The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-23
Canada and the Award.

The Alaskan boundary decision is more
of disappointment than surprise to
the people of Canada. Their attitude
toward their claim was hopeful rather
than expectant. Few looked for con-
clusion favorable to their wishes, but
many hoped that something to their
marked advantage might result from
the arbitration Of the question.
That disappointment should manifest
itself in the form of some ungracious
comment, and even in some display Of
bitterness, is entirely natural. The ac-
QUESTION of Canadian ports in the i'm
mediate vicinity Of so valuable a terri
tory as the gold areas of the Canadian
Northwest meant much to the Canadian
people With the passing Of the first
sense OF disappointment and irritation
there will come the realization that
good fight has been made. that Canada
has done all that could be done to sustain
her claim. That her hopes are not full
filled is her misfortune and not her fault,
and the misfortune will be accepted with
as much of grace as lies in a people who
have shown themselves good fighters
and will now wish to show themselves
equally good losers.
But it is evident that the immediate
effect of Canadian disappointment is
directed toward England rather than
toward the United States. No fair
minded Canadian will really blame the
United States. 1t was an entirely fair con-
test, in which one side sought to obtain
that which was held by it's opponent.
Both sought the same end, the confirma-
ton of the ownership of a disputed terri
tory. The conditions of the trial were
mutually agreed upon. No charge Of
unfairness or irregularity is or can be
made against the successful party. That
it was strongly partisan is entirely true,
but the United States was no more par
tisan in the matter than was Canada. OF
the members of the Commission, Mr..
Roof, Mr.. LODGE and Mr.. TURNER were
no more vigorously partisan than were
Sir LOUIS JETTE and Mr.. AYLEswoRTH.
If the Americans appointed to judicial
tribunal went to their posts with an
,lnalterable conviction of the correctness
of the attitude of their country, the same
is to be said Of the Canadians. A few
days of reflection will assure the Cana
dams that they have no just cause of
complaint against the United States or
its representatives on the Board of
Arbitration.
For the fact that this award adds
another item to the list of international
controversies in which Canada, with or
without justification, believes that her
welfare has been sacrificed in the
interest of Anglo American relations the
United States cannot be held responsible.
If England has 30 sacrificed the interests
OF her colony, it is not to be expected that
the United States should reverse the
English decision in it's favor and give to
Canada that which the parent Govern
ment had denied to her. 1t is in every
way probable that the incident will be
more costly to the relations between
Canada and England than to the rela-
tons between Canada and the United
States.
One outcome is virtually certainty.
That will lie in the stronger establish
ment of the Canadian spirit Of self
dependence, sentiment which has
shown a persistent and clearly marked
increase since the establishment Of the
Dominion, in 1857. At that time Canada
was British colony To-day, us far
as the exercise of free hand in her
own affairs is concerned she is only
less self-governing than her neighbor
on the south That the only remaining
dispute concerning boundary lines Ii
now determined may be fact Of i'm