Waterbury Democrat., 1902-09-10
CANADIAN OFFICIAL TALKS
Makes Comparison Between This Coun-
 try and Canada.

i Makes Comparison Between This Coun-
 try and Canada.
 Washington. Sept 10.-Although com- parisons are undoubtedly odious, they
 are frequently instructive, and the
 frank statements of a friend, while not
 always welcome, are often salutary. Wltn these facts ill mind, the interview
 given to your correspondent by Cana-
 dian official who is visiting in Wash ington, and who agreed to speak frank ly on condition that hls name be with
 held, may prove instructive and salu- tary. When asked by your correspon- dent what the position Of the majority of Canadians was on the subject or
 annexation to the United States, ne said: There would be many advan, tages for Canada were she to be an,
 nexed to the United States, and there would be many to the United States.
 from a commercial standpoint be- lieve the Canadians would favor it. It is possible, also, that greater famil- iarity with your constitution would in- crease the favorable sentiment. There are some things in the United States, however, which Canadians regard with deep-rooted objection For instance, they are unalterably opposed to uni- versal suffrage. They do not realize that, were the seven provinces of Cam ada annexed as seven states, each could legislate on the subject to suit itself. Another system Lney object to is the extensiS c elective system so pre- valent in the States. They believe in vesting the appointive power in high official and holding him responsible for the conduct of his appointees, but then, it should be understood, with the ex- ception. of very few offices they would not tolerate removal except for incom- potency or dishonesty.
 If you will pardon my frankness, would call your attention to some in- teresting facts which have appeared in American newspapers, doubtless com piled from official sources. Last year there were just twenty-one homicides in the Dominion of Canada with her population of 5,000,000 inhabitants. Taking the same proportion, the States, with Su,000,000 inhabitants, sixteen times that of Canada, should not nave more than 336, and yet it had over S. 000. It cannot be said that we have not the same type of wild country in the west to deal with, therefore the cause must be looked for elsewhere. l I consider that the greater number of homicides in this country is due to the miscarriage of justice. For instance, of the tWenty-one presumptive culprits in Canada. eleven were convicted and executed within six weeks. two were adju ged insane, which, without fur ther legal proceedings, resulted in their being incarerated ill insane asylums for life, that being the law Of the re- maining eight, two were acquitted and six were convicted and sentenced to Imprisonment. Now let us look at the record in this country. Slightly over 100 ont of 5000 were convicted and ex- ecuted, there were 120 lynchings and n certain percentage were sentenced to imprisonment, while a very large per centage were. never convicted at all. This great discrepancy we believe to be due to your elective system. While men are human political considerations must affect them more or less, and doubtless prevent convictions The officer who must appeal to the people for reelection dreads the conviction of a man whose friends are influential in his district. Again,s you are always electing new. nlen as district attorneys, .etca With usit is spraeticau yaa life po- sition. astis that of the judges: There fore we Have far fewer wTits of error granted. A newly elected and inex- perienced lawyer acting as district at torney is bound to make errors, but with us a man must have served many years in subordinate position In the court before public sentiment will l countenance his appointment to so inn portant a position, and then he serves .I for the rest of his life and his long ex perience protects him and the public from errors jhiseindictments These are only femTof the reasons w--ch | initiate against the annexation senti ment. F
 Commercially, the advantages would be great to both of us. You are running short of lumber. We have quantities. and with free trade between the states could supply your demands for hum dreds of years. Many. of yonr manri- facturers we could use to great ad-el vantage. The natural course of trade Is up and down the valleys of the Red river of the north and the MississippiqI and an immense trade would flow osl your big inland cities from Canada. III do not know ifait will ever come about, I but hope it will in time. The United States and Canada would make the grandest republic ever known and l would be independent of all the rest of the world. No, I will make no pre- dicitions. I can only say what l be- lieve would be, were annexation ac- 1 complished.