Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-07-10
THE FRENCH IN CANADA.
Their Influence Vastly Enhanced by
the Victory of Premier MERCER
of Quebec.
The Avenger of His Brother" Riel,
Returned to Power with a
Big Majority.

New YoRK.-A Montreal special says:
The result of the elections in the Prov
ince of Quebec bears an unusual signif-
canoe Premier MERCER, the apostle of the
branch of the Roman
Catholic church. and the hope of the
French race, has been returned to power
with an overwhelming majority.
Five years ago MERCER led a crusade of
for the execution Of his broth
er, Riel, who rebelled against the federal
government and headed the northwest re-
bellion. The then existing government
was defeated by majority of seven. Be-
fore the dissolution of Parliament Mercier
had nineteen members of a plurality over
all other combined factors-C Conservative,
Independent, Liberals, and independents.
At that time the political war-cry was ven
gednce for an insult to the race, and by it
the elec sorate was headed and driven to
success. Now, nationalism means some
thing more.
NJ MERCER acknowledges that it was
called into existence by the readiness of
the French to gather round the symbol of
their unity, the Riel flag; but to-day it
lives to forward French supremacy in
Quebec and French aggression in Canada.
through the alliance of the church with
the state. 1t is able to attain this end by
to the vanity of an impression
able people, and reysving in them the old
dream of
NEW FRCNCE
on the shores of the st. Lawrence, inAu-
encing the developments Of New England,
and controlling the destinies of the West
Our country as Bishop Grandin
styles it. The propagation Of the Nation
alist idea Is 10y far the most important fac
tor affecting the future OF this country. III
has brought to the surface all the danger
Gus elements of the political life, and the
province that was content TO exercise it's ex-
elusive privileges in apparent quietness is
no longer willing to remain Il peaceful
member of the Confederation.
The success that has attended these APP
peals to National pride and religious pas
sion has emboldened the politicians to re-
ylye old sChems Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and TO
PROFOUND new adventures by continuing to
initiate the popular mind and impressing
upon the people the destiny that Heaven
has in store for them. In his election adj
dress NJ. MERCER says:
my Government is a Catholic govern
ment. Si'ce ! visited Rome His Holiness
Leo MIL has conferred upon me the high
est dignity the church has bestowed upon
a layman in our country. | went TO
France and the President of the Republic
conferred upon me the decoration Of the
Legion of Honor. No one can say, there
fore, that am Objectionable on re-
hgious or national grounds.
Herein are the
PRINCIPLES OF NATIONALIsM
represented in their country, compound
of Rome and France out of which an in
dependent Quebec may arise.
This was no mere election ayowal it
has been carried out to the letter The
Josuits, an order hateful to the chur IN
] elf, have been endowed with $500, 900
from the public funds. the Pope and
Bishops have been introduced into the
legislation, and TO obtain the papal assent
to a measure has been to insure its adop
ton. NJ MERCER has at once become the
defender of the faith and the embodiment
of the aspirations of Quebec after a ma
tional existence and it is his boast that the
Nationalist party is first Catholic and then
French but Canadian in no degree at all
in the sense in which the other races in
habiting this country understand that
term. Previous governments were too
Protestant and too British, and inclined to
neglect the incontestable rights Of the
church.
The process by which the foundations
of theaspiring nationality are being laid
is matter of easy recognition. Extra
ordinary efforts are being made to swell
the French population, Emissaries are
in every New England town and wherever
there is French Catholic Canadian pop
ulatiou, endeayorng to persuade so many
Of their eXpatrlated countrymeu as are
not necessary to retain the foothold they
have already gained to return and
OCCUPY THE LANDS.
which the State. with the advice and con
sent of the church. is ready TO bestow upon
them Those in possession already are
encouraged TO cultivate their natural
fecunditv. Early marriages areeinsisted
upon. and families of eighteen and twenty
children are by no means rare. One hum
bred acres of land for every twelfth child
Is the bonus offered to every married couple
in the Province, as if French Canadians
required any incentive to multiply and re-
plenish that portion of the earth lying on
both sides of the st. Lawrence Monsignor
Labele has been dispatched to France to
promote immigration, for as that assid
nous colonizer has explained in his official
report The success'of our policy depends
upon our success IN strengthening the
French rance
While in France he is also instructed
to have an eve to the spread of influence
i'm the Northwest Those old emigrants
from Old France who are unwilling to set
tie in the New France. or ON the banks Of
the st. Lawrence, are to be induced to join
those patrols who i'm the West are counter
acting what is called in Quebec foreign ~
influence. and building up an extension of
of French denomination on the prairies.
supporting the colonization and con
sohdating schemes stands the church,
ready to grant indulgences to those who
are willing 10.
SHARE IN THE CoLoNISTs HARDsHIFs.
while upon it all his holiness, the pope.
has hreathed a blessing and manfests his
satisfaction at the progress Of affairs by
awarding 10 the chief Of the national
cause the highest dignity the church
has bestowed upon a layman in our coun-