New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-22
QUESTION OF IT'S FUTURE.
Anticosti Island OscnerShip-JVhat
". Menier Has Done.

concern has been that OF the island Of Anticostj,
a. the Gulf OF St Lawrence. AT present it is the
possession OF NJ. Menier. the Partisan chocolate
manufacture. but it Is argued in Cana Ia that he
may sell II any day citizens OF the United States
whereupOn IL would at become subject OK
bitter controversy and perhaps Of diplomatic nego
tistions.
Some years ago. when NJ Menier first acquired
the island. his arbitrary methods Tor the expulsion
OF the squatters who then resided there aroused
considerable criticism throughout the Dominion.
this being intensified by anger that a territory Of
such great strategic value should be allowed 10
pass into the hands OF a foreigner. Antcosti is an
island lao miles long by 30 miles wide broadest at
Its centre and tapering each end. II lies at the
mouth Of the st. Lawrence River and is situated
midway between the Gaspe and northern coasts
giving two splendid deep water passages between
Il and the mainland each about fifty miles wide
From Quebec to Anticosti Is 800 miles and the
island practically marks the division between river
and ocean sailing. Its area is about 25oooN acres
and It enjoys many natural advantages in Its SOIL
timber forests rivers. game birds and animals
and in the fish life which abounds in the waters
that wash its coast line Of almost SO miles More
over. its advantageous location enables IT TO domi-
nate absolutely the navigation OF the St Lawrence
as Il commands both channels
Il first granted by France in 1850 10 Louis
joliet for his discovery OF Illinois. After the Brit
Ssh conquest OF Canada It passed TO some wealthy
English families whose heirs held Il until recently
IN 1873 Captain Forsyth. one OF these. attempted
Sta colonization systematically. and induced
one thousand Observation-Disclosures TO settle there.
promising them titles 10 the lands they cleared
soon & proper surveys could be made and scale
OF fees arranged In addition 10 these settlers.
three thousand Newfoundland fishermen visited its
shores every summer in quest OF cod landing there
10 dry their catch, is the practice in these
northern waters. For over che hundred years they
had done this and Captain Forsyth recognized them
20 the extent OF permitting them to cut wood and
shoot game while the stores he established tSsy
could barter their fish for such necessares they
required
but his enterprise. unfortunately was not sue
cesstul. and the outcome was litigation and the
sale o. the island parcel OF real estate. It was
Bought by a MI StockwelL who sold it later to an
English company. from which, in turn, Il was
purchased by NJ. Henri Menier with the idea OF
converting Il into a hunting preserve for himself
and his friends. and OF incidentally turning TO
financial account its varied resources Of land and
water.
NJ Menier bought the island in 1897. and began
10 assert his authority the next season. he acted
II he a sovereign and this his little king
dom. He appointed a governor. NJ. CoInmetant.
and notified all the English-speakng residents that
they longer possessed any rights there and
that they must move out, or II they wished 10
remain. IL should be upon conditions dictated by
him and 10 which he required their implicit obedi-
THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
He drew UP a code OF rules for the government
OF the island. which all had 10 accept. and the
violation OF any essential feature OF which in
VOWED the summary removal TO the mainland Of
the offender and his family. These rules were
most amazing. The settlers had 4 pay him a
seigneurs fees and trade with him only. They
were not 10 hunt game fur bearing animals at
all. possess firearms except in special cases.
for which permission should be had from the gov
ernor. The taking OF fish in the lakes and rivers
also forbidden. as. too. seal hunting
fishing except for cod. No resident TO
have sailing craft without a permit from the
governor. said license TO specify her class tonnage
and inventory and the purpose for which she was
be used. All crafts required exhibit a
number their bows and sails by which they
could be identified. and they expressly for
hidden TO carry persons TO or from the island,
while the permits revocable by the governor
al will All discoveries Of minerals were 10 be
promptly reported him. not only by tho finder
but by any others coRnizant of the fact. The cut
ting OF wood forbidden. except in the vicinity
OF settlements. and il large quantities were needed
the Inevitable permit had TO be obtained. Nobody
might reside the island without permit.
csrry any business there. import export
any goods, do business by any other than u.
Meniers steamers. ar3 then only in permitted"
goods No resident might lodge 'unpermitted'
person or take into his service The fruits
OF their industry they must market through The
governor; they must also obtain every necessary
thing through him Trade with the outside world
they could no., independently. without riskng ex-
pusion. An absolute feudalsrn Of the gloomy
Middle Ages was sought TO be revived here with
such array OF restrictions as would seem TO be
IN.
even prohibited the Of alcohol tobacco or any
spir1tuous liquors upon the island.
And his assertion OF aUtocratic powers went fur
ther, for he procured two small steamers 10 rlv
between AnticOsti and Quebec and he armed them
With cannon and sent them 10 drive away the
Newfoundland fishermen who traWled t7a ir.s.ore
waters. he maintained that he was supreme inside
the three mile limit which contention Was virtually
that Of territorial Sovereignty recognized ory in
nations In this he overstepped the mark for rfa
which promptly Informed the Admiralty and
eniers seIfconstituted feet that IL IT nodded
with British subjects in future ii would be taught
Menier allows flag to DE flown On The island
pNt that o. France no language TO be taught there
Sut the French, and when Queen Victoria died in
February, 1901, NJ Commetant. as governor OF
Governor General OF Canada. co1cfe5 in ~ SUCH i,f
Terms 81 equality and SO expressive Of natoral
accept IT, much less transmit II 10 England
NO CHECK on THE OWNER.
But no check existed as to King" NIenier's deal
tngs with his tenants. When they resisted his
- ordinances he proceeded 10 eyict them They re-
s1sted, naturally. and he appealed 10 the c,ur-s
s me iSw or 2uebee occupation for thirty years
o. thelr case was that they had been there orly
nshermen. sti resisted Powerful advocates stirred
fe LoIllIoh WIN tongue and pen in their behalf
their case. and his Cabinet appointed counsel -
overridden. and the rebels had 10 60 krT,e5 80
eyicted them, and they departed en- raasse --,a
from the Basin Of Minas. that Io1efaTc7 a 81,
nortslized. or the exodus the TTehiarders nom
were sent, root and branch 10 carve out new homes
In the vast wilderness OF Ontario
really pathetic story is that e the casting ,,-
Of this English-speab1ng people from their Far11N
eteads. 70 be scattered Tar and VIZ %. wanderers
into distant lands. eNes from kth and ki1 SIrn9
psthy IN Canada was universal for them: the GOV
Pacific Railroad carried them to Manitoba free
and gave them homes there and a generous ,,,,l,c
fflff he ID rHeF- l,re