The Republican journal., 1898-05-12
Canada's Relations with the United
States.

Despite all the powerful influences that
have fought against Canada, she has held
her own in America. At present popu-
lation of ), 00G 600 against l, 600, 600 in
1S40), with a total trade of $3.50. 900. 900
against 81, 900, 900 in 1S40), and with a
national revenue of nearly $40, 900, 900
against 500, 600 in 1870, inhabits Do
| minion of seven regularly organized Prov
inces, and of an immense territory, now
in course of development, stretching from
Manitoba and Ontario to British Column
bia, whose mountains are washed by the
Pacific Ocean. This Dominion embraces
an area of 3, 519, 900 square miles, includ
ing its water surface, or very little less
than the area of the United States with
Alaska, or region measuring 3, 500 miles
from east to west, and l, 400 miles from
north to south. The magnificent valley,
through which the st. Lawrence River
flows from the Lakes to the ocean, is now
the home OF prosperous, energetic, and
intelligent communities, one of which was
founded nearly three centuries ago. A
remarkable system of water ways, con-
sisting mainly of the Red, Assini boine,
and Saskatchewan Rivers, extends
through the plains of the Territories as
far as the base of the Rocky Mountains,
and fertilizes a region whose eapabili-
ties for the production of foods is prob
ably not surpassed on this continent
The mountainous country to the north of
Lake Superior is rich in gold, copper,
nickel, and other valuable minerals, which
are already attracting the attention of en-
terprise in Europe and America. The
gold mines of British Columbia are most
productive; and the great bulk of the
precious metal still lies buried in the rocks
of that immense Province. The coal
mines of Vancouver have no rivals on the
Pacific Coast; while those of Nova Scotia
and the Territories are capable of infinite
development The treasure of gold now
! attracting capital and people to the dreary
country through which the Yukon and
its tributaries flow seems to be inexhaus-
tible, and must add largely to the popula-
ton and wealth of the Dominion, which,
year by year, sees its resources increasing
in extent and value. The fisheries have
long been the envy of the United States
and the agricultural production is as great
as that of the most favored sections of
that country. Its climate and resources
the best spring of a nations energy and
wealth-are those of the n orthern, Middle,
and Western States.
No dangerous question like slavery
exists to complicate the political and So
cial conditions of the Union and although
there is large and increasing French
Canadian element in the Dominion-the
heritage of the old French regime in
America-its history so far should not
create fear as to the future, except per-
haps in the minds OF sectarian pessimists,
who too often raise gloomy phantoms of
their own imaginings. Whilst this ele
ment naturally clings to it's national Ian
guage and special institutions, yet, under
the influence of complete system of To-
cal self government, it has taken as ac-
tive and earnest part as the English ele-
ment in establishing and strengthening
the confederation.
The whole history of Canada proves
that there has been always among her peo-
pie, not merely an attachment to Eng
land and her Institutions, but a latent in
| fluence, which in times of peace, as in
times of peril, has led them onward in a
path of national development which with
every decade has diverged more and more
from the United States. The statesmen
and people generally of that country have
been always remarkably ignorant, not
only of the history, but of the political
institutions and of the political sentiments
of the Canadians; and they have never
appreciated the tendency of this political
| development, which is in the direction of
a new nationality not inferior to the
United States in any of the elements of a
! peoples greatness. DR.. j. G. Bourinot
| in the MAY Forum.