparity was
still greater, 1,52S for the government to
sos for the opposition, or more than three
to one. These results, this Conservative
organ has the candor to declare, were due
to the fact that the constituencies were
'large-minded enough to forget their own
peculiar grievances when matters relating
to the commerce Of the country and their
allegiance to Great Britain are to be
settled"
But the most significant sentence, an
echo of the keynote of the campaign,
which has been sounded all along the line,
and upon which q thousand changes has
been rung, was this: "The people of Can
ada were called upon to decide whether
they were willing to remain the subjects
of Queen Victoria or whether they were
ready to become citizens of the United
States. This, we are more than ever con-
WINGED, was the true issue" And beyond
doubt this was recognized as the issue
and controlled the result.
In this there is no intimation that our
government or people were or are to have
any say in this matter Of Canadian an.
nexation. If the Canadians had voted or
in future shall vote for annexation, that
settles it. They have but to say the word,
and walk right in and take their equal
share in the greatest government on earth.
The time may come when Sir John may
fail to retain power by frightening that
people with this Yankee bugbear. Then
they may elect q Liberal majority to
parliament. 1t may happen even
that they viii do 30 with the idea that it
means annexation and viii settle the ques-
ton. Then they win begin to discover
how egregiously they were humbugged in
the late contest. Then they viii discover
that many people of the United States,
probably q vast majority, think that this
government ALREADY haa ahouk All thu fer.