New Britain herald., 1923-07-26

tice. I am informed, approximately
$2,5o0,0oo has found its way from
the United States into Canada for in
vestment. Most gratifying to you
moreover, should be the circum.
stances that one half of that great
sum has gone for purchase of your
state and municipal bonds, a tribute
indeed to the scrupulous mainte-
nance Of your credit, to degree
equalled only by your mother country
across the sea and your sister country
across the hardly visible border.
Peace Can Be Kept
"a hundred years of tranquil rela-
tionship through vicissitudes which
elsewhere would have evoked armed
conflict. rather than arbitration, af-
fords, truly declared James Bryce, the
finest example ever seen in history of
an undefended frontier whose very
absence of ornaments itself helped to
prevent hostile demonstrations; thus
proving beyond question that peace
can always be kept whatever be the
grounds of controversy between
peoples that wish to keep it.
There is great and highly per-
tinent truth, my friends, in that
simple assertion. 1t is public will,
not public force that makes for en-
during peace. And is 1t not graft
flying circumstance that has fallen to
the lot of us North Americans, liv-
ing amicably for more than century,
under different flags. to present the
most striking example yet produced
of that fact? If only European coun-
tries would heed the lesson conveyed
by Canada and the United States they
would strike at the root of their own
continuing disagreements and in their
own prosperity, forget to inveigh
constantly to ours
Regard Only Present
mot that we reproach them for
resentment or envy which all Is but a
manifestation of human nature rather
should we sympathize with their
seeming inability to break the
shackles of age long methods, and re-
joice in our own relative freedom
from the stultifying effect of old
world customs and practices. Our
natural advantages are manifold and
obvious. We are not palsied by the
habits of thousand years. We live
in the power of glory of youth
Others derive justifable satisfaction
from contemplation of their resplen-
dent pasts. We have relatively only
our present to regard and that. with
eager eyes fixed chiefly upon our
future.
Therein lies our best estate. We
profit both mentally and materially
from the fact that we have no de-
parted greatness to recover, no lost
provinces to regain, no new territory
to covet, no ancient grudges to gnaw
eternally at the heart of our national
consciousness. Not only are we hap
PLY exempt from these handicaps of
vengeance and prejudice but we are
animated correspondingly and most
helpfully by our better knowledge,
derived from long experience of the
blessings of liberty.
II find that quite unconsciously l
am speaking of our two countries, al
most in the singular when perhaps /
should be more painstaking to keep
them where they belong in the plural.
But feel no need to apologize. You
understand as we'll as that I speak
in no political sense. The ancient
bugaboo of the United States schem-
ing to annex Canada disappeared from
all our minds year sand years ago.
Heaven knows we have all we can
manage now, and room to spare for
another hundred millions before ap-
preaching the intensive stage of ex-
istence of many European states.
Against Annexation.
"And If I might be so bold as to
offer a word of advice to you it would
be this: Don't encourage any enter
Prise looking to Canada's annexation
to the United States. You are one
of the most capable governing peoples
in the world, but entreat you for
your own sakes, to think twice before
undertaking management of the ter
ritory which lies between the Great
Lakes and the Rio Grande.'
mo, let us go our own gaits along
parallel roads, you helping us and We
helping you. So long as each coun-
try maintains its independence, and
both recognize their interdependence,
those paths cannot fail to be high
ways of progress and prosperity"