The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-07-28

BY Invitation Of the Dominiou Govern
Al msnt Over the Canadian and SOD pa.
Z oi1ie Railways. July to IS, 1sss-Not
Aomsnts Dizziness In the Whole Ten
Hospitality Of the CANADIAN Poo
PIE 20 Great ~ to Occasion Surprise.
splendid Domain Through which the
Canadian Pacific Runs-som. F..&ura.
Of the Country Outlined Resolutions
Passsd-Ths Roster.
= THE Official Report 90
Anglo Saxon alliance is the watch.
word OF Canada. Friendliness to
every thing American. cordially to
tner american cousins and a kindly
feeling almost beyond belief, is found
al through the dominion. or at least
all through Western Canada This was
the political lesson learned by the Min.
nesota editors who took the recent trip
nall way across the continent from
winnipeg to Victoria. 1t was a mag.
nlncent trip and full Of surprises, but
this was the most significant fact of
the journey and the most unexpected.
:" A Most Cordial Reception.
The journey of nearly 1900 miles was
rendered the editors of Minnesota by
the Canadian Pacific Railroad com.
pany, at the suggestion and through
the request of the Hon. Clifford Sifton,
minister of the interior, who, since he
has taken control Of that department,
mas enthused great spirit into the de.
velopment of Western Canada He is
a man of great resourcefullness and
has adopted new methods and progress.
slve ideas for the conduct Of the de.
partment.
The excursionists numbered 185-the
largest in the history of the Editorial
association. They were personally
cared for by Mr.. Will ]. White,
press representative of the land
department of the. Canadian
government. We were taken to
Winnipeg by the Northern Pacific
road and there our long journey prac.
tically began with a most cordial re-.
ception by the officials and board of
trade of that city. For the first time
in our lives we were "foreigners," but
it was impossible to realize it. Our
Canadian cousins use our language.
look like US, dress like us, and
though they speak English with q
slight ''brogue," are readily for.
given that by Uncle Sans boys
and girls. Indeed, there was
absolutely nothing to show that we
were not at home except that nowhere
NJ ho~
quite SO delightful and 50 cordial re-.
ception as here, and that we were I'M.
der the English flag which, however,
was everywhere joined with "Old
Glory" just as everywhere were played
by the bands or sung, our national airs
with "God Save the Queen" while
cheers for the president Of the United
States mingled with cheers for Her
Majesty.
Extent of Western Canada.
Starting from Winnipeg we travelled
to the Rocky mountains over mag.
niticent prairie country, through the
southern part Of the provinces of Mani.
toba, Assiniboa and Alberta. North
of the last two are the provinces of
Saskatchewan, Athabasca and Yukon,
which five form the Northwest Terri.
tory. This section, which is as large
as the Northwestern states, includes a
vast amount of desirable land for
ranching and general farming. For
900 miles west from Winnipeg and 500
miles north from the American line is
arabic soil. 1t is a great territory,
capable of sustaining tens of millions
of population, while the total popula-
ton today is but about 500, 900. It is
not all a vast prairie, as so many think,
though much of Manitoba and of the
southern stretch Of boundary land is
treeless like the Red river valley and in
cludes some Of the richest and most fer.
tile lands to be found on this continent
North Of the Canadian Pacific it is
more varied and a splendid country is
just being opened to settlement and
railroads are being pushed through to
give the new settlers a market In all
these provinces named, home.
stead law is in operation which is sim.
liar to that of the United States; it is.
in fact, modelled after it. At the end
of only three years, however, he can
prove up, the expense being but $lO
Vast amounts of this best land is thus
subject to the homestead law, even in
Manitoba and in the southern counties
of the Northwest Territory where sub.
stantial towns afford a near and reli.
able market.
The Question Of Market.
This question Of market is an impor.
tant one, but when the traveller sees
from two to twelve elevators at such
towns as Portage la Prairie, Carberry,
Brandon, Virden, Griswold, Moose
Jaw and at dozens of other stations,
they are the certain evidence of strong
local markets. An examination of
them develops resources, also shows
where much of the wheat and of the
immense shipments Of cattle go, while
the surplus goes to England, which nat.
urally prefers the products Of its own
colony. In this regard, moreover, the
source Of the early settlement of the
country is important. As is we'll known
England is the richest country in the
world. 1t has practically endless cap
ital for investment. and from the days
Of the Hudson Bay company, which
earned large dividends for its stock.
holders, Canada has been a favorite
dumping ground for English money.
Hundreds, indeed thousands, of young
Englishmen have come here with
money, Tor it must be remembered that
while trade is not considered just the
thing for Younger members of the