CANADA AND UNITED,STATES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 191, 7 May 1908, Page 5

CANADA AND UNITED,STATES.

j . Sir Just a word in reply to A. S. Aldrich, 14th inst.. Many Englishmen believe that the true reason for the United States getting the best of England in tho treaty-making ■ business is, that Canada might lire, on . friendly terms with that nation. It is easy to show that this is a fallacy. ■■ First take tho dispute over the boundary between New Brunswick and State of Maine. It has always been a standing joke in the States that tho settlement of that question was simply an easy victory of Daniel Webster over an, incompetent Englishman. Next the, boundary between British North America and tho Louisiana Purchase or Mississippi Valley was another .example of yielding to shrewd American tenacity. Wo may say "ditto" with regard to the Oregon boundary, or the region between tho Rocky Mountains and tho Pacific. Tho first two of those disputes were settled in 1818, and tho third in 1846. Tho Dominion of Canada began its existence in 1867. It ' is hard to believe that Mother England took such a deep interest in her unborn child so many years in advance as to bribe Uncle .' Jonathan by threo separate gifts of millions of valuable territory, into behaving well towards Miss Canada after her arrival. The only American boundary dispute that has been settled in tho lifetimo of the Dominion is tho Alaskan, boundary of a couple of years ago. It is true that Canada was asked to send a commissioner to Washington to confer with the British Ambassador, but Canada was practically ignored iu tho settlement. So much was this the caso, that Premier Laurier voiced the opinions of his people fully when lie declared that' tho time had come when Canada should make ' her , own treaties. There is abundant-reason for the belief that she would succeed much better without England. Newfoundland being a separate colony, Canada has no control over her fisheries. No doubt, as suggested, Canada is a source of weakness to England. That is true of every largo colony in-the Empire. Colonial possessions swamped Greeco and Rome, and have left Spain barely afloat. Signs are not wanting that England will follow suit. The length of her days will probably bo in proportion to the greed of the British taxpayer. In other words, if the British taxpayer prove unwilling to pay out of his own pocket for tho glory of tho Empire, instead of exploiting the colonies, England must go down with Spain and tho rest of them. Canada -does not contribute directly to. the up-keop of England's Navy, but she gives her upwards of 25 per cent, trade preference. One wonders if the British taxpayer would liko to eat his cake, but not destroy it.—l am, etc., ONTARIO. April 25.