The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-28
Is tho British Element Dying Out in
Canada?

Those Canadians who profess ardent
loyalty to the British Crown are a good
deal worried by the emigration which has
begun to flow into tho Northwest Terri
tories of the Dominion from the adjoin-
ing section of the United States. They
apprehend that the newcomers will not
appreciate tho position of dependence
on a transatlantic monarchy Of which
the Canadian Conservatives are proud.
There may be some ground for the mis-
giving, but there are other reasons for
thinking that at no distant day loyalty
to the British Crown will cease to be a
dominant sentiment in Canada As it is.
the sentiment is shared only by descend
ants Of English and Scotch emigrants
and of the Loyalist refugees who settled
i'll British North America after our Revo-
lutionary War. Now it is precisely this
element of the Canadian population
which, according TO the census Of 1901,
is increasing least rapidly, and which,
unless recruited by unexpected emigra-
ton from Great Britain, will be greatly
outnumbered in the course Of a few
decades.
The figures of tho recent census show
that the immigration from the United
Kingdom into the Dominion does not
suffice to supply the loss by death among
the British-born and Irish-born inhabi-
tants of the country. OF persons born
in England, Ireland or Scotland there
were residing in Canada in 1901 only
$50 ,Oj2, as against 4s5,524 in 1871. That
| is to say, there are fewer British and
Irish-bom people in Canada to-day by
nearly 100000 than there were thirty
years ago. On the other hand, the num-
Der Of immigrants from countries other
than those embraced in the British En-
pre was 27s, 1904 in 1901, as against only
1871 ,Os3 in 1881. OF the 40, l49 immigrants
that entered Canada in 1901 only 1850
were OF British and Irish birth. II the
inflow from the United States shall con-
tinue to increase as it has increased dur
| ing the last twelvemonth, and no change
takes place in the inflow from the United
| Kingdom, the forcign-born residents in
Canada will soon outnumber the immi-
grants Of British and Irish birth.
There is another ominous fact brought
ont by the last census. The Canadians
! of English, Scotch or Irish descent are
increasing much less rapidly than are
the French Canadians. The latter double
| in numbers every quarter of century.
/ In Quebec. the province in which French
! speaking people are most numerous, the
; birth rate is 1886 per thousand. In this
/ part Of the Dominion families OF eigh-
teen, twenty and even more children are
I not infrequent. The last census, when
compared with preceding censuses,
: proves that English-speaking people
are being gradually squeezed out Of the
Province OF Quebec, while settlements
of French-Canadians are being formed
in other parts Of the Dominion. If the
emigration of French Canadians to the
United States were checked, their ten
dency to preponderate at home would
be emphasized, As it is, they are GER
tain greatly to outnumber Canadians oil
British and Irish descent before the
middle of the present century.
1t is improbable that the sentimental
VIZ i'h Nv ~ '''ht 'otlISt'S lUe lJOItllf1-
ION with the United Kingdom will survive
the attainment by French-Canadans OF
that ascendancy in the Ottawa Paria.
ment to which their numerical superior.
ity will entitle them. The stories that
ascribe to the French-speaking inhabi.
tants of the Province of Quebec feeling
of attachment to the British sovereign
are fairy tales. How could loyalty "be
expected from this element of the popu.
lation? The children of French Cana.
dams are brought up, for the most part
in entire ignorance of the English Ian.
guage, under French civil law and with,
out any knowledge of English customs
Quebec, in truth, il more French thar
France Never would the French Cana.