The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-03

It is essential to the welfare Of these
states that they shall live in peace and
amity and in the closest commercial reIa-
tionship with their neighbors on this con-
tinent This is true In greater degree
with reference to the Dominion of Cana
da than touching any other people on
this hemisphere How long it may re-
main so IS another question We have
nothing to fear from Canada. We have
already beaten that people hopeiessly In
the race of commerce and manufactures.
We have drained her of her population,
French and English alike We are still
engaged in the same task, and we prob
ably will continue to do so as long as
she foolishly sets herself up as our rival.
But Canada is the dependency of a ma
ton with which these states desire to
live in peace. The disposition in this re-
gard is no doubt reciprocal We would
have no quarrel with Canada, although
the spirit of her politicians is distinctly
cantankerous, for we wish no trouble
with the nation to which she belongs.
and because she is in sense. necessary
to our commercial ascendancy on this
continent. She has lumber and fisheries
which we desire to secure access to. They
are not indispensable to US, of course;
but in the development of the great
northern half of this continent which is
steadily going on she is a necessary fac
tor. Canada ought not to impose too far.
The difficulty in the prevailing negotia-
lions regarding her demands arises from
her insistance on her unjust and dis
eliminating laws against American min
ers. These she is disposed to continue
insisting on. Indeed, her entire course.
both under Tory and Liberal auspices,
shows that she counts much on her
threat to separate herself from Britain to
coerce that nation into making her cause
its own.
Whether Canada is England's cat's-paw
or she tries to make British politicians
her cat's-paw in her present extremities
matters little. The United States is pre-
pared to concede much, but they demand
that there shall be a corresponding spirit
of concession on the other side.
To us there is really very little in
volved in the prevailing contentious in
Alaska. Our national authorities would
probably be willing to concede them all
o were there any disposition shown on the
Canadian side except that of impotent
hostility. The only period of enduring
prosperity which Canada ever enjoyed
was during the existence of our recipro
city treaty with the provinces This her
politicians know, and they seek to Sc
cure the advantages they enjoyed while
that treaty was in operation without
seeming to want them, and without be-
ing willing to make any concessions
whatever. Not all the military forts that
England may erect on either the Atlantic
or Pacific coast of the Dominion will
avail her one jot In forcing from these
states anything which they do not choose
to grant Her military highway is not
SO utterly inaccessible or impregnable as
to give this people much concern
1t would be to her advantage and ours
If all such foolish considerations as she
apparently relies on were wiped out Of
existence. Nor will her foolish tariff
determinations have any other effect in
the future than they have had In the
past, viz: To increase our exports to
her people and lessen her exports to
ours. We can do business with mutual
advantage. If Canada is willing to en-
gage in dealing with us on fair basis
of commerce she can have almost any,
thing she wants, knowing as the Ameri-
can people do that 1t can only ultimate
~ inure to their own gain.
Any nation less disposed to make con-
cessions than this would long since have
put an end to the prevailing negotiations
represented by the high joint commits
sion. The truth is that we want to SET
tie all appearances even of difficulty
and we will do so, if only there is some
understanding of the requirements of the
two people shown by the Canadians. If
the British officials would eliminate her