The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-02-17

I
people of the United States and Can
ada are "a substantially homogeneous
people" with deep moral and racial
reciprocities," the benefits of the pro.
posed commercial reciprocity with
Canada Ought not to be unsecured by
the fear of relations too cordial and
conceivably dangerous to the great
Canadian loyalty to England" in the
opinion of the secretary of state, Phil.
ander G. Knox, who addressed the
Chicago Association of Commerce
here last night.
Mr.. Knox declared that while mi
grations proceeded as constantly and
as freely between Canada and the
United States as between two states of
this country and while the two people
have been welding together for two
centuries, there is not the slightest
probability that this racial and moral
union will involve any political change
or annexation or absorption"
/ "It is an chronological fact that po-
litical units of the English-speaking
people never lose their autonomy, -
said Secretary Knox. Like bees,
they give off their swarms who set up
for themselves Independently, but
they do not make political combina-
fiOpc op1ono fba,,oco1x,oc C;oao A.
revolution there has been almost un-
disturbed peace and amity between
the two countries, and however gov
ernmental changes may have been
bruited in the past, it is probably
more true today than ever before that
the weight of sentiment and opinion
both in Canada and the United States,
while desiring closer relations in all
other respects, is crystallized in a be-
lief that the present political separa-
tion is desirable and will lead to the
best development of each nation and
to better and more satisfactory rela-
tions between them.
"In the higher atmosphere and
broader aspects of the situation it is
certain that if there should be any
great world movement involving this
continent Canada and the United
States would, as a matter of course,
act in the most perfect concert III de
tense of the common rights of com.
mon blood and civilization"
! Declaring, however, that the reci.
procity proposition was economic, not
POLITICAL" Mr.. Knox asserted: "The
United States recognizes with salts
faction that the Dominion of Canada
is a permanent North American poll
tical unit and that her autonomy is
secure. The United States appreciates
the advantage to the common welfare
of the continent that Canada contri
butes her own strength plus the
strength of Great Britain"
| Secretary Knox prefaced his argu.
ment allaying fears of Canadian an.
nexation with an outline of the trade
relations between the United States
and Canada to the work of the pres.
ent administration and then remarked
that "for more than half century
the statesmen of Canada, of Great
Britain and of the United States have
by repeated effort testified and re.
affirmed an abiding and fundamental
belief in the principle of American.
Canadian reciprocity"
Sketching briefly the negotiations
between Canada and the United States
from the time of the passage of the
reciprocity treaty of 1854 and its abro.
cation in 1866, Mr.. Knox spoke of the
subsequent efforts on both sides oI
the line to promote reciprocal trade
the Canadian pilgrimages to Washing.
ton, "the cold reception given the
eminent Canadians who made those
pilgrimages and the appeal to imperial
and political sentiment by their op,
ponents at home"
Our task was, despite all this, >
continued Mr. Knox, ito submit to the
people of the United States and to
the people of Canada an opportunity
to cement the commercial links which
it is decreed shall unite us. The agree
ment submitted to congress by the