The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-02-23
AS Others See Us

523 AS Others See Us. &
Canada's attitude towards tho IL United II GO
States IS outlined in a sympo SUM printed ny
4 a the current issue Of The World $
work. In order TO ascertain sentiment
N With regard to- annexation MI. ". ~ ~
~ 81 a,rw,ood ad dressed the following question,
\. To three hundred leading men Of the Do .
Il mi1,on. IF Canada could be merged
into the United States with no loss OF
" Helf.respect, ana with no friction with
England becoming n section Of the United
Isl States as the Eastern, Southern or Pacific
3S Coast States are sections-not annex annex
ed nor absorbed nor swallowed up, put
s completely merged, so that all residents
5 of the continent above the Mexican limo
should meet upon asplane Of absolute
II euuallty as citizens OF one country and so
forward 10 tho building up Of the con tin
ent. Under these conditions would you
Il be In favor Of this complete uniting Of
Ii the two nations ?5 Various views are,
presented in the replies, but with one
81 accord the Canadians thus addressed de-
Il clare that under no conditions would
they favor the merger. Indeed, some Of
them say that there IS more argument
h In favor OF d canada''s absorption Of thu
Tinted States than vice versa. !@
ei Our form OF government, our manners
and customs and the character of our
4 people are all more or less harshly criti-
n cised by the Canadians. For example,
sgSt he ia on. William II. N1nclean, edltorfo Of
y :hc Toronto World and member OF the
House Of Commons, says that our gov
58ernment Is UNNECESSARILY bad and that ho
n sees no mitiga tionIof the situation except
Il through another civil war. " our Consti-5
& tutlon,,,, adds Mr., Maclean, sis hndranco
f! to 81 progress. Men who are dead and
q buried for one hundred and TWEEN It's years
are ruling your land regardless Of the
conditions of to-day We pause here to
Il remark that 1t is tribute to the fore
sight and seeming inspiration of our fore
fathers that they were able to make for
this Republic a constitution which in alt
u essentials is as well adapted to present
conditions as 1t was to conditions existing
& in the beginning. Our Constitutions
/. not perfect, and t IS with difficulty that
a IL can be amended, but in Il country like
III ours, SO extensive and embracing so many
and conflicting elements, lit is necessary
that we shsulet have organic laws which
Il cannot easily be changed. Otherwise
u some of our most sacred institutions, II
of
u would be in danger now and then Of
being ovcrthrownr We must preserve
The cardinal principles; we must preserve
the innlienable rights of citizens. That
done we allow the greatest possible liberty
& in the matter OF local self-govcrnment
and thus far We have lived comfortably
q. nnd made wondrous progress under the
Constitution OF the United States. There
Is way to change the Constitution an(
q amendments have been added from tins
but the mere fact that SO few change!
have been made, and that no change hal
been made during the past thirty Year.
in this very progressive land ought to b.
proof even TO skeptical Canadians tina
The instrument is serving its nurpos
fairly well.
}8i But to return to the subject: One 0
The greatest objections urged by many Q
the Canadians to merging with III
United States Is based on our tarli
system. A member OF the House {
Commons says thatithe United States hu
been hostile in her tariff treatment {
Canada for nearly forty years and the
81 Canada has had very little knowledge I
the trade relations existing between u
two Countries and has been quite u
different about them. having sought
ID market in Great Britnin for her far
products IIe adds that canada's rel
lions with Great Britain are nine tim
greater than with The United States, Al
q that III Is Impossible 70 talk about ner
ing two counsrlcs Until We can adju
our trade relations and try Others"
Another member OF Parliament say
sS,If any sentiment Of that kind did exi
With q minority It was effectually Q
S tlnguished By The hostile tariff your pc
ple raised against us, which had I
effect pi forcing us to seek 9th
narkpis.
And still another says. MERGING wi
s&s the United States would utterly ruin 0
growing manufacturing institutions.
4 ~ many kinds Of manufacturing we q
gS making rapid progress under q very \
s EN- tariff as compared with yours The
Is much more OF the sane kind, hut spa
Is limited. But We have quoted enou
81 I'd show the drift. II Is not agreeable