62 CANADA AND THE EMPIRE,

question thought it was not worth while disputing
over a river in which “salmon would not rise to
the fly,” was another victory to the United States.
The Alaskan boundary has not been settled to
the satisfaction of Canada, and these and other
surrenders form an unbroken line of American
victories which have shorn Canada of much valuable
 territory, and it was not to be expected that
Canada would regard them with equanimity.
They have been instrumental in accentuating
Canada’s resentment at her treatment by the
United States, and in widening the breach that
has for some time been growing between them.
Had this been the only result it would at least
have had its good side in doing much to avert an
Imperial danger, But there is a far more sinister
side. Britain has had to bear her share of Canada’s
resentment for losses which have in some cases
undoubtedly been due to her ignorance and carelessness,
 and no one will say that she did not
deserve it. But besides this natural resentment
there has grown up a far more dangerous feeling
due to the recurrence of defeat. A belief now
possesses the Canadian people that Great Britain
is ready to sacrifice what belongs to Canada in
order to conciliate the United States, a country, as
they bitterly exclaim, whose rapacity nothing will
appease. This feeling, if allowed to grow, is one
that is utterly subversive of Empire. Once the
right of the colony to look to the Mother Country
for the defence of its rights ceases to exist, or is even