WILL CANADA REMAIN BRITISH

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 9 April 1908, Page 4

WILL CANADA REMAIN BRITISH

A, woJl-lrnowr. writirar in the London, Daily Chronicle asks the suggestive quaition.: "Can we keep Canada British?" The roeir© ask'ng of the ques lion implies the existence of a, belief that in the not distant future progressive Canada, that important outpost of the British. Fonpire. will seriooiahr c&lculate tho wisdom rf. a.ssumrag political independence Tho vastness of her territory, her unktowi* resources, and heir iliinritaMa possibilities natural?y suggest a nationhood, supreme in its Canada, is essentially loyal to the Mother Country, and at pn-eent tlic pride of helonging to a great Ejupire arrcste other :tspirations But. with her rapi-ih increasing population and the stupendous development of beir territory the growth, of tlnei desare for absolute indepcndeirce is as inevitable sis it is Ratural. People in communities, after all, are subject to the samo promptings a*, s<?p.ira.t£. individuals., To keoip Car-fida British the writer in question, Max Harold Btgbie, suggest* three irieithods. The first «"f tht'S^, ha, Rays, ''is the quickening of cc-mmunicatJon between the two countries. Ihis is liot a stroke of seritintont, but a stroke of businefiK It, will bring our minds into, closer relation. A preferential tariff, on the. other

hand, is both dangerous and futile. The prc«.-int reduction of their tariffs by thei Canadian Government has already injured tljOi one industry really affected by it, the woclleiu trade, and that industry is full d bitterness aid complaint. Moreover, a 'duty laid upon f orougn, co>m by Great Britain would not brng us a bushel of whea.t from. Caijadaj, if the United Slates — with an ir-oree^'ing pcpulatiou end a lessening wheat, area — offered the farmers of Canada* ai bciijc day she Eurely will, free trade in com. The Canadian farmed' will bu swayed by freights. When America afeks for Canadian wheat she will receive it, eivctn. if wo had 20s a j bushel on Argentina and Kufcsiaii wheat." Thci second way in which Canada may bo penetrated apod ; pervaded by the influence ufi!" British, chsjsu'ter h (says Mr Bcgbio) in keying wi'.h the first ''It profits us; little to &w ; cll the, hoetb br , Scandinavians, 6eo> mans, and Italians in .the. Dominion with the unhappy Irish of the. poor of c-ur siums^ who nursei. ia their bosoms neither tin traditions of ' Great Britain nor aiiefctiion for Lea- .high principles. Thiei vigilant and high-|aouled Imperialist will desire to see, mixed with, the f orbign eieanaat in our colonies, tlie -./lost deivcted, affectionatci, and forcible I of hifi feJlcw-eountrymen. To this end ono could' * wish ■ emigration, removed from charitable ageacfee and accepted with prfdei and honor; by the privileged clas&es ol the ccumunily. What nobler work could come' into tJie hands of aristocracy than to lead out from ihe Mother Country bands of happy ,;cople, inspired by British idealism, to lead them out, to captain ihora, to build cities and to found indus-trieß in tliei Britains beyond the sens, and> fathering their little bands, to force their way, through the flesh-flies and the leeches of corruption), into the counsels of the State? Aristocracy, It its Imperialism is sincere, would rejoice to hear &c great a call." The third way suggested is to> pro'oum a cable service for Canada which will reflect, ttio kindrioissi, ihe happiness^ the domesticity of English life, as against the "yellow press" views •which filter at present through tl*e American newschannel provided. "These three ways," the guthoa- says, "will -tug the rope from Amrrican realism towards British idealism. It is by the spiritual .force of p« (rsonal sympathy that we can keep Canada tivcn in the plenitude of her independence^ a British Canada.. Nothing else will suffice." The possibility of Canadian severance- is undoubtedly existent, but we think tliera is no evidence to show that tlw.t counr try is aay nearer to cutting the painter than in. Australasia — and the** posses sions are a long way yot from so vital a. change. But the prospect has deep interest, for the withdnival of Canada from tho Imperial family might set in motion a disintegrating force whicli would wriously, pt-rliaps liopelcsdy, t-nfea'blc the Empire. x