Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-10-16
TIE HERALD.
Romance OF Canada.

| Lord Beaconsfield presided al Ia,
annual dinner of the Royal ant
Central Bucks Agricultural Asso
citation, held in the Corn Exchange
Aylesbury, September 18. In ID,
course of his spee ch he said ether,
are, by the best sccounts.i in France
100000 of peasant proprietors who
do not hold each more than sis
acres of land-that is 10000. 00(
acres The experiment has beer
tried upon 30,000,000 acres, anc
what is the result of the expert
meDt? You may refine and explain
as you like, but what is the result
of the experiment of these 5000, 0OC
of proprietors occupying superfic.
ies of 30.000.00O acres compared
with what our FIVE hundred thous.
and farmers have done? Remem
Der what you are trying this Lesl
on. France has most fertile soil
while that of England is ungratefuI
You are trying it when that fer
tile soil is managed by the most in-
geDious aud thrifty Nalion in the
world-s Nation that can make
something out of no hing Tough
ter that displays 10 its manage
ment the greatest ability. But
what is the result? 1t is that The
production of 4 gland per acre is
double that Of FIR nee. The aver
age of England is twenty-eight
bushels per acre. in France it ia
fourteen. | say that these are SUBJ
jects that ought 10 be we'll under
stood by all classes OF agricultural
interests. My summing up is this
That when we are told that or
agricultural system has failed 10
consequence of three classes being
sustained by the land, | say that is
a complete fallacy, for, whatever
may be your tenure, the same re.
suits will occur. Three profits N
all circumstances must be obtained
from the land, and the question
arises whether it is not better that
that amount of profit should be rep
resented by three classes rather
than by one class. Proceeding 10
this argument, let me refer to the
exclamation of gentleman respect
ing America. | do not deny the
great difficulties we have to en-
counter, and / should have been
glad at once TO have adverted to
them but, with your permission,
| would make some brief remarks
on the American question. We hear
every day that it is impossible to
compete with America. Hear.
hear.] There may be other causes
which have Frustrated our energy
at the present moment, but l will
not give any decided opinion on
that matter. 1t is q singular cir
cumstaDce that at this moment the
greatest apprehension is felt in the
United States that they can not
compete with Canada. Laughter.
The taxation in America is so high,
the rates of wages are so high, that
1T is impossible, according to some
of the best American authorities,
that they can any longer continue
to successfully compete with Cana.
da. What is the position Of Cana
da? If we are to be fed by Cana
da, it is at least satisfactory that We
shall be fed by our fellow subj scts
but let US look for a moment at the
situation of Canada, which is most
peculiar. Since the surrender of
the Hudson Bay Company and The
settlement OF their affairs, the D..
minion OF Canada became possessed
of what might almost describe as
an illimitable wilderness, and will
derness OF fe tile land. Now, it is a
peculiar circumstance, but TO be
noted, that the Dominion of Cana
da is not in favor of peasant pro-
prietorship. What the Dominion
of Canada is anxious for ia a great
yeomau class. Ii has legisIa:ed
with that purpose. Its legislation
is now al influence for that pur.
pose, and let us SEQ what is their
Every harvestman, ev-
cry man OF talr character who
comes to Canada has u right 10 APP
ply to the Government agent. TO
claim and TO Obtain what j. called a
quarter section of land. That quar-.
ter section OF land consists of 100
acres. He receives those 100 acres
on condition thbt at the end Ofthree
years no will reduce them to per-
feet cultivation, aud that IN the 10.
tervai be will raise q substantial
and real building upon the land. At
the end of those three years the
Government Inspector visits the al.
lotment. 1t it ia found tha: the
farmer has fulfilled the q udtions,
that he has completely cultivated
the 100 acres, and raised tae necos-
sary buil4iog, he is permitted to re.
ceive au equal quantity-that is to
say, another quarter section of 100
acres-on the payment of dollar
AL acre and no greater payment,
even if the value of land in the in.
terval had greatly increased. You
Will observe from ihe first moment
that this is not scheme of small
peasant proprietors it is not likely
that man will be able TO reduce
three hundred and twenty acres to
cultivation and put buildings on the
land through bis own efforts. He
must begin and proceed with hired
labor. What is hired labor 10 Can.
ada? Hired labor is not less than
hired labor 10 the United States.
The rudest laborer will get 12s a
day, and skilled laborer l6s or
l8s. The first thing that the new
yeoman does--what | say say on
the highest authority TO calcu.
late the value OF his freehold. The
value of his freehold depends on the
amount he has to pay those six
years 10 hired labor, in buildings,
and the amount he paid for the last
quarter section; and at four per
cent. he writes off interest. What
is that but rent2 Now, there is
another very curious circumstance
which | will venture to mention on
this occasion, because | have heard
it from as high an authority on the