The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-04
Tho Movement for Continental Union.

We print elsewhere in THE SIN to-day
two letters from Ontario which furnish
| additional and striking proof Of the drift OF
| Canadian opinion toward union with the
| United States. 1t will be observed that
they contain nothing beyond plain state
ment of facts. from which it is plain de-
| duction that political fusion with this coun-
| try is beginning to be recognized as the
| sole means Of reviving the prosperity of
| Canada.
We would direct particular attention to
| the interview with Sir RICHARD CART
WRIGHT. the leader of the Canadian Liberals.
He asserts. indeed. that unrestricted reci-
| procity. and not political union, is still
the programme OF his party but he makes
at the same time some admissions incon-
sistent with this declaration and indicative
OF u consciousness that the ground swell OF
| Canadian feeling is sweeping the Liberals
| far beyond their original position. He has
always. he says. acknowledged that uure-
| stricted reciprocity would be far more
| profitable to Canada than to the
United States. for the obvious reason
| that. as between two nations. one of sixty
| five millions and the other OF less
than five millions. the trade OF the sixty
| five would be more valuable to the five
| millions than the trade OF the latter could
| be to the siXty-flvc. Why, then, should tho
| United States enter into onc-sided bar
| gain and allow Canada advantages for
| which she can make no adequate return !?
| Why should we not insist that, II Cannda
| desires tho privileges of commercial union.
she must pay for them the equitable price
az
| CARTWRIGHT f0resecs that the American
| people will decline to give the Canadians
| unrestricted reciprocity on the ground that
| it Is not their business to fatten British
| colony and at the same time keep it loyal
| to a European monarchy.
III fact. although he speaks with caution.
| Sir RICHARD CARTWRIGHT seems at bottom
| TO agree with the views put forward n year
ago by Mr.. EDWARD BLAKE. his predcccs.
| sOr in the hcadahip of the Liberal party.
1t will bc remembered that nfter the last
general election IN tho Dominion, an cleo
ton which resulted in the defcut of the
Liberals, Mr.. BLAKE published q long man
iiesto in which h" argued that the United
States were not likely to grant Canada
anything short of complete customs
union. and that such customs union
would be. and ought TO be, followed by
political union. Mr.. BLAKE understated
tho truth. or course the United States will
never grant any kind OF reciprocity short
of II complete customs union, but they will
not grant that except as an incident and
outcome OF political incorporation. The
precedent supplied by Scn;inId Is too dc.
cisive to be overlooked. Could the Scotch
at the beginning of the last century have
obtained a customs union with tho south.
ern aud richer half Of Great Britain, they
would have insisted on maintaining their
political independence. but England made
annexation the price of commercial priv
ilcScs. and 50 political union took place.
Noteworthy. also, will DO found the inter
view with Mr.. 5. H. CLARKE Of Toronto.
one Of tho founders of the Continental
Union party. 1t appears that the Canadian
Tories are counting on IL deficiency of pa
trlotism and foresight on tho part of the
coming Democratic Administration at
Washington. They mistakenly imagine
that Mr.. CLEVELAND will give them some
thing for nothing. and thus enable them to
prop the sinking cause Of monarchy In
Canada. Mr.. CLARKE does not hesitate tn