ULTIMATE POLITICS. 73 



in the Republic, but because the preponderance of the Republic can- 

 not but increase. Its people must number three hundred millions 

 before your grandchildren cease from participating in the English 

 duty of running the world. Which means that pan-Anglican leader- 

 ship must more plainly come to the Republic, where the bulk of the 

 people, power, and wealth will be. To promote unfriendliness to- 

 ward the United States would surely be very unwise in the people 

 of the other English regions. For them to fight the Republic would 

 destroy the fair prospect of a pan-Anglican Union ruling the world 

 to peace and industry. It is best to look facts in the face; to ac- 

 knowledge the huge value of friendliness all round between English- 

 speakers ; to cultivate that sentiment deliberately, both by the arts of 

 advance and restraint. Is not that a sound Imperialism ? I am not 

 here arguing the case, nor endeavouring to stir you up to confutation 

 of my dream. I am but stating its nature. 



Well, back to where we started. My small book is largely a 

 political document. It amounts to a deliberate attempt to signalize 

 actual sympathy with sentiments often regarded as inconsistent, viz., 

 Canadian, British, and " American " sentiments, all these being sen- 

 timents of the Englishry of the world. The design, in brief, was to 

 evince that catholicity of feeling in a pleasing way, with hope to 

 induce some readers to share it. 



A certain responsiveness has been disclosed in the Republic. 

 There my critics have written very sympathetically of the Imperialist 

 " Many-mansioned House," of the ultra-Canadian " Pettr (Ottawa," 

 of the pan-Anglican " Parliament of the Ages." Possibly these 

 things were taken the more kindly by Americans because preceded 

 in the book by the Lincoln and Civil War pieces. Just so I designed. 

 In England Mr. Quiller-Couch and other critics have taken the 

 " American " poems sympathetically. It is only in our dear native 

 Canada that my humble attempt to be a bit of a reconciler has been 

 publicly greeted with some mild reproof, and privately with some 

 less mild. I am told that a Canadian hasn't any right to be cele- 

 brating Canada and the Empire in the same book with Abraham Lin- 

 coln and the Civil War ! 



In effect the few Canadian obj ectors seem to be saying, " Recon- 

 ciliation be hanged! Away with it! We won't, shan't, can't be 

 reconciled to the United States !" "Why not?" one enquires. "Be- 

 cause we're so loyal. Because we must be true to the Throne and 

 the Old Country." As if there were essential war between the Mon- 

 archy and the Republic ! In fact there is essential friendship. Should 



