The Irish standard., 1901-10-05

traitor"
THE DUKE OF YORK.
His Blunder in Replying to the Mayor
Of Quebec.
The Duke of Cornwall and York
made blunder from tactical stand
point dn replying in the English Ian
guage only to the address of welcome
presented to him by the mayor of
Quebec. He gave offence to the
French-C Canadian people of the Domin
ion by thus ignoring their language in
the most French city of Canada, and
he was Immediately attacked for it by
the French Canadian press. The re-
suit was that upon reaching Montreal
he replied in the French language to
the address presented to him ut the
Vile Marie Convent, says a Quebec
dispatch to the New York Sun.
The French-Canadian papers, natil,
rally enough, take the credit now for
having taught the duke his duty, and
the English are correspondingly an
noyed, both at the so-called impudence
of these papers in debating the Ian
guage to be used by him and also at
the dukes change of policy in response
to their dictation. The tone of triumph
now assumed by the French Canadian
newspapers is consequently distressing
to English Canadians and the bicxer-
ing between the two races is worse
than ever as a result of the royal visit.
L'Evenement, the Quebec newspaper
which first attacked the duke for
speaking English only at the reception
given him on landing here, says: s
Evidently the remarks made on this
subject by certain newspapers have
had good effect. The Duke of York
has come to understand or to recall the
fact that the French language, that is
to say, the language Of nine-tenths Of
the population of the province of Que
bee, is just as official dn this country
as the English language. And so in
order to repair his forgetfulness, vol
untary or otherwise, of the French Ian
guage at Quebec, he hastened to re-
member it in Montreal"
The newspaper organ of the Hon.
Mr.. Tarte, the Patrie of Montreal, is
no less outspoken, and bitterly resents
the charges Of impertinence against
the French newspapers, asking whether
this is to reward the French city of
Quebec for the magnificent reception
lit gave to the duke and duchess.
1--WE are at home," says the writer,
"in this country, which was founded
by our fathers. In the province, of
Quebec we are nearly million and a
half of French Canadians, our language
is official, and is that of 100000 of
the best of British subjects"
Illustrations are constantly being fur
nished Of the fact that the royal visit
1Ido OCCu VI CulUlI.
tered relations between the French
speaking and the English-speaking peo-
pie in Quebec, rather than closer union.
TO this result, the presence here of the
French man-of-war D1Estree has con-
tributed not little. The French gov
ernment doubtless sent her here to take
part in the royal festivities, as a COM
pliment to the Duke and Duchess of
Cornwall and York The French Can
adians do not see it in that light, but
regard the ships presence as intended
simply as a compliment to themselves,
and they have been Monizing the French
sailors here to such an extent that the
singing of the "Marseillaise" in public,
in the streets and cafes is now mat
ter of daily occurrence.
A large number of French Canadian
students and others organized a demon
stration in honor of the French sailors
for Sunday last. The men were to have
come ashore for the grand mass in the
French cathedral, and the organizers
of the demonstration arranged to form
a procession and escort them from the
church to the wharf singing the ''A1ar-
seillaise.' Had the program been car
ried out, an exceedingly bad feeling
would have been created here and, per-
haps, with so many British tars here
an open conflict might have been pro-
voked. The local authorities became
alarmed, the French commander was
communicated with, and the sailors
were kept aboard during the time of
grand mass, and the proposed demon
stration prevented.
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