The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-29
CANADIAN ANNExATIoNIsrs.

Some amusement was lately created by
an item in the telegraphic column ann0unc-
ing that certain gallant high prvates in the
militia of Montreal, in the efferyescenee Of
their spirits on the Queens birthday, had
ordered meek and inoffensive American
flag to be hauled down from the staff on
which il tloated. An excuse for the playful
Outburst may perhaps be found in an article
or series of articles in a Toronto paper
called the Irish Canadian, of which a copy
has been sent to THE CALL.
There is nothing in the articles that is
absolutely new. The readers of The CALL
have long been aware that there is a steady
tide ofemigratiOn from Canada 10 the United
States, and that this is the chief reason why
the population of Canada does not increase,
though the States of the Union adjacent TO
Canada increase so fast Among those who
desire to see the Dominion progress 1t is
natural that the American flag should pro-
woke bitterness of feeling, though it is nos
easy to discern how the exodus Of Cana
dians can be checked by putting down the
stars and stripes in Montreal.
The Toronto paper before US sees no
remedy for the evil except in annexation.
Ii says that neither agriculture nor industry
can thrive in Canada so long as the bound
airy line shuts out Canadian farmers and
Canadian industries from American mar
kets, ana though it does not try to Demon
strate how annexation would make Canada
a better place to live in than il is, it implies
that as prosperity prevails in the Northern
States Of the Union, while dizziness is the
rule in the Dominion, the prosperity and
the dullness must be the fruit of the differ
ent political institutions. People may agree
with the Canadian writer so far as TO admit
that the colonial condition is calculated TO
hamper independent thought and energy,
and that the Canadians would be more self
reliant and more enterDrsng if they did
not lean so much on the mother country;
but it is not easy to see how the Oblitera-
tiou of the boundary would of Itself effect
much material change in a majority OF the
provinces.
The late Sir John Macdonald. who did
Canada's thinking for number of years,
and who was in many respects pretty
bright man, was incurably gwen to reason
in a vicious circle He drew the at
tention Of British immigrants to the
fertility Of the plains of Manitoba
and induced many of them to settle
there; but as soon as he had done that he
induced other British subjects to build
transconiinental railway by guaranteeing
it against competing lines. The consequence
was that when the farmers of Manitoba
raised their wheat the railroad charged ex-
cessiye rates TO carry il to market, and the
farmers one after another had to throw up
their farms. Again, in order to placate the
discontinued people of the maritime prov
inces be gave them subsidies out of the public
treasury to start sugar refneries and other
enterprises for which there was no legitimate
call, and the consequence of this was
that the Nova Scotians refused to undertake
important enterprises that were not subsi-
died, and as the Government could not sub
sidize every one. branches Of business which
were promising were neglected. The Ian
guage is inadequate to express the mischief
which. with the best intentions, this states
man inflicted upon his adopted country
through errors Of reasoning.
Now be is gone and the Canadians from
Manitoba to Halifax are uttering cries
for annexation. Had they not better look
round and see whether they are not crying
for the moon? 1t is not accounted wise to
clamor for thing which cannot be got.
Have these Canadians observed at Wash
ington any indications of a TayenOus appe-
lite fol- Canada-unless perhaps it be Brit
ish Columbia? And has anything trans
pired in the British Parliament which looks
as though Great Britain was prepared to
relinquish its North American possessions?
With the exception Of the Ionian Islands,
which we're given up by way Of compensa-
ton to Greece for long course of outrage.
and Of Helgoland, which was relinquished
to Germany in exchange for African terri
tory. England has never given up a foot OF
land till she was forced to. What reason
have the Canadians for believing that she
would inauguTate a new policy now?