Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-02-12
NDAY.......FEBRUARY 10. 1893
Canada and Hawaii.

The proposition to take immediate
steps towards the annexation of Canada
to the United States is not made IN good
faith, We fear, but is intended as coun-
ter movement to the proposed annexa-
ton OF Hawaii. We strongly suspect
that there is no sincerity in the pre-
tended interest which all at once certain
persons affect to feel in the welfare OF
Canada.
1t might be wise 10 annex Hawaii to
this country, and yet very unwise to
annex Canada. As the 1sraelites OF old
sometimes longed for the nesh-pots OF
Egypt and affected to think that they
had been better off as subjects of Pha-
raoh than as wanderers in the wilder
ness, so the people Of Canada would
never cease talking about how much
happier was their condition under Queen
VICTORIA than under UNCLE SAM
1t may be that Canada will be permit
ted to come into the American Union
before many years but that is not the
question now before the country. What
we wish to do tout OF hand is to an
mex the Sandwich Islands TO the United
States and thus secure possession of the
key to the Pacific Ocean and load our
merchant vessels with the rich treasures
of the eastern world. Er Oricnte (ur.
Light comes to US from the East, and
not light only, but riches and wealth
and trade and commerce in abundance.
"There is the East there where Mr..
BENTON said it was. The Hawaiian
Islands are only 1000 miles from Cali
fornia. They will stand as sentries
for UNCLE SAM They will be as watch
men upon the housetops. Far away
from them lie the chief cities of the
Oriental world. The opening of the
Nicaragua canal will be the opening of
gsteway-nay, the gatcway-to the
Astounding wealth Of old eastern coun-
tries whose riches it would seem impos-
sible to exhaust.
We say Canada can wait. She is
thoroughly British. She is English,
you know" when it comes to comparing
Queen VIcTORIA to UNCLE SAN or any
body else. She has an admirable gov
eminent in many respects. One of the
States of the Dominion of Canada boasts
that 1t has the best banking system in
the world. No doubt there are many
persons in Canada who would like to
have that country annexed to the United
States but we must think that large
majority of the people there would pre-
fer to remain as they are. Their gov
eminent is so good one that their
proximity to what we consider our much
more highly-favored land has not con
WINGED even a majority of them that
they would be richer or more contented
as citizens Of the United States than
they are as subjects Of the Queen Of Eng
land.
The population Of the Dominion OF
Canada is a little less than 5000, 900.
The territorial area is immensely large.
We in the United States think we have
spread ourselves over goodly proper
ton OF the globe. and are won't to fiat
ter ourselves that We live in the centre
of the earth. But the fact is that Canada
has territorial area OF 3,204, 3Sl square
miles as against our 1902, 800 square
miles.
1t has been said of the Dominion of
Canada that it is ga bankrupt country,
with heavy national debt, and a crop
OF political jealousies and antagonisms
which the better part Of a century
would scarcely clear away" 1t is the
people there who are bankrupt, and
it is the government there that has an
national debt.
One at time. gentlemen of Congress.
Let us provide for Hawaii first, and then
perhaps We may find time to consider
the claims which Canada may then be
ready to set up. And pray don't let an
ingenious diversion shut your eyes to
the good work of annexing Hawaii.