The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-01

their chestnuts out of the fire.
OUR MANIFEST DESTINY.
United States Senator Higgins, Of Della
ware. in a recent speech at . public
banquet expressed the opinion that Can
ada's self.interest would before many years
persuade her to unite her destiny with
that of the United States. The New York
Sun not only vigorously advocates the
cause of Canadian annexation, but says Of
Mexico:
The states of Mexico would make . lot Of in
teresting states OF our great union. Mexico. a.
we'll ~ Canada, 10 in North America
These views are supported by Democratic
United States Senator Morgan: by Repub-
lican John Sherman, and yet they are in
our Judgment a dangerous departure from
the policy of Washington. who, in his fare
well address, warned US against any policy
Of growth save that by natural accretion,
such as We have obtained through
the Louisiana and Florida purchase.
There is not the slightest doubt that an.
nexation would be good thing for Cam
ada. She owes s235, 0OO, 600, and it would
be nice thing for Canada with 100000
OF people to have this debt assumed
by 100000 of people. Does anybody
believe that Canadian annextion would
give the United States $235, 900 900
worth of benefits more than we now en-
joy? What would we get in the province
of Quebec? We would get priest-ridden
community. The other day the provin-
pist monks 5000 acres of land near Lake
st. John: it is said to be fertile and excel
lently located for agriculture. and is to be
used by the Trappists as site for q mon
astery and for farm. The gift was abso-
lutte and without consideration. This order
of real estate in Quebec and is ranked
as among the wealthy religious bodies.
This order is amply able to pay for this
land, but the church rules the province,
and SO the land is free gift to the order.
The sisters of charity have q profitable
contract with the government for the care
of the insane. They are paid 500 year
for the board and lodging of each patient.
The brothers of st. Vincent de Paul are
paid $120 each per year for the boys in the
reform school under their charge. Church
schools are subsidized in practically the
same way. Does any sensible American
desire the annexation of Quebec in its
present church-ridden condition2 To
make q tolerable part of our Union the
church in Quebec must be wholly sepa-
rated from the state. and to this separation
the church will never consent, 80 that
Canada, with its debt and its ecclesiasti-
cally-governed Province Of Quebec. would
be a very bad bargain for the United
States.
The Same objections that are urged
against the annexation of the illiterate,
priest-ridden French-Canadian peasantry
of Quebec apply with far greater force to
Mexico. The annexation of Mexico would
be the addition of twelve millions of peo-
pie of mixed blood, speaking different
language from our own. Two-thirds of
them are OF Indian blood, sunk in gross
ignorance. The mass of the people are the
superstitious slaves of the worst priest
hood in North America, and in a social
and political sense are as absolutely nom
assimilative A. the inhabitants of a prov
ince of China. To give these ignorant
twelve millions the suffrage would be fatal
to any wise settlement of our present un.
solved social and political problems, aud to
deny them the suffrage would be diff
Ah4
granted to our blacks and is now enjoyed
by the Mexican people. Settlement of our
social and political problems by Mexi-
can senators and members of congress.
holding the balance Of power between the
parties, would probably not prove a for
tunate or permanent solution The annex
alton Of Mexico would increase the diff
culties of the labor question. for there are
at least three millions of able-bodied Mex
lean laborers whose wages range from II
TO so cents q day. lower than the present
Chinese wage. We want nothing to 10
with any of those countries from the Rio
Grande to Patagonia beyond the simplifi-
cation Of commercial relations. These
mongrel races will need to be inoculated
with the principles OF our Northern civili-
xation before they are worthy of much
more consideration than China or Corea.
No wise American today would wish to
see Canada with her French Canadian
province of Quebec part of the United
States, and if We do not want Canada.
which is nearest to us in political usages
and sympathies, we certainly do not want
Mexico or any entangling political ALI.
ances with any Spanish American state.
Ii Hawaii is annexed it should be done
only in wise imitation of the commercial
policy Of England, which has surrounded
the earth with q circle of naval depots and
coaling stations. We are bound to recover
our former share of the carrying trade of
the world; We are bound to become a
great naval power, but We do not need any
more territory beyond points in the vari-
Gus seas Of the world. where, by means of
naval denots and coaling stations, our
ships, like those of England. can make our
dag respected from pole 20 pole.
-
The British Columbia banks will refuse
American silver except al discount OF -
per cent on and after March 10. Until re-