Daily Kennebec journal., 1903-01-12
The chimera Of Annexation.

turns that the British element in
Canada is dying out and the French
element gaining the ascendency in
other provinces than Quebec. From
this condition of things the Boston
Advertiser figures out that the day of
annexation to this country is approach
ing which it holds, from the point of
view of commercial New England, is
Iconsummation devoutly to be wished.
1t appears that in 1901 Canada had
only 3S9,062 inhabitants who were born
in Great Britain. loss of nearly 1O0,-
900 since 1871. On the other hand, the
number of foreigners born elsewhere
than in Great Britain had increased
from 49, .0S3 in 1881, to 27S,S04 in 1901.
In 1901, Canada welcomed 1919 immi-
grants, but only 1850 came from
Great Britain. AS things are going,
the immigration from this country into
lCanada will soon equal that from all
the rest of the world put together. At
the same time, the French Canadians
lare multiplying faster than any other
lcivilized people on earth. Their in
lcrease has not been noticed, because
lof the great movement by them into
lthis country. The bulk of that is over.
1.-The improving Industrial conditions. in
lCanada will soon keep the French
Canadian labor employed at home, and
lit will stay there. Already, the French
Canadians. who formerly were scarce
lin the so-called British provinces" !"
| are forming settlements all through
Ontario and the Northwest. They
may, at their present rate of in
crease. control the Canadian parlia-
, ment in the lifetime of some of its
t lpresent members.
, The Advertiser argues from this that
? the time is not far distant when the
| French Canadians will make deter
2 mined movement for independence
= from England, and that such move
: ment will result in splitting up Canada
+ into three governments, Quebec, the
maratime provinces and the North
west. 1t says: 1.-THE last would have
: to fall into our hands, and the second
|. w2uld want to. Quebec and its in
a habitants, so closely related now to
r New England, would gladly follow
: suit. provided only the integrity OF
n the Roman Catholic hierarchy in
= Quebec was guaranteed"
t All this strikes us as pipe dream OF
S the first magnitude. Since Arnold led
: his little army up through the Maine
e wilderness to Quebec, over CEN
t tury and a quarter ago, there have
n been many in this country who have
: looked forward to the annexation OF
ICanada In the second war with
lGreat Britain there was again invasion
e of Canadian soil, with disastrous re-
n the irresponsible Fenians. The ac-
d QUESTION of Canada, immediate or ul-
: innate, has been discussed in the
: country lyceum, on the college debat-
: ing platform and in the editorial col
s umn for generations, and we predict
: that it will continue to be so discussed
It for generations to come.
), Canada has little to complain Of from
C it's treatment by the home country. 1t
n is granted a degree of self government
n which is little short of independence
d The loyalty to the English flag which
c prevails through Canada, even in the
: French cities of Montreal and Quebec
s lis much underestimate by most OF
a those in this country who write on the
subject of annexation. The prevailing
customs are strongly English, and the
r British spirit pervades politics, So
n ciety, business, and the press. Though
: the English be left in the minority by
+ the prolific French Canadians, still
t the English are the masterful race and
: will yet dominate Canada for long
|. time. Nor is it to be asserted that the
T French Canadians are largely dis
v satisfied with the allegiance of Canada
IL to England, ana tndt Cney ueSlTe HUE
;, pendence or annexation. They have
e full religious liberty and every political
S privilege, as it is. They are not a
n race of agitators, and, while many
: have inherited the old French hatred
t of England, the great majority of them
= are we'll reconciled to existing condi-
T tions.
g AS to the emigration from this coun-
= try into the Canadian Northwest, we
e think it's effect has been overestimated.
e The opening of new wheat lands have
I caused an exodus in the past year or
i two, but the field is limited and this
will not continue. Moreover, large
Part of those who have gone from this
t country into Canada were newcomers
I nCINr TT ECII