The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-10-24
THE CANADIAN FEELING

While Il is natural for Canadians
should be disappointed by the Alaskan
boundary award, there is no reason for
expecting that anything serious will
follow affecting the relations of the
Dominion of the British empire. The
feeling exists principally in the per-
sonal political following of Sir Will
frfd Laurier and in British Columbia.
The people of that western province
are very alert and enterprising. in
their push and vigor much resembling
their neighbors on the Pacific coast Of
the United States. They are of the
frontier and pioneer element, SELL
centered and of independent spirit.
But when they view the result more
calmly they will see how little it
touches their very great and perma-
nent interests. They have great nat
uTal resources in stock-raising, min
eral, timber and the raw materials
Of manufacture, and in exploiting
these, will find ample exercise for tleir
rare energies. AS they are mostly
of English blood, they should rejoice
that Lord Alverstone has dignifed
their country and their race by giving
a decision in accordance with -
conscientious view Of fact and equity.
though seemingly against the material
interests of his own country.
newspaper is not virulent,
though uttered in the language of dis
appointment, and as for the street
corner gossip in British Columbia
about about secession from the Domin-
ion and the empire, it is merely effer-
vescent.
The decision removes the last posi-.
bic cause of friction between the
United States and Great Britain, and
puts any strife between the two 50
remote as not to interest this or many
succeeding generations. One thing
may be counted upon as sure by the
British Columbians. This arbitration
was entered into to e~xtirpate the pos
sibility of war, and, as far as the
United States is concerned, its result
Will not be turned into a fresher anc
greater cause Of wal by encouraging
any secession or annexation movement
in the western province. We want
Canada for a good neighbor only. True,
there are some enthusiastic Amerl-
cans who think our manifest destiny
is to own the earth, but the vast ma
Jority OF our countrymen are quito
content with what we have.
Looked at in the light of the case
and evidence submitted, the boundary
award conforms to justice. 1t may
be true that the expectation OF a diff
ferent result entertained by British
Columbians had its origin in the belies
that imperial considerations would
move Lord Alverstone to decide Ior
them, regardless of what the facts
might be. That is apt to be the
colonial feeling in such matters, and
it no doubt influenced Sir Wilfrld
Laurier in setting up claims that good
lawyers, even in Canada, declared to be
without foundation. Laurier is a poll
tician. His whole career has been a
politician. From the moment of his
graduation as a lawyer he has been
In politics and not in the practice of
his profession. He used this boun-
dairy issue to strengthen himself in po!-
itics. and it remains to be seen wheth-
er he will gain more by claiming be-
yend reason than he would have
gained by a more moderate course.
The press Of the United States takes
the result without exultation, and is
TO be commended for a~bstaining from
adding fuel to the Canadian fire. 1t
is to be remembered that when the
temporary boundary was arranged as
a modus vivendi the opposition press
attacked Secretary Hay with extreme
yirulenee. Now that he and President
Roosevelt have proved the wisdom CT
moderation, and have won all points
of consequence to their country, IL is
too much to expect that their critics
will do them Justices. f. Call.
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