The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-04
THEY LOOK FOR ANNEXATION.
some Desire It. others DO Not, Hut They All
Expect It-Mnny Men, Hut Only One Opinion.


the Continental party. and has written pam
rhlets which have drawn attention to the de-
STABILITY of political union with the United
States. Mr. Clarke is lawyer. In politics hs
has been independent sometimes voting Tory
and sometimes Liberal. according to his own
notion o! what was right and what wrong. no
is n cool observer, and his views here pro-
sontod are endorsed by many persons not
openly Identified with the movement:
political union Is fast becoming the chief
Issue in Canadian affairs. 1t Is absorbing
minor issues. as Aaron's rod swallowed tho
other rods. The two old parties confess that
tho people display an extraordinary apathy.
II they would look below tho surface they
would find that the people are tired of thresh-
ing straw. and want to soc the politicians take
hold of something that will do tho country
good and mako it as rich and prosperous as
the United States. Without knowing 1t. Sir
John Macdonald did much to start the now old
movement. He did as he pleased in Canada for
thirty years. Theoretically we were enioyin.
n free government under constitution similar
in principle to that of England. whereas in
truth we wero under autocratic rule. and
desperately corrupt autocracy at that. To
maintain himself In power Sir John entered
upon enormous expenditures and q gigantic
system OF boodling. and at his death left his
weak successors to reap what he had sown.
Tho initial step in the movement. however
was Mr. Edward Blake's manifesto after tho
general election Of 1891. The two old parties
had divided on the question of unrestricted
reciprocity with the United States Just what
the Liberals meant by unrestricted reciprocity
nobody knew. Some Of them said in private
that it meant customs union. but In public
they all declared that Canada would still con-
troll her own tariff. and that instead OF involv-
Ing annexation it would siren CITIZEN the feeling
OF loyalty to Britain by doing away with tho
American tariff at the frontier. and so giving
us u far larger measure " prosperity Any
how. the people longsd for Il change in the di-
rection Of frecr trade with the United States.
and tho Liberals very nearly won. During a
three-years' campaign tho advantages
Of closer trade relations with the States
had been abundantly demonstrated. though
they needed no demonstrating The day after
the elections Mr.. Blake's ten-column letter ap-
penred. He had not taken any part in the con-
test. and everybody wanted to hear from him.
no showed that tho United States was not
plete customs union. and that such u customs
union would be. and ought TO he. followed by
up o %hs he
Blake, by his letter. deliberately. intended to
death the unsavory disclosures, which follow
ed it. and. above all. the terribly disappoint-
cause and itis making remarkable progress.
Most indepoad hiking I mem have given
erlul British Canadian nationality. We GER
tainly could not expect to do it unless tho
WS tt ala r Ss 3y hS
our n neral and other resources must forever
remain use. css. and as u consequence the eXo-
duS OF population must go on at n constantly
accelerated rate. The loyalists IN office. like
Sir oliver Mowat and Col; Denison profess I'M
but every one knows they AFRO talkiu: at
random. To use vulgar phrase the country
is rotten ripe for change; or course; II we
shoot OF monarchy successful. that is. II we
could see any chance OF making It prosperous.
many OF US would oppose organic change.
But. as ! have snid; our ,pr4spetity dcnendi
don't think tho Americans aro Going to ia!ten
up a monarchical state belonging to tho Eu-
Korean system on their north"rn irTnt iS No
never cease revlling he Americans. have no
right to expect it,. As for imperial federatiSn
England is ready to give us preferential treat
ment for our products in her market. but that
A ballot was taken at the call board Of the
Toronto Board of Trade the other day. Fifty
memters happened tG be prsse Mt, Tie
United d' States IL to as we ars for
an independent Canadian republic. 4: for i'm
too sensible to suppose that England would
benefit, us. It cannot be too strongly i'm;
union movement arises from economic. and
not from political causes. We want to enjoy
citizenship. II the Democratic party chooses
to make us nartakers IN those advantages by
shi fo ess s IN tat ns C snss
usewil cease to be political nnionists We
shall then have change to build UP a groat
land. The Democrats ought In common hon
estE to be be MAIDS aware Of this. NJ Blaine
IS !e o SHS 9R0't h ssn i ssw
peoliey on the, part OF the Democrats or any
must need enter the American Union in order
to share American prosperity. l say again,
Canada would DO mos, valuable acqulsi-
eeral millions for Alaska. which is no better
rassod wealth in mines. forests. fisheries. and
cnltlyn9ls land: The people are Industrious
sny h" fH thcm
slow going. They forget, that we have had no
opportunity OF showing the, stun we arc made
continent. how can, we be expected TO make
the progress visible. in their great country
nnsr% Il an1heT hI9g our cSnne't.n Win
Europe with impcrlalism. .militar.sm. and
N'AA l.'t ~ nave u UtlT lleiN anu M
favor and our American friends shall SEQ that
We are MS progressive ms themselves
newspapers bolongng 10 the two old parties.
ohrh 81 which WIKI its tOnguH in lts "h"ck. +
irving to make believe that il is moro !9yal
than he other. Sowo OF these papers ta!k rs
though civil war was imminent. 50 Tidy
afraid arc they Of tn" gru wh = the political
union cause. The othnr LAY a Toronto iaIer
declared that it lookca t"r strife, ,tri". strife.
struggle That shpll hc a srttl"rio tho hniIN-
ntionisis mud their m"iiyis,' Then some Of
them talk OF having our leaders arrested and
sent to the penitrntiary for tr"n on. All the
nenitentiaries in III" world are not hig enough
70 contain tho CANADIANS who are traitors.
Wo are EMPLOYING perfectly constitutional
means to effect ia" change, and can AFFORD to
smile at this fury. nature Is ON our side.
verify believe n large majority of the people
Nrn at heart with us now. and am quite sure
that, when the drn!siEne struggle comes We
TuE SuS rUrrcspondent hal talk with Mr.
Richard Armstrong. another LAWYER. VINO is
President 81 no Young on'eryatlvr Associa-
ton OF IorIhto; body rolnpos"a, as might
Of the Tory psrty. MIR. Armstrong is q true
blue Tory. but he j. not Ut al satisfied with
tho present condition OF things. lie looks
forward 10 an independent Canada. allied IN