The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-01-20
QuEBEC'S LATEST JOKE.
The bringing Forth of Large Families 10
bc Substantially Encouraged.

The bringing Forth OF Largo Families To
bc Substantially Encouraged.
The joke of the session in the Provincial
parliament Is the ministerial measure fore
shadowed in the speech from the throne for
giving free homestead Of 100 acres 20 every
living family OF twelve children Of the same
father and mother. Families of twslye and
over are by no means scarce among the
French Canadian population Of Canada, en-
pecially in the rural districts, but the mer
rimcnt created by the proposition Of the
government proceeds from its official rec
ogntion and proposed encouragement of
legitimate fecundity. The bill has not, A.
yet, been discussed in general way. but
when brought down in detail its provisions
will doubt css be subjected 10 n more or lees
humorous crit O am.
10 what extent Canadians are fruitful and
multiply and replenish the earth may be
cleaned from the fact that when Cnnads
was coded TO Britain in l760 the French
Canadian population In America numbered
but GO,00 In 13l years this comparative
handful of people has increased Go 3,60J.0O0
without any aid from foreign immigration.
A few illustrations of individual obedience
in Canada 10 the divine command 90 Noah
will servs TO indicate how this gigantic re-
suit h0s been attained. The Hon. Gideon
Ouimet. ex-prime minister Of the province
Of Quebec and now superintendent Of public
instruction, In the twenty-seventh child of
the same father and mother. That this Ia
not a phenomenal instance of prolificacy in
Canada is shown by the existence OF q we'll
defined rule in the French Canadian par
ishes that the wenty-sixth child in family
ia adopted and brought up by the parish
priest. Ono twenty-sixth ig the proportion
Of the title 10 the church. and the cure
takes the twenty sixth child az we'll as the
twenty sixth lamb and twenty sixth ton Of
hay and bushel of oats and potatoes.
The wife Of DIR. Lurocque. sergeant at
arms OF tue parliament house, has had
eighteen children, although only ten are
now living. His mother, his married ais
ters and oil his brothers wives have each
seen fourteen olive branches about the
house az one and the same time. The family
Of I. \. I.emieux, NJ. T.. for Lewis. includes
thirteen children; that OF Coroner Belleau,
twelve; that Of the Cheyalier Martineau,
fourteen; TINT of Y. X. Letourneau, tin
smith, thirteen; that of T. l.. Letourneau,
st. Pierre. Montmagny. twenty. There nre
twenty-six living oh ldren In the family OF
Charles Laurin, proprietor Of the City hotel.
| Montreal, and woman residing at Laks
ST. John, whose name my informant has
forgotten, has n family of tbirty-two. Ebyear
Hardy. hardware merchant Of this city. has
been blessed with fourteen children in thr-
teen years Of married life. and none OF
thoin were twins. while the A-year-old wife
Of Thomas Lavellee. hotel.keeper. Is the
mother Of eleven children. A half-breed
named Lofrance, residing ~ Charlosboure,
has family Of twenty-seven, but has been
three times married. That soms OF the
fathers Of tho city are really 20 in a double
capacity is shown by the fact that Mayor
Lee, of the parish. is the father OF family
OF twelve, while City Councillor Duquet's
culver contains fifteen arrows and City
Councillor Vincent's twelve.