The Portland daily press., 1900-11-30
FRENCH CANADIANS GOING
BACK
To the Land of Their Birth From the
States.

Quebec Letter in New York Sum-
The tide of travel between the New
England states and the Frenoh-Canadian
districts of the province OF Quebec has
changed very materially OF late. For
many years there was large emigration
every summer from French Canada to
the manufacturing centers OF New Eng
land, many hundreds of young men and
young women leaving their Canadian
farm homes to seek employment in the
factories OF brick yards OF New Hamp-
shire, Vermont and Massachusetts,. Now
all this is changed. Not only is there
scarcely any emigration today from the
farming districts of the province OF
Quebec to the manufacturing towns of
the eastern states, bnt there is actually a
current of emigration running the other
way. The railway psople report that II
has long been customary about this seas
on OF the year for many residents Of the
New England states of French Canadian
extraction to come up to Canada for a
trip and for a visit to the old folks at
home. But this summer the nature OF
this travel has considerably changed, and
instead of one or two members OF family
at a time making this trip, whols families
are returning to Canada together, bag
and baggage. again to take up their resi-
dence n their own country. Many of
che people are returning with the united
savings of the families Cd redeem their
oIdafarms or to buy new ones In their old
marshes or In some of the new and fertile
districts opened up for colonization by
new lines OF railway.
This new movement OF French Cana
dian reparation Is due to a variety OF
causes, chief among which, perhaps, are
the new and unusual prosperity that has
attended the last year or two OF agrioul-
turaI operations in Canada and the grow
ing belief of the French Canadian people,
wherever dispersed, in the approaching
control of the sdestinies !, II not or the
whole Dominion of Canada, at least OF Its
entire eastern part, by new world
nation OF French origin, psrpetuating
the language. the traditions, the religion
and the laws OF the old France whence
their fathers came, 10 that new France
w hioh it IL their firm determination TO
reconqusr by peaceful means, froin the
domain of Angio-Saxons influence and
control.
The increased agricultural prosperity OF
Lower Canada has been very marked
Within the last few years. Successive
Canadian governments have about tired
of the idle dream so long INDUCED, OF
reciprocity In natural products with the
United States, land have opened new
markets for Canadian dairy products in
England and France, established re-
frigerator service on board the steamships
carrying such produce to Europe, and
opened butter and cheese factories with
a proper system of government super
vision and inspection. The prosperity
that has followed these efforts has en-
riched thoss Canadian farmers who re-
manned at home, and is doing more TO
briug'back French Canadian settlers from
the United States than all the money
spent in the past by the governments at
Ottawa aud Quebec for the purpose Of
sending repatriation agents TO the United
States co induce the French-Oanadians
settled there TO return to their own land.
This expenditure was so much money
thrown away for mere sentiment, because
those who were the objects of IL knew
full well that they could not then be
afforded In the province OF Quebec the
comfort and prosperity which they en-
1oyed az factory operatives In the manu-
faoturing towns OF New England.
Not only Is there large return OF
former Canadians from their late Ameri-
can homes this year, but there is re-
duction OF at least so per cent In the vol
ume sof Canadian emigration to the
United States In fact, there Is very
small proportion of agriouIturists among
Canadian emigrants TO tho United States
OF present, the great bulk of those who
now leave their Canadian homes to tempt
fortune on the other side OF the inter
national boundary being either day
laborefs or young men OF talent and edu-
cation who can find no Held for their aln-
Dition in the contraessd surroundings Of
their native land.