The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-31

on account of our lumber tariff. is sug- gesttve of an article in the February Worlds Work in which are clearly and succinctly set forth this and other grounds of objectionableness which Canadians find in our government and national conditions. The writer, w. get an authoritative expression on a subject which has been discussed for more than century, he addressed the following circular to 300 leading meD in the Dominion of Canada:
 If Canada could be merged into the United States with no loss ot self-re- spect, and with no friction with Eng land, becoming section of the Unit ed States, as the Eastern, Southern or Pacific Coast States are sections-not annexed, nor absorbed, nor swallowed up, but completely merged, so that all residents of the continent above the Mexican line should meet upon a plane of absolute equality as citizens of one country, and go forward to the build Ing up of the continent-under these conditions, would you be in favor of tions?
 The article edits, with comment many of the replies. Though, in his letter accompanying the circular of in- Vestigation of opinion, MT. Harwood stipulated that the names of those who answered would not be published if request that name be withheld. One letter alone was without a signature and this was the only reply which fa- Vored union.
 A number of the letters dwell on the failure of all Canada's efforts to se- cure reciprocity since the abrogatiop in 1866 of the reciprocity treaty, and reter to the influence on the minds of the people of the hostile tariff raised by the United States. Expressions of satisfaction with their own govern ment and of content with their union with England are frequent and cordial Some of the letters compare the ex- tent, resources. trades, manufactures industries, and institutions, political and educational, with ours, and declare able.
 Some of them speak with forcefuI emphasis of the peculiar social prob our reckless use of firearms, our mob law, our divorce laws and general laXity of morals, both business and so- cial, which they would like to see re- formed before making a merger" and few speak with horror ofSOur color question and our strike question. The ineficiency of our laws is reprehended. some object to the Presidents power of veto, others to selecting judges by election instead of by appointment of the lawyer tried and proven by years of honorable practice, as is the custom of procedure in their own Judiciary. Objection, too, is made to our South-of- Europe immigration, and preference is declared for their own immigrants.
  and not from the Latin races. A few in fun, a few more in satire suggest that the United States be merged into Canada. serious turn is given to this hint fin the following letter, which Is, in way, fine for enabling us to see ourselves as others see us"-an optical feat to which all the letters are more or less assistants:
 T admit that something might be done toward a union of the two coun- tries, but 1t would have to be very gradual. We might begin by taking into the Dominion some of the contig- uouS StateS-one or two at a time say. It would take time, you know grad ually to train your people into a Drop- CT respect for law and order, and as this work would be gradually done we could go on until the larger portion at all events, was absorbed I do not see any other way of meeting your views There is very much to be done in your country before any possible union in any other way could be tolerated in Canada"
 One of the questions in the minds of the readers of this Worlds Work artt- cle is, does not republic. in eliminat- ing the troubles of a monarchy, sub stitute other troubles as great? We get rid of the King and the titled mo- bility but what of the representatives or power and privilege in our office holders and moneyed men? Is the wild scramble for office and money as dis rupting as any of the forms of autoc- racy? Is 1t not as oppressive to the poor or unprivileged, and as hateful to our neighbors?
 Notable features in this most inter- esting article are the fine English of the letters, terSe and simple: their glowing spirit of patriotism. their re- spect for social purity, law and order: and their fearlessness in striking back Gas you call iD. hitting squarely the vital spots in our national life.