The sun., 1895-05-18
bfr. Goidwin Smith Replies to Or.
RourinOt.

In leading article the other day THE Sun
called attention to an essay in the current
humber of the Forum by DR.. BoURINoT,
Clerk of the House OF Commons at Ottawa
entitled why Canadians Do Not Favor
Annexation" AS DR. BouRINoT speaks of
the in style rather characteristic Of the
Ottawa official, 1 need not shrink from
observing that he is one Of that class. and
chat his estimate OF Canadian opinion is
formed from that view. A friend Of mine
at a private party at Ottawa having dis
closed his Annexationist sentiments, an
official who was present, Mortified at his
blasphemy, told him that were 1t not for
the restraint of social confidence he should
feel It his duty to denounce him. Come
down." replied my friend, Into the street;
collect the biggest crowd you can, and will
eoon relieve you OF the restraint of social
confidence"
Tho pressure OF tho MCKINLEY tariff
(which set on foot the recent movement in
favor Of annexation. or, as its friends prefer
20 call it, continental union, has been
relaxed, and u recoil from American connec-
zion has been produced by the financial
crisis and the railroad disturbance at Chi
cago. Yet the Secretary Of the Continental
Union Association reports a continual
stream Of applications for his literature.
They come in, he says, sometimes at the rate
of forty a day. With them come strong
assurances of the prevalence of the senti-
ment in the rural districts, though it's public
utterance is repressed by political fear.
There is, therefore, no reason why Ameri-
cans who arc friendly to continental union
should permit their interest in the question
to be abated or their hopefnlness to be extin-
guished by the assertions of DR.. BoURINoT.
DR.. BoURINor says of writer on the side
of continental union that the Canadian
people pay no heed to his opinion. They
show their indifference in curious way by
absorbing large editions of his book.
DR.. BoURlNOT, as THE Sun has remarked,
dwells on the political argument alone, lcav-
ing out Of sight the economical argument.
Nor does he say a word about the advantages
Of united continent, or the relief which Can
ada would obtain by exemption from sepa-
rate and extremely expensive government.
His political argument he makes out by
treating as normal and inherent all the
political evils and abuses in the United
States, while he assumes that the institu-
tions of Canada perfectly fulfil their ideal.
His great point is the superiority of what
he calls responsible government: that is,
Of Ministry having seats in the represent
stive Assembly, and depending for existence
on its vote. This system has its advantages,
and might have obviated the confusion in
Congress during the last session. But its
result in the European communities which
have adopted it, is II fatal instability of gov
ernment. In France no Government lives a
twelvemonth. Germany has still something
OF the stability of monarchy. England has
still something of the stability of aristocra-
cy. Canada, as recent disclosures have un-
happily shown the world has the stability
Of corruption. Much of the evil of the
American system might be prevented if mo-
tions for money grants or the imposition of
taxes could be placed under control analo-
gous to that maintained over them by the
British Parliament, where they can be made
only on the recommendation of the Crown.
The infrequency Of elections in Canada is
another of DIR. BoURINoT's points. A Cana
dian Parliament, he says, lasts five years.
But it is liable to dissolution any day at the
will Of the Minister, who uses the preroga-
tive when he wants to snatch verdict. For
nearly the last twelvemonth the country
has been practically in the throes of gen
eral election, while the Government has
been dodging with the prerogative of disso-
lutlon. The last dissolution of Parliament
was on the pretext that negotiations for
reciprocity were on foot with the United
States, and that popular mandate for
them was needed. Mr.. BLAINE at once
published letter denying that any nego-
tiations whatever were on foot. The Gov
ernment was then fain to concoct
story of plot to hand over Canada to
the United States, and make it the ground
OF an appeal to loyalty A printer who had
stolen from the printing Office in which he
was employed proof sheets to be used by
the Government for the fabrication Of this
story, was paid with a place in the Depart
ment of Justice. / do not know whether
DR.. BoURISOT would recognize in this an
instance OF the influence Of political party in
appointments to the civil service, which he
30 strongly condemns in the case of the
United States. The political vices and evils
with which on both sides Of the line we have
TO contend, have deeper seat than any mere
defects in the machines, the action of which,
under the system OF party, Is pretty much
the same in both communities.
After all, American institutions have
stood the strain Of tremendous civil war.
DIR. BoURISoT seems t. assume that his
Legislative system is free from the danger OF
deadlock But if there is a Liberal major
tty in the Commons after the next election,
1t will be confronted with an overwhelming
Tory majority in the Senate, and the danger
of deadlock will arise.
That our provincial and municipal poll
tics are not affected by Dominion politics
is to me surprising assertion. DIR. BoURI-
NOT has just heard the Tory Finance Minis
ter say in tho House of Commons that
"the iniquities OF Liberal Governments in
various provinces are the most dsgraceful
political developments in any country under
the sun"
The United States, at all events have the
power of amendment. Canada is bound
down by an Imperial act of Parliament, in
terpreted by tribunal on the other side of
the Atlantic. Her people would probably