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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
