Evening journal., 1911-08-19
CANADIANS
AND AMERICANS
BY The REV. r. L. JACKSON


This is a capital year in which to
learn how we are regarded by the
people Of Canada. The subject OF
discussion everywhere one goes is the
reciprocity agreement with the United
States. The press is full Of 1t. The
editorials discuss hardly any thing
else. In the hotel Hobbies, on the
trains and in the homes Of the people
the talk is of reciprocity. 1t is TO be
the issue in the election in September.
1t Is TO the Canadian just now what
the tariff is to us in a Presidential
election. In the course of all this
agitation naturally the American
comes in for not little consideration
at the hands of the Canadian.
Those who oppose reciprocity with
us, are indulging in many insinuations
and accusations. Many declare that
our ultimate object is the absorption
of Canada. Reciprocity is only a
prelude to that final event. read
an editorial in which It was intimated
that Americans were intending to
spend large sums of money in the
election in order to carry Canada for
reciprocity.
The quintescence of these absurdi-
ties was expressed to me by Church
Of England clergyman. He stouuy
insisted that the States were DESTROYS
of swallowing up the entire Dominion.
I could not reason with him. The
only successful thing l could do was
to stand back and laugh at him. He
was a curious survival of Eighteenth
Century Toryism, one of those godly
fools whom Il sometimes behooves us
to suffer gladly.
/ am happy to say that Canadians
Of his type. are the exception rather
than the rule. The broad-minded
progressive Canadian regards US al
| together differently He is not blind
| to the fact that Americans are ambi-
tious, aggressive money seekers. He
does not believe that our advances
are actuated by philanthropic motives
but he admires our enterprise anC
push, the way We forge ahead In the
teeth of what seems to be insuper
able obstacles. He covets for him
self the goals we have reached. HI
believes the hour has struck, calling
his country to greater achievement
along all lines and that the logic o.
the situation demands closer relation:
with US In the States. It is not Eng
land, but the United States with whom
Canada consciously or unconsciousl!
indentifies herself in the working GU
of the problem Of her destiny. No
that she is disloyal to the motheI
country. This is far from the case
but there is a strong and widespread
feeling that our ends are the same anC
that 1t Is in reciprocal relations Will
us that these ends are to be real
lied.
The Canadians l have met are in
telligent, Industrious and aggressive
They know the value of money as wei
as Americans, but apparently It doe
not stand to them as to us, as tn
supreme head Of things. I hav
found them very accommodating an
agreeable. They mix their civilit
with a friendliness which we Ameri
cans too frequently lack. We ma
be democratic, but what boots It {
be such when our relations with on
another fail TO be characterized by a
open-hearted friendliness Until thi
element Is pItStnt Jul tVAhS>AoSf
not a real actuality. One can neve
know the full value of this quality c
friendliness until they have soJourr
ed for a longer or shorter time anon
strangers. We return home Win
new sense Of it's worth and let US mop
with the resolve to manifest II NOR
frequently in our relations with 10
stranger in our midst
I cannot close this without sayin
am proud to be an america
although II l had TO be sometning els
| would not be averse TO being ~
madam. We have already passed "a
reciprocity bill. Let us hope tne "a
nadians will do the same II sney u'
without a shadow OF DOUBT the ne
relation will greatly redouno 10 ou
mutual advantage.