Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-13
CANADA'S SAD PLIGHT.
A Reverse Side to the Annexation Theory
The Undesirable Legacy Left by the
Late JPremier-What Reciprocity Win

Late JPremer-whnt Reciprocity Win
Do for the Dominion.
| To the Editor of The Dispatch:
| Canada, her future, her continental rela-
| tions and political tendency, the internal
problems, social, political and otherwise,
with which she is now hlrassed, are attract
| ing almost as much attention from the
doctors of political science abroad, as from
her regular physicians at home.
Mr.. Carnegie, who since the advent of
triumphant Democracy" has assumed the
| role of professor emeritus in the hierarchy
OF political doctrinaires, and whose advice
Is always published in connection with the
| appeals made to him by suffering members
OF the body politic has recently passed upon
| the conditions that distress the Dominion,
and offers the specific of anpexation.
While 1t is not to be doubted that annexa-
| tlon would quicken the pulse of trade and
stimulate the productive energies of Can
| ada, at the same time affording q splendid
| market for American manufactures, yet
| there is a reverse side to the proposition
| which must appear seamy indeed to every
patriotic citizen of the Republic who is at
all familiar with the social, political and
religious adjustments inwoven with the
fabric OF the Dominion, and who is as much
animated by desire for social peace and
political congruity at home, as he is for a
| larger market abroad.
1.-THE American Constitution, SAYS Mr..
| Carnegie. in recent letter, would not re-
| quite the Dominion of Canada to give up any
| thing in the way of local government which
they now possess" If this be true, all the
more reason for avoiding annexation.
Profiigacy That Will Widen the Breach.
While the discordance of feeling which
exists between the different provinces of
| Canada, especially between the two moro
| important ones, where it finds basis in
| prejudices of both race and religion must
| De counted among the features of Canadian
| politics most embarrassing to her state
| men, yet there are others relating purely to
| political adjustments, that have been as
| fruitful of discord, and far more destructive
| OF civic sense and public morality. The
profiigate bestowal of concessions to the
| different provinces, made at the hour of con-
| federation for the purpose of obtaining
] their adhesion, has resulted in making of the
Dominion Government both an obsequious
| servant and an ass of burden to the con-
| stituent provinces The very nature of
many of these concessions is such that they
must aggravate, with time, those di-
vergencies of social and political feeling
| which it should have bee the aim of those
| who were instrumental in ushering in the
| Dominion to reconcile by wise political ad-
| juStments.
The ideas OF political unity, and nation
| ,ion ~. &C. Sae..s - on,,a.. -.
| n,o,t d :. I...1 49,, =
80. % a"u ~
| th.t w n'.:'
and Provincial Governments. Under
| an easy code of political morality,
sui ted to ambitious jingoes, and greedy con-
| tractors who like to fatten at the public
az otr So. uiiou Sno n'.nS
Con.Iian p,.r,i. p =, a,,1,p nappoor ~. " 80 VIZ
O"""u"h III oNon"nse ioi h'e'9
| ures that wouid shltt the burden Oh provln-
| cial debts upon the shoulders Of the Domin-
| ion. So successfully wa. this nracticed
| nnder the ,dmini.+ro.io, of S;r Ioln MO-
! - >. 49,, ~ - ., 80 !
u"nai" 'haS - leu W great corfuptioh anu
reckless eXtrayagance Provinces seemed
| to vie with each other in running up debts
| and then barteripe them Off upon the fed
ar.I Co,ornnoent ,,biob ,ha,, oaa,ood %
80, 20, oop q 'noh.' =" iilIn 'noy 'ooieu "
iook upon as enoo"eo WIN some superhae
| ural power that could dissipate them.
The Late Sir Johns Leoacv
|
Slr Jonn Macdonald, whose character was
! a diluted mixture of Walpole Beaconsfeld
and Tweed and who if hard nressed b,, bio
s.o.ots 80 49,, =, ,i.,-ao,f q =; 80 ~! -i'
oPponon', ooulo ~ "iap "i.iiee,i e' III 'ne mon
JACK, Walk uo"n TO tne Ioothgnts, utter tne
| cry OF treason and expire with tragic grace
| that few of the American breed could imi-
| tate WAS largely responsible for the extent
=. - -. 80. - a.,u,a, &C.
w MN U,Ioso "ou'oo "Iie S"ii oo
c1ety' IKE NATURE says castelar, "oevours
everything 1t can no longer use. Sir John
escaped this fate; he died at a propitious
moment. the shadow of society however
was upon him when the deeper shadow of
death fell. Tte most brilliant journalist, If
not the aoiesS PonIical writer III Canaua'
speaking a! tne tilne Oh Or 'ohn Iast ap-
pearahce III rhrilaiien'' saiu: lhere IL
touch OF tne pathetic IN the old
mans determna5ion 10 put ASIDE
nn5 nr ,,'"ta fnaI efrort 70 roIyi1a ny
dronnino courage of those about him. Com.
pairing small things with great, it reminds
one of Wallenstein's being carried down the
lines in litter, on the eve of the battle of
Lutzen to put courage into that polyglot
army that had learned to love him because
his name had been synonymous with victory
and plunder" The whole situation at the
time Is to be found in these words Nor has
the passing away of the old man improved
the condition Of affairs The evil that poll
it lives after them; it is the heritage OF the
people they beguiled with cunning phrases.
THE vital problems that now harass Can
ada are problems that she herself must solve.
Annexation under existing con dtions can
only surround with greater difficulty the
questions with which she is now struggling
If she wishes to remove embarrassments to
trade let her assist to establish unrestricted
reciprocity with the States. But the ques-
tions affecting her internal relations and
which menace her grea test, she should show
an ability to cope with before we throw
about her the tie of political union. Those
who imagine that annexation will dissolve
all her troubles are blind to the real causes
of much of her discomfort.
p.,,,s Dsb. and Deepseatsd cor-,n,,or