The Times of Thursday publishes among its special papers a
plausible and well-reasoned plea for the inclusion of the West Indies in the Canadian Dominion, an inclusion unanimously recommended by the Maritime Board of Trade-in Canada. It is argued that the islands are neglected by Great Britain, but the Dominion would attend closely to them, would encourage their profitable fruit culture, and would promote new facilities for steam communication. The Canadians are already investing money in the islands, and would prove much more dependable patrons than the United States, whose Government alters tariffs to suit the convenience of its own people, or rather of its own capitalists. The project is a serious one, and may ultimately find favour ; but we agree with the Times that it is at present premature. We must see what the cutting of the Panama Canal does for the islands. It is certain to increase their importance, and it may enlarge their trade. It might be more convenient to federate the islands first, and thus accustom their people to govern them- selves, instead of relying, as they do now, upon the Colonial Office. Canada as a people, it must be added, has not as yet asked for a tropical dependency, which might, with its ignorant negro population, prove specially hard to manage.
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