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The Dominion in 1983 By: Ralph Centennius |
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NOTES ON THIS ETEXT EDITION
The Dominion in 1983 was first published as a thirty page booklet
in 1883 under the pseudonym Ralph Centennius. (The author's real
name is unknown.) This edition has been proof read word by word
against a copy of the original on microfiche. (Canadian Institute
for Historical Microreproductions no. 00529) In this text, a mixture of American and British spelling can be
found. (For example "harbour" and "favor" are both used.) The
phrase "rocket car" is hyphenated twice, while appearing three
times as two individual words. There are also some instances of
unusual spelling and capitalization of words. With the exception
of a few small emendations, spelling, capitalization and
punctuation have been preserved as in the original.
THE DOMINION IN 1983 by Ralph Centennius Entered according to Act of Parliament of Canada, in the
year 1883, by Toker & Co., Publisher on behalf of the Author,
in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture. I.
"Before the curing of a strong disease,
"Even in the instant of repair and health,
"The fit is strongest; evils that take leave,
"On their departure most of all show evil."
King John, Act III.
In the present advanced and happy times it is instructive to take
a retrospective glance at the days of our forefathers of the
nineteenth century, and to meditate upon the political struggles
and events of the past hundred years, that by so doing we may gain
a clear insight into the causes which have led to the present
wonderful developments. We, in the year of Grace 1983, are too
apt to take for granted all the blessings of moral, political
and physical science which we enjoy, and to pass over without
due consideration the great efforts of our ancestors, which have
made our present happy condition possible. Let us try to contrast the Dominion of to day with the Dominion of
1883. To begin with population. Our population at the last census
in 1981, was just over 93,000,000. A hundred years ago a scant
5,000,000 represented this great Canadian nation, which has since
so mightily increased and proved itself such a beneficent factor
in human affairs. Seven provinces and some sparsely peopled and
only partially explored territories formed all that the world then
knew as Canada. To day have we not fifteen provinces for the most
part thickly peopled, and long since fully explored to the shores
of the Arctic Ocean? In the present days of political serenity it is hard to realize
the animosity and extreme bitterness of the past century. The two
parties into which men formerly divided themselves, viewed each
other as enemies, and each party opposed on principle whatever
measures the other proposed. From a careful study of the principal
journals of the time, fyled(sp.) at Ottawa, we gather that the party,
self styled "Reformers," frequently opposed progressive measures,
and even attempted to hinder the construction of railroads, while
the other party called "Conservatives" considered railroads as the
best means of opening up the enormous tracts of country then lying
untrodden by man, and useless to civilization. Such are certainly
the inferences to be drawn from the records at our command, though
it is hard to believe in opposition to railroads or to advancement
in any form in these days, when new channels of communication and
new industries are viewed with favor by the whole nation. Each
party seems strangely to have belied its title, for the Reformers,
after the confederation of the provinces in 1867, endeavored with
singular perverseness to frustrate or retard reform and improvement
of all kinds, while the Conservatives did not desire to preserve
things in the old ruts and grooves, but strove hard for beneficial
advancement of every sort. In 1883 the United States was one of the leading nations of the
world. With a population of over 50,000,000, and an almost
illimitable extent of territory still open for settlement by the
fugitives from troubled Europe; with exhaustless wealth, developed
and undeveloped, it seemed reasonable to suppose that a nation so
placed should be able to attain the foremost position and be able to
keep it... Continue reading book >>
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