The Tucson citizen., 1902-09-26
DEMOCRATIC TICKET.
RBOUT CANADIAN ANNEXATION.

The question of Canadian annexa-
tion has been a mooted one for over
half a century. In the United States
IT'S possibilities still form the topic for
political speculation. The probaDlil-
ty of forcible annexation is so exceed
inglv remote as to be unworthy OF
consideration. If the two countries
do merge. their destiny it must be vol
untary on the part of both.
In a recent article urging the expe-
1iency of annexation, Professor Henry
Davies of the sociological department
of Yale University has very plausloly
stated the case of the annexationists
from the American point of view.
There are, of course, no natural rea-
sons why the two nations should go
their separate ways. Geographically
they are one. They speak practically
the same language, have the same
laws. They enjoy the same blessings
of individual liberty. They look for
ward to the same period of commercial
supremacy. They are equally capable
of self-government. Their assimila-
ton would not necessitate the suspen-
sion of solitary sentence of our fun
damental law; nor would they en-
danger one iota of American princi-
pies. The erasure of the artificial
boundary line would assuredly have a
favorable effect upon the commercial
life of both nations. In fact every
natural law points to the ultimate an
nexation of our northern neighbor.
Professor Davies makes the dogmatic
assertion that the mass of the Cana
dian people look forward to the an
nexation. He believes that the rapid
ity with which American methods are
supplanting those of England is pre-
pairing the way to favorable cOnsid-
Grafton of the subject The aggress-
cans is displacing the slow conserva-
tism of the English. Despite a tariff
barrier, which is of itself an affront,
American products are flooding the
Canadian market and binding the
commercial classes of the two nations.
American capital is developing Cana
dian resources. Everything is con-
tributing to make the two countries
one in sentiment. While annexation
has not as yet become a political is
sue in Canada, Professor Davies be-
lieves that the unpopularity of Mr..
Chamberlain's plan for representa-
tion in the English parliament will
force the issue at no distant date
Then will follow annexation.
In connection with this, however, we
have an article from John Charlton of
the Canadian parliament which does
not entirely bear out the statements
Of our Yale professor. He claims that
when in 1S49 an annexation manifesto
was issued over the signature of Cana
dian statesmen, the two nations were
closer together than they are today.
From that time on up until after the
conclusion of the civil war the feeling
spread and grew in popularity. The
fact that 10000 Canadian soldiers
fought in the northern army may be
taken as an indication of Canadian
sentiment toward the American repub-
lie. But, he adds:
"Thirty-four years of American
tariff legislation, calculated to reduce
to the lowest possible scale the value
of Canadian imports has caused the
state of feeling that led to issuing the
annexation manifesto of 1849 to fade
from public recollection, and today no
annexation sentiment exists in
Canada"
Such being true, would it not be the
part of wisdom to pull down the absurd
tariff laws and permit untrammeled
commercial communication between the
two nations? The narrow tariff policy
now pursued Is not calculated to rec
Ummend American rule to the Cana
dams.