MR. CHAMP CLARK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1302, 4 December 1911, Page 5

MR. CHAMP CLARK.

A FLAMBOYANT TALKER. Mr. Champ Clark created a sensation and greatly embarrassed tho United States Government in February last bydeclaring for the annexation of Canada. Speaking on tho Reciprocity Bill, he said:— "I am for it, because I hope to see the day when tho American flag will float over every square of the British North American possessions clear to tho North Pole. ■ They are people of our blood. They speak our language. Their institutions are much like ours. They are trained in tho difficult art of self-govern-ment. My judgment is that, if the treaty of 1554 had never been abrogated, the chances of a consolidation of theso two countries would have been much greater than, they are now." Representative Norris said, as he understood it, Mr. Clark favoured tho Bill for at least one reason, "that it will have a tendency in the end to bring Canada into tho Union." "Yes," answered Mr. ClaTk, "I have no doubt of it.'' Asked whether that would hare a tendency to preserve peace with Great Britain, Mr. Clark said: "Why, certainly it will. I do not have any doubt whatever that the day is not far distant when Great Britain will joyfully see all her North American possessions become a part of this republic. That is the way things are tending now. 1 ' The "New York Outlook," in commenting on the speech, said:—"We can assure our Cauadiau readers that there is as little desire for annexation on this side of the border as ou tho other. Tho proposal for annexation in the Honso was a Wt of political play which no one took seriously. There are some of us who like to get ourselves talked about in tho newspapers, and the more preposterous tho .proposal the more likely it is to get a headline. The colonial responsibilities which the United States has recently assumed, because she could not in honour decline them, have sobered her ambitions, and sho ia just now much more solicitous to solve her present problems than to add new ones. Tho 'Outlook' hopes that the times is near at hand when the colonies and tho Mother Country will bo drawn much closer together in some sort of federation, and would be glad to see that Imperial organisation lead to an unofficial and non-political alliance of all English-speaking peoples, not to dominate tho world either politically or commercially, hut to promote its progress in civilisation and in tho difficult art of selfgovernment."