The Portland daily press., 1899-04-04
CANADA's INDEPENDENCE.
Objections 60 British Generals, british
Coinage and Useless Practices.

Quebec, March 3i.-Thsre are many in
dicasions of the growth In Canada Of q
feeling of Independence and of dissatis-
faction with many of the Domipion's
present customs and institutions Several
papers upon both sides of politics are aei-
tating for the appointment by Canada Of
o Canadian General TO command the
Canadian forces, and protests are loud
and frequent against the appointment BY
Great Britain to the chief Canadian COM
and OF an English officer whose. salary is
paid by the people Of the Dominion. while
Canada has any number of men for the
post. 1t Ia by no means unlikely thai
Gen. Hutton. the present occupant Of
the post. may b, the last General sent out
to Canada by the Imperial Government.
II Is an open secret that at least four
out Of five of his immediate predecessors
retired from oilics In disgust, or were
asked to resign because of difficulties arts
ing between them and the Canadian
ministers, owing to their 1stermined
efforts to have British instead of Cana
dian methods prevail in their depart
perior position to the Dominion Minister
Of Militia. 1t IL true that Gen. Hutton
is much more faithful than
many OF his predecessors and
his present proposal to hold a
grand military tournament 10 Montreal
In 1900. to which several American regi-
ments are to be invited, proves most
popular move. But ne has already had
several tits with the Government, and he
has not at all succeeded in reconcilinP the
masses of the people to the payment OF IN
English General by the Government OF
the Dominion.
Another straw which shows which way
faction with the British coinage OF
Canadian money and the growing agita-
tion for the establishment OF a
Canadian mint Canada has no
gold coinage of her own. but mach
Of the gold coin that circulates here is
doubtless Canadian gold that has been en-
ported to England and stamped INTO
sovereigns In the royal mint The same
is true Of much Of the Dominion silver
coin. 1t 10 all man ufactured In Great
Britain. Tie Toronto board of Trade,
following the example set by Qnebec,
has passed strong resolution In favor OF
the establishment Of Cana tian mint,
subjsct that the Government will have to
take early steps toward the severance of
this, one of the few remaining ties be-
tween Britain and Canada.
The majority Of the Canadian people
are awakening to the usslessness OF GER
tain oersmonials, connected only with
royalty, which were introdu oed into this
country by the wife Of former Cover
nor-Geueral One of the most absurd Of
these Is the wearing Of full evening dress
hy the ladies Of the capital at the formal
opening Of Parliament, which Invariably
occurs In the afternoon. The extent to
which this practice was carried at the re-
cent opening ceremony hae attracted gen.
ersl attention to 1t, and 1t is pointed out
that the practice, which has not even the
lame excuse of English precedent, should
be Immediately discontinued. When
women attend the opening proceedings Of
Q new session of the British Parliament,
even when the Queen Is present they are
atsired in proper afternoon costumes, but
in OTTAWA, where the representative OF
royalty IL invariably a man, exactly the
reverse Is seen. The Queens drawing
room is, OF course, characterized by this
full dress, but that function differs very
materially from the opening of Cana
dian Parliament. One critic suggests
that bare shoulders and al ms may go nice
ly with gaslight, hut when the dazzling
rays of the sunshine illumine women 80
attired the effect Is not artistic. 1t Ia in
oopgruous and repellant. Women look
theif full age, If not more and the cleverly
ooncocted schemes that smooth over any
marks of time are terribly transparent
without the aid Of gas or electric light.
The ridicule Is so general that 1t IL likely
to have the desired effect.