The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-06

out advantages. II our navy at any time
lost the superiority in the Paeihe, we
should feel a decided relief to think that
the islands of the Panhandle being in
the hands of friendly power, could not
be used as a base from which hostile
feet could attack our coast cities.
II we part with them now, We shall
only have To render Hawaii and the
Aleutians impregnable, in order TO feel
perfectly safe against attack; If We hold
the Panhandle. we shall eventually have
TO cover its islands with Notifications
and garrisons. or, az an alternative. build
such a navy that our supremacy in the
Pacific shall remain unchallenged. That
would cost us a pretty penny, which we
can save by simply suTendering the Pan
handle 10 our taCit ally. EvidenLy-and
this Is infinitely more important-such an
act while wiping out the Panhandle
boundary would go far to wipe out all
other boundaries between us and Canada
Not an American but looks with i'm
patience al the arbitrary line the result
of historical accident, which cuts a homo
geneous people into two unequal frag-
ments; not an American bat feels con-
WINGED that the day must come when
there shall be one great nation extending
from the Gulf of Mexico TO the pole. II
this contamination is devoutly to be
wished, how may its advent be hasten
ed? Not by punctilious insistence on
technical rights. on the letter which
killeth. but by tie giving that is gain
ing" by A generous recognition OF moral
rights, by seizing every opportunity to
perform an act OF courtesy 10 our neigh
bOrs.
As for Seattles trade with the Pan
handle, it is quite possible that few
years of free trade between the Pacific
Coast Of Canada and that of the United
States might do an immense deal of good
10 the entire coast, without harm TO the
eastern states and provinces.
Thus if the question, Shall the Alaska
Panhandle be coded TO Canada without
compensation" were submitted 70 popu-
lar vote. Missionaries, ike the present
writer, would undoubtedly vote In the
affirmative. in the profound conviction
that this would be incomparably better
for both parties. However, such matters
are never decided by Missionaries. but by
practical people of common sense, q"
whose clear intellects perceive the para
mount eternal truth that there can be
no purchase" no bargain" without
payment-a law Of nature against whose
adamantine immutability such weak con-
sideratiOns as good feeling, friendship
Cancellation, bTotherly union. are shivered
like idle. silly fakes OF foam.
In a word. IL is practically certain that
the Panhandle will not be surrendered
unless az equivalent can be found To
a strong, rich nation, a payment IN money
will hardly seem a suitable equivalent
No nation but likes TO keep growing; no
nation but hates 10 contemplate a pos
sible diminution of its territory. however
salutary its effect, and however bright
the prospect Of speedy and enormous en-
largement as result Of that very dimi-
mutton. a bird in the hand is worth two
in the bush" will be the comment Of
those who daily stake vast sums on I'M
certainties, simply because nature knows
of no other way of accomplishing re-
suits. The only equivalent that is likely
TO be entertained viii be an equivalent
in land.
Where shall that equivalent be found?
II is curious to think that among all the
millions Of people who have gazed at tho
map Of Alaska during the last forty
years, including, until month ago, the
present writer there was not one that
perceived the equivalent that was staring
them in the face. The boundary between
the main body of Alaska and Canada runs
from Mount St. Elias northward along
the l41st meridian "to the Frozen Ocean"
which, 1t now appears, is mostly unfrOzen
at least in that vicinity. If you draw the
boundary along the 10th meridian, you
add some 10000 square miles to Alaska;
II along the beth degree. 1000 square
miles. The area of the Panhandle. if the
writer remembers rightly, IS somewhere
between 10000 and 10000 square miles.
Whether the equivalence shall be one OF
area, of population, or of resources. or an
equivalence sldlfully and automatically
compounded of all three, II is not neces-
sary at this moment 20 decide Vision
aries in the United States would, OF
course. prefer the 140th, because the
smaller the price, the better will the
Canadians be pleased. and that, of course.
is the main point They know that our
door stands open all the time to receive
them they will be all the more ready to
come in. if they see how awfully noble
We are.
Juneau would. of course. cease to he
the capital of Alaska, but would doubt
less become ere long the capital of the
Province of Yukon, which would need an
outlet to the sea- Seward would become
the capital Of the new. symmeuic trim
med, rectified Alaska, and surely the CAPT.
tai could not bear a filter name.
Captain Bernier the nch-Canadian
explorer. who on two voyages set I'D the
Canadian flag on all the islands OF the
arctic archipelago. is now trying to
miliarize his countrymen with the idea
of a Greater Canada" which is to in
clude Newfoundland and Greenland. as
Indispensable conditions TO the systematic
development and conservation of the re-
sources of the entire American North.
The acquisition Of Alaskas Panhandle
would not. indeed, make Canada
greater" in area, since an equivalent
area would probably have to be given
for II; but it would double the value of
an area twice as large as Germany, in
British Columbia, Yukon, and the Mac
kenzie basin. Were the Canadians 10
take the initiative, they would appear as
mere suppliants, trying to escape from an
uncomfortable situation To us the stu
alton is not particularly uncomfortable,
and thus, If we make the offer. a mere
bargain will be turned into a generous
deed