you, although
I am not Canadian born. I think there's something awfully fine in
Canada's splendid independence. She wants to run her own ranch, and by
George she will, and everything on it. She is going to boss her own job
and will allow no one else to butt in. I agree with what you say about
the Empire. Canada ought to have a Navy and quick. She ought to take her
share of the burden of defence. But I agree here with Laurier. I believe
her ships should be under her own control. For after all only the
Canadian Government has the right to speak the word that sends them
out to war. Of course, when once Canada hands them over to the Imperial
Navy, they will fall into line and take their orders from the Admiral
that commands the fleet. Do you know I believe that Laurier is right in
sticking out for autonomy."

"I am awfully interested in what you say, and I don't believe we are
so far apart. It's a thousand pities they did not keep together in the
Commons. They could easily have worked it out."

"Yes, it was a beastly shame," replied Ross.

"But isn't it rather queer," said Monteith, "and isn't it significant,
too? Here I am, born in Canada, sticking out against reciprocity and
anxious to guard our Imperial connection and ready to hand our Navy
clean over to the Imperial authorities, and on the other hand, there
you are, born in the Old Country, you don't appear to care a darn about
Imperial connections. You let that take care of itself, and you stick up
for Canadian autonomy to the limit."

"Well, for one thing," replied Ross, "we ought to get together on
the Navy business. On the trade question we represent, of course, two
schools of economics, but we ought not to mix up the flag with our
freight. This flag-flapping business makes me sick."

"There you are again," said Monteith. "Here I am, born right here in the
West, and yet I believe in all the flag-flapping you can bring about
and right here in this country too. Why, you know how it is with these
foreigners, Ruthenians, Russians, Germans, Poles. Do you know that in
large sections of this western country the foreign vote controls the
election? I believe we ought to take every means to teach them to love
the flag and shout for it too. Oh, I know you Old Country chaps. You
take the flag for granted, and despise this flag-raising business. Let
me tell you something. I went across to Oregon a little while ago and
saw something that opened my eyes. In a little school i