New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-11

Il D. Illustrated. svo, ID So The BUTTONS
Brothers Company.
In his historical review Of Quebec in the sew
enteentb century DIT Douglas not only gives an
intimate account OF the events of that plct-
uresoue period Of French exploration and ad-
venture IN America but considers in a scholarly
ana generally open minded manner the underly-
ing causes which operated to hamper the oe-
velopment of the region, to restrict coioliza-
ton and to render the vast unsettled territory
an easy prey to the British invader. At the
same time he makes clear the conditions mat
prevailed, and still prevail. to make the french
people in Canada compact and coherent ele-
n1ent. loyal, yet liberal, factor in the state
to which, if they have contributed less of mi
tiative and of material progress. they have. at
least, added positive force that has been effec-
tive in promoting the growth of a national spirit
among our northern neghbors. For, as was well
brought out by Richard Jebb in his Studies In
Colonial Nationalism.'' recently reviewed IN
these columns. the Canadian Frenchman feels
more secure in the possession of the rights ana
privileges which he has acquired under his pres
snt government than he would If brought by
annexation. within the less elastic control OF
the American written Constitution.
After a brief but searching survey into the
conditions in Europe which greatly influ-
enced the character and course of early Amerl-
can history, the effects Of which are stu ap-
parent in our institutions, and after two moro
chapters devoted to the unsuccessful attempt TO
found the Quebec colony under Cartier ana
Roberval. and to the years that followed until
the coming of Champain. the author takes up in
detail the consideration of his main subject His
object apart from its purely obvious and his
torical one is to give a clear insight into the
complex relations that have existed between
European history and American development
TO quote his own words:
So intricate are the direct and reflex waves of in
huence sweeping back and fro across the sea that
IL will become and difficult to trace the
The STUDY can. however best be made where the
range Of observation is limited And certainly
history SO VivdIy illustrates as that of the city of
from government by autocTacy TO government, , oy
popular vote: from feudal bureaucracy to English
ecclesiastical domination ecclesiastical subordi-
nao9 there also G ee peepe of the mod
E 0rid passing from hostile t6 no9
racial habits and institutions.
Not less successful than in his leading theme
has DR. Douglas been in his consideration OF
the relations between the Indian tribes which
the first settlers found occupying the territory
10 which they laid claim by right OF dlscoV-
cry o. and of the effect that the politically
sagacious, if mercilessy determined, policy Of
-ouerful native confederation had on the des-
TIMES of the French and English colonists'
While he accords to Champlain the honor that
IS his due as brave, single hearted sailor ana
explorer who had a clear conception OF DUTY
and followed his convictions without swerV1ns
or wavering" he deplores the impulse or the
1oolicy-he confesses his inability to determine
which it really was-that led that valiant pie
neer TO take active sides with the Hurons and
no IRON
inausurate an era of i'll feeling and warfare
that was still in progress when France, cen
tury and a half later, retired from the Great
River and the Lakes. LAS consequence OF MS
action" Dr. Douglas writes, "the Iroquols
sought the friendship of the Dutch and the Eng
fish and became their allies. But apart from
the direct results of such iniqutous coalitions,
the fact that the white man was willing 70 EN-
broil himself in their quarres and to use his
weapons at their dictation. side or the
other. must have done more to make them OBJ
3ects of suspicion and dread than their ag-
gressiveness as traders and coonizers."
The leading cause of the slow progress made
by the French in settling and building up their
great American empire was of course, the lack
of freedom of action accorded them by the
Crown whose intention Ito relieve itself Of
the risk and expense of colonization by offering
tempting commercial terms with governmental
powers to the Adventures and then to repeat
in the colonies the administrative and land sys-
TENS of the mother country" To do this ne
cessitated the granting of monopolies to the
chartered cooperative corporations and the
consequent checking Of that spirit of free ad-
venture that was so strong a motive force in the
extension of the English colonies. Another cause
which Dr. Douglas detects was the determine
ton of the Crown. after the unfortunate expert
ence of bi-religious settlement in Acadia, to
restrict the coonists to members of one faith,
and thus 10 shut out the enterprising Huguenot
element, which in disfavor at home. ready
TO lend itself to schemes of promise abroad. The
author discusses the religious questions involved
in his treatment of the subject in a broad minded
manner, giving credit where credit is due and
exhibiting little bias, save. perhaps. where he
rather ingenuously defends the character and ac-
tions of the Scotch privateers. the brothers
Kirl1e. in their capture of the city in 1928 and
in their subsequent proceedings in giving battle
10 de Caen after the treaty of peace had been
signed between France and England. II is worth
noting, and the author does not fail to call at
iention to the fact. that Richelieu, despite the
clause ne had inserted in the charter Of the
One Hundred Associates that none but natural
born Catholic Frenchmen might enroll them
selves as members compelled to intrust to
this same Emery de Caen, Huguenot the dan
gerous venture of carrying relief to Champlain
sn 1929. The Cardinals inberal policy was die
1sted, according TO DR. Douglas. not by religious
tanaticisrn-since his leniency TO the Huguenots
after they had been conquered had caused him
go be regarded with distrust by the ultra-Catho-
5ics--but by motives of statecraft
Unable to exterrninate the Huguenots and IN
eliminate their doctrine from old France he re-
gil