Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-06

real estate possessions not foot contributes
to the legitimate expenses of the State. 1t
seems to be regarded as holy ground.
Naturally, therefore, all the more heavily
does the burden of providing these legitl-
mate expenses, and at the same time
furnishing the s'sinews of war" for the
politician, press upon the shoulders OF the
peasant and of the English-speaking
Protestant minority of the province.
Thousands Have Crossed the Border.
At least one consequence of this condi-
tion of things is that thousands of French
Canadians have crossed the border, and are
now settled permanently in the United
States where the atmosphere is not so
weightilv ecclesiastical while at the same
time there is pretty constant stream of
emigration among the English speaking
Protestants either in the same direction, or
westward to more congenial parts OF the
Dominion.
Briefly, then, it stands thus with the
Province of Quebec: Geographically it oc-
cupies position midway among the older
portions of the Dominion. dividing the
Anglo-Saxon provinces on the seacoast
from Ontario 1t is inhabited by about
one-third of the entire population of the
Dominion, and of that third by far the
larger part are of one race, French, and one
religion, the Roman Catholic. The Ian
guage of the one and various privileges OF
the other are guaranteed by the act of Con-
federation, and are jeslously guarded. Be
tween the two races, even when they dwell
in the same city, there is no thorough COM
munity of interest. They dwell side by
side, but their sympathies are diverse.
The average French Canadian is above
all and always provincial. His sympathles
and interests are centered in and bounded
by Quebec. For generations his forefathers
have dwelt by the banks of the st. Law
renee. He has his own language, his own
religion, his own traditions, his own itera-
ture, in all things he regards himself as suf-
fcient unto himself, and troubles himself
little about his English speaking fellow
countrymen, except when ne is taught to
regard them as mischievous interferers with
his rights of language and religion.
A Crisis Is Reached at Last.
The Province is ruled enthusiastically by
the Roman Church, which by reason of its
long establishment, its valuable privileges,
its vast wealth and the consummate skill
with which it has turned to its own advan-
tage the various aspirants for secular power,
is as fully entrenched as anywhere else
probably in the whole world, and would be
one of the most determined and formidable
opponents of any change in the political
status of the Dominion which would seri-
iously threaten its present supremacy.
The secular oversight of the Province has
hitherto, to an altogether unfortunate ex-
tent been in the hands of men who have
made the name Quebec politician" synon-
ymous with corruptionist, and have not
merely caused the Province to become by
word in the mouths of men, but have
brought shame upon the whole of Canada
Within these last days affairs have
reached a serious crisis, a sort of coup
d'etat has been perpetrated by the Tory
Governor of the Province, because of grave
official delinquency on the part of the Lib
eral chief of the Legislature, and now rules
unconstitutionally in order presumably to
vindicate the majesty of the law.
Is it not true that Quebec may well be
termed the Cross of the Dominion, source
of weakness, of shame and of danger?
GEORGE INGLIS.