El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-02-20

mon medium of correspondence and
conversation.
Bringing FIiIpInOs Around.
The United States has insisted upon
a mon0-lingual system 10 a degree al
most unprecedented. English is the
official language Of its whole territory
except that Porto Rico retains its Span
ish and Spanish is on an equal basis
with English in the Philippines. But
so determined are the Americans 10
make English the language of the Phil
ippires that they have set up language
schools all over the islands and now,
after only II years. a greater number
of Filipinos speak English than Span
ish
In Canada the English speaking peo-
pie would like to make their language
dominant. but they do not dare. The
solid strength of the important prov
ince of Quebec is behind the French
and the balance Of power in almoss
every one Of the nine provinces IS
held by French speaking voters.
Not only is language a factor in
politics on it's own account, but it is
closely related to the religious prob
lem. Practically all the French speak
ing people are Catholics and the vast
majority of the English speaking peo-
pie are Protestants. While there is no
state in Canada. there is official and
political recognition Of religious bodies.
The dead-Ievel equality of religious de-
nominations in the eyes Of the law as
it exists in the United States is IN
known in Canada
~ Separate Religious Schools.
In Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan
there are separate schools for Catho-
lies and Protestants. supported by taxa
ton. In the other provinces the schools
are unsectarian but there is always
more or less agitation for separation
This educational division always
brings the religious problem into pro-
vincia1 politics, and from thence it is
reflected upon federal craftsmanship.
Those Americans who foolish1y and
fcndly believe that Canada some day
Will be annexed 10 the United States
Of it's own volition would do well to
consider the problems arising from the
lingual and religious divisions in Can
ada. But supposing that the people OF
western Canada some day should de-
sire to be annexed to the republic. a
most unlikely thing, such a movement
would be unanimously opposed by every
French speaking Canadian.
Do Not Like United States.
The French Canadians do not-like
the United States They would resist
their country into the republic in which
their privileges of a separate language
their privileges Of state-supported sep
arate religious schools and their other
peculiar institutions would be leveled-
Nothing could be more abhorrent to
a French Canadian than the prospect
of some federal judge appointed by a
president from New Jersey sitting on a
I bench in Quebec, without wig, dis
pensing justice IN the English Ian
guage according to a system Of laws
that fOolishly, in his eyes. refuses 10
recognize the essential differences be-
tween a man VINO speaks French and
one who speaks English: one who Is a
Catholic and one who is a Protestant
That he could send his senators and
representatives to Washington would not
be a solace to the French-Canadian- He
has heard that many respectable and
eminent kinsmen Of his from Louisiana
have spoken in the halls OF congress.
but never in French. How could
: Henri Bourassa, the greatest of liv-
ing orators" exist if he were forced
to speak in a foreign tongue?
Always a Source of Annoyance.
The problem Of the languages is al