The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-01-07
THE ANNEXATION OF CANADA.

While travelling recently in the South
with President Mckinley lingo speech
on expansion was made by Gen. Wilson
to the effect that the day will come when
the American flag will float supreme and
triumphant over all the land from Gen.
trail America to the frozen pole. The
Toronto World is much alarmed over
this eruption from the military orator,
and calls upon Canadians to beware of
the Americans, now that they are 60
ing forth to seize land beyond their own
borders. Editorially it says that If
Canadians do not "speak out in no uncer-
tain way, they will suddenly find them
selves between grasping annexation
movement in the United States. having
for its end the domination of the whole
continent, and great party in England
prepared to make almost any sacrifices
to the United States in consideration of
some kind of support of England in her
race with Russia. France and other
European powers"
We think the Canadian paper has
good reason for it's trepidation. At the
present time there Is no likelihood of
Canada being forcibly annexed by the
United States, for John Bull and Uncle
Sam are on friendly terms; but when
they fall out, as will inevitably be the
case, then Canada will lose it's identity
as British dependency and be- changed
into an American territory or colony I'M
til it is considered eligible for state
hood. The Canadians may not like the
absorption of their country into the
American union, but how can they help
themselves? If the party of plutocracy
is not consigned to everlasting oblivion
by the American people for it's predatory
policy, there is no possibility for Canada
to maintain its present government
near a gigantic republic like the United
States. The mother country" cannot
render much aid to the dominion in the
day of trouble, and brave and warlike as
Canadians may be, they will eventually
succumb to their powerful neighbor.
Though the Irish Standard wishes we'll
to Canada and would oppose its forcible
annexation, yet it has no hesitation in
saying that if the United States adopts
a policy of expansion, the proper thing
to do would be to annex contiguous ter
ritory like Canada, which is divided from
us by imaginary lines, in preference to
group of islands in the Orient which
are thousands of miles away. And what
difference in the character of the Cana
dians and the Filipinos! The "Canucks"
are of our own kith and kin, progressive
and enterprising, and the equals of the
Americans in education and culture. The
Filipinos are semi-civilized, of inferior
races and incapable of governing them
selves. Certainly if this country wants
to expand to advantage it should COM
mence near home and take Canada
whether its British subjects like it or
not.
We have bought the leprous Malays
for two dollars a head without asking
their consent to govern them; we may
take a notion of Selling Canada for
nothing as we did Porto Rico and gov
ern it's people as we see fit. We believe
that England in her extremity would let
the United States take Canada in return
for an AngloAmerican alliance. 1t is
therefore in order for the Toronto World
to sound an alarm. Gen. Wilson was