Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-09-28
An Anglo-Saxon Nation.

Not few men have dreamed of the time
when all English speaking people would be
united in one great nation that would rule
the world but it has remained for Cana
dian politician to advocate this project as a
political issue. or rather means of curry
ing political favor Mr.. I.auiier. leader of
the opposition in the Dominion Parliament,
has Just been addressing liberal meetings in
the province of Ontario and in the course of
one of his speeches lie said:
Il want a confederation which will en-
brace not only England and its dependen-
cies but all the nations of the Anglo-SaX
race. can see the day approaching when
there will be union between all the men
speaking the English language. Such is the
programme of every man who appreciates
British ties and British institutions. Such
is the policy to which the liberal party is
leading.
This would all have been well enough if
Mr.. Laurier's party had been composed al
most entirely of English speaking people; but,
as most of the readers of the FREE PRESS are
well aware the Province of Quebec is i'll
habited to large degree by descendants of
the French who settled there early in the
history of that region, and one of the privi-
leges concerning which they evince the
greatest solicitude is the retention of the
French language.
The French newspapers are therefore, re
producing the most striking parts of l.au
riers speeches and asking their readers if
they want ito give up their beautiful French
language, because the dream of the liberal
chief is the absolute domination of the
English language. This is, of course. a very
effective appeal to the French voters of the
Dominion, and the chances are that Laurier,
| while gaining recruits 10y such utterances in
the Province of Ontario. will lose more fol
| lowers in the Province of Quebec beside
making probable a serious split in the party
of which he was recently made the official
| leader.
In the meantime the issue which Mr..
| Iauricr has raised thus prominently will at
| tract the attention anew of thoughtful per
pie everywhere A great confederation Of
the Anglo Sax on race is grand in conception
and it would he magnificent i'll its MATERIAL
zation. and as time progresses it must be ad-
mitted that the conditions are becoming
more favorable for such a union. The
bitter spirit which prevailed between
| the English and the Americans for so
many decades subsequent to the revolution
and the war of 1912, is slowly but surely
dying out and spirit of friendliness exists
among all English speaking people that is
encouraging to a marked degree for all who
hold that spirit of brOtherly love should
characterize the relations of nations as well
as of individuals,
But while the chances for such a union OF
English speaking peoples are more favorable,
the probabilities in relation to such con
federation are far from favorable. An Of
fensve and defensive alliance between those
English speaking nations is not outside OF
the range of possibility or even of probabil
itv but they cannot in all human probability
become one nation. Americans would, OF
course never consent to have the head OF
their general government located in England
readily submit to any authority that might
he established in America. Moreover i
would be a difficult matter to point out any
material advantages which would result t.
either the United States or Great Britain
which could not be gained from a mer
alliance for offensive and defensive purpose
between all English speaking people. II
such a union is ever formed it will be cen
turtles hence, when the conflicts will have
become simply remote historical facts