The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-28
French Canadians in tho States.

French Canadians in tho States.
In the July number OF the Nep England
Magazine DIR. PROSPER BENDER discusses
tho remarkable immigration OF French
Canadians to the United States during the
last thirty years. There are to-day 100000
OF them among us. and 100000 in New Eng
land and New York alone. Naturally New
England. as next neighbor Of the Province
OF Quebec. receives most OF them. and Mas
sachusettS has 10000.
A very suggestive fact Is that the French
Canadians. ut the time Of the union Of Cana
da to England, numbered only $4,000. all
told. They have no doubt since then been
reinforced somewhat from France; but
Franco is not a great emigratiEg nation.
while OF course the passing OF Canada under
English control largely removed the special
interest OF Frenchmen in that country. And
yet we find population Of 100000 in
French Canada to-day, while the large
numbers OF this race in the United
States should also be considered In observing
its fccundity. This trait is the more note
worthy when we remember the slow in
crease of population in France. Us COM
pared with her neighbors. and in spite Of
appears that twelve or fifteen children do
not form an extraordinary family for the
French Canadian; and it is because OF this
contrast with many New England families
that the growth Of the Canadian element
in the Northwestern States attracts the
more attention.
1t is q thriving sort OF transplanting. too.
According to LIE Guide FRANCHISE des Etats
Unis. the French Canadians here own $lO5.
1928, 500 worth Of real estate. and 1906 cf
them are in business for them selves. At
first they used to come here with the in
tcntion OF making little fortune and re-
turning to the native parish. but now they
seek permanent homes with us. They are
found among farm and factory hands; they
are lumbermen and mechanics; in places
like Boston. which alone has 10.33S OF
them, they are sometimes statesmen
and clerks. In Boston they have built
q church. have their Saint Jean Baptiste
Society their Canadian Institute. and have
even Roman Catholic college In prospect.
| They have there also naturalization club.
with large membership. They have Rep
resentatives in tho Legislatures OF Maine.
New Hampshire. Massachusetts. Connecti-
papers OF their own in New England and
| New York and 2S7 societies. with a men,
bcrship OF 43.05l.
Every fourth year the French Canadians
| hold general Convention. and every Sec
ond year State Convention. Three years
ago tho general Convention was held In
Nashua. and LOO delegates took part. while
$1,000 people were present at the proceed
ings. The discussions were in the French
language. That the French Canadians
here are Industrious. quiet. and orderly as
q whole Is clear from official reports. such
as those Of Mr.. CARROLL D. WRIGHT. They
are lively and cheerful wlthal. and they are
not slow at acquiring American ways:
"Those who came here when adults. prefer to speai
French among themselves but their children born In
this country speak but little French to the great regret
| of the seniors who retain their old national pride
Some have fooshly allowed the bookkeepors and mil
hands who could not pronounce their In French
| to angliczs them: GREENWOOD for BoisvERr. SHORT
SLEEVES for CouRrExAScE. wiSSER for GAGsE MILLER fol
NEusrxK. WHITE for LIE BLANC. &c. Many who have re
sided in tho republic for years have an accent
| marked as that of the regular down.Easter.
I'm politics the majority are Republicans. though
| good many Democrats. They are naturally con
sentative. They favor order. discountenaucs rsdca
views or experiments and oppose strikes and secret
societies. They also strenuously oppose divorce"
Last November the banquet given In Bos
ton to the Hon. WILFRED LAURIER. the
Liberal leader In the Dominion Parliament
strikingly brought out the extent OF French
Canadian growth and influence In this
country. But 1t Is an element that will
merge in general American citizenship
adding its qualities thereto and receiving
others in return. There are now As French
Canadian naturalization clubs where
lectures are given on the privileges and
duties OF citizenship. and it is believed by
many that in ten years from now few. II
any. of our French Canadians will remain
not naturalized.