Joseph Keppler, in PUCK Magazine, around 1890, made a prediction

125 Years Ago, PUCK Magazine Speculated on Canada Becoming Part of the United States...

by Rick Marschall

Canada, and the Colonies-then-USA, have been linked through the centuries as member lands of France, Spain, and Great Britain. Sometimes linked in territorial claims, sometimes squabbling over same; separated (except for Francophone lands) by the same language. Eh?

Recently as of this posting, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called on President-Elect Donald Trump to say hello and, by the way way, plead with the once and future president not to enact tariffs. Trump had voiced concern over trade imbalances, unfair subsidies, and especially lax border policies. Many United Statesians remember that the majority of 9-11 terrorists entered the country through Canada.

Withal, since the 1700s there has been remarkably little friction between the two countries. A few border disputes were settled by arbitration; great trade and great harmony exists and persists. As a casual analyst, I hope Canadians are happy with TV programs from the US; and down here, we have been laughing at Canadian comedians for a generation.

Also, the founder of this Web Magazine, the late and beloved John Adcock, was a native of Alberta -- another point of coincidence. Occasionally he would talk of Western provinces losing patience with the rest of Canada, and hearing whispers of Secession.

So it might not be untoward to recall in this post a classic cartoon from one of the times in history that Secession -- even a full-country merger with the United States -- was in the news.

Several times in Puck Magazine its founder and chief political cartoonist Joseph Keppler speculated (approvingly) on Canada becoming part of the United States. Other Puck cartoonists -- indeed, other cartoonists like Thomas Nast; and many politicians of the "Manifest Destiny" stripe -- cast hungry friendly eyes on the prospect. Canadians seldom shared the "dream"; the British Crown even less frequently.

In the early 1890s, Keppler drew an elaborate cartoon on the topic. At the center of the cartoon (as often a theme was carried) the magazine's mascot Puck proposes a toast. How a punchbowl wound up in the snowy wilderness is not explained, but Uncle Sam and his distaff, iconic companion Miss Columbia happily embrace as children -- each labeled to represent state of the US -- dance around the fire.

In the icy shadows, the figure representing Canada looks on with a combination of disdain and jealousy. Huddled around her are children bearing labels of the Canadian provinces. Out in the cold, they are ill-clad, ill-housed, ill-fed. Not a subtle point, Kep; but probably more charitable than Donald Trump's answer to Justin Trudeau's prediction that Canada's economy would be ruined by US tariffs: "Just become America's 51st state and become a Governor instead of Prime Minister."