The San Francisco call., 1899-12-22
DIVISION IN CANADA.

y QUITE remarkable development of the Boer
/ \ war is the appearance OF divided sentiment in
/ Canada The liberal French Canadians are
quite free in their expressions OF antagonism, and
are without allies among their fellow citizens OF
English blood. Professor Goldwin Smith has de-
clared himself to friends in England as an active
opponent OF the South African aggression and to a
friend in California has written: The end of the
British empire seems certain. 1t will be that OF
all the empires before it, notably OF that Spanish en-
pire OF which have just seen the final collapse"
The ancient empires were in decay unobserved by
their people When the regarded as tending
70 permanence of their existence taken history
finds in the means used the inoculaton with fatal dis
case. which finally destroyed that which they were
intended TO preserve.
In these days, therefore guided by past examples
the philosopher is able to diagnose the OF en-
pire better than in other times
The spread of empire requires the acquisition Of
unwilling people, Of alien and diverse races, and
where climatic conditions give these physical per-
sistence and deny il TO their conquerors poison is
taken into the imperial body which finally destroys it
year ago the idea prevailed that other being
moribund and other nations in decay, the two great
branches OF the Anglo-Saxon owed to humanity
the duty OF possessing at once the estates OF the
feeble and there were high dreams OF division OF
Against this ridescent revere the best thought OF
England has taken up Englishmen in the
temperate zone who value their relation to the en-
pire apprehensve of its speedy fall through an
unwieldy expansion which secures the enmity of the
world and weakens imperial power OF resistance. The
doctrine that the weak have rights to be respected
by the strong is clearly by thinkers to lead
TO the weakening OF the strong, and to the ultimate
overthrow OF all that strength has guarded that is
beneficial 10 mankind No wonder that Goldwin
Smith, Herbert Spencer and the guild OF British
thinkers are sounding the note of alarm.
In the United States a selfish and imperial policy,
transformed from the altruism OF our Spanish war
has been notably opposed by the scholars and phil
osophers. Against them stand the politicians who
consider not the past the future. In their brief
day they reach for profits, power and glory and
careless of the distressing difficulties they are creating
for the generations to come.
Here there is cheerful prospect OF reaction, in
which the STILL small voice OF reason as it is uttered
by the wise will be heard above the buges and the
roar OF guns. But in England the imperial habit is
fixed 1t is appetite that grows with what it feeds
on and instinct which reaches continually for
victims of its greed. The somber forebodings OF
Godwin Smith may be realized before this generation
passes away and the British empire may fall carry
ing with it the vast benefits to mankind which have
originated with the English race II the land of the
world unpeopled and all parts OF the planet
were equally adapted to the perpetuation of the
Ango-Saxon race from generation to generation the
universal empire OF that might be more substan-
tial than dream. But political policy over
come the resistance OF nature 1t is quite likely that
the British empire by violation OF the everlasting
principle laid down by Mr. Blaine that forcible an
nexation, carrying with it an indignant and hostile
people, is wrong, is in danger OF disintegration.