CANADA AND THE EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 712, 11 January 1910, Page 6

CANADA AND THE EMPIRE.

MISSION OF MB. LEMIECX "There most be few men under the Bniish flag (writes the "Daily Mail" of November 2o) in whom the Iniperial idca" is - more happily ; incarnated. by birth, ■.. position,., and personality than' it: is.;in. the'/Hon.- Rodolphe; Lemfeiix,-\Postmss« ■ . ter-Gencral -.'of.Canada, ■ who is', at pre« sent in-Ix>ndon-conferring . : irith .Mr. Syct '/ ,ney . Buxton- on .matters connected witii-,; the . improvement' -pt - the '-.postal;; and telegraphic, communications ~between. the#. Dominion and the Mother Country. "By his descent-; from,a;'Frehch.-family- ■. whicli left.. Rouen i 300. years ■ ago,■ to .settle. . in Canada, Mr. Lemieux stands.as a re-. minder of' the fact—too often forgotten—,, . that 1 the British Empire . owes; its great- , ; ; ness not to the'.espansive ihstinctsiof the;'.. home nation alone, but to the same power,' that raised : Ro'meY,from/'a.- city-State to. r the dominance: ;of \the. world—tho p&sver ofiincorporating and;welding -into, its own, structure all that-is",best,and.;hardiest in'/ the; peoples that, _h]£ve ; com*}-; within; its':. widening, boundaries. .; V

"By position" Mr. Leiaioax lndicatesth#' method; in which , the ' Emjrii-e I-' will Bo rendered', stronger yet m years to como. ;A staieSman of;.the'; ybung- Caßadian-'na; •; ■ tion, he has come here' -to discuss with , •the;; Government .of . the .-. best" means of multiplying and strengthening the .bonds of affection .that ', bind... the. two , L nations together, as a prudent .son might come to a.wise father for friendly advice and counsel.■ V : .v V ; • ; "And,.' lastly, in his personality ; Mr. Lemieux stands.as a type of/thomanwho; has made.; the.; Empire". gr<jat.; . Forceful, .; alert, a; man', in whom grand - conceptions and-a power, of rapid organisation are- al-; lied' to a. cool, even judgment, l-and, the gift' of •; a. charming ;, -personality,; Mr./ Lemieux- is worthy to fulfil'-the higi .; duty-, of helping to guide tho. early days . of a'-natioh that stands yet ;only upon; the threshold of its destiny." -i - "Among tho. matters; that have brought V me over.; here," Mr." Lemieux said, ""is the'project of establishing.' an. 'all service of fast steainers, between this/; country and-Canada'; and bebreen Canada ; ; and Australia. ' - It-, would / Be! an institution of great value/in strengthening the, . ties that 'bind, the -colonies to-the Mother;/ ' Country. ' Wo in Canada .are enthusiastie;: .for the scheme. "; /Cv;-; t ; ;

. "You ask ieo' whether tie sentiment,, that was"onco frequently advanced, tjint: the 'ultimate destiny' of Canada was 1 incorporation; with; the .United States, hafl any : hold r upoiV public '.'opinion:; ada. VNoVsane. .man; in; Canada"—Mr. Lenrieux , spoko emphatically—"thinks that to-day,' and few besides , the "most; ir-' repressible ; ofjingoes',in;/.the ..United States. \V« Canadians are, and we intend to remain, a nation within tha. Empire."