The Portland daily press., 1893-03-27
CONCERNING CANADA.
Opinions About Its Annexation to
This Country.
SECRETARY WHITE OF THE CONTI-
MENTAL UNION EXPECTS 1T.

The Balance of Political Parties Would
No. Be Disturbed by Annexation
People Divided on Politics There as
Here.
NEW YORK, March 26.-E. G. White of
Toronto, secretary of the Continental
Union of Canada, was at the st. James
hotel, Broadway and Twenty-sixth street,
yesterday. He said to a reporter:
s'You know that it is the mission of
the Continental Union to promote the
union of the United States and Canada,
or, if you prefer it, the annexation of
Canada to the Uni4ed States. Unless we
meet with too much opposition from the
United States, we will succeed in our
achievement at no distant day.
''How is sthat?'' was asked. 'The
United States as a nation has often been
reported as desiring to annex Canada to
it's own territory, and moro than once
has threatened to carry you off by force
on sufficient provocation.'
s'Thar is true,'' replied Mr.. White,
"and there is small doubt that that the
great majority of the people of the United
States would 'be glad to bring the two
countries into one. But there is an un-
warranted apprehension on the part of
majority of the politicians of both po-
litical parties in the United States that
that the balance of power might be dis
turbed by the voters of Canada taking
sides in a body with either one party or
the ether in this country. That is, that
the Canadian voters generally might side
with the Republican party, or they might
go with the Democrats.
Such presumption is unfounded, as L
have said. because there is no reason to
believe that the two political parties of
Canada would agree any better on gener-
al Governmental policies when annexed
to the States than they do now. We
have about the same prominent qNes-
tions in Canada-the tariff, finance, gen.
.eral Government reform, and other pnb-
lie policies that you have here. And as
the matter appears at present there
would be about the same division of Ca
nadians in political thinking after union
as exists today, which is not very mn
equal.
"But how about your own people in
general on the question of annexation2"
Was AdSK6u. ll0 lIupI6S6iOu dLlOuS
Americans is that Canadians are SO loyal
to the British Grown that they are un-
favorable bv a. large majority to any
movement looking toward annexation
81 ssMost people are loyal to their own ms
terests first and to the Government that
promotes such interests afterward, = he
replied. ''If vote could be taken today
ou the question of annexation to America
among Canadians this country would
probably be greatly surprised at the sem
timent in favor of it among our people.
The Continental union of Canada is a
sort of Campaign bureau for the purpose
of canvassing the feeling of the people
throughout the Dominion on this mat
ter. We have been at work now for some
years, and we think we know whereof
we speak when we say that there is not
far from majority at the present day in
favor of annexation.
"a great majority of Intellectual Cam
adams feel sure, in any event, that it
would be for their material industrial
interests to be joined to this country in
commercial and political union. And it
is only the lingering sentiment of loyalty
mingled with certain pride In being a
part of great empire like Great Britain,
that restraints them from expressing
themselves without delay. The time
will come, though, when there will be a
decided expression. on the question.
sThe so-called iloyalists of the Tory
Party who are in power at the present
time are no more loyal to the British
crown than are the members of the Lib
eral Party. AS matter of fact our can
vassers have found quite as much senti-
ment for annexation among the Tories as
among the Liberals, and it is our opinion
that the two political parties are about
equally divided in the premises. All ex-
cept the Office holders are outspoken on
the subject"
''What would be the attitude of the
Imperial Government toward your peo-
pie if they voted for annexation to this
country?" was asked.
'sGreat Britain, in our opinion, would
not oppose any action by any of her col
onies or provinces looking toward sepa-
ration from her, if it were fully and de-
cidedly expressed. Her commercial re-
-lations would not cease with Canada, if
separated from her, any more than they
have with the United States, even with
a high tariff against them just now.
And being of, the same race, kith and
kin, it is probable enough that such re-
lations would, in time, become even
more cordial on account of union of
the two countries. A close commercial
union between the greater America and
Great Britain-which would almost have
the effect of political union-would not
be an impossibiiity. There might at
least be an actual reciprocity treaty be-