The record-union., 1899-09-04
RUSSIA, ENGLAND AND THE
BOUNDARY.


question by supporting secretly the Ca
madam contention. This is not to be
believed. For all human action with
in the lines of sanity there must be mo-
tive. What purpose could Russia pos
sibly have for stirring up trouble be-
tween this country. Canada and Eng
land? The fact is that the moment
Russia is called into the case, the
worse 1t is for the Canadian conten-
tion, for the reason that in all the
there was never word of complaint
from Canada about the boundary line.
The Canadians and the English Gov
eminent always conceded the Russian
boundary of Alaska to be correct-at
least they never protested, and no word
of objection was raised to it, until gold
was discovered on the Yukon and Can
ada realized that it would be very con-
venfent to have a salt water port well
interior. When Alaska was sold by
Russia to the United States a peculiar
ly opportune moment presented for
English objection to the line expressed
in the treaty of sale. But there came
no word of complaint. official or other
wise, from British lips or departm ents,
and Canada was dumb as an oyster
upon the subject. By the consent ot
silence, therefore. the English have ap-
proved the boundary as defined in our
;yot oa11-
But we are told by some English
journals. and not a few American ex-
ponents of public opinion, that it would
be generous and noble for the United
States to concede to Canadians and
England a frontier that will give them
sea access and egress, since the Eng
lish stood our friend during the war
With Spain. Doubtless they did. Prob
ably had not the attitude Of Rngland
been what it was. Spain would have
succeeded in enlisting European aid, if
not intervention.
But do the English wish to be placed
in the position that a grant on that
ground would give them? Are they
asking that we modify our boundary
claim because England was good to
US" in a time of need? Is it think
able that England wishes to be re-
warded for doing that which she de-
clared at the time she undertook upon
principle? We think not. To set up
such an excuse now would be humiliat-
ing, if not absolutely disgraceful, and
there is nothing which the Briton will
stand by more firmly than his pride
and his national honor.
But this plea of concession, we are
told, is to be advanced before Congress
next winter, by what authority remains
TO be seen. We may expect the English
Government to repudiate it and hold as
it does now with the Canadians, for the
boundary claimed by them, because it
is fair Interpretation of the treaty calls
which it is not.
But. as stated in the outset, from
London comes the story that the Rus
SLAMS are scheming to increase the ir-
ritation between English and Ameri-
cans. and as it is necessary to back
such a tale with a reasonable motive
for the alleged Russian scheming, we
are informed that the object is to pre-
vent the unity of English speaking ma
tions in matters of foreign policy. If
there should be anything in the report
then, it discloses weakness on the part
of Russia not warranted by her history
or the acknowledged high skill of her
statesmen.
1t does not call for great amount
of human intelligence to understand
that if such a motive is entertained
and Englandtis aware Of it, the natural
and creditahle thing for the English to
do would he to concede the Alaskan
line as claimed by the Americans, and
which England has not before disputed
since the purchase of Alaska. BY doing
that she would defeat the purpose OF
Russia and bind American and Eng
1ish sentiment in closer bonds than ever
held before.
The English know very we'll that we
entertain no aggressive desires againsr
British territory. There is not an in
telligent Englishman in the island who
believes for one moment that our po-
sition is taken because we wish to ac-
quire English acreage. England is not
therefore, frightened. or to be alarmed
on that score She understands Amer
leans too well to be disturbed by any
possible Russian whispers concerning
our intentions.
There is no reason then to accept as
in any respect credible, the story
about Russian intrigue. The whole
matter is one of Canadian greed 1t is
Canada alone that is occasionine
trouble and creating friction. Were
Canadian threat and contention out oi
the way, America and England would
settle the boundary question in a day
1t was Canada. and Canada alone, b,
it remembered, that raised objection
when arbitration was suggested to al
umpire to be chosen from this side O
the globe. She would have no othe
than a European. and for obvious rea
sons.
The outlook for the maintenance OF