John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

[477] ceased to show his interest in this great question, and with a view to its proper and friendly solution accepted the presidency of the Continental Union Association, which at one time included in its membership many prominent and influential men throughout both Canada and the United States. It may be worth while in this connection to call attention to the fact that the Sun of April 21, 1887, asked the pertinent question:

Which of the great political parties is going to be the first to make the peaceable acquisition of Canada a plank in its platform? Don't both speak at once.... But think about it carefully and prayerfully as well as wisely. It is a great subject, and will not become any less great till the thing has been done.

It did not fail to give special commendation to the Republican party for the unequivocal declaration which it inserted in its statement of principles in favor of that policy, but which, owing to the Spanish War a few years later, and perhaps to the fears of a timid administration, it at first softened and finally dropped entirely from its platform.

While the Democratic party still controlled the House of Representatives, the Sun counselled it not to let the Republicans “lead the way in this most important movement,” but to seize upon it as a chance for “moving up to higher ground.” But questions of internal policy engaged the entire attention of both parties. Neither had time or inclination to discuss the country's future relations with its near-by neighbors, but both were content to leave matters of that sort to be disposed of as they might arise. While Dana regarded continental union as “the paramount question of the hour” for the American people, he was far too practical an editor to engage in discussions for which they were not ready or which had not been brought