The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-14
THE FUTURE OF CANADA
DOMINION MAY BECOME AN IN-
 DEPENDENT REP CBLIC.
Annexation Declared to Be Impossi- ble-Unfair Treatment Given
 as the Reason

Manitoba Free Press.
 The Free Press has received a request from a United States journalist represent ing syndicate of leading newspapers of that country for statement of what it conceives to be the position of Canadians on the question of their national future. Our correspondent says that he cannot understand the refusal of the Canadian people to countenance the suggestion that they should join the American Union. We are pleased to have the opportunity of stating our views briefly for the enlight- enmentl of our correspondent.
 First what are the national aspirations of Canada? Canadians expect to develop their country along the lines already laid down into strong, self-contained. pros- porous and populous nation. They expect to remain permanently a part of the Brit ish Empire. which will probably take the form in the near future of confederation of sovereign States rather than continue the present relation of motherland and colonies. Should the empire disintegrate, from external shock or internal dissen- sions, Canada would unquestionably take her place among the republics of the world under a flag of her own. Twenty years ago Sir John A. Macdonald declared more than once that Canada had only two alternatives-to remain a part of the em- pire or join the United States. That may have been true then, but 1t is not true now. Since then Canada has grown enor- mously in wealth and, more important still in national feeling. xk is undoubted- ly anxious to remain a portion of the British Empire. but failing this. it will become an independent nation. It would not under any circumstances, consider for a moment the suggestion that it should throw in it's lot with the United States.
 Nc Annexation Sentiment.
 There is no sentiment whatever in Can ada in favor of annexation. It is not even subject for academic discussion. There was a time when. the country being still in the experimental stage, many weak hearted Canadians thought that the scheme of Canadian confederation would fail and that our destiny was to be in- corporated at an early date in the United States. These doubters are either dead or they have plucked up little more courage. We never heard from them now adays. The chief reason for the absence of annexation feeling is the remarkable growth in national sentiment which has taken place of late years: and the strong resentment felt by Canadians at what they regard as persistently urtair treat ment by the United States has had great deal to do with the rapid develop ment of this sentiment. The fact thSt it might and probably would, pay us in a financial sense to join the United States has nothing to do with the question. Ca- nadians are a commercial people eager to increase their wealth, but they will not let financial considerations affect them in an issue in which their honor Is en- gagged. They propose to keep the name or Canada on the map as that of distinct nationality. To do that they have made many sacrifices in the past and are pre- pared, if necessary, to repeat them. If 1t could be demonstrated to every elector Tn Canada that annexation would treble his wealth and a plebiscite on the suolect were taken Immediately afterward, the affirmative vote would be insignificant.
 Hostility to United States. l Az to the attitude of Canadians toward the United States. there is on the part Of
 a considerable section of the people a