The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-01


was that which taught the annexation aud
absorption OF British North America. Mex
leo and Central America By the United
States as our inevitable destiny. The time
has been when ali second and thlrd-rate
politicians pref cured the day when the
stars and stripes would float over the
whole OF North America There are senii-
mental arguments in plenty 10 commend
this theory Of ultimate destiny Of America
to the popular Imagination. but there are
many practical reasons to be quoted
against the acquisition of any large addi.
ton Of territory to the present vast area Of
the United States
There are strong arguments against the
acquisition OF Canada by the United
States. The Dominion and provincial
governments. after deducting al their as
sets. owe the British boniholders $780,
10000 or $50 per head ofpopulation. The
Federal debt of the United States July l.
1891, was only sI3 per head of population,
while the debts Of the individual states,
corresponding TO the Canadian provinces,
were less than IS more. The population
OF Canada is nearly stationary. When the
present Dominion was formed in 1867 1t
was predicted by It's architects tina. 1t
would include $4,000 inhabitants by
1884, The popu alton was 4,325.OoO in
1851, and ID had only increased TO 4.900, 90
in 1901. These figures prove that emf
grants 70 Canada cannot be induced TO
stay there; and that native Canadians by
hundreds of thousands are abandoning
their homes
The solution for the Canadian situation
Is saId to be reciprocity or annexation.
Canada will certainly not get unlimited
reciprocity from the United States unless
she is ready to grant unlimited reciprocity.
and Canada does not pretend that she is
ready for that; free products. free manu-
factared goods and free fisheries is more
than Canada will grant, and yet she cam
not get free trade from as save on these
terms. If Canada asked for annexation to
the United States tomorrow her PROPOSE
ton would be rejected. IL the tail of the
Dominion had to 60 with the hide--if we
had to take Quebec. Quebec is thorn III
the side of the Dominion; she would be
an indigestible lump for our stomach.
The English speaking provinces, like
Ostario and British Columbia, have a
very fine population. but priest-ridden
Quebec IN too hard nut to break our Jaw
with trying to crack. In 1854 if Canada
had asked for annexation she would have
found the free states of the North eager
for her admission to the Union. but today
Canada, with Quebec, is not viewed as
worth bidding for.
The objections TO the annexation of
Mexico and Central America are of course
far more serious than those quoted
against British North America. The an.
nexation of Canada would add to our pop
uiation 100000 Of people. the majority Of
whom are EngIish-speaking folk of demo.
cratic instincts and accustomed to the air
OF constitutional freedom-a people ma.
tured in a climate and upon a soil that is
identical with the states that compose
our Northern frontier. The annexation
of Canada would not increase greatly
the strength of our standing army,
while the annexation Of Mexico and Gen.
trail America would compel very large
addition 10 our regular army in order 10
reduce the people 20 decent degree Of
respect for the condition of law and order
that prevails within the United States.
With slavery ex,inguished all motive for
the acquisition OF Mexico by conquest has
disappeared; il is no longer possible 10
paint ii black 10 please the South, and the
only form 10 which Mexican annexation
can come up would be IN the event that 1t
was voluntarily asked by Mexico. as in the
case Of Canada. This application won j
be sure to be rejected for with Is. coo COO
Of people the United States today IS so
large as 70 excite the apprehension OF
thoughtful statesmen thai We are in
danger Of breaking through our own
weight. Nothing but the eternal
vigilance that is the p-ice Of liberty. Joined
to the largest patriotism. Will save our
nation from the tate of Rome. which reck.
lesly extended her territory over races
that were neither homogeneous nor assin-
Natiye. and finally broke in two OF It's
own weight and VAS speedily destroyed in
detail.
If TO annex Canada is not desirable.
when but . minority of her people are the
non-assimilative French population Of the
Alebec province, Anen surrey iiCFe Is MOTH
ing 10 be said for the acquisition OF Mex
leo. since her whole nation is non-ass mi
lative, belonging 20 q different race.
speaking a different language. Even if
Canada and Mexico were inhabited by .
people identical with our own. annexation
would not be desirable. because II would
weight the nation st the edges TO
the danger point OF disruption and
shipwreck. and would compel large
standing army not desirable under a
Republican form of government We
Ire Justly soAci;ous concerning the
consequences Of the influx OF European
,auper immigration. and We 10 not want
20 annex any such undesirable persons in
lump. Mexico has rich mines snd a fer
t.e soil. but sire lacks iusF what Quebec
lacks and what We need more than mines
o. scil; ale lseks men at Ter Tree insIsa-