The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-30
TEE QUESTION OF CANADA.
French Can.dinns Regard Annexation as
Their Only Morn-Mr. MercIer,s Tour.

| No" tSnkihuu. no won't UTSJ 10 hnOuB
where his meetings were very successful. and
has since spoken at Fall River. Southbrfdge.
Webster. and Worcester. To-day he speaks
ct Boston. The tour will last nearly fort
night longer. closing at Manchester. N. H.. on
Aug. u. Tho Tory papers in the province OF
Ontario charge him with treason. but his ac-
ton is approved by most French Canadians.
In his absence the movement in favor OF inde-
pendenco as the preliminary stop to annexa-
tion is looked after by friends. though 1t Is
now powerful enough to look after itself. As
some misconception with regard to Mr.. Nor
cier's programme has arisen in the United
States. 1t may be well to give brief statement
OF the facts.
The discomfort prevailing among the French
Canadians in Canada IL duo to various causes.
First OF all they allege that tho understanding
upon which they entered tho confederation Of
1867 has been violated. Then rs now the
Protestant and Understanding population
OF Quebec province was in n minority OF to5.
and special provision was made ut Its request
for the protection OF its educational rights. 1t
was agreed that tho Roman Catholic minori-
| ties In the English speaking provinces should
| receive similar protection from hostile lcSisla-
| ton on the rart OF the Protestant maIorittcs-
But In short timo tho Catholic minority in
| New Brunswick was deprived Of its separate
| schools by the passage through the provincial
| Legislature Of n law which tho Judicial Com
| mttee Of the Privy Council in England. the
court Of last resort In the British empire held
| to be constitutional In 1890 the Protestant
| majority in Manitoba abolished separate
schools. and once more the Judicial Committee
has pronounced the act constitutional. The
! Catholic minority in Manitoba has right OF
| appeal TO the Government OF the Dominion Tor
| remedial legislation. but tho Government Is
| not likely to Introduce such legislation In
| both instances. as it happened. the separate or
| State aided Catholic schools existed not by
| law. but merely ~ custom and practice. ana It
was duo to the bungnC Of tho trainers OF tho
Constitution that the abolishing acts were
technically valid. All the same. the trainers
clearly intended that the French and Irish
Catholic minority In New Brunswick and the
French Catholic minority in Manitoba should
continue to enjoy schools Of that kind, and
there is no doubt those mnorities hive been
deprived OF their rights by y bit OF sharp prac-
tce. Tho upshot is that the French race is
prevented from extending Us race and shut
UP within its original cradle in Quebec.
The controversy is but a new phase OF tho
racial and religious warfare that has been GO
ing on in Canada since tho establishment Of
British rule To keep the French Canadians |
from making common cause with the Ameri- |
can colonies. Britain undertook to perpetuate |
New France with its Catholic and feudal insti- |
buttons while erecting an Notwithstanding |
Canada with institutions Of the British and |
Protestant type alongside. A somewhat SIM
liar experiment in the United Netherlands
terminated in civil war between the Catholic
Walloons and Protestant Dutch. In Canada
neither race is strong enough to assimilate
the other. and the constitutional compromises
on education and kindred questions simply
become fresh bones OF contention. Thirty per
cent. OF the population is French-speaking
and Al per cent. Roman Catholic. The French
are tired Of the continual fight. Oflatea party
has arisen in Ontario whose aim is to wipe out
the particularism Of the French speaking
people in all the provinces Quebec included.
This party is led by Mr.. Dalton Mccarthy. q
Tory OF note. and though it differs from the
Orange society on other issues. the two are
united in Rntagonism to the French Mr. Mer-
cier said the other day:
I'VE French Canadians have virtually been
in a state Of war for 100 years. fighting some-
times for liberty. at other times for our exist
ence as q race. Things are different in the
United States where there are million French
Canadians and their children. The Americans
are broad minded people. Instead Of ostra-
Ching us they put us on footing Of equality.
allow US to share in their public responsible
ties and public honors, and throw open their
Congress and State Legislatures. In COM
in politics. French Canadians play a larger
role In the United States than in any OF tic
English speaking provinces Of Canada-larger
by a good deal than IN Ontario. where our reo-
ton. The Americans, as a body are not
swayed by those proIudices against race and
do you find yourself confronted at every turn
by the Orange organization. which Is brand
Snon wtS unod states DID
ing moro than bring us peace by relieving
US from the attarKs q that frnntisal concern.
more-it would put an end forever to the fierce
struggles we have to wage against various
rights: and the strength wasted In such, con-
tests would be devoted Under better political
commerce, arts, and industry. Under tho
American Constitution each State enjoys tho
omy. There are no conflicts over matters OF
legislation, no nvasions by the central author
"n Which in Canada Keep us
ual agitation and absorb the energies which
should 10 employed in other things are wholly
are. while the Government OF Canada is con.
out the policy outlined by LORD DURHAM fity
years ago: the policy OF swamplng and oblit-
in British treaties But with polit c
ical union those struggles you'd lose their 7
point OF view that is a very strong argument
in favor OF our making change"
that in oSs time the IF Frepc iS
Of the State Of 'tncbee would probably sue
and BIO transformed into. English speaking /
Americans. But that gradual change would t
tion proposed 10y the Ontario, Tories. 4
II We must drown: said the Hon, Mr.. Robi- q
free will in an ocean like the United States
than In washtub at the hands OF an enemy"
Another cause OF discomfort is the vast ex-
odus OF population from Quebec coupled with
tho bankruptcy. of tho provincial treasury.
ruined in a vain effort to keep the people at IL
home by constructing railroads and other C
works with borrowed money. These matters r.
awe been dealt with already in THE Sun. AZ r.
no French Canadian Convention held in y
Montreal In June. n committee, headed BY Mr.. a
editor OF La Parie, reported that x
he exodus was bound to continue so long as ii
quebec remained shut out of her natural mar "
;et in the United States. That was the opinion n
II practically nll the delegates Then again =
he Dominion debt and expenditure have been -
increased since confederation, u
md are now relatively far heay!cr than the W
lebt and expenditure Of the United States, A
Tia. vii ~ tha xnIn fra