New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-13
RIDDLE OF CANADA
rs PROUD OF EMPIRE.
Nevertheless, Independence
Mov Become the Issue.
Toronto. February 9

Toronto. February g.
What Canada wants as to its polltcai
future. what the direction Of its public
policy really is must often appear as an
unreadahle riddle TO careful American
observer. He will have heard that the
Dominion government has lately refused 10
follow the example Of Australia and New
Zealand and contribute battleship TO the
British navy in what is obviously z time
OF strain and stress: he may be aware OF
the governments policy of building an in
dependent navy, coupled With the retention
or all control over its future disposition
and use at Ottawa; he will If he watches
the proceedings of international banouets
at New York, Chicago Boston. have
noted Canadian utterances that SAVIOR CT
almost revolutionary freedom--such as the
repeated remarks Of Mr.. Justice Longley'
Of Nova Scotia, that Canada is free ma
ton, with steadily growing powers 10
which the future can afford no limitation
or the recent statement in New York OF
Professor George NJ Wrong, of Toronto
University, that, moving along its own
lines. Canada is rapidly completing the ap-
paratus OF national life It is taking steps
TO build a navy under its own control. 1t
negotiates its own treaties for trade.
Ia theory the King still rules; in fact he
has no political power. The Prime Minister
rules. II theory Canada is a colony; in
fact she is an independent nation"
About the same time he may have heard
air ]. \ Macdonald, editor OF The To-
routo Globe" tell the Canadian Society OF
New York that the British Empire is an
alliance of free nations" II he watches
Canadian politics closely he win, still more
recently. have noted the Prime Minister.
Sir Vilfrid Laurier, deny, in speech at
Toronto, the existence Of q German danger
Is The empire and repudiats. practically,
the utterances o. all the leading British
statesmen of last March; declare that Can
ada viii build its own navy in its own good
time and way, and viii refuse 10 De siam
peded by any set Of men st home or abroad,
and state. finally, that we are under the
suzerajnty Of the King of England We
are his loyal subjects. We bow the knee
to him: but the King OF England has no
more rights over Us than ara allowed him
BY our own Canadian Parliament
SIGNIFICANT UTTER ANCES.
During the defence discussion Of last year
the same observer. i he could have dwclt
in the Dominion for Z time, would have
noticed several farmers newspapers deny
eli obligation to take part in the defence Ct
tha empire, or. Tor that matter, TO do any
thing for Canadian defence He might
have noted Professors !. G. Hume, OF To-
lonto University, and John Marshall, OF
Queens University. Kingston, argue elabo-
rateIy against any Canadian aid to the en-
pire even IL time OF need. and Professor
] F. McCuIdy, Of the former institution,
declare THAI India was OF more potential
value to the world than England He
would have Observed that ]. s. EWart,
X c, 3 prominent lawyer at Ottawa. was
speaking 3 various points in open denun-
citation OF British diplomacy and Bntain's
historic attitude toward Canada: that the
same gentleman wrote an Ottawa paper o.
May o. expressing his envy Of those men
whose countries have attained to political
manhood" and that he was shortly after
ward appointed Canadian counsel in con-
nectioa with the Canada Newfoundland
fisheries arbitration at The Hague
This observer might have seen The press
congratulations upon Canada's new status
in the making OF treaties, as shown in the
French convention, and the statement OF
Mr. Graham, Minister Of Railways. on
April 1s that he looked forward to the
time when Canada would have its own rep
resentatives in foreign countries. The OBJ
server would, above ALL have read the Gu
riously direct but afterUard modified edi-
Jorial statement II. The Toronto Globe" Of
February %, commenting on the recent
creation OF Canadian Department Of Elx-
ternal Affairs. that the direction and
progress Of national evolution thus indi-
Gated may be toe last for some, and not
fast enough for others, but there need he
no mistake about either the fact of our
progress Or its direction. The answer to
those vllo are impatient for Independence
IS that cur direction is that way, but that
Il is, on the whole, better that it should be
SO slow as to attract little attention and
10 cause no irritation
Finally, he might more recently have
noted the remarks OF Senator j. Y. Ellis in
8. New TcrK paper that 1T is no wild in
ference to draw from existing conditions
| that the movement OF this Dominion is in
the direction OF independence. This may
re regretted. but probably Canada would
be more useful to the mother country as
friendly ally. which she must ever be. than
IS e colonial dependent"
CAME FROM LIBERAL SIDE
The curious part OF these remarks and
opinions IS that they were all those Of
Liberals: by members OF the government
party, by men who are supposed to repre-
sent the dominant policy and dominating
opinion Of Canada. There has been no hint
Of such feeling or Of any separa ton scntj-
r1ent on the Conservative side except, per-
! haps. IN the recent defence speech Of E.
l.. Monk, d French Canadian leader in that
PARTY, there have been myriad utterances
| IL favor OF closer empire union as the
right policy for Canada and the basic prin-
ciple OF Conservatism; there has been a
vigorous individual advocacy of contribu-
ton TO the imperial navy as a preferable
plan to that OF the proposed local navy;
there has been strong protest from such
Western Conservative leaders as Premier
Robin Of Manitoba and F. w Z. Haultain
IN Saskatchewan against the alleged 'fn-
dependence" views OF Sir WiIfrid Laurier
What the situation really is might well
puzzle a close Canadian student as well as
the keen American observer whom I have
assumed TO exist-especially as on every
hand they Will hear talk Of imperial unity,
viii see and feel an intense interest in
British affairs Will note that no politician,
big or small dares to speak Of actual sepa-
ration. Yet the general trend Of political
remarks and editorials on both sides is that
Canada IS a nation; the Liberal describes
this nation as in alliance with the empire.
the Conservative as in q union with other
British nations which must become closer
and closer as time goes on The Liberal