The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-31
SATURDAY, OCTOBER s1, 1908.
WHAT MAY HAPPEN.

Would 1t not be something WOnuerlul II the decision of the Alaskan Boundary Commission should result in war Tor independence on the part of Canada: 1t would not by any means be the suangest thing that ever happened in the history of nations Our own war with Great Britain for independence had no better foundation, according to the opinions of some Canadian newspapers. than Canada has to revolt Sir Wilfred Laurier, Pre- mier of Canada. intimates very plainly that if the Dominion Is not granted more liberty and control over her affairs than formerly "she may conclude to break or entirely from the mother country"
 Such a threat from such source IS not without significance. Of course the Canadians are not all at once becoming dissatisfied at the domination of the moth- CT country. That dissatisfaction has lcng existed and has been often expressed with more or less emphasis, but this new out rage, as many Canadians consider 1t, by which that country claims to have been robbed of a considerable portion of her territory, has brought the feeling to an acute stage and some strong talk Is in- dulged in, both by newspapers and by prominent statesmen.
 As is natural, the English people laugh at such implied or expressed threats as those of Sir Wilfred. but laughter and ridicule are not effective weapons in all cases. There were eminent English statesmen who laughed at the bare idea of the American colonies declaring for independence, but that did not prevent either the war of the Revolution or Amer lean independence. Likewise there were statesmen and prominent politicians who ridiculed the idea of secession. and some of them declared that the Southern States could not be driven out of the Union. They went out just the same. and though independence did not follow. some of our ridiculing brethren were made to laugh on the other side of the mouth before 1t was all over with.
 Something like these instances may oc- cuB again for anything we know. Some might regard such a war as hopeless, and perhaps it would be. British North America contains something like 50OO, 900 Inhabitants and if they could be united it would meant a stiff fight, at all events and might mean a new Republic on the North. American continent. How would such a war affect the United States? and might not our Government get mixed up in it? It must be borne in mind that the United States and the Dominion of Cam ada are divided by a dry line' for the most part, which extends across the con- tinent, and 1t might be difficult to keep our people from mixing in. True. the Canadians are as much incensed against us as against England on account of the decision, but if war should come that feeling would die out, Americans would have a warm feeling for a neighbor fight ing for independence, and if numbers of them should slip across the line and mix in with their neighbors 1t would not be a matter of surprise. England would nat urally resent such interference and the result might very possibly be war be- tween giants. Let us hope the Canadians will be good and not get us into trouble.
 The fact that it costs less to educate children in Columbus than in other of the Georgia cities, as Is shown by the report of the State School Commissioner is an- other evidence that Columbus is one of the most enterprising cities in the entire Tso1., I7