The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-28
CONQUEST OF CANADA
or THE FRENCH CANADIANS
OgER THE DOMINION.

d.
QUEBEC. May 24.-Thc most remarkable cx-
pmplc in modern times OF obedience TO tho
San,nisnd to 10 fruitful and multiply and re-
plenish the earth is undoubtedly that furnished
by the people Of French Canada. who can
,ecarccly understand the increased number Of
childlcss marriages among people OF tn"ir own
race it. france. described by Emile lola in his
new book, "FGconditj.' they have become
accustomed to the report Of the compare
tivcly small birth r,tc among tho reo-
pic of tho United STAKES. and arc
In the habit OF turning with some salts
faction from the contemp l1tion Of these
1gurrs to their own large families, not with
out indulging the hope that French influence.
manners. customs and language may extend
not only throughout the Dominion Of Canada,
but over q great part I'll the United States Of
America a. well. But Xoln's new book brings
disappointmcnt aS well as surprise To tho
French people Of Canada, who wer" scarcely
prepared for the discovery that tho French
race in its old home was falling behind In what
t. to Frcnrh-C Canadians the principal source Of
their national pride.
So rapid Is the increase in the French-Cana-
dian population OF the Dominion that these
people have left their English-spcaking fellow
Icountrymcn in a hopeless minority. even in
what were a few years ago the almost cNclu-
tiyrly English speaking eastern townships Of
this province. and they constitute now II ma
1urity Of the population Of several counties Of
eastern Ontario. and have very large and prom
Using settlements in western Ontario. in Mani
tola, and in the Northwest Territories. The
late Premier Mercier's dream of the establish
npnt OF Il French republic upon the banks
oi the 81. Lawrence and tho prevalent French
tanatian belief in the future destiny OF til"
rurr as the controlling influence in the north
ern rart Of the continent stand a much better
chance Of fulnlmcnt than they otherwise would
hav, because Of the similarity Of the COM
rlqints that come from the English-speakinE
province Of Ontario to those that Emile lola
makes in respect to France. We're it not for
the remarkably low death rate OF Ontario. the
POPULATION last year would have stood still and
shown no increase at all. while in the prov
innc Of Quebec the birth rate was :iS.5I
rrr thousand Of the population. against
2u0 in Ontario and 2O.2 in France. The
enormous birth rate in the province OF Quebec
must not DO attributed solely to the simple
manner Of living that marks the majority of tho
lopulatiou. Early marriages are the rule. die
hated by the wonderfully early development OF
th. people. The rapid growth OF vegetation in
thc short and hot Canadian spring and summer
fnds it, Gouutcrpar. in the early maturity Of
tn youth Of the land. Many frcncl-C Canadian
girls. II and 10 years Of age. are better de-
v,.uprd specimens of womanhood than English
OF American girls IL or 20.
The duty of fruitfulness in the marriage
s,ate il urged by the Roman Catholic PRIEST
hood. and patriotic devotion to country is be-
licvcd to be proved by the rearing of large
families Of children. Hence. too, the State
awards premiums for large families in the
shape Of free grants of public lands. These
grants consist OF II hundred acres each to every
father of a family. whether lie be- born or nat
uralizcd in this province. who has twelve chill
drcn living. issue OF u lawful marriage. in
order to obtain the grant he must present 4
petition to the Provincial Secretary accom-
Panied by his certificate Of marriage. a certll-
ca,c Of baptism Of each of his children. a.
w"ll as Il certificate sworn to before
a Justice of the Peace. giving the num-
Der and names of his children. Though
ythis system OF bounties has been in force for
only nine years no Tower than lob grants
Ihuve been made under it. An unusually larg"
Nnumbcr of applications for these bounticS was
NATURALLY made in the first year that they were
given, and the average number He'd Is from
h 30 to 300 year. In lS9S there were 1853 Of
Them. And yet only II small proportion ofthose
Rho rejoice in Il family Of a dozen or more
khildrcn take the trouble to make the fact
Enown to the Government. for to jewellers in
bwns a hundred acres of wild land would be
Rather an REMEMBRANCE than otherwise.
some interesting facts are brought TO light
n some of the applications filed. One father
\ ID a large family withdrew his when told that
II was necessary to produce "A certificate OF
marriage. Paul Belanger Of River du l.oup, an
Old man who fought in lS}7-3S against the
rebels Of that period. says in writing to the
Government regarding his tamily, that.
desiring to serve his country both in
peace and war, he has given her as
many children as he has killed enemies
al his acknowledgements. thirty-SiN. Mr..
lrlangcr stops n inquire whether three
lots Of land will he given to families
which. like his own, consist Of thirty-siN chill
dren. Otherwise he contends that the law
would not be complete and would not render a
full measure of justice to Canadians who seek
the prosperity Of their country. He expresses
the belief that he has discharged tn" debt
which he owed to hi, country. and the hop"
that he will receive his due share OF the prof
ferod bounty.
Another recipient of tho crowns bounty
called at the Parliament House here in the
first instance when II widowcr with Tour chill
drcn short O! the number required to cntitlc
him to tn" grant. He had been reared on n
farm, but for many years past had been a fac
tory operative. lie was out Of work and de-
sired to return to farming. but was without the
means to purchase II farm. After many III
qnirics he mastered the details of the Govern
ment's conditions and returned in a few days
to demand his hundred acres of land, having
in the meantime married Il widow with five
children.
The act under which these hountics are given
Is entitled " An act to confer Il privilege upon
fathers OF families who have twelve children
living" and the preamble contains tn" follow
Ing. Whereas il j. advisable, following the
example Of past centuries. to give marks of
consideration for truitfulurss in the sacred and
civil bonds Of matrimony, therefore her Mai
e-ty. by and with tn" advice aud consent OF
the LEGISLATURE Of Quebec. "nacts AS follows
a.. This reference - the example OF past
centuries So recalls the ordinances OF Colbert.
framed by the famous Minister Of Louis
NV. which accorded 30ol!vrcs n year To the
father. in Canada. Of ten living children, born
in legitimate wcdlock. and 400 livres to the
father of twelve, born under similar rondi-
tons. BY the same ordinance 20 Iivrcs was
paid 20 every young man marrying at the age