[boueinot] CANADA DURING THE VICTORIAN ERA 29' 



XIII. 



One of the most encouraging results of this political sj-stem has 

 been not merely the material development of the country but the crea- 

 tion of that national sentiment which must lie at the basis of any political 

 structure, if it is to withstand the storm of passion and faction which 

 from time to time will beat against its walls. The government of an im- 

 mense country like Canada is surrounded by many difficulties which an 

 Englishman or an American not thoroughly conversant with it.s history 

 and conditions can hardly realize. The great extent of territory and the 

 diverse interests of the populations that inhabit it from the Atlantic to 

 the Pacific shores require that there should be much wisdom and patience 

 used in the exercise of the large responsibility which these circum.stances 

 throw upon the government. If we look at the map, we see hing on 

 the Atlantic seaboard three provinces whose industries are chiefly mari- 

 time, and whose propinquity to the United States naturally gives great 

 imjjortance to the commercial arrangements which may exist with that 

 country. These pi'ovinces are separated by many hundreds of miles Irom 

 the populous, prolific province of Ontario, and all commercial intercourse 

 must be by means of railroads, or by the long and expensive navigation 

 of the St. Lawrence. To encourage interprovincial trade under these 

 circumstances, and make the people see that their true interests should 

 not lie in dependence upon the United States, or on any single country, 

 but on opening up new avenues of commerce wlierever practicable, has 

 been the natural policy of the governments since 1867. The result has 

 been on the whole moderately successful, considering that the fight has 

 not been merely against geographical obstacles but also against the 

 antagonism exhibited by American politicians, ever since the repeal of 

 the reciprocity treaty of 1854. The firmness with which the government 

 has adhered to the rights it possesses in the fisheries, and the liberality 

 with which it has promoted maritime interests by the construction of 

 railways and other public works necessary to the material development 

 of the country, have succeeded in restraining the clamour that was 

 raised for some years in the maritime provinces against the operation of 

 the union. 



The situation has still its difficulties ; but there is every reason to 

 believe that the national sentiment is largely predominant, and that the 

 mass of the people clearly see that by strengthening the confederation 

 they are assuring their true happiness and prosperity in the end, and 

 that to weaken or destroy it by the withdrawal of any single province 

 would mean the destruction of British interests on the continent and the 

 annexation of Canada eventually to the United States. Then, leaving 

 that branch of the subject, if we look at the distinct national elements 



