Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 28.djvu/804

784 of the province were enlarged, and Manitoba, instead of becoming a second Quebec, promises to be a new and greater Ontario.

Balked in their design to capture the great Northwest, the French Canadian leaders turned their attention to the easier task of "freezing out" the small English-speaking clement in Quebec. The population of British origin, outside of Montreal, was principally in the Eastern Townships and in the counties north of the Ottawa River, and formed about one sixth of the whole. The French Canadians were offered inducements to settle on the wild lands in the Eastern Townships. Considerable numbers were in this way led to return to their native land. Wherever an English-speaking farmer was found willing to part with his property, a French-Canadian purchaser was always at hand to secure it. Where English-speaking owners of unpatented lands had failed to comply with any of the numerous conditions of settlement, their lots were confiscated, no refund was made of the purchase-money or compensation allowed for improvements, and they were resold to French Canadians.

This policy, although inaugurated but three or four years before the census of 1881 was taken, had such a marked effect that the returns attracted attention and excited much comment throughout the Dominion. While the entire population of the Province of Quebec had increased slightly, but steadily, during the decade, the English-speaking population had remained almost stationary, and the disproportion between the two races had become more marked. And this had occurred in face of the fact that there had been a large exodus of the French population, not only to the New England States, but also to East Ontario, where they filled up the gaps made by the movement of the Ontario farmers to the Northwest. The English-speaking population are being steadily rooted out, and their places filled by settlers of French origin. Not content with wresting Quebec from the conqueror, the French Canadians are spreading into New Brunswick on the east and Ontario on the west. In the latter province they control two counties already, and will soon have majorities in two others; and it is only a question of time when they will have possession of the capital of the Dominion, a consummation which the French-Canadian members of the Dominion Cabinet are endeavoring to hasten by filling every vacancy in the civil service, so far as they can, with their countrymen.

The rapid increase and aggressiveness of the French-Canadian race, coupled with their determination to hold themselves aloof from the other sections of the population, have led thoughtful men to despair of the future of the Dominion. The hope that the confederation of the provinces would bring about a fusion of the races must have died out of the breasts of the most sanguine who have watched the agitation in Quebec over the Northwest rebellion and the execution of Riel. The French throughout the Dominion have, with few exceptions, made the cause of the rebel half-breeds their own, and exalted their