jyrndwwmjuei au 1 yjjw; w'4gtmtmi THE HESPERIAN STUDENT. )e gindtnt'tt crny-booh. the white oioaa. Air, 0W Oaktn liuckel." By llombcrs of Alpha Kpallon Ohaptor. How dear to our hearts aro tho thoughts of our chapter, When fond retrospection prcsonts thora to vlow; Tho eigne nnd tho passwords, tho grips and tho laughter, And ovory loved not which our collcgo days know, Tho dear chapter hall and our Sigma Chi brothers Tho feast and tho Joys which wo novor can toll, Mrlng back to our minds many faces of other, Who wciir tho while cross, which we all lovo fo well. Oiionus Tho whlto cross of friendship, tho whlto cross of honor, Tho glittering cross our fraternity wears. And when to tho girl whom wo cherish wo lend it, To wear at hor throat as an omblcm of lovo, Tho feeling of honor nml friendship attend It Reflecting tho charms In her sweet face above. For bluer her eyes than tho turquolsolgloamlng And redder her lips than tho garnet's red glow, Yot softer her teeth In that sweet mouth aro gleaming Than pearls In the bountiful whlto cross wo know. Tho Sigma Chi grip wo all hall as a troasuro For ofion,!at times whcn.away from our homo, Wo And It tho source of nn exquisite pleasure, Itccelvod irom onr brothers whorovcr wo roam. How nrdent wo seize with our heart ovoiflowlng Tho hand of a ' slg" I" far distant spot, Whllo to tho old collogo our fancy Is going Whoro rouud tho whlto cross wo first tied friendship's kuot, And If in our Journey throuch life we dlsiovcr A Sigma in need or a kind, helping band Wo'll lend It, remembering ho Is n brother Who's bound to us closely in Sigma Chl's band. So when, In tho inturo, our llfo task Is finished And down to the dark, rushing river wo go, Wo'll cling to our standard with lovo undiminished Tho white, Jowellod cross that wo always loved so. Lincoln, tfebr. March 4th, 1888. THE FUTURE OF CANADA. JVliat Canada may become within n few years is n ques. .lion of great interest. Prominent English statesmen are continually agitating the subject, some looking rI it 1'rom ono point of viow, others from another. Among English, men tho popular feeling towards Canada is probably about the same us that towards -v uw Zealand or Tasmania; .that is to say, most of them would prefer to be excused from emmigratiug to any of these uncivilized provinces, They think of Canada as a cold, out-of.lhe way colony, bound to Great Britain and subject to the Queen of Eug 'land. They do not realize that it is a vast country as 'largo us all Europe and with great resources within its ' border?. But men, whoso business it is to think upon ..such subjects, rcnlizo nil these fucts and many additional ones. They know that Canada cannot long remain as she is at present. They sec that n change in the govern ment of the whole country is imminent. What this change will bo is it point much disputed. Some tli Mile that Canada will frame a declaration of independence and thus become a separate power. Others hold to the opinion Hint Cunudn will cuter into n close union with Great Britain having equal rights with Eng land and Ireland. Thus not only would they have a voice in tho government of their own country but also an influ ence in British politics. Tho third view taken is that Canada may become a part, of tho United States. These different possibilities may bo considered oaoh in its oritur. The first, that of independence, seems Hie least prnbn bio. Canada is not strong enough to enduro tho almost certain dcfoal, which would follow an attempt to secede from Great Britain. Nor would sho bo able to hold hor own in adi8pulowlth thogreatrepuhlic lying south ofltor. Then Canada is not oppressed as tho American Colonies before tho Revolution wero. Tltcro is not so much cause for ill.fcellr.g against tho patent country us thcro was In tho enso of our forefathers who woro ground down by tho tyranny of Georgo III. Thou loo, it is not likely Hint tho United States would forget tho Monroe doctrine if Canada occupying nearly ono half of Norlh America, should set up as an independent power. On tho contrary t is extremely probablo that vigorous measures would bo taken to stop all such proceedings It is altogether likely that some chango will take placo in Canadian nffuirs long before lliero is sufficient strength to justify secession and theformingof an independent nation. Thus tho mutter fulls within narrower limits, nnd We pass to Hie two remaining theories. Tho supposition th.it Canada will enter into n close confederation with Great Britain Is, to say tho least, very unlikely. Tho Cauudians will ho unwilling to outer into any such confederation becuuso thoy will not wish to mix in the turmoil of Lhtropcnn politics. They will not bo do. sirous of becoming pnrt of a power that has war on its hands nlmost continually, nnd of being compelled to lako nn activo pntt in its conflicts. Theso wars aro on Europe nn questions which might not be of the least interest to a Canadian living, as he does, tlireo thousand miles from tho scut of difficulties. So much from u Canadian stand point. Now tho British, on the other hand, will be un. willing to allow entire strangers, who have no interest at stake, to meddle with their own peculiar affairs. Thoy will bo unwilling to rccicvo Canadian members into their Purlinment. The English have nlready seen about enough of the confedcrativo plan of government in the troubles they nro constantly haying with the Irish. Is it prob able Hint they would receive another colony on tho satno basis, and one so unlikely to prove congenial? Wo now have the subject narrowed down to a singlo question: will not Canada wish ultimately to become a part of Hie United States, thus forming at tho sumo time a po wei ful element in a great republic, against which the English would vainly mnko war? This seems most prob able. Cunudn Is not separated from tho United States by any true boundnry line excopt in case of that pnrt im mediately norlh of tho great lakes. Canadians have, it is related on good authority, no very strong feeling of patriotism towards the mother country Thoy arc, howovcr, in somo degree bound by their interest to tho United States. The grcnt Canadiun railroads des pond, to a large degree, upon tho travelling public of tho United Stntes for their support. Canadians cannot fail of seeing the great advantages, both social nnd politicnl that thoy would gain by joining the United States which have not only bettor facilities for tho people, but also great er possioilitics for overy ono of advancement in nil di rections. Thou Canada is on the sumo continent as tho United Stales. Nature has placed tho two countries so close together that it would bestrnngo, If nt somo lime, they should not be drawn into tlioclouo union into which tho different slates of tho American ltopubllc hnvo, nt