The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-06
NJ. MERCER on the Future OF Canada

NJ. Mercier ON the Future OF Canada.
The Hon. HoNoRE MERCER. who for six
years was Prime Minister OF the Province
of Quebec, has entered the field rs m
opponent Of the existing system OF Cana
dian confederation. In the speech which
he delivered at Montreal. and OF which a
report was published in our columns
yesterday. he declared that the Dominion
Government was q hopeless failure. 30 far
as the French Canadians are C ,ncerned. A
change Of some sort. he said. is indis-
pensabls. and rs the project OF imperial
federation is acknowledged to be a dream.
1t only remains for the inhabitants Of the
Province OF Quebec to choose between WI
courses. namely. annexation to the United
States or the establishment OF an indepen-
dent commonwealth. He avowed his own
preference for the latter alternative. not.
indeed. as q flnaiity. but because he desires
the erection OF Quebec into an i~ndepen-
dent republic ns u condition precedent to
acquiring the treaty power needed for it's
admission to the Union.
The fact that by far the larger portion Of
his speech was devoted to the advantages
which would accrue to Quebec from politi-
cal fusion with the United States makes it
plain hat this. In the opinion OF NJ. MER-
CIEn. would be the inevitable outcome OF q
preliminary assertion OF political indepen-
dence. He pointed out that access to a mar
ket OF 5000. 900 people would assure an i'm
mems development OF the our OF the
Canadian Northwest. an extended and lucra-
tive working OF mines and forests. and the
stimulation OF Canadian Industries OF every
sort. Once level the political wall which
separates Canada from the United States.
and e%xtinguish the conditions hat lave
kept American capital out OF the Dominion.
and there would DO witnessed. he predicted.
an inflow Of money for investment. that
would double the value of real estate. Of
government and municipal bonds. and OF
stock in private industrial corporations. 1t
was only harsh Necessity. he said. which
had forced hundreds OF thousands OF French
Canadians to forsake their country; and
they would return to it. provided its pollt-
icul and economical condition could be
amcliorated. so that the Province OF Quebec
would ofrcr such opportunities Of profitable
employment as are found in the n%eighbor-
ing republic. He added that. In the event
OF annexation. tho public debt OF Canada.
which Is out Of all proportion to Its popula-
ton. would be assumed by the United
States. and that tho cost OF government
wonld DO materially lessencd SO far as such
functions as are mt present exercised at Of
lava are concerned. Nor. on the other hand,
had French Canadians any religious In
convenience to fear from political union,
NJ. MERCER Is entirely justified In assert
Ing that. under the Constitution OF the
United States. 1t would be impossible for
the Federal Government to interfere with
religion In the State OF Quebec.
Admitting. however. the tremendous ad-
vantages that would be gained by Lower
Canada. that Is to say. the Province OF Que
bee. through fusion with the United States.
NJ. MERCER insisted that the requirement
OF complete independence Ia an unavoidable
preliminary step. For political union could
only be tho outcome OF q treaty. and 1t
would. in his opinion. be impossible for
Lower canada to effect such a treaty until
1t had become an independent country. 1t
Is evident that NJ. MERCER is familiar with
the history OF tho annexation of Texas. He
knows that Texas had to bring about a
formal separation from the rest OF Mexico.
and to organize an independent republic.
before it was In a position lawfully to apply
for admission to the American Union.
The successive measures which NJ. MER-
CIER evidently c~ontemplates are the follow
ing: He would have his French-Cansdian
countrymen. through the Quebec legisla-
ture. petition the home Government to per-
init the withdrawal Of Quebec from tho OPP
GRAFTON Of the act creating :he Dominion
system Of confederation. Such O demand
could hardly be resisted II pressed by IN
over whelming majority OF a legislature
elected on that issue. For two reasons (:
first. the British North America act, which
In 1907 established the Dominion system.
was never Satifed by the people OF Quebec:
on the contrary. Quebec was subjected to
that system through the assent OF Its leg
islature. which had been elected at o time
when other questions Interested the cleo
tors. Secondly. tho Dominion system ~
intended by Its trainers only as Q tempo