THE MAKING OF CANADA. 13 



of the Domiuiou by the hxst census was 4,32-4,840 (occupying- au area of 3,410,392 square 

 miles). The Y0,000 or 80,000 French Canadians of 1*760 have grown into a community of 

 1,298,929. This growth in a century and a quarter, with hardly any aid from immigra- 

 tion and a good deal of loss from emigration, is certainly remarkable. The Irish element, 

 95*7,403 souls, comes next, the English and Welsh, with a population of 891,248, being 

 third, the Scotch, 699,883, next, while the G-erman, chiefly in Ontario and New Brunswick, 

 is set down at 254,319. The remainder is made up of Dutch, Scandinavians and other 

 European nationalities, with 108,547 Indians, 21,394 Africans and 4,383 Chinese. The 

 floating Chinese population has greatly increased during the last three years. 



A GOOD Stock. 



The population of the Dominion, made up of the best blood of Western and Central 

 Europe, the pick of the Latin, Teutonic and Celtic races, has every element necessary to 

 form a great nation. In physic^ue and intellectual powers the average Canadian is cer- 

 tainly the equal of the average Frenchman, Briton or German. At present, the national 

 elements composing the whole are distinct, and attention to the question of origins at 

 this transition stage in our history will be of advantage for the determination of certain 

 problems hereafter. But there must come a time when a Canadian will be simply a 

 Canadian, as an Englishman is an Englishman, whether of Celtic, Saxon, or Norman des- 

 cent. Already there are Canadian characteristics in which natives of all origins share. 

 Every year that tendency will become more marked, and with it the growth of a national 

 spirit. Great as has been our progress as allied national communities, it will be much 

 greater when we are all really one. Unity is, indeed, our great desideratum, and it 

 should be the aim of every patriotic and public-spirited man to use his influence for its 

 attainment. 



Sectionalism. 



In the past the lack of it has been the great drawback to progi-ess and prosperity. No 

 one can read our history without perceiving that, from first to last, some form of section- 

 alism has been a drag upon all efforts for the general good. It arose, in part, no doubt, 

 from the circumstances of existence until a comparatively recent period. Distances between 

 cities, the centres of opinion, were very great, and the modes of communication slow and 

 inconvenient. The most chivalrous hospitality may prevail between svich communities, 

 but, at the same time, a sjiirit of clique will be produced. Certain ways of looking at 

 things will become stereotyped and virtually unchangeable. As, with the increase and 

 improvement of means of communication, intercourse becomes more frecjuent, men's minds 

 become more receptive and interchange of ideas takes place, but with the majority local 

 prejudices survive long after their usefulness has disapi^eared. In Canada, peculiar cir- 

 cumstances have besides created conventions imknown elsewhere, or, at least, to the 

 same extent. I mean that which arranges for the representation of " interests " altogether 

 apart from merit, or what would result naturally from knowledge of men as men, and from 

 perfectly free choice. I need scarcely say that this parochial distribution of public func- 

 tions is wholly anomalous and antagonistic to the very idea of nationality. Let churches 



