The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-29
CANADIAN NATIONALITY.
Predictions Concerning the Ultimate he.
suit Of the Alaska Decision.

To THE EDITOR OF The Sun Sir, II IL
to be regretted that something more than
q passing notice has not been given by the
United States press to the discussion that
took place on Oct %, in the Canadian Par
lament, on the Alaska decision, There is too
much disposition on this side of the line to
take the resentment in Canada as an ont
burst Of pettishness that will soon pass over
and everything will be all right again. II 10
much more than that. as time will show.
What gives sting to the issue OF the dis
pute as between Canada and the United
States Is not SO much that It has gone against
tho former hut that they hnliAva in Canada
that had the case been entirely in Canadians
hands instead of being presented as it was.
they would have succeeded in obtaining
what they wanted from the sense OF Justice
and good neighborhood Of the American
members Of the commission. As II was,
whenever the Canadian Government en-
deavored to obtain the principal voice In
the negotiations preceding the commission
they were always. so to say. called to heel
by the British Colonial and Foreign c!.lces,
the British Government being intent on two
things first, to propitiate the United States
for imperial reasons, and then to snub Cana
dian self-assertiveness for colonial reasons.
Several OF the details discussed in con-
nection with the boundary decision in the
debate referred to. such as tho suggestion
that the abrogation Of the Clayton-Bulwer
Treaty might have been awaited Of to obtain
compensation for Canada in the direction Of
Alaska. savored more Of the mercantile spirit
than OF diplomatic inspiration: but 1t served
as peg to hang hat of remonstrance upon.
The trouble In Canada has arisen because
OF the fact that the question for decision
was put In 80 fast and hard a way that dis
cussion OF the merits was limited. and ad-
mitted OF no other decision than that ar
rived at. Full Justice was done by the prn-
cipal speakers to Lord Alverstone personally.
and 1t was recognized that he could not have
gone further than he did without overstep-
ping the limits set for him by the Colonial
Secretary. Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain.
There was some wild talk by the ultra
loyal fire eaters. intermin gled with unoom-
pllmentary illusions to the craven and de-
cadent class now swayn the destinies Of the
empire, but their Significance was as moth
ing compared with the calm and measured
statement Of Sir Wilfrid Laurier when. speak
ing Of the composition Of the Commission.
he said
But the dificulty Il not there. Tho diniculty.
q conceive II to be. Is that % long q Canada
remains q dependency of the British Grown tho
for the maintenance Of our nights, 1t Is important
that we should ask the British Parliament for more
extensive power SO that II ever we have to deal
with matters Of a similar nature again we shall
deal with them in our own way. in our own fsshon,
according TO the best light we have.
This is the real and important issue Of the
Alaska boundary decision. Its consequences
will be seen when the proposal to amend
the British North American Act OF 1897 comes
up before the British Parliament. especially
should 1t be brought before 1t composed
as 1t Is to-day.
To grant the Canadian demands will be
to open rift between the metropolitan and
colonial states: and to withhold compliance
will be dangerous. In any case. the recent
decision has given an Immense Impetus to
the idea Of independence. which first took
definite shape some seven years ago. at the
time of the Venezuela dispute. Al no distant
date-perhaps, indeed. very much sooner
than we expect--the question will come UP
for decision and the term nation" now
employed somewhat illogioally to Canada.
will become an established fact.
NEW YORK, Oct. ~. CANADIAN